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January 21st, 2011 by Kor Rassad

Wonder what an Appenzeller Spitzhauben is, and what is curious about it? Then, join the rapidly growing group of people who love this distinctive breed of chicken. Named for its fluffy crest that looks so much like the lacy hats worn by women in the Appenzeller region in Switzerland, the Swiss national chicken is now part of backyard flocks all over the world.

Appenzeller chickens are active as well as being strikingly beautiful. You will need to allow them to roam if you plan to have them. In exchange for this freedom, you will have an amazingly intelligent chicken as a pet. They sport a crest of feathers on their heads with a very distinctive shape. The feathers give them a pompous, yet sort of funny head.

If you feel that you can give Appenzellers the freedom they need to roam and forage, then you may consider buying them to have as pets. They are quite intelligent, and enjoy picking insects out of all sorts of places when you allow them out in the yard. Baby chicks can be ordered from breeders to get you started with your own little flock. The online breeders provide space and shipping recommendations for the breed. Most are concerned that the chicks, or even unhatched eggs arrive safely to you.

As pets, Spitz are wonderful. They can become friendly to human touch with effort and time. In exchange for your efforts, they will produce anywhere from 140 to 160 white medium sized eggs each year. It is rewarding to know that you will feed and water them, but they will also return fresh, healthy eggs to you in return. Because you will feed them good things, their eggs will have orange yolks, which show that the eggs are more nutritious.

Some people who keep chickens really enjoy the different personalities each has. They find that they may be able to pick up their favorite, carry it, and pet it much like they would a family dog or cat. You may be very surprised that this is possible. It may take a bit of doing with a Spitzhauben but they can learn to like being touched.

Three other great attributes they have are a tendency to be quiet, an ability to forage well, and fine flying skills. Some owners note that because the Spitzhauben size tends to be smaller than other chickens, it stays cleaner and does not need the watering that others do. They also note that the crest is much different from other chickens, making it very distinctive in appearance, and this is a plus when caring for chickens in your backyard.

Some owners find that the Spitz stay cleaner and need less watering. The general thinking is that the birds are smaller in size and tend to be less messy because of it. These chickens also love to roost up in your trees. Some families have found that their chickens are all up in the trees, rather in than in their coop. You may find that this happens to you too, and that the flock may not return to the coop unless it becomes very cold. For these reasons, Spitz have the reputation of being independent, though interesting.

Appenzeller Spitzhauben make excellent backyard pets for families wishing to tend and care for chickens. Though you will need to provide secure fencing if you wish them to remain nearby, you can appreciate their egg laying abilities. Their intelligent traits, and their beautiful, speckled, independence are sure to be entertaining.

To continue reading more about the Appenzeller Spitzhauben Chicken, and other Chicken, visit ChickenCoopAdvice.com

December 21st, 2010 by Todd Albert McGing

Rabbit hutches have been around for a long time in all shapes and sizes. These days, more and more people are keeping rabbits as pets. Wooden hutches are often preferable as they provide a more natural setting and as a material, are totally environment friendly.

There are many sizes of rabbit hutches but a larger types are better as they provide much more physical space for the rabbit to move around in. Rabbits normally enjoy a great deal of freedom and so confining them to a shelter with limited space is not healthy.

As a general rule the rabbit hutches available in pet shops are too small for one rabbit, let alone more than one. They are very active creatures and need plenty of exercise and unless you’re rabbit hutch is quite large most are unable to exercise adequately in them. If you are keeping him outdoors you can overcome this problem by having a rabbit run. A run is simply a protected place where he can play when left out of the hutch where he is protected from predators and unable to escape.

However it’s perfectly possible to keep a rabbit as an indoors pet. You can keep him in a normal rabbit hutch indoors, say in the laundry, and he will be safe from excessively hot or cold weather and perfectly happy there. As always it is important to clean out his cage regularly, though of course this also applies when keeping the rabbit hutch outdoors.

However whatever your enclosure consists of by way of keeping your rabbit in. You must also consider if it is suitable in keeping predators out. Rabbits can be startled and it is often advisable to create somewhere the animal feels safe and therefore providing a shelter of some kind is often overlooked.

Once the hutch is dried up, everything should be put back in its place. clean bedding along with food and water bowl. After everything is set up, the rabbit should be put back in. Rabbit hutches should be regularly cleaned as it gets dirty easily due to the rabbit fur and shavings. Rabbit urine has very foul odor and may cause breathing problems to your rabbit or even weepy eyes, so it become a must to get rid of it, especially if the hutch is inside the house.

However before you allow your rabbit to play in his play area you need to do a thorough inspection because rabbits are very quick to disappear into holes, and can become stuck there. Do a full inspection of your rabbit play area for any dangerous holes. Then populate it with fun things such as plastic pipes to play in and you and your rabbit can play, and exercise, to your, and his, heart’s content.

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December 2nd, 2010 by Kor Rassad

Anyone who admires barnyard fowl will love the Booted Bantam chicken. Also called the Dutch Booted Bantam, this fantastically feathered and colored bird is also friendly, calm, and happy in any safe and suitable environment.

The Booted Bantam is a true bantam, not a larger breed that has been miniaturized over successive generations. The origin is disputed, but many believe the chickens were alive and well in the Netherlands in the 1500s. You can find different versions of its history on different websites.

No matter where it came from, this tiny fowl is rare but valued as a pet and an exhibition bird all over Europe and in many other countries. The British poultry standards limit the weight of a mature cock to under two pounds, while the American standards call for even smaller birds.

Poultry standards are both interesting and necessary. While breeders have developed over twenty colors that will ‘breed true’, the official standards only admit eleven in Britain and seventeen in the United States. The standards are designed to keep show birds true not only in color and feathering but also to the physical characteristics that have been shown to be best for healthy and productive poultry flocks. For instance, there is a broad backed and high breasted shape that makes for a good layer, and that is one thing that judges look for.

The cocks have wings that are large and dramatically swept back and down, combs that are bright red and erect, and long tail feathers that point up. With their broad breasts and upright posture, these are very proud and alert little chickens. The hens lay small white or cream-colored eggs several times a week and would like to hatch them all. The eggs are perfectly good to eat, although you need quite a few for an omelet.

If meant for show, the bantams must be kept in cages with soft, clean bedding that will protect their dramatic feathers. Their legs, which have what is called ‘vulture hocks’, have long, beautiful feathers, and their feet are completely covered with fluff. Their wings sweep back and down at the same angle as the leg feathers for a truly lovely effect. Add the bright colors of feathers in dramatic patterns and the red, upstanding comb and face, and you have incredibly beautiful birds.

As far as other uses are concerned, these birds are broad backed and round breasted, so what meat there is on them is well-proportioned. The hens lay small white or cream-colored eggs which are perfectly edible, although the hens would prefer to keep all of them and raise babies. They are not hardy so will need heated quarters in winter, must be confined on soft and frequently cleaned bedding if the perfection of their feathers is important, and do well both in and out of confinement.

There are clubs for those who are real fans of the Booted Bantam chicken. Check out their websites to see if there is one near you. You can also search for local hatcheries, although many will not have poultry this exotic. There are national suppliers, however, that send chicks all over in the spring and early summer.

For more info about the Booted Bantam chicken Visit ChickenCoopAdvice.com

November 30th, 2010 by Ozzie Jimmie

You can do various things to your garden to make it hummingbird friendly and attract more of these birds. Even if you stay in the city’s middle and didn’t have any luck getting these birds in the past, you can soon have them around your garden by following some simple steps.

The diet of hummingbirds consists of insects, flower nectar or artificial sugar water. Thus, artificial sugar water solution can be kept in your garden to attract them. The hummingbirds do not have any sense of smell and they rely on sites to find their source of food. If you are making a first attempt to feed the birds, you can hang or plant some red flowers near the feeder. The hummingbirds will be attracted to these red flowers and will easily find the feeders.

When using your own hummingbird nectar for the feeders you must never add artificial red coloring to them. The red colors of the feeders are enough to attract them. Also, use of honey or artificial sweeteners has to be avoided. Artificial sweeteners do not have any food value and honey ferments easily which can cause sores in the mouth of the birds. The hummingbird feeders in your garden have to be cleaned every 3-4 days and the nectar changed to keep on attracting the birds.

You should use the standard sugar water solution for feeding the hummingbirds. Make this solution at home which you can store in the refrigerator for a week. Avoid using honey or sugar substitutes for feeding the birds which can harm them, as honey promotes a fatal fungal disease and sores in the mouth of hummingbirds. Placing the feeder in a shady and cool spot will prevent the nectar’s spoilage.

Planting a hummingbird garden with their favorite plants will attract more and more of the birds. A few plants which you can consider planting are manzanita, butterfly busch, azalea, honeysuckle, bee balm, coral bells, columbine, cardinal flowers, petunia, shrimp plant, etc. You should note that none of these plants have to be red colored to attract the birds. Also, you can check with your local nursery if having any doubts, whether any of them will flourish in your garden area.

Avoid using pesticides in your hummingbird garden as they can kill or sicken the birds if consumed. Also, the insects you want to kill off can serve as good protein source to the birds. Sometimes, the male hummingbirds may try to chase away the other hummers from the feeders. To prevent this you can add several other feeders to your garden.

Planting some of the favorite plants of hummingbirds will also attract them to your garden. Some of these plants include honeysuckles, petunias, trumpet vine, fuchsias, lilacs, bee balm, geraniums, manzanita, azaleas, butterfly busch, mimosa, columbine, salvia and Indian paintbrush. You can ask your local nursery or garden store for the other plants which grow well in your area. Do not use pesticides on these plants as they can sicken or kill the hummers, if ingested.

When it comes to attracting hummingbirds, getting the right information can be a daunting task. That’s why we put together this confidential report for you at attracting hummingbirds.

July 24th, 2010 by Ann Wallis

Raising backyard chickens can’t be that hard, can it? Before you take the leap and start raising your flock, ensure you have a good chicken coop for your feathered friends.

Building a chicken house for one’s feathered friends can save you money and allow you to customize the hen house to match your specifications. Before hammering that first nail, confirm that your chicken house plans take note of these seven key elements:

1. Size: You need to allow enough space for your chickens. For standard chickens 3-4 square feet inside the house and 6-10 feet square in the run is suggested. For the smaller bantam chickens you can get away with 2-3 feet square indoors and 8 square feet outside per chicken.

2. Lighting: Chickens need light in order to lay their eggs. Where possible try and face the coop towards the sun and install windows to bring in the light as well as the warmth.

3. Ventilation: You chicken house needs to be well ventilated to let the fresh air in, but not drafty. If high winds are a problem, consider building in a sheltered location.

4. Insulation: Don’t forget to take into consideration temperature changes. In cold climates your chicken house will need to be insulated.

5. Feeders and Waterers: The feeders and waterers should be easy to get to by both man and bird. Consider installing automatic waterers for a constant supply of freshwater.

6. Nesting Boxes: If raising chickens for eggs, it is important to have nesting boxes hens to lay in. Provide one nesting box per two hens. The hens don’t enjoy being crowded when laying!

7. Predators: Chickens are tasty, not only to us but to a wide range of predators. Ensure your chicken house and run are protected on all sides including below the ground and above. Do not forget the burrowing and soaring predators! Common predators include raccoons, foxes, coyotes, skunks, fisher cats and hawks. Wire mesh fencing is frequently used to keep the chickens in and predators out. Make certain when you are putting in fencing to dig down not less than one foot to protect your chickens from burrowing predators.

It is important when building a chicken coop to have a written blueprint to work with. If your chicken house plan takes into consideration the above seven factors, you’ll be well on your way to building a safe, secure home for your chicken flock.

Ann Wallis is a live long gardener that has recently stumbled on the pleasures of rearing chickens in his backyard. For more info on raising chickens and the best chicken house plans visit http://simplechickenhouseplans.com