Livestock

September 28 2020

Chickens: More Than Just Farm Animals

Birds, Chickens, Farm Animals, Livestock

Do chickens make good pets? The short answer is yes, chickens have great personalities! Keep reading for our top tips on what to know before buying a pet chicken.

Chicken Coop

You’ll need a chicken coop and, unless one of them is injured, they do remain outside. Your coop should include four square feet of space for each chicken and allow for a place to roost. However, to keep your chickens safe from predators (raccoons, coyotes, opossums, hawks, and foxes), your coop should have a roof structure and a door that can be securely latched shut.

Pet Laws

Is it illegal to have chickens as pets? Some cities have ordinances against having roosters within city limits, but typically laws permit hens as pets. Also, check with your homeowner association. Depending on your outdoor space, you can determine if they will fit your lifestyle. Research breeds to see which fits your family’s lifestyle. Most recommend Silkies or Rhode Island Reds. Social animals, chickens fare best when they have friends, and they need attention from their owners as well.

Chicken Food

Chickens forage for insects as well as berries, and seeds but also need supplemental feed. Look for one which includes at least 16% protein; they also enjoy many fruits, vegetables, and dairy. As omnivores, they’ll eat meat if they find the opportunity, but refrain from giving them anything processed. Benefits to your family include fresh eggs! Each hen produces enough eggs for one person so adjust according to your diet and the number of people in your home.

Chicken Poop

Chickens provide great pest control for your yard, and their poop functions as fertilizer for your garden. Chickens do carry salmonella and other types of bacteria, requiring lots of sanitizing if you bring them indoors. Always wash your hands after handling your chickens, and wash eggs before eating them.

Avian Veterinarians

You’ll need a specific type of vet to see to your chicken’s needs. With their delicate structures, they can get sick without the owner realizing until it’s too late. However, it’s possible to take care of them with some diligence, research, and a willingness to learn!

August 3 2020

How to Prepare Pets for an Emergency

Birds, Cats, Dogs, Emergency, Ferrets, Fish, Kittens, Livestock, Llamas, Microchip, Pet Care, Pigs, Rabbits, Reptiles, Snakes

Hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and other natural disasters can occur with little notice. It is important to make sure you are prepared well in advance. If you wait until you are in the moment to gather needed supplies, you may miss something in your haste. We have prepared a simple list of things to consider when making your own emergency plan.

1. Identification
It is important your pet has proper identification. An ID tag on their collar that includes your address or phone number as well as having your pet microchipped can ensure a safe and quick reunion should you become separated from your pet. Place recent photos (from multiple angles) along with a full description of their markings in a waterproof folder.

2. Food & Water
Prepare at least 5 days of food that will keep in a Ziploc bag. Make sure you have potable water for each of your pets. One gallon per person is recommended. However, most pets won’t likely need that much on hand. Don’t forget food and water bowls and a can opener for wet food.

3. Medications & Records
Make sure you have a minimum of two weeks’ worth of any medications you or your pet may need. A 30-day supply would be even better. Keep your pets up to date on all necessary vaccines ahead of time and store a copy of their medical records in waterproof folders. If you need to evacuate to a shelter, you may need to prove their vaccine history before admission.

4. Contacts
Keep a list of all emergency phone numbers including your veterinarian and emergency hospitals. Also take note of pet-friendly hotels, shelters and local boarding facilities in case you need to evacuate your area. If possible, make housing arrangements in advance for you and your pets before a storm hits. Make reservations ahead of time and print out directions.

5. Safety
Locate and keep handy pet carriers, leashes and harnesses, flashlights with extra batteries, weather radio, and first aid kits of the human and pet variety. You will want these things handy in case of injuries, power outages, and emergency travel.

While we hope you never need to take these precautions, but Mother Nature can be unpredictable. It is better to be prepared than to be caught unaware.

May 20 2020

Why should I microchip my pets?

Birds, Cats, Dogs, Fish, Livestock, Llamas, Microchip, Pet Care, Pigs, Rabbits, Reptiles

Microchipping your pets is important for their safety, and if you’ve been hesitating, we’ve outlined some things to consider.

Why should you microchip? Approximately ten million pets get lost each year. Microchipping increases the chances of your pet being reunified with you. Collars and tags break or come off, especially those which release when caught. A permanent microchip keeps contact information with your pet, but use a collar and tag for backup.
Are microchips harmful? The device is approximately the size of a grain of rice. Inserting it under the skin is akin to giving them a vaccination.
What information does a microchip store? Each microchip id tag assigns a unique number to your pet, like a social security number. Your information is stored on the registry’s database, not the microchip itself.
The shelter microchipped my pet – isn’t that enough? Probably not. It might still be registered to the shelter or even a previous owner. Updating the registry will allow your pet to be returned to you.
Do microchips have GPS? No, it is considered a passive transponder, since it does not have a power source. A scanner causes the microchip to emit its code, which is put into the database to find your contact information.

Microchips come in several frequencies. If you are looking into microchipping for the first time, ask about the international standard chip, which operates at 134.2 kHz (kiloHertz). Most of the world uses this frequency, and the US is moving toward this being the most
common one as well.

Beyond dogs and cats, which other kinds of pets can be microchipped? Goats, rabbits, miniature pigs, llamas, alpacas, sheep, reptiles and fish, and even birds. If you think your pet might get out of the house and run away, microchipping is a small price to pay to find
them. Register on multiple databases for added security.

Microchips are permanent and cannot fall out. A veterinary clinic or shelter can look for them and contact you for quick reunification with your lost pet. Microchip lookup results in cats being reunited with owners 20 times more frequently than those without, and dogs with microchips are returned 2.5 times more.

Lastly, make sure to keep it registered on the national database, and update your contact information if you move. Without registering your microchip, it will not be able to do its job.