July 2010

  • Supplements

    By Silvia on 7/27/10 4:41pm
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    Have TB that does not like supplements in his feed. Any thoughts on a supplement 'paste' he would like to eat.

  • Jay Rossier, "Living With Chickens"

    By erika on 7/22/10 12:59am
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    I have read a lot of books about keeping chickens in the last year.  This book has become one of my favorite to read, if not one of the most informative chicken books.  If you are looking for a hard data reference, then this is probably not the best book for you.  But if you want a sample of what it's like to keep chickens, along with plenty of useful information in a relaxed and chatty atmosphere, then this is it.

    This book was published by the American Poultry Association, and includes a forward by the APA president.  It was printed by a press in Connecticut, and I have to say that they did a fabulous job.  The typesetting, the photographs, and the layout are all outstanding.  


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  • 10 Alternative Ways to Cool Off

    By sarajean on 7/16/10 1:41am
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    As environmentally conscious as I try to be, I’ve definitely got my faults. One is using too much air conditioning in the hot weather. We’ve been having heat advisories for the past few days, and I’m not sure if our air has kicked off at all. Sure, I have to keep my little girl cool, and being hot makes me super uncomfortable, but there are alternatives to use whenever the weather isn’t this unbearable every day. Here are ten alternatives that we all could try to cut down on our energy use this summer.

    10. Open the Windows

    This one is easy enough to do, if there is a nice breeze going on. Unfortunately for us, the only room that cools off if we do this is the living room; the rest of the windows don’t receive much of any breeze. So if we’re having a rare family evening, we can pretty much do this. If not, well, we’ll have to look toward another option!

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  • Canada Geese Have Worn Out Their Welcome

    By erika on 7/15/10 9:54pm
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    After the recent news that New York City purged a park of over 400 Canada geese on the sly, a surprising lack of outrage has cropped up across the internet.  Even at Metafilter, where most users tend to be against killing animals for no reason, sentiment against the geese was running high.

    Canada geese are, it must be said, not easy to love.  They have created a problem in our cities which is entirely our doing.  This is not a situation like the gray whale migrating through shipping lanes on its route between Baja and Alaska every year.  This is a situation more like that of rats, who found life in our cities to be amenable, and have decided to stay.


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  • Keeping Your Chickens Cool

    By erika on 7/8/10 2:47pm
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    The hottest days of the summer are upon us, and everyone is suffering - including your chickens!  Heavily feathered breeds like the Buff Orpington and Wyandotte are at a distinct disadvantage this time of year compared to closely feathered, Mediterranean, and tropical breeds such as the Rhode Island Red and the Leghorn.

    A chicken's body temperature is normally between 104 and 107 degrees Fahrenheit.  Their body temperature is lethal when it reaches between 113 and 117 degrees Fahrenheit.  Therefore it is extremely important to keep chickens cool when the outside temperature starts hitting the triple digits.  If a chicken is unable to dissipate its body heat, it can become heat sick very quickly.  


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  • Free-Range Eggs Less Healthy Than Battery Cage?

    By erika on 7/1/10 8:59pm
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    You may have seen the headlines.  "Free-Range Eggs May Be Less Healthy Than Regular Eggs."  Oh, the news loves a good "man bites dog" story.  Much less one which seems to puncture what so many see as the smug hypocrisy of the organic food movement.  

    My first quibble with this title is the use of the phrase "regular eggs."  I think we should just be honest about it and call them "battery cage eggs."  After all, that is what "regular eggs" really are.  You should see people's faces fall when I point out that all eggs are from hens living in battery cages, unless otherwise specified.   A lot of people don't realize the truth about eggs.  Pretty terrible, right?  

    (In case you were wondering, I don't buy eggs - I have pet chickens.  When I do buy eggs, I'm lucky enough to be able to buy them from a local chicken farm which has been Certified Humane.  But I digress.)


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