Help me get my "homestead" started - Chickens, Ducks, and Bees

[Diggin It]

Bees are next. I don't even know why I want bees? I just think it would be fun to watch them and I think they would be good for the garden. I think that just takes buying a hive kit and some tools. I have a friend that raises them so I *think* I should be able to get enough information to get started good with them.

Saw a news story a few days ago about some keepers installing tracking devices on their hives due to thefts. Of all the things you'd imagine people would steal ... beehives?

 

[ponytug]

Hives are big money. Almond pollination runs $200+/hive, with the total market ar around $520Million, going on now in California. Hive theft has become a problem ever since variola and CCD struck.
2022 Almond Pollination Outlook | Bee Culture

All the best,

Peter

 

[Jstpssng]

I've always let my poultry free range during the day, and accepted that there would be occasional loss. What I'm concerned about now though is that one of the avian diseases has been found about 100 miles from here, and with annual spring migration it likely will spread. "They" say to keep your flock away from wild birds, yet that's hard to do when I'm geared up for free ranging.
My hens just started laying again a couple of weeks ago, today I picked up 8 eggs. Half of my 13 birds will be 2YO this spring, the other half will be 3, I haven't decided if I should cull the flock or let them die off in their own. The oldest hen I've ever had was 4 or 5, last fall she was acting groggy so I put her on her roost, a couple hours later I went back and found her dead in the driveway. Something had gone in through the open door, killed her and dragged her out; I suspect it was a raven who had gone in looking for eggs.

 

[forgeblast]

Morning all,

I feel like it's time to go ahead and get started preparing for the spring around here. My family just moved onto about 11 acres over last summer. Moved a house trailer out to live in while waiting to build a house. I'm planning on scaling up my "Freedom Garden" that I had been growing in the neighborhood we moved out of. It was about 24' X 36' with tomatoes, zucchini, squash, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, okra, cucumbers, green beans, and maybe a couple other odds and ends here and there. I am decent with that, although I will have to start the soil from scratch here.... yay... I am going to add a bunch of corn, watermelon and hopefully strawberries, but I don't know anything about strawberries yet.

On to the critters. I want to raise a few chickens for eggs, and maybe to eat? I don't even know if you eat the egg laying chickens? Or if I could, you know pets.. I also want to have some pet ducks for the little pond. In the spring time TSC has the little baby chickens and ducks. I was hoping to start with about a 6 pack of each. I don't know what to build for them to mature in or live in once grown. I assume I need something small to start them in like a little dog house size with a heat lamp? I don't have any outbuildings that I would be able to put it in, so it would have to be stand alone. Or I guess I could go ahead and build a chicken coop to put the little box in but it would probably be too far away from power...

Bees are next. I don't even know why I want bees? I just think it would be fun to watch them and I think they would be good for the garden. I think that just takes buying a hive kit and some tools. I have a friend that raises them so I *think* I should be able to get enough information to get started good with them.

biobees and beesource are great places to learn about bees, if you have the money the flow hive is nice if you just want to leave the bees alone and let them do their thing a warre hive is great. Electric fence is needed to keep bears away etc. look at psu bee fence it is a good resource.

ducks are IMHO are much easier to keep then chickens, the only issue is they will lay an egg where they want. mcmurray will ship them to you. We have three now, a blue sweedish, a black runner, and a Chinese crested. they are funny little creatures and the eggs are great. Go to backyard chickens and see all the different builds. we did an aframe with a hardware cloth enclosure/run. keeps things from getting in. much better then chicken wire. good luck

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I wouldn't rush into it, bees can be a lot of work. My sister keeps them and she generally loses a hive each winter. Granted, Arkansas isn't NEK Vermont, but you got good advice upthread to get to know other beekeepers in your area first.

Ericm979 had a lot of good advice too.

One thing you haven't mentioned yet is how you plan to support yourself while getting established. A day job is best, but it'll take away a lot of time from building your home and getting settled. Even once you're well established, you'll find it's a tough lifestyle.

I should be fine to start bees this spring. I have been researching the past year. My Sunday school teacher has been keeping several hives for years. He is going to help me. I'm starting small. I may try to get enough hives to make a little side money over time if it goes well on the small scale.

My in-laws have a hand full of laying chickens for personal use. That's all I plan for mine.

My wife and I both have good jobs. This is just for fun/ hobby. That's why I put "homestead" in quotes. I don't intend to try to make a living on any of this. I enjoy the outdoors and like being a little "self sufficient". I'm just incrementally adding to that. I try to take enough deer to not have to buy beef unless we just want it. There is no substitute for a good cow steak or greasy burger if that's what you are in the mood for. My small garden kept us in fresh vegetables for the most part through the growing season, and we would be able to put some things up that would last a couple more months. I'm adding to the garden in size and variety this year now that I have a lot larger area. My total yard with house was 1/2 acre at the old place now we have 11 acres and a tractor with a tiller. The world is my oyster!!

 

[cholland]

Good place for chicken info and other stuff: www.backyardchickens.com

 

[SandburRanch]

My small garden kept us in fresh vegetables for the most part through the growing season, and we would be able to put some things up that would last a couple more months. I'm adding to the garden in size and variety this year now that I have a lot larger area.

Putting some garden vegetables up for the winter caught my eye and was always my goal . I'm at the age of winding down from raising beef to take to the processor , butchering my hog for the winter , feeding laying hens and a larger garden to a smaller garden . Bell peppers to freeze for winter use and a few fresh tomatoes about sums it up .

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Morning all,

I feel like it's time to go ahead and get started preparing for the spring around here. My family just moved onto about 11 acres over last summer. Moved a house trailer out to live in while waiting to build a house. I'm planning on scaling up my "Freedom Garden" that I had been growing in the neighborhood we moved out of. It was about 24' X 36' with tomatoes, zucchini, squash, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, okra, cucumbers, green beans, and maybe a couple other odds and ends here and there. I am decent with that, although I will have to start the soil from scratch here.... yay... I am going to add a bunch of corn, watermelon and hopefully strawberries, but I don't know anything about strawberries yet.

On to the critters. I want to raise a few chickens for eggs, and maybe to eat? I don't even know if you eat the egg laying chickens? Or if I could, you know pets.. I also want to have some pet ducks for the little pond. In the spring time TSC has the little baby chickens and ducks. I was hoping to start with about a 6 pack of each. I don't know what to build for them to mature in or live in once grown. I assume I need something small to start them in like a little dog house size with a heat lamp? I don't have any outbuildings that I would be able to put it in, so it would have to be stand alone. Or I guess I could go ahead and build a chicken coop to put the little box in but it would probably be too far away from power...

Bees are next. I don't even know why I want bees? I just think it would be fun to watch them and I think they would be good for the garden. I think that just takes buying a hive kit and some tools. I have a friend that raises them so I *think* I should be able to get enough information to get started good with them.

Do not forget to use iodized salt. When I was a kid, we lived on an orchard Dad bought with a VA farm loan. It had been run as a pick your own operation.

it had three varieties of apples, pears, apricots, peaches, cherries, and raspberries and black berries. He put in a one acre garden area up by the house. We grew all of our fruits and vegetables, a couple of steers, bought a gross of chicks every spring, and let them run free range in the orchard all summer, then butchered in the fall. A couple of deer to round things out. Add in a good milk cow, and the family was completely self sufficient growing nearly all of our own food.

Dad had a heart condition so Mom decided salt was bad, and quit using it. After a couple of years of that diet, every one in the family, other than my younger brother and I, had serious issues with their thyroid. The healthy inland diet, was completely devoid of iodine. The younger brother and I didn’t have any issues, because Mom was still feeding us ViDaylin every morning, and it had enough iodine in it. Everybody else has had issue with their thyroid since, and have to take pills to make up for what they don’t produce.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Do not forget to use iodized salt. When I was a kid, we lived on an orchard Dad bought with a VA farm loan. It had been run as a pick your own operation.

it had three varieties of apples, pears, apricots, peaches, cherries, and raspberries and black berries. He put in a one acre garden area up by the house. We grew all of our fruits and vegetables, a couple of steers, bought a gross of chicks every spring, and let them run free range in the orchard all summer, then butchered in the fall. A couple of deer to round things out. Add in a good milk cow, and the family was completely self sufficient growing nearly all of our own food.

Dad had a heart condition so Mom decided salt was bad, and quit using it. After a couple of years of that diet, every one in the family, other than my younger brother and I, had serious issues with their thyroid. The healthy inland diet, was completely devoid of iodine. The younger brother and I didn’t have any issues, because Mom was still feeding us ViDaylin every morning, and it had enough iodine in it. Everybody else has had issue with their thyroid since, and have to take pills to make up for what they don’t produce.

As for advice on what to grow and how: Call your extension agent, they know what works in your area, and what doesn’t. Really handy folks to know if you live rural.

 

[Jstpssng]

Do not forget to use iodized salt. When I was a kid, we lived on an orchard Dad bought with a VA farm loan. It had been run as a pick your own operation.

it had three varieties of apples, pears, apricots, peaches, cherries, and raspberries and black berries. He put in a one acre garden area up by the house. We grew all of our fruits and vegetables, a couple of steers, bought a gross of chicks every spring, and let them run free range in the orchard all summer, then butchered in the fall. A couple of deer to round things out. Add in a good milk cow, and the family was completely self sufficient growing nearly all of our own food.

Dad had a heart condition so Mom decided salt was bad, and quit using it. After a couple of years of that diet, every one in the family, other than my younger brother and I, had serious issues with their thyroid. The healthy inland diet, was completely devoid of iodine. The younger brother and I didn’t have any issues, because Mom was still feeding us ViDaylin every morning, and it had enough iodine in it. Everybody else has had issue with their thyroid since, and have to take pills to make up for what they don’t produce.

I never thought of that. In my late '20s I decided to stop using salt, and for a long time didn't even have a salt shaker in the house.
When I was 39 I started feeling rundown, and after simple activity like walking down the stairs, I would have to stop and take a nap.
I also gained 20 pounds unexpectedly.
I've been on thyroid meds ever since then, and 24 years later the dosage has finally leveled off so that they had to reduce the meds slightly.