It’s a good idea to learn how to tell the age of wild rabbits, and here’s why… Knowing how old they are can inform whether or not you might need to intervene in case a litter of kittens has been abandoned, or how healthy and how fast your local rabbit population is growing. Plus, it’s … Read more
Anyone who owns chickens, or anyone who owns any bird for that matter, knows that chickens periodically lose feathers. You’ll always see one or two blowing on the breeze around the run or coop, and sometimes you’ll find a handful after a scuffle or some other altercation. It’s far from uncommon, and just a part … Read more
Whether you are growing your own carrots at home in the garden or planter box, or bringing some home from the grocery store, if you want your carrots to last longer than a week you’ll need to preserve them. There are lots of ways to preserve carrots, and no matter which way you choose, they’ll … Read more
Many animals are a study in contrasts. For every incredible ability that an animal has, it usually has one or more weaknesses to offset it. Looking at animals that are predator, prey or sometimes both the determining factor for where it falls into the food chain might be whether or not it is simply in … Read more
If there was one thing you can say about chickens, it is that they are prolific and adventurous eaters. These hardy birds will eat pretty much anything, from meat and insects to fruit and veggies, and everything else in between. You might be wondering if they can eat some of the more exciting foods that … Read more
Sometimes, we find out that many words, even names, we thought were just synonyms or euphemisms actually turn out to entail quite a bit of difference… Such is the case when you’re talking about bunnies, rabbits and hares. You’ll run into lots of people in North America that use the terms interchangeably, or at the … Read more
When you’re talking about “squash,” you’re really talking about an entire type of vegetable. Are you talking about zucchini or crookneck squash, summer varieties? Or are you talking about winter squashes like the iconic pumpkin or the versatile spaghetti squash? Though they all have similarities, there are naturally some differences you’ll need to be aware … Read more
If you have chickens, you already know that they are adventurous and sometimes troublesome eaters. There are just as likely to eat a few grass clippings and bugs as they are your prized ornamental flowers. But how about other flowers, like daisies? Can chickens eat daisies? Yes, chickens may eat all parts of a daisy, … Read more
Out of all the vegetables you might grow in your garden, lettuce is probably the most versatile. Lettuce is the basis for most salads, and an essential ingredient for sandwiches. Luckily, most kinds of lettuce are easy to grow indoors or out with the right preparation, even if you are growing them from seed. Speaking … Read more
Most homesteaders know that their chickens can eat all kinds of things, but there are a few items out there that are highly contentious. Some folks claim that chickens can eat these items with no problems, while others claim they are bad news. One such food that constantly leads to arguments is garlic. So what’s … Read more
If you have goats, you have probably felt the temptation to give them a little taste of the foods you enjoy. But, there is just one issue: goats are strictly herbivores, and eat only plant matter once they reach maturity. But wait! Chocolate is technically made from plants. It is made from cocoa, and cocoa … Read more
Many animals can eat all sorts of plants that are not appetizing in the least to humans, or may even be harmful. Take eucalyptus leaves, for instance. This hardy plant family comes in a variety of forms, and is most famously eaten by koalas. Maybe your chickens can have some too. Chickens eat many plants, … Read more
If you own livestock, you already know how important it is to take care of them for their own health and well-being. And not just for that, but also to maintain productivity whatever you might be doing with them. As it concerns renewable resources that we get from our animals, there is a growing clamor … Read more
Everyone knows that bees make honey. And although they don’t make it for us, they’re so good at it they’ll typically have quite a surplus on hand, a surplus that a beekeeper can harvest responsibly without hurting the bees. This golden treasure has been relished since antiquity, and remains ubiquitously popular around the world today. … Read more
I don’t know about you, but I can honestly say that every single animal that I own has to have a name. It just seems right. This certainly counts for my chickens. Also, there’s a very practical purpose for it because it will make referring to your chickens in conversation or in documentation far more … Read more
Most people know that geese, while not strict herbivores, live on a diet that is predominantly plant matter. But what most people don’t know is that geese can actually eat fruit, including many of the same fruits that people eat. This can definitely make things simple if you own geese and want to give them … Read more