A Broody Hen at Briden Farm

May 30, 2021 Brian Hurlburt No Comments

One of the nice things about Spring is that it’s the time of birth, and rebirth. It gives us hope! Hope for those who are born, hope for the future, and hope for rebirth after that!

Perhaps that’s why when we see the first Spring Robin, or a Butterfly, or a Broody Hen sitting on a clutch of Eggs on Her Nest. During the 3 Weeks the Hen sits on her nest, she undergoes a real transformation! Then, when her eggs hatch, and She emerges from her place of refuge and brings new life with Her! It might not be a complete Resurrection, but anyone who has witnessed the miracle of birth, or rebirth, knows it really is a miracle!

Our “Old Grey Hen”, pictured above is doing just that! We soon hope to bring You photos of Her little ball of joy as the Chicks emerge and find their place in their brand new World! Here at Briden Farm!

Categories: Hatching Eggs and Baby Chicks The Scoop at The Coop Uncategorized

Tags: Bear River, Briden Farm, chickens, Chicks Hatching, Digby County, hens, Nova Scotia

Our Chickens Are Hiding Easter Eggs

April 3, 2021 Brian Hurlburt 1 Comment

I suppose it’s a good time of Year, it being Easter Week, and All, but we were surprised to find a nest with 22 Eggs in it!

Recently we added some hay, and moved things around, in our carport where the Hens prefer to lay! Laying Hens are funny that way!

We have nest boxes in the Chicken Coop, but the girls prefer to lay in the hay in the carport! We have put banana boxes in there, filled with hay, and they’re pretty good at laying in them.

We typically get about 12-14 eggs a day, and after we recently moved things around, that number dropped to about half! So, I wondered if we put them off laying, but figured it more likely they were hiding them, or had at least changed location!

Sure enough, we discovered 22 eggs in a nest at the back end of the carport, at the back end of the hay where we’d made a crisscross with the hay bales, leaving ample space for a beautiful nest!

Now, it may be because we made the changes, but it makes me wonder if with Easter on the Horizon if the hens just wanted us to be proud that Our Chickens Are Hiding Easter Eggs!

PS: I have it on good authority that tomorrow morning, there might just be a Briden Farm Video about some very special Bunnies! 😉

Categories: Fun at the Farm The Scoop at The Coop Uncategorized

Tags: Bear River, Briden Farm, chickens, Digby County, Easter Eggs, Eggs, Nova Scotia

Up to an Inch of Snow They Said

February 2, 2021 Brian Hurlburt No Comments

Actually they said 2-4 cm, and up to 10 Celsius, I think!

However, this is what it looked like here at Briden Farm at 8am this morning when it was still -4 C and we had at least 4-6 inches of snow on the ground!

We really can’t complain though, this has been an easy Winter, and this was the first time I’ve really had to do chores, like feeding and watering our Chickens and Nigerian Dwarf Goats, in Winter conditions.

Not sure what it’s like over in Annapolis County, but here, on our side of Bear River in Digby County it’s blustering and yes, it’s starting to turn to rain! Which means it’s just going to be a mess!

Our Nigerian Dwarf Goats don’t mind it much, they just stay in and munch on their goodies and enjoy their hay and warm beds. Even the Bucks are quite content to laze around. The chickens are another story though, thy like to be outside, picking and scratching and sneaking off to lay their eggs in the banana boxes in the carport! Maybe they’ll actually lay their eggs in their nest boxes in the Coop today!

in any case, it seems we’re in for a bit of warm weather this week, so They’ll all get to spend time outside later in the week, if not today.

Today, I think we’ll stay near the wood stove, here at Briden Farm where the Tea is Always On and the Coffee is not far behind! 😉

Categories: Nigerian Dwarf Goats The Scoop at The Coop Winter

Tags: Annapolis County, Bear River, Briden Farm, chickens, Chores, Digby County, Forecast, Nigerian Dwarf Goats, Nova Scotia, snow