Out Around the Barn

Due to superior breeding and an abundance of nutritional food, horses and livestock are larger and in better physical condition than ever before. While this is certainly a boon for farmers, these superb physical specimens also require more maintenance. One of the most essential tasks for any horse or livestock owner is administering the needed livestock or horse supplements on a regular basis.

Even if you are unfamiliar with the various supplements available, the process shouldn’t be reduced to a guessing game. Look for supplements from well-known producers that are created for a specific purpose. For example, you can now find supplements specifically engineered to augment fiber intake, improve metabolic function and even address the needs of aging animals.

Yahoo!  Baby Chicks are soon to arrive.  The Ladies have been on their nests for 21 days and within the next week we should have little ones.  I have four hens sitting and boy, can they get cranky.  Even when you reach in the nest next to them to gather eggs, they will try to peck at you, cluck like they want to attack and can be extremely mean to the other hens.

We recently built a new chicken coup and put up new nests for all our hens.  I have recently learned that to have happy chickens it is good to have all your daily needs close by.  I keep their feed in a barrel right inside the coup, they have free range to water and have plenty of room to  peck, search and roost.  This keeps them happy and healthy.

My chickens have their own waterers, feeders and nests to complete their home.  They roost off the ground to keep away from country critters.  They are eager to see me when I come to gather the eggs, I know this by them all standing at the coup door.  They just get excited.  By the time we are done they have all calmed down and are ready for a quiet night.

Their daily farm supplies are easy to keep on hand, their food, water, straw for bedding and a bucket or basket to gather the eggs in. One tip I would like to pass on;  if you are like me and spoil your animals, I have found that chickens really like cat food and it is good for them, especially if you have layers.  I give them a treat about once a month by just scattering some on the ground and letting them at it.   I enjoy my chickens and in a few days will have approx. 70 little ones added to my flock.