The images from factory farms can be very disturbing. Thousands of layer hens crammed into tiny cages, de-beaked as chicks so they don’t peck each other to death, their feet cramped as they walk on feces-covered wire mesh, and a constant stream of “feed” in front of them, sometimes made from the by-products of their fallen brethren. Even the “cage-free” broiler chickens are … [Read more...] about Broiler Chickens Are Bred to Be Lazy!
Animals
Deer Skull Euro-Mount Prep 102: Boil and Scrub
Howdy folks! Its been a little longer than anticipated since my first installment in the Euro-mount series. My apologies on that, been some busy times around the homestead this month. That said, the mercury is flirting with triple digits outside, and I think that is just the excuse I needed to move us along to the next step in euro-mounting your deer skull: how to finish the … [Read more...] about Deer Skull Euro-Mount Prep 102: Boil and Scrub
PSA: Mystery Disease Ravages Bird Populations
Good Tuesday yall. I'm afraid today I must strike a slightly more serious tone than usual. The Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke has reported rising bird mortality rates in multiple states across the nation. Cases have been reported in Washington, DC, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania and New … [Read more...] about PSA: Mystery Disease Ravages Bird Populations
Goat Breed Profile: Nubians
Its been a while since we've talked goats on here, so I figured I should break this long-running oversight with a profile of one of my favorite breeds: Nubians! A hardy dairy option, Nubians have more going on than meets the eye. Read on for more. Heritage To start, the name Nubian is actually a tiny bit misleading. This breed actually originated in 19th century England, … [Read more...] about Goat Breed Profile: Nubians
5 Mistakes Real Pig Farmers Don’t Make
Death on the homestead is commonplace. Sometimes it's planned but many times it is not. And that’s one reason why most kids who grow up on a farm accept death so easily. It’s a hard lesson, but sometimes a tasty one as well… Shortly after getting our first homestead in Omaha, we decided to get three piglets. We’ve always been vehemently against mega hog farms and wanted to … [Read more...] about 5 Mistakes Real Pig Farmers Don’t Make