We’re proud to announce that our YouTube channel reached 20,000 subscribers! We’ve posted over 700 videos since February 2017. Our videos have a homesteading theme, including farm updates, building cages, equipment repair, wine making, recipes, and product reviews. ![]()
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We don’t use a click bait strategy to increase subscribers, so our growth has been slow and steady. We want people to follow us because they see value in the videos they watch. ![]()
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Interestingly, our Facebook and YouTube followers are completely different audiences. So if you haven’t checked out our YouTube channel, please do And please hit the Subscribe button! Thank You to everyone who is already a subscribed.
If you drive by the farm, this is what you’ll see on the front lawn. No, we don’t raise fighting cocks! These are “private apartments” for our broody hens and babies. We accommodate about 90 broodies each year. Some go broody three times during the spring and summer. ![]()
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After 3 weeks, we open a side door to let them roam the yard. After 5 weeks, the mom usually abandons her children and returns to the coop. Then the enclosure is open for another family. Wash, rinse, repeat all summer!
This is Pinkie. She is a young Lavender Orpington hen that was dropped off this spring. The other girls in her original coop were bullying her, and the owner figured they would eventually kill her. So she came to our farm. ![]()
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She now has lots of friends and enjoys the attention the roosters give her (maybe a little too much). Pinkie follows us wherever we go and enjoys being picked up. Tonight she asked for pictures.
Pilot got her babies tonight after sitting on golf balls in a nest box for 3 weeks. Tomorrow she will be moved to her private “apartment” on the front lawn. This is Pilot’s second time being a mom this year. Such a friendly girl.
Propane is helping finish the new quail tower. Propane is very vocal and very friendly.
We attended a high school graduation party today. Although Gwyn is not a blood relative, she is family to us. Gwyn was an apprentice at the farm for three years, starting when she was 15 years old.![]()
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You didn't hear about Gwyn on our social media because she was a minor, but she was often a "hand model" in our videos. Sometimes she was holding the camera or editing the final product. During her apprenticeship, she helped build many cages, repaired numerous small engines, helped install the electrical wiring in the processing barn, and could process a chicken/quail/rabbit faster than either of us.![]()
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Gwyn was a blessing to the farm, and it has been a joy watching her learn and grow to be the wonderful young lady she is today. Congratulations Gwyn! We wish you the best in your bright future. The world needs more people like Gwyn!
The Chicken Processing class is back! This very popular class will be held on Saturday, 26 July at 9 am. There are only 8 slots available for this class. It will fill up quickly.![]()
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In this 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 all the processing steps, including dispatching, scalding, plucking, evisceration, and packaging. Then, take the chicken home to share with your friends and family.![]()
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Learn more and register at the link below. www.happywifeacres.com/class-chicken-processing/ ![]()
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You can see a list of all of our classes and presentations at www.happywifeacres.com/classes
Chicken Processing Class - Saturday, 26 July 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 ...
Although Jack looks a lot like a dozen eggs, please don’t mistakenly take him home if he’s in the egg box.
Tank asked for another photo shoot. He has something to crow about. He’s such a handsome boy!
This is how we make more quail. We incubate and hatch quail every 2 weeks from January to October. The demand for female quail is huge this year with a few hundred on backorder. Customers often wait 3 to 4 months. We'll soon start incubating every week to keep up with demand and reduce the wait time. ![]()
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Here is the routine we go through every time we "lock down" quail, which means when we remove the eggs from the rotating trays, candle them, and place them in a hatcher. Four days later they begin to hatch!![]()
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And what happens to the males? The ones that aren't sold live become food. It's delicious! We have plenty of processed quail in stock. ![]()
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youtu.be
We hatch quail every 2 weeks from January to October. We'll soon start incubating every week to keep up with demand. Here is the routine we go through ever...
Here are the classes we have scheduled through June and early July:![]()
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-Raising Quail for Food: Saturday, 14 June at 10am. Quail are popular because they can often be raised where chickens are not allowed. Learn how to successfully raise quail, and enjoy fresh eggs and meat from this sustainable and fast-growing bird. A tour is included, followed by a processing demonstration. You’ll have the opportunity to taste quail eggs and meat!![]()
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- Strategic Farm Planning: Saturday, 21 June at 10am. If you are ready to transition your homestead into a money-making business, then this class will help you learn what is necessary to balance the farm, customers, social media, business planning, and family. The class is full of tips, lessons learned, and concepts to help you be successful. ![]()
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- Honey Harvest: 28 & 29 June and 5 & 6 July at 9am. If you are thinking about raising bees, but aren’t sure if you can stay calm while thousands of bees fly around you while you take their honey, then this class is for you! After learning about how honey gets in the hive, you’ll collect honey frames, and then spin, filter, and jar the honey. You’ll take home a pint-sized jar of delicious raw honey! Choose from one of the 4 available dates.![]()
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Also, we have openings for the Rent-a-Chick and Rent-a-Chick Hatch programs!![]()
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Learn more and register at the link below:![]()
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www.happywifeacres.com
We conduct classes onsite during spring through fall, and online classes in the spring. The majority of our onsite classes are immersive, giving you an opportunity to hold an animal, ... Continue read...
Five mallards ducklings. Mama is standing guard behind them. ![]()
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- Yes, she’s wild. ![]()
- No, she doesn’t go in a cage. ![]()
- Yes, she can leave whenever she wants. ![]()
- No, she doesn’t want to!
June is mulberry month! In just a few days, the mulberries will be dark purple and ready eat. Mulberries contain high amounts of both iron and vitamin C, as well as decent amounts of potassium and vitamins E and K. Research suggests that mulberries help stabilize blood sugar levels, protect liver health, support healthy digestion and reduce cholesterol levels. ![]()
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You'll almost never find mulberries in a grocery store. That's because the berries are delicate with a short shelf life. The best way to get mulberries is to pick them yourself. Mulberries grow wild in Ohio, so if you don't have any on your property, find a friend who does!![]()
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For years we've offered to let people gather the berries from our trees, but no one comes. Maybe because there's a little work involved. But the offer is there. We'll soon be gathering, eating, and freeze drying berries through June!
We look forward to going to this every year. This has a bunch of bee and other pollinator info. See you there!
The pictures for this post are in the comments. They show a rabbit uterus with embryos inside, and the embryos outside. The pictures might be graphic to you, which is why they are in the comments. This post is made for educational purposes, since pictures like this can be hard to find.![]()
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Our meat rabbit mom died this morning unexpectedly. Half Pint was pregnant with 13 babies and was due in the next day or two. She was young (9 months old) and this would have been her third litter. She was a good mom.![]()
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Opening her up confirmed she was pregnant. The first picture shows the babies in the uterus. Each one receives nutrition through blood flow to the uterus and through a placenta under its belly. The second picture is the 13 babies. Nothing seemed out of sorts otherwise, so we're not sure why she died. ![]()
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It was a sad morning. Since Half Pint was our last meat rabbit breeder, we will likely get out of the meat rabbit business. For now we will continue breeding Rex rabbits for pets.
Does it feel like you're starting to get less eggs from your flock? If you have a larger flock of mixed ages, that's exactly what is happening. Our large flock has ages from new layers to 4 years old, and we're starting to notice it. ![]()
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We are in our 7th year of tracking daily egg production. Although the numbers change, the general shape of the curve stays the same. Peak production occurs around the end of April. There is a steady decline until December. Then around 15 February, production begins to rise dramatically.![]()
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Enjoy your delicious eggs while they are plentiful!
Eggs! Eggs! Eggs! We are rolling in eggs! Chicken, Duck, Call Duck, and Guinea. We have them!![]()
What makes our eggs special? We have a quality control program. ![]()
1. You can see our chickens living their best life. They are running around all over the yard. They are pastured with means they live on grass.![]()
2. Our eggs are sold within 7 days of them being laid.![]()
3. Our eggs are hand sorted by size. For example you won't get extra small chicken eggs in your boxes, only medium and above.![]()
4. All eggs are clean in the box. We will not give you eggs covered in "brown stuff".![]()
5. When we tell you that we have eggs in the box for you, your name is on the board and they are reserved for you. You will not come to find there are no eggs after driving here.![]()
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We are proud of our eggs. We want you to love them as much as we do. Come on and try them . 8600 Haddix Rd Fairborn 937-361-5798 www.happywifeacres.com/egg-order/
Rex rabbits ready for immediate rehoming! Rex rabbits are friendly and make great pets. ![]()
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www.happywifeacres.com/rabbits/
If you have ever incubated eggs, you know that not all eggs hatch. It's heartbreaking to open an egg after the hatching window has closed, only to find a fully formed chick that died in the shell. Sometimes the reason is obvious, and sometimes not. The incubator humidity may have been too low, or the shell was extra hard (typical with free-ranging chickens). Sometimes there is a physical defect, like cross-beak or leg issues. Sometimes the chick just got tired and needed a little help. (yes, contrary to many experts, we help chicks hatch when we see they need it)![]()
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And sometimes, the reason a chick didn't hatch is painfully obvious. The chick in the picture was chirping in the shell two days after is should have hatched. We opened it up to find it had no upper beak, enlarged eyes, and a growth protruding from its head. It didn't last long outside the shell. ![]()
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Humans can be compassionate, but Mother Nature is not. So when you see a chick that didn't make it out, know that there was probably a reason, no matter how good (or bad) it looks.
Geese LOVE to be hugged! Not really, but that shouldn’t stop you from hugging them!
We reviewed the BN-LINK Digital Temperature Controller. A temperature controller is a great device when you need to turn something on or off at a specific temperature. A homemade incubator is a great example. We used one to to build a honey warmer. The controller turns on a light bulb to warm up honey to 110F so it won't crystalize. Connect it to a fan so it turns on when the chicken coop gets warm. Or connect it to a heated water bowl to turn on when the temperature goes below freezing. ![]()
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The BN-LINK Temperature Controller can be purchased from Amazon at www.amazon.com/BN-LINK-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-Germination/dp/B0DDWXZHM3/ref=sr_1_2?th=1![]()
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youtu.be/iU7NN43vcQo
Review: BN-LINK Temperature Controller
youtu.be
A temperature controller is a great device when you need to turn something on or off at a specific temperature. A homemade incubator is a great example. We...
This is a collection of wishbones from different birds. It’s fun to see them side by side. The ducks are very different from the others. ![]()
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According to the internet: The purpose of a wishbone, known as the furcula, is to strengthen the bird's thoracic skeleton and assist in flight. It acts like a spring, storing and releasing energy during wing movements. ![]()
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The wishbone's elasticity allows it to store energy during the wing's downstroke and release it during the upstroke, aiding in efficient flight.
If you’ve visited the farm recently, you’ve no doubt met Smokey. He’s a super friendly cat who wants to meet everyone. Leave your car door open and he’ll climb in to check it out. ![]()
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Smokey had a bad week. On Monday evening he was hit by a car. Smokey isn’t one to play in the street, but nonetheless he was hit. The driver didn’t stop or even slow down. ![]()
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Smokey came limping up the driveway. We were prepared to put him down on the spot, but he wasn’t in obvious pain. An emergency vet appointment Tuesday morning revealed a broken femoral head, the ball joint that connects the pelvis. ![]()
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Smokey had surgery Wednesday morning. The broken femoral head was removed. The body will form a "false joint", and scar tissue will cushion the bones. Muscles will initially hold the femur in place. ![]()
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Smokey will rest for the next few weeks while he recovers. He’d rather be climbing trees and catching mice, but that will have to wait. We’re just happy our sweet Smokey is alive.