A - Tess B - Tess C - Maggie Georgie wanted to be called Chicken George so is a Tom Chicken and refuses to lay
Well sir, you know your eggs, well done. I owe you one pint of beer and signed autographs from the girls. Just wish the buggers didn't poo so much.
Greensaint, I have 6 assorted hens and bantams myself and have kept various hens for the last 10 years so I have some knowledge. I think egg colour is linked with skin colour, and not necessarily to do with feather colour. Got a Bantam cockerel for the first time recently - named him after someone I know who is also a little cock. If you can stand a bit of crowing, a cockerel is a great addition to the flock, proper strutting little characters
I don't think Colehill would cope with a Cockerel, we were reported to the police for keeping "dangerous bees" last year The hens are a joy, all have very different characters, Maggie has even mastered the cat flap which is a mixed blessing. Re egg colour, we were given a money back guarantee if Tess didn't lay blue eggs. Of course they know full well that after owning her for ooh about 5mins we'd never take her back.
Honey bees, Greensaint? I want to have a hive, but the wife said "No!" I'm going to try again in a couple of years. I've fields behind me and if I put the hive at the bottom of the garden with a sign pointing to the fields, then I'm sure they won't come near the house
We've just come back from a week away in Suffolk , they have hens and a cockerel wandering about . So relaxing . Mrs jasper wants to get a couple on bantams when the extension is done .
Bees are very well behaved, we now have 3 hives in our average sized garden. Rather a rollercoaster year last year as our last remaining hive swarmed in May leaving behind a small residue who were all dead by September (no viable queen). Them next door have always hated the bees claiming multiple 'attacks' and phoned the police when they swarmed, ironic as bees are at their most docile when in a swarm. Usually I can re-locate the swarm myself into another hive but the sods latched on to a high branch in the eucalyptus tree. Resigned to our loss we ordered a new queen and core for delivery this June. However at the end of April a wild swarm appeared in our garden and promptly decided to colonise one of our old hives. Our good luck then went into overdrive in May when another swarm plonked down in the apple tree and with some encouragement made themselves at home in the second hive. Though pleased with ourselves we had to quickly arrange delivery for another hive as the ordered core were almost due. They were delivered by a very scared Post Office driver 3 weeks ago and so far all is well. I highly recommend bees, don't be silly about your hive placement and you'll not experience much bother from them. They only sting as a last resort. In the six years we've had bees I've been stung twice, once on my nose (through a protective mesh!) and on my foot when treading on one. They do seem to dislike some noises (strimmer) and certain strong smelling aftershaves and fabric conditioners. We just do any grass cutting around the hives during evening or morning when they're not active. Oh and be careful to not to allow other Queens to develop so they do a runner leaving an infertile bunch behind, but then you never really own bees.
Put your bee suit on, smoke the hive and go in to remove any Queen cells. It's better if you pay attention during the basic bee care course you've attended so you don't remove all the Queen cells leaving no viable Queen behind (looking at you Mrs greensaint). I've taken to marking Queens with paint when I spot them so it's easier next visit. Depending on which hive type you choose you can also restrict the Queen's movement in the hive, which helps a bit. Other than that its a bit like a penalty shoot out.
Just popping in to post a picture of the view from my hotel room. You can just about make out il duomo in the centre there. #smugbastard
