Have you been thinking about getting bees? We reviewed the Aivituvin AIR104 beehive, and we like it! There is "some assembly required," but it's sturdy and well made. Plus it comes with a stand. It's a Langstroth style hive, which is one of the most popular styles. So as your hives grow, you'll be able to buy more boxes and frames. ![]()
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The price is currently $220, which is about $150 less than other retailers for the same equipment. It's a sweet deal, especially if you're just getting started and your budget is tight.![]()
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If you want to see how to assemble the hive, there is also a longer (8 minute) unboxing and assembly video at youtu.be/Cl5to3DBLZ8![]()
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For more information about the AIR104, please visit Aivituvin through this affiliate link, which helps out our homestead! And get 5% off if you use discount code HWA5. ![]()
aivituvin.com/collections/garden-bed?ref=HappyWifeAcres![]()
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youtu.be/tpZnWdtOLrk
Affordable Beehive and Stand (Aivituvin AIR104)
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We reviewed the Aivituvin AIR104 beehive and stand, and we like it! If you are going to soon be a beekeeper, check out this hive. You'll spend some time pu...
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Happy Wife Acres will conduct its Chicken Processing class on Saturday, 24 May 2025, starting at 9am in our processing barn. In this class, you will learn how to process a chicken from start to finish. ![]()
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After a detailed explanation and demonstration, you will select a chicken and take it through all the processing steps, including dispatching, scalding, plucking, evisceration, and packaging. Then, take your chicken home to share with your friends and family.![]()
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We are with you through every step of the process. There is no requirement to complete every step, but we want you to become comfortable enough to process your own poultry.![]()
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There is a minimum age limit of 14 for this class. All participants must register. Chickens processed for this class will be Cornish Cross raised on grass.![]()
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For more information and registration, go to
Chicken Processing Class - Saturday, 24 May 2025 - Happy Wife Acres
www.happywifeacres.com
In this very popular class, you will learn how to process a chicken from start to finish. After a detailed demonstration, you will select a chicken and take it through ... Continue reading "Chicken ...
A Few Minutes on the Homestead - 18 April 2025![]()
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There's so much going on at the farm. We have so many broody hens already, quail are hatching every 2 weeks, chicks for the Rent-a-Chick program are due soon, we have 5 goslings that are growing so fast, and we're teaching every weekend!![]()
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A Few Minutes on the Homestead - 18 April 2025
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A quick look at at what’s happening on the farm. Today we look at some baby bunnies! There's so much going on at the farm. We have many broody hens already...
We have 3 slots open for the hatch program that goes out on 29 April. This is an exciting program that lets you hatch chicks right in your own home.![]()
Rent-a-Chick Hatch includes an incubator to get the full experience of hatching eggs and then caring for baby chicks. It is designed for homeschool families who want to teach embryology. Rental fee is $75. The kit includes everything in the Rent-a-Chick kit plus an incubator and 10 eggs. This is a 6 week commitment (3 weeks for incubation, 3 weeks with chicks), although the chicks may be returned early if you choose. The returned chicks will continue to grow up with other chickens on the farm.![]()
You must register through our online reservation system on our website. To register, go to
Rent-a-Chick & Rent-a-Chick Hatch Program Reservations - Happy Wife Acres
www.happywifeacres.com
Rent-a-Chick and Rent-a-Chick HATCH reservations are below. There are 7 Rent-a-Chick rental periods with two slots each. There are 5 Rent-a-Chick HATCH rental periods with five slots each. This may .....
A Love Story (kinda): Two years ago, two Mallards joined our flock of ducks. Yes, we know we're not supposed to own wild animals, but we don't "own" them. They can leave anytime they want, but they don't. ![]()
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We call the two Mallards "Mr. Mallard" and "Ms. Mallard". Real original, right? Anyway, they hang out with with the Call ducks, which are only slightly smaller than the Mallards. This year, Mr. Mallard "got married" to two Call duck girls. They are inseparable. That left the jilted Ms. Mallard all alone. ![]()
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Ms. Mallard refused to be defined by the actions of a man! In her own Mallard way, she convinced a new Mallard boy to live with her on the farm. Think about that for a moment. A wild animal being convinced to spend his days in someone's backyard just to be close to his sweetheart. ![]()
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We're not sure where they met or how, but he's been here for a few days, and we expect he'll stay for a while longer. They might be planning a family. They both stay out at night, so we'll be looking for their nest to make sure they're safe.![]()
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It's true love in the duck world. Don't try to convince us it doesn't happen!
We have eggs! We have chicken, duck, and call duck eggs available. Our chicken eggs are unwashed and good on your counter for a month. They make the most delicious deviled eggs for Easter. Our duck eggs are sometimes so big that we can't close a jumbo egg carton. Our call duck eggs are smaller and blue, but tastes the same as a big duck egg. For more information and our complete inventory, check out www.happywifeacres.com/inventory/![]()
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How are we different from a farmer's market or other local egg suppliers? ![]()
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1. Reserved Eggs. Orders are made in advance, so when your order is confirmed, the eggs will be ready when you visit. There's no time wasted driving only to discover a vendor is sold out. ![]()
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2. Quality. We have a rigorous quality control program. Our eggs are inspected several times before placing into cartons. No dirty, small, broken, or old eggs will be in our cartons. We are proud of the eggs we see you! Here's an article about our quality control: www.happywifeacres.com/farm-egg-quality-control/![]()
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3. Taste. Our birds freely range our property. Their foraging and wide diet make their eggs richer and tastier than commercial feed alone. ![]()
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Contact us today to get the tastiest eggs. Call/Text 937-361-5798 or order from our Inventory page above.
Farm Egg Quality Control - Happy Wife Acres
www.happywifeacres.com
Selling eggs from your farm sounds simple, right? Collect eggs, put them in a carton, and sell. But what about quality control? Backyard chicken farmers are exempt from many regulations, ... Continue ...
We reviewed the BN-LINK Seed Heat Mat. The mat heats underneath your seed trays to keep the soil between 70F and 85F. It's great in the spring when the house is cold, or when your seedlings need to stay warm overnight in the greenhouse. ![]()
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The mats are waterproof and super easy to use. Just plug them in!![]()
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You can purchase them directly from BN-LINK.com at www.bn-link.com/products/bn-link-durable-seedling-heat-mat-warm-hydroponic-heating-pad-waterproof..., or from Amazon at www.amazon.com/BN-LINK-Durable-Seedling-Hydroponic-Waterproof/dp/B0C5GM17Z4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?th=1![]()
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youtu.be/xwfnnNHgUfc
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We reviewed the BN-LINK Seed Heat Mat. The mat heats under your seed trays to keep the soil between 70F and 85F. It's great in the spring when the house is...
Farm Visitors Every Day: "How many chickens do you have?"![]()
Us: "We have no idea." ![]()
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EXCEPT TODAY!! Once each year we conduct a Chicken Health Day where we inspect and treat every chicken on the farm, and today was that day. Fourteen wonderful volunteers helped with the huge task of wrangling, shuttling, and counting chickens, while John and Andrea inspected and treated for illness and mites. Volunteers got to see what we look for and how we treat the birds. The entire task was done in under 3 hours, and here are the results:![]()
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- 27 Roosters![]()
- 255 Adult Hens![]()
- 38 Red Banded Hens (old hens marked for processing in the coming year)![]()
- 24 Chicks![]()
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The total for TODAY is 344 chickens on the farm. That will change tomorrow and every day after that, but it's good to know, even if just for a day.![]()
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A HUGE THANK YOU to all our volunteers. The closest volunteer walked over from next door. The farthest away drove from Newark, Ohio, about 100 miles. Two families drove from Columbus. We are so blesses and grateful for everyone's help and we hope they learned a lot.
Rabbits can devastate your garden, but they are so darned cute when they eat! Watch these baby rabbits as they munch on some Purple Deadnettle. Then be happy that they're not in your garden. ![]()
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An up close look at adorable baby rabbits enjoying some purple deadnettle.
It’s Fluffy Butt Friday! ![]()
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See the chicks on the right? Those are the ones that were hatched in the barn loft.
"Farming is Experimentation" We say that a lot. We have a decent idea of how things should work, but what if we change it up a little? Will the result be better for the animals, or perhaps better for us? ![]()
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Backstory: We're in the feed store, and Andrea sees Cornish Cross (meat bird) chicks. We swore we would never raise meat birds again, but she had an idea to raise them so we could schedule a chicken processing class in a couple of months. John had to admit it was a brilliant idea. We normally schedule chicken processing classes in the fall when we have a lot of roosters, but people are already asking about the class now, and the Cornish Cross will be ready in 8 weeks. So we get the meaties.![]()
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We also had broody hens in need of chicks, so Andrea decides to give the chicks to the hens. Now in case you don't know, Cornish Cross chickens are the chicken you buy from the store or restaurant. They have been selectively bred since the late 1950s and grow twice as fast as a heritage chicken. Despite what you might believe, they aren't given hormones. But they are always hungry, so they eat twice as much and poop twice as much as a regular chicken. Their bone structure is weak from the fast growth, so they spend most of their time sitting or sleeping on the ground near the feed bowl so they don't have to walk far to satisfy their insatiable appetite. ![]()
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So Andrea puts the meat birds under the hens, and adds a few heritage chicks so the mama hens will still have chicks when the meat birds get too large. The experiment works great. All the hens accepted the chicks, and despite the rapid growth, the hens do their best to keep them all warm at night. In the pictures, you can see the size difference. The small buff colored one is the heritage chick. All the chicks are 2 weeks old.![]()
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We are considering this experiment a success so far. No additional brooder and heat lamp was needed, the broody hens are happy, and if the Cornish Cross birds continue to thrive, we will schedule a processing class for late May.
Did you know that you can let your rabbit run free in the yard? It's not for everyone, but it's what we do! Isabella is a retired breeder who has been running free for the past 6 months. She has a hutch that she can go in for food, water, and shelter, but it's never locked. She runs the farm, visits with all the other rabbits, and snacks on leaves and spring weeds like Purple Deadnettle. She decided to visit the chickens in the coop and do some serious digging. If you ever visit the farm, you'll probably see Isabella hopping around.
We will present our “Strategic Farm Planning” class on Saturday, 19 April at 10 am at Happy Wife Acres. This unique class is a business class for homesteaders who are ready to transition their hobby farm into a business. You may have questions like “What should we sell?”, “Where do I find customers?”, “How do I price my products?”, “Should I incorporate?”, “Should I have a website?”, “Can I make money from social media?”, “How do I plan, market, and advertise?”, and many, many more. We won’t make you a business strategy expert in one class, but we will give you a lot to think about, actions to take, lessons learned, and what we’ve done to grow our business. ![]()
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To learn more and register, go to
Class: Strategic Farm Planning Class, 19 April 2025, 10am - 1pm - Happy Wife Acres
www.happywifeacres.com
Do you want to start making money from your homestead, but aren’t sure where to start? Do you have questions about planning, marketing, advertising, and creating a business? If so, ... Continue read...
This is one of those time when I wish I had the video rolling, but it all happened so fast, so you’ll just have to imagine it in your mind. ![]()
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Smokey (pictured) caught a mouse in the coop. No surprise, he’s a gold medal mouser. Chickens are all around him since it’s bedtime and they’re coming home to roost. He likes to play with his food, letting the mouse run so he can catch it again. Not a smart move in a coop. ![]()
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The mouse darts in front of a hen, who snags it, slams it back on the floor, and gulps it down whole. It was over before it started. Meanwhile, the Smokester is looking around for his prize. The hen never said a word. Better luck next time Smokey!
This is one of those time when I wish I had the video rolling, but it all happened so fast, so you’ll just have to imagine it in your mind. ![]()
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Smokey (pictured) caught a mouse in the coop. No surprise, he’s a gold medal mouser. Chickens are all around him since it’s bedtime and they’re coming home to roost. He likes to play with his food, letting the mouse run so he can catch it again. Not a smart move in a coop. ![]()
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The mouse darts in front of a hen, who snags it, slams it back on the floor, and gulps it down whole. It was over before it started. Meanwhile, the Smokester is looking around for his prize. The hen never said a word. Better luck next time Smokey!
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We will present "Raising Chickens" at the public library in Jamestown, Ohio on Saturday, 5 April at 11am. This 1-hour presentation will help new chicken owners learn about raising chicks, selecting breeds, understanding feed choices, housing, predator control, and common poultry issues. The presentation is FREE. For more information, see the link below.
greenelibrary.bibliocommons.com
Happy Wife Acres present “Raising Chickens.” Learn the basics of raising chicks, breed selection, feed, housing, predator control, and more. --Andrea and John Hancock of Happy Wife Acres will pres...
We still have 3 young Rex rabbits available. One girl, two boys. All were born on 19 February. Their uncle is also available. He was born 16 June 2024. If you are interested in any of them, please fill out the form at www.happywifeacres.com/rabbits/. Filling out the form is the only way to "get in line," and how we keep track of orders.
We haven’t seen a rooster take out a hawk, but we have seen them rush a hawk attacking a hen. We also have lost roosters who were protecting their hens from coyotes and foxes.
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
Our broody hens always sit on golf balls for three weeks. Then we give them chicks. This technique prevents egg breakage when other hens get in and out of next boxes, and it ensures that we don't sell half-grown chicks to egg customers! ![]()
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We place the chicks under the hen after sunset. The hen spends a night with her chick babies, and then we move the hen and chicks to a cage on the lawn where they will be protected until the chicks are big enough to mix with the rest of the flock (around 5 weeks). We've been doing this for years and it works quite well.![]()
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The featured hen in the video is Pilot. She is a first-time broody hen, and is quickly proving to be an excellent mom!![]()
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Our broody hens always sit on golf balls for three weeks, then get live chicks. Then we give them chicks. This technique prevents egg breakage when other h...
After years of practice, Andrea has become a master at egg collection.![]()
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Learn about her special technique at www.happywifeacres.com/egg-collection/
These cute chicks hatched on Sunday, and many of them will be going home with families participating in the Rent-a-Chick program. ![]()
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There are still slots available for Rent-a-Chick on 29 May, and Rent-a-Chick Hatch on 29 April. See more at www.happywifeacres.com/rent-a-chick-rent-a-chick-hatch-programs/
Bees are kind of like humans. They don’t like to get up until the sun is up, and they don’t like going outside unless the temperature is above 50 degrees. So when you see bees doing bee stuff, you know spring is here. And the pollen on their back legs confirms that the earth is waking up from its winter break. ![]()
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By the way, we are out of honey until July when we harvest. If bees interest you and you’d like to learn more or participate in our honey harvest this summer, check out our bee classes at www.happywifeacres.com/classes/
We held a workshop today to build a chick brooder, which also includes a heat lamp, incubator, hygrometer, candler, feeder, and waterer. ![]()
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Even though the workshop is over, you can still purchase the assembled kit. It’s all the equipment you will need to hatch eggs and raise the chicks for the first few weeks of their life. Learn more and order at www.happywifeacres.com/buy-hatch-kit/
Candling eggs never gets old. It’s fascinating to see future life growing inside. These eggs are for our Rent-a-Chick program and are due to hatch on Sunday.