Expecting piglets is so exciting! The little guys are so cute and amazingly capable in the first few hours of life. The first few days are a critical period in the life of the sow and her new piglets, they bond with their mom and get off to a running start, or not! A sow…
We all want the best tasting beef we can get! Often, it is confusing to sort through the opinions and propaganda to get to the results. What are the factors that really affect the taste of your beef? The most flavorful beef comes from animals that are raised in a low stress environment, are treated…
Why do chickens eat rocks? Because they can not get dentures or false teeth! Just kidding about the dentures, of course. However, the eating rocks part is real. Chickens swallow food whole and eat small rocks, called grit, to help them grind up their food. Chickens that are loose can find their own grit, chickens…
What to feed your pigs? I’m sure you’ve run across many opinions, varying widely, of course! Just because the pig will eat it doesn’t mean it should eat it. So, what are your choices for your pig’s food? While pigs are biologically designed to eat a variety of foods, they grow best when the majority…
Thinking about getting some chickens for your backyard? Chickens are great for smaller spaces or people with close neighbors, but are chickens a good idea for you? Nearly any backyard can be used to raise chickens (as long as chickens are legal in your area). Chickens are a popular backyard animal to keep since they…
Sheep are not hard to keep in a fence. That’s the good news. Now you need to figure out which fence will work best for you. For non permanent fence lines for your sheep use electric netting, since it is fast, easy and more affordable. For permanent fence lines for your sheep, use woven wire….
Herbivores or omnivores? When you are talking livestock sometimes this can be confusing to sort out. The good news is, (unlike people!), all cattle choose to follow the same diet plan. Cattle are herbivores. Herbivores are animals that are biologically designed to eat plants. Cattle, like all herbivores, have a specialized digestive system, specifically to…
DeterminingCharacteristic Do Chickens Have This Characteristic? Do Mammals HaveThis Characteristic? hair and or/fur Normally no, but occasionally yes Yes females produce milk No Yes, once the baby is born live birth of babies No, chicks hatch from eggs Yes 1 time tooth replacement No, chickens do not have teeth Yes, baby teeth are replaced as…
As you’re looking through the poultry catalog, you’ll notice there are more than the standard white broilers available. Should you branch out and try some of the colored broilers, or would you be better off sticking with the white? Cornish cross broilers are the fastest to reach butchering weight and are easy to manage. Red…
Looking for an easy care, hardy chicken that will grace your backyard with beauty and keep after the bugs? Look no further, because I’ve got a great suggestion for you. The Wyandotte is worth some serious consideration! This is a great bird! The Wyandotte is one of the best breed for people who want dual…