Let the clucking commence!

Wow, I really have to do better about posting here, don't I? The last few weeks have been crazy busy here on Honeybee Hills. Between honeybees, hens, and getting the garden ready for planting, on top of everything else, we've been busier than the proverbial one armed paperhanger.The chicks and ducklings we bought from Tractor Supply are doing great, we didn't lose a single one. A few days after we got them, Pa brought home 10 hens and a rooster he bought from someone getting out of the business, so that means we are getting eggs already. Yahoo!!! We're getting 5-8 per day, which is good considering our crazy weather. How crazy, you ask?

 This was yesterday. See that white stuff on the roof of the henhouse? Yep, snow! April 4th, snow!

 One of our garden spots, Pa had just tilled it the day before in short sleeves.

If you look very very closely, there are two tiny blue flowers freezing in the sleet and snow.

And then today, back to almost 70 degrees again.

Ok, so back to the chicks and hens. (Speaking of that, I'd love to get some of those hen and chick plants. My grandma always had those, and I thought they were the neatest things.) Anyways, Pa called the guy up who had the chickens, and was talking to him about them. The guy had all kinds of equipment that we didn't need, sounded like he was quite the professional. At least, until Pa asked him what kind of chickens he had for sale. "Oh, I got some white ones, and some brown ones, and black and white speckly ones". Umm ok, sure. 

 Yep, she's brown

 And so is she (she's also my favorite, one of the best layers)

 And here's us a speckly one!

And the original chicks we ordered from McMurray came in. One was DOA, and we lost a few more over the next night or two. As cold as it had been, and with them being shipped, we were still very pleased. And since that first batch, we haven't lost any more. They are growing and starting to get some color on their wings.

 Look how pretty the coloring is on the Barred Rocks (aka speckly ones)

 Gus and Gusala are doing great, although Gusala is twice the size of Gus already!

 We opened up their section of the henhouse to see if they would come out yet. Will they...

 Just for a peek. She wasn't too sure about all this. (bless their hearts, they're in that awkward adolescent stage, where they just aren't cute at all. Just kind of gangly)

I have more to tell you about bees, but I'll save it for another post. I promise it won't be a month!