For most of us that own chickens, the primary reason is to get those wonderful fresh eggs day in and day out. But laying season can be a difficult and hectic time: unhappy or stressed chickens might get broody, lay fewer eggs or even lay eggs of lesser quality. That’s no good, and trying to … Read more
Chicken keepers know that taking care of your flock is truly a full-time job. Even when you allow your chickens to free-range, you’ve got to make sure they have water, stay disease-free, and don’t get into anything that might be harmful for them. All this on top of ensuring that they get all of the … Read more
One thing you’ll have to learn if you want to keep up in conversations about livestock is the lingo associated with them. Every species of livestock has a plethora of names and terms used to refer to them; the different sexes, different ages, reproductive status, and more. For the uninitiated, this can be an anxious … Read more
When you want a no-waste kitchen, you get creative and learn to improvise, it’s amazing what you can get done with everyday materials that seem to have only a single purpose. Let’s look at coffee filters, for instance. Yes, I know they are absolutely essential for getting our morning cup of perk out of a … Read more
One of the things you start to notice after you do more and more of your own cooking, is just how inferior so many of our store-bought goods are. The major revelation for me was trying spices I had grown and processed myself. There’s just no going back… And while I haven’t grown my own … Read more
No matter what sort of plants you are growing, they all have a few things in common. They’ll need light, of course, and plenty of water. And they all need the right nutrition if you want them to grow and thrive. Whether you want to get a bumper crop of fruits and veggies or you … Read more
Most people already know that chickens have a highly varied diet. Chickens eat all sorts of things, including plant matter and meat, but did you know they can even have some really sweet stuff like molasses? It’s true, and it isn’t just a sweet treat for chickens. They love it, don’t get me wrong, but … Read more
Most of us know by now that honey is one of the longest-lasting natural foods we can get. The stuff will keep basically forever if it’s stored properly, but even when we do our part sometimes honey will crystallize. You’ve probably seen this before: your honey starts to look a little less clear and a … Read more
If you own chickens, it goes without saying that you probably have a serious interest in keeping them as healthy as possible. For the well-being of the birds themselves, of course, but also so they can stay productive for your purposes, whether you want eggs or meat. Accordingly, anything you can do to increase their … Read more
Most people think rabbits are synonymous with tiny, fuzzy and adorable, and most of the time that’s a safe bet. But like many species, there can be some significant variation in the size of rabbits, and there are even a few that can be as big as a medium-sized dog! No matter why you want … Read more
Domestic rabbits, almost literally, come in all colors of the rainbow. But sometimes the most interesting and beautiful colors are actually the least colorful! I’m talking about gray. All the many shades and tones of gray give this seemingly bland color a surprising amount of variety and vibrance. When it comes to rabbits, there are … Read more
I’m confident in saying that mosquitoes have plagued humanity since before history began. No matter where you go, no matter what you’re doing, no matter where on Earth you live, mosquitoes are going to be there to bite you and suck your blood. It’s truly enough to drive you crazy! Of course, I suppose that … Read more
Unless you are at one of the poles, no matter where you go in the world you can count on one kind of insect being there to torment you: mosquitoes. These blood-sucking flies are the scourge of many an otherwise pleasant outdoor adventure or excursion. Beyond the sheer aggravation, they can actually prove to be … Read more
Even among domesticated animals of the same species, we can see considerable variation in their intrinsic qualities among different breeds. Looking at insects that are seemingly single-minded, like honey bees, we can see that various subspecies have wildly different levels productivity, and also differ in their interactions with beekeepers. Happily, no matter what your preferences … Read more
If you live anywhere mosquitoes are common, and especially if you’re outside during peak season, you already know how intolerable it is to be mobbed by these bloodsucking parasites. Aside from the unsightly and maddingly itchy welts they leave behind, mosquitoes are actually quite dangerous because of the diseases they transmit. You’d be wise to … Read more
During reproduction, every animal has a different gestation period, and depending on the species and the size of the animal, it can be anywhere from a few weeks to well over a year! Today we will be looking at rabbits. Rabbits are famous, or rather infamous, for cranking out tons of babies and doing it … Read more