There are four or five recognized Angora breeds, depending on if the breeding organization you align with recognizes the German Angora: English, French, Satin, Giant and German Angoras.
Learn all that you can about your roosters and hens, from their combs to their toes and every feather in between, with the help of these chicken-anatomy diagrams. Tags backyard chickens , chicken physiology
But even if you decide to bring home a teacup or potbelly pig for a pet, you have to be aware of what you need to do for the long run. When you raise one in close quarters for months or longer, when the time comes for butchering, it might not seem like...
In my family's experience, releasing raccoons does not work. If you do not know the raccoons' home point, examine your yard thoroughly for raccoon scat and tracks, then place your trap in an area where these are plentiful.
Summer's heat often reduces feed costs. Temperature In the summer, chickens usually won't eat during the hottest hours of the day, because digesting food creates more heat. Make sure your chickens are getting the right size meals to make the eggs or meat...
Added to the chickens' drinking water, electrolytes help replace these minerals that are lost during heat stress through panting and diarrhea. Signs Of Heat Stress Heat stress begins and chickens need help keeping cool when the ambient temperature climbs...
However, outside run space should extend to a full 10 square feet per bird, another minimum recommendation. By nature, chickens are meant to roam, graze and hunt. Inside a coop, hens will often share a favorite nest box or two, so extra space inside the...
The pile of wool sitting next to her I groomed off of her in one sitting. I call it a win win. Other farmers and crafters in your area would love an opportunity to sell their goods locally and in person—and you just might be the perfect person to get...
“What are you going to call him?” Mike asked, rolling down the car window to keep the conversation going as we began to pull out of her driveway. If they don't mind a natural (and loud) alarm clock next door, you're in the clear, but if not, you'll...
Because injured chickens should always be isolated, there's no need to hide wounds. The theory is that the purple dye conceals wounds from other birds, protecting the injured bird from being cannibalized, which doesn't usually prove to be true.
What destroys grass is the high nitrogen content in fresh chicken poop. Short grass, on the other hand, is already prone to drying out, making it even more vulnerable to chicken destruction.
Most birds love it in the end, and it'll make you feel better about your birds. When you're finished with the wash, rinse well with clear water. Repeat if necessary. This is not a natural or welcome activity for a chicken, and there will initially be...
The black tub will absorb the heat from the sun and will keep it from freezing. With just a little effort, you can winterize your watering system so you can feel good about catching a few extra snuggly moments in bed, while your chickens are happy and...
Piglets are horizontally striped in shades of brown and cream. Most have a distinctive look. When I told my animal friends that I didn't know what to blog about this week, Carlotta said, "Talk about me! Blog about wild pigs!"
Finally, a kid started coming out, but he seemed to be stuck. She smelled so nice that I shinnied over the barrier between my run and the dairy goat barn and I bred Jadzia. She named the boys Biscuit and Bijou.
Today's armadillos' oldest ancestor lived about 60 million years ago and was as big as a rhinoceros. Armadillo means “little armored one” in Spanish and the Aztecs called them ayotochtli , meaning “turtle-rabbit.” Their shells are flexible and...
It started to rain just as Mom got to our side of the gates between the shelter and our pen, so she ran the Boers and sheep to their places and shut them in. Our horses and donkey and steers are wasteful, so she forks them hay from a big round bale, across...
If you raised your livestock as meat animals, some of the most difficult decisions you have to make come after slaughter. At this point, you need to communicate to the butcher what cuts of meat you would like and how you want it packaged.
From that night on, they were the best of friends. When I finally wrangled him, he wasn't any more willing to cooperate—the trek from the far corner of the field to the barn took several more minutes.
Add a straw julbock or goaty ornaments to your Christmas decorations or pack up the kids and go julebukk, a Norwegian custom whereby children dress up in costume and go caroling. Highlight special things they've accomplished this year and tell them how...
I have three children, Hutch, Curzon and Jadzia. Mom tried it on Uzzi but it wouldn't go over his horns, so he pouted while I posed. It might be fun to be a role model but he will grow up fast and he is going to breed Jadzia next fall! Do I need a son-in-law?
Then use your sharp knife to cut a window into the lid. Our first lambs are due in just three weeks, and next week we're getting chicks! You also need a sharp knife (Dad likes exacto knives for this job), a piece of 1/4-inch mesh hardware cloth slightly...
The resurgence of the “Where's the Beef?” ad campaign might be apt given that the U.S., which together with Brazil supplies one-third of global beef production and exports, has reduced cattle herds to their lowest levels since the 1950s due to severe...
Dad kept coming out and saying things like, “Ow!” and “That doesn't look like much fun.” Then at about 9 p.m., Mom picked up the birthing kit and went in the stall. But first Mom strolled over to Ramsgate (that's our rams' paddock) and told the...
Call it cow manure, cow pat, cow plop, or bull cookies, it's just plain dung. When we asked why she'd want pictures of that, she said, “for my cow book.” Mom has learned a lot about cow pie while researching her book.
Download and print the chart below as a handy reference for quick facts about these special chickens. Get more Hobby Farms downloads! Tags American Livestock Breeds Conservancy , chicken breeds , rare chickens
A fresh egg sinks and rests horizontally on the bottom. White eggs aren't pigmented at all. If you can't remember if you boiled an egg, spin it; boiled eggs spin really fast, fresh eggs slowly wobble.
