Tag: hobbyfarming

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Why I Have Animals

My little farm does not look like it belongs on the cover of a country magazine. My chicken coop is not all fancied up and my barn needs painting. My husband will tell you that I have way more animals than I need, they don’t all have names and they aren’t necessarily the prettiest. Heck, there are even some critters that come just for breakfast before moving on. Keeping animals is not necessarily cheap, although it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, and it’s hard work. Things breakdown, there are weeds to contend with, and animals die. So, if farming sounds so gloomy, why do I have animals and what have I learned from them?

White chicken looking into camera
A kind of homely little guy with a giant personality!
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Roses Are Safe for Farm Animals

I really enjoy spring. It signals not only the end of cold weather and snow, but also new life. It’s the time of year when we see animals come out of hibernation, bees and butterflies make their appearance once again and all sorts of baby farm animals take to the stage! There is not much that is cuter than a baby anything with their pure innocence and clumsy antics. Spring is also the time for planting and realizing new growth on our perennial plants. I always get excited when I see new shoots on my rose bushes. There are so many varieties, colors and smells of roses and they are a plant with many benefits, even for our chickens and other farm animals.

yellow and pink rose
Roses are edible for our farm animals and provide health benefits.
Read about why: Roses Are Safe for Farm Animals
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How Much Water Does My Animal Need?

The human body is made up of approximately 55%-60% water. Water is a major component is cells, blood, and body tissue. The same applies to animals. Their bodies are made up of water as well. We are told that we can live without food for several weeks, but we can only live a few days without water. The same thing is true with animals. Animals need fresh water for their bodies to function. Water is vital for bodily functions such as regulation of body temperature, lubricating joints, nutrient absorption, removing wastes, body weight, and overall health. When water is withheld or unavailable, dehydration occurs. Dehydration of more than 10% of the body’s water is considered a medical emergency, and the water needs to be replaced ASAP! If the water is not replaced, blood volume begins to drop, temperatures begin to rise, and organs begin to shut down. Animals get the water they need not only through the action of drinking but also from the food they eat. Fresh grasses, fruits and vegetables all contain water. Animals prefer fresh, clean water. Some animals will only drink stagnant water, even if it looks clean, as a last resort. I dump out and refill water pans and buckets every day. When I go away for a few days I always try to make sure my animals have enough feed and more importantly, enough water. I put out extra tubs, buckets and bowls and detailed instructions for my substitute caregiver on what to do about watering. It gives me peace of mind.

Rooster near water bowl
All animals need a source of fresh, clean water .
Read more about; How Much Water Does My Animal Need?
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A Hobbyist’s Introduction to: Goats

Goats are a fun addition to any farm. Not only do they make great pets, but they can also be a productive, useful animal to have around. There are basically three types of goats: meat goats, dairy goats and goats that are used primarily for their wool. Before adding to your menagerie of farm animals, it’s a good idea to think about your purpose for raising goats. Knowing your purpose and goals for keeping goats will help you in determining what breed of goat is best for your farm. After all, there are in excess of 200 different goat breeds, and a goat can live upwards of 15 years or more, so it is a long term commitment.

(Left) Adult female goat, (Right) Young child with goat kid
Rose turned 14 years old in August.
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Dealing With the Loss of a Pet

Loss is a fact of life on a farm. A baby goat dies during birth, a dog in her prime contracts leukemia, the Houdini rabbit escapes and gets run over by a car and the matriarch hen succumbs to old age. Death and loss are just facts of life. Death is not a respecter of age or breed or our hard work. You have to figure that if you have animals, eventually you’re going to encounter some form of loss. 

Chicken eating apple
The old matriarch who recently succumbed to the ravages of old age.
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Preening and Dust Baths

Preening is a chicken’s favorite pastime! It’s the method that Mother Nature has given them to not only look their best, but to protect and condition their feathers. A chicken’s feathers are their first line of defense in battling the elements and protecting their bodies. They have several different kinds of feathers, each serving a unique purpose, and they have several layers of feathers which provide insulation and protection against the weather. A chicken also has an oil gland near the base of their tail. If you watch them preen, you will notice the chicken rub their beak at the base of their tail, collecting oils which they will then spread on their feathers. This oil helps with insulation and waterproofing factors as well as aiding in the battle against external parasites.

chicken sun bathing 1
chicken sun bathing 2
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Chicken Aggression

When I was fairly new to chicken keeping, we got some chicks from the feed store and one of the hens turned out to be a rooster. He was a feisty guy. My boys were ages 2, 4 and 6 at the time and this rooster would chase them all over the yard. It got to where they would not go out back if that rooster wasn’t locked up. They named him ‘Killer’! He would go after anybody that came near his territory and if you have never been attacked by a chicken, as funny as it looks and seems, those little buggers can inflict some serious pain! For the safety of the kids, he was culled. I have only had one other rooster that would go after people and he was exiled from the coop. No longer having a harem to protect, he calmed down.

Chickens eating at feeder
Establishing a ‘‘pecking order” is natural in chicken culture.
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Ducks! Great Entertainers!

Not too long after we started raising chickens, I went to the local feed store for some chicken feed and brought home a white Pekin duckling that I named Howard. Howard was my first experience with raising ducks. Since then the ducks we have added to our flocks have been found, given to us or had physical problems. My husband once brought home a crested duckling from the feed store who had a kinked neck and walked with his head tilted to one side. We called him Crazy Duck! With love, care and time, his neck straightened out and he was a beautiful duck with that fun puff of feathers on his head. My husband also brought home a duckling he found at the side of the freeway. He looked like a Mallard cross and  grew up to be a pretty little guy. When we first moved in to our current home, a neighbor asked if my boys could have a duckling. Sure, why not. He borrowed the boys to help him catch one and next thing I knew, I had a mama and 9 ducklings! I currently have a flock of 6 ducks and they are the best!

ducks with ducklings
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Hay!

Hay is a generic term used to describe a group of dried grasses and long stemmed plants that are used for animal feed purposes. Hay contains nutrients and roughage that animals need for good health and digestion. But, not all hay is created equal! Different grasses and plants have different nutrients and benefits for different animals and it is a good idea to research and find out what kind of hay is good for your animals.

stacked alfalfa/grass mix hay
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Apple Pie

If the truth be known, I would much rather spend my time outside digging in the dirt, mending a fence, even cleaning a chicken coop, than be in the kitchen.  The only thing that I enjoy less than cooking is doing the dishes. I would classify myself as an okay cook and I do have some specialties, but I give a two thumbs up! to all of you who enjoy cooking, do it well and find dish washing therapeutic!! Because cooking isn’t my favorite, I prefer simple, no fail, not a lot of dirty dishes type of recipes. They are not hard to find and I’m grateful for them! Fresh cut up fruit is one of my favorite side dishes due to the fact that it’s delicious, easy, and not a lot of dirty dishes. Heck, watermelon comes with its own bowl! When you’re finished with it, just toss it to the chickens or bunnies and they’ll take care of the clean up. 


Of course fall is the time of year when apples are plentiful and also less expensive. You might even have a friend or neighbor who says, ‘please, come and pick all the apples you want!’ My husband’s friend is one of those guys, so when my husband came home with a big tub of apples that he had picked, I had to figure out what to do with all of them. 

bucket of fresh apples
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