Preserving vegetables in jars. Abobe Stock/yanadjan
Pickle recipes don’t have to involve standing over a boiling hot water bath canner when the temperature outside is triple digits. Instead, quick pickling is your answer to easy and painless preserving.
It’s especially helpful to learn how to quick pickle if you have small harvests from your garden or if you want to preserve something quickly before it spoils.
There are many delicious quick pickle recipes in the world, but to keep it simple, I stick to one basic brine recipe that I tailor to whatever the main ingredient is that I’m pickling.
Basic Pickle Recipe for Brine
My basic quick pickle recipe for brining pickles is:
1 cup water
1 cup 5 percent white distilled vinegar
1 tbsp. canning/pickling sat
This amount of brine will cover a one-quart jar packed with vegetables and seasonings.
Here are three quick pickle recipes for you to try this summer. But remember to be creative and with my basic brine recipe above, you can experiment with any fresh produce and seasonings if your choice.
1-2 pounds fresh small pickling cucumbers
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 tsp. dried dill seed or 2 springs of fresh dill
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
Note: If you have large pickling cucumbers, you can halve or quarter them lengthwise and fit them into the jar. If you want sliced cucumbers for burgers, it’s recommended to use small pickling cucumbers for the best texture. Also, always only use cucumbers that have been harvested within 48 hours – this will aid in keeping the pickles crunchy.
In a nonreactive pan, bring the brine ingredients to a simmer and stir until the salt is dissolved.
Ladle the warm brine over the vegetables until they are completely covered with brine by at least one-quarter inch.
Wipe the rim with a dampened towel to remove any brine and add the canning lid and screw on the ring. Allow the warm jar to cool on your counter until it reaches room temperature. Once cooled, transfer to the refrigerator. Allow the veggies to pickle for at least 48 hours before tasting.
The longer your veggies pickle, the more flavor they will have. They’ll have the best flavor and texture if enjoyed within two months.
Quick Pickle Recipe Notes
Always wash supplies with warm soapy water when preserving food. Also, be sure that your food prep space has also been thoroughly cleaned before beginning.
When it comes to pickling brine, use pickle recipes that note to use at least a ratio of 1:1 vinegar and water. You want at least 50% or more of the brine to be vinegar. When it comes to vinegar, you want to use vinegar that has at least 5% acidity, this will ensure that your pickle recipe is safe.
This article about quick pickle recipes was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Plant identification apps are the greatest hack for gardeners in the 2020s. Before plant apps, gardening groups, encyclopedias and web searches were all tedious ways to identify weeds, flowers or anything popping up in the garden. Now with a snap of the camera and a click of a button, the answers can be generated quickly, easily and effectively. We will go over the pros and cons of the top 5 apps in the plant ID world.
Picture-Taking Steps for App ID
Apps are great for gardeners who see plants on vacation or away from home and want to add to their garden. Plant identification apps are also in their own gardens to identify weeds versus volunteer plants and when plants emerge and aren’t easy to identify. Plant identification apps are extremely useful tools for identifying weeds versus poisonous vines and plants. To use any plant app you can take pictures of bark, flowers, stems or leaves and almost instantly learn the plant genus and often even the cultivar. No matter which app you use, follow these picture taking steps to ensure the best results.
Pay attention to lighting. Try to take pictures in the morning, evening or on a cloudy day. The harsh direct sun makes it more difficult for the app to read the picture.
Focus on the subject. On phones, you can tap the plant you want to be the focus to make sure the camera is focusing on the right target.
Isolate the subject. If the plant you want to be identified is not prominently pulled away from the group, try to find a way to isolate what you are wanting to identify. No apps identify multiple plants in a picture. It is one identification per picture.
5 Best Plant Identification App List
#1 Plant.Net
Plant.net is the “Wikipedia” of ID Apps. It is free with public contributors and relies on its users to help out by confirming correct identifications. The app has a GPS component that also helps narrow down the answers based on what has been identified in your area.
Pros- No sneaky pop-ups or ads results in quicker findings. Very accurate and keeps a log once you are signed in and creates groups you can follow from all around the world.
Cons- The answers are simple and don’t go into as much detail as other apps. For some, it is enough just knowing plant species but compared to other apps it lacks information for educators or users who want to know more.
#2 iNaturalist
iNaturalist is a go-to for nature enthusiasts. It connects users to a community of people looking for both flora and fauna. iNaturalist data is used by scientists to advance science and conservation and has been used in thousands of scientific publications. For example, scientists have published papers based on iNaturalist data that describe species new to science and rediscover species that were once thought extinct.
Pros- A community of enthusiasts with several group options for conversations and following particular species. It is free and has a wealth of information.
Cons- If you are looking for a quick plant ID, this can be too much information.
#3 Picture This
Picture This has both a free version and a paid version by the Gority Global Group. Features beyond identification in Picture This include AI-powered plant doctors that help diagnose plant problems, lighting needs for each specimen and guides for watering and feeding.
Pros- Users believe this is worth the subscription if you really want to be a plant mom to your garden, rather than wanting to know whether to pull the weed or not. The AI and technology are very successful and the amenities are nice. Keeping a log of what you are growing is helpful to be able to go back and check articles when a plant needs care. There are always helpful linked articles including pest control, house plant care and propagating plants.
Cons- The premium version is $29/year and the ads can be a nuisance. If you choose not to start a subscription, get ready to click the x every time you want to look up a plant. If you plan to just ID plants, free versions work just as well.
#4 Google Lens
Google Lens is available through the free Google app for all smartphones. Google Lens allows you to take a photo or upload one for identification and it is free. The steps to identify through the Google App include:
First, shoot a photo of the entity.
Open the pic through Google Photos.
Tap the lens icon at the bottom.
That will launch a web search & show all the relevant results.
Adjust the four corners of the focus area if you prefer to improve the accuracy of the results further.
Pros- Google Lens goes beyond plant identification and acts as a search engine that connects articles relevant to the subject.
Cons- Reports show it is less accurate than some of the other Plant ID Apps.
#5 Visual Look Up
Visual Look Up is built into iPhones and iPads and can identify objects in photos and videos and provide relevant information. Apple Users need to perform the following steps.
Open a photo in full screen or pause a video on any frame. If the Info button displays a symbol with stars Visual Look Up is available.
Tap the starred Info button, then tap Look Up at the top of the photo information to view the Visual Look Up results.
Tap to close the Visual Look Up results, then swipe down on the photo or video frame to close the photo information.
Pros- No App required. No subscription sales or ads. Can pull information from videos, rather than just photos.
Cons- Only for iPhones running iOS 15 or later. Also, results are showing around 80% accuracy.
As the world of AI develops, apps will adapt and become even more accurate. Keep up to date with the upgrades available to get the best results. And never rely 100% on plant ID apps before ingesting plants.
This article about the best plant identification apps was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
The Harlequin rabbit is a French breed, known primarily for its multicolored coat which, in a perfectly patterned specimen, resembles a medieval court jester. The Harlequin is categorized as a commercial breed – used primarily for meat – by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). However, the American Harlequin Rabbit Club reports that the breed is primarily raised for its coloring, not for meat. Processing is usually done only for rabbits that do not meet coat standards.
The Harlequin is an exceptionally social animal, even for a rabbit. They do best with plenty of exercise and lots of attention. The ideal weight for the Harlequin is 6.5-9.5 pounds. They have few grooming needs and are not prone to any unusual health issues, beyond the normal concerns of rabbits. Most Harlequins live at least 5 years and up to ten years is common.
Harlequin Rabbit Coloring
The Harlequin is an old breed, with the initial color schemes and patterns first appearing in 1887. Currently, it comes in two color varieties, known as Japanese and Magpie.
Japanese show quality Harlequin rabbit. Harley Dote/Wikimedia Commons
Japanese was the original color scheme, combining orange with another color – most commonly black. Blue, chocolate and lilac are also considered valid colors. They were initially known by a wide variety of names but became known as “Japanese” because – at the time – Asian countries were often associated with the strange and unique.
The magpie coloring was first mentioned in 1946. Magpie coloring is a white rabbit, combined with another color; again, most commonly black. Like the Japanese, blue, chocolate and lilac are also acceptable secondary colors.
Harlequin Rabbit Patterns
Face & Ears
In both the magpie and Japanese standards of perfection, the requirements are similar. A perfect rabbit is considered to have its primary color on half its face, and the secondary color on the other. There should be a perfect, vertical line down the center of the face where the colors meet. The ears should be held in a “V” shape and must each be one color – opposite that of the face color.
As an example, in a Magpie-lilac, the primary color will be white and the secondary will be lilac. If the left side of the face is white, the ear on the left must be lilac. The ear on the right should be white, and the face color should be lilac. A lack of clear division on the face is a disqualifying trait in showing.
LadyElizabeth
Legs & Body
The legs should also alternate. If the left front paw is white, the right back paw must be white. The other two legs should be the secondary color. Rabbits of the Japanese type are disqualified if they present with white toenails.
The body should have bands of color down its length – alternating the primary and secondary colors. These can be solid bands or split bands. Split bands have a line that runs down the back and wraps around the body. Like the face, these lines must be distinct where the colors meet – primary color on one side, secondary on the other, swapping in the next band, and so on down the back.
White spots in the Japanese type are a disqualifying trait when showing. White coloring under the tail and body, however, has been an area of contention between Harlequin breeders and the ARBA for some time. This is a normal presentation for the Japanese color. However, there have been instances of the ARBA pushing for this to be a disqualifying trait. Currently, though, it remains allowed in show rabbits.
This article about the harlequin rabbit was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
The benefits of wool are numerous on the farm and the environment. Learn why the practical fiber has uses worldwide.
There has been a recent rise in attention to fast fashion and microplastics in the clothing industry. It is estimated that 35% of the microplastics in the ocean are linked to the clothing industry. Each year, 11.5 million tons of clothing end up in landfills, with about 60% being made from plastics. Making new clothes with this type of rapid turnover adds to damage to the environment, and often involves low-paying, unsafe working conditions. As we become more aware of the environmental and social impact of what we wear, evidence rises for the benefits of returning to wearing wool.
Environmental Benefits of Wool
Of the available fibers in the textile industry, wool has the least direct environmental impact of any option. Pure wool clothing is 100% biodegradable, resulting in less microplastics in our water and oceans. The wool that does end up being thrown away decomposes in months, as opposed to polyester which can take up to 200 years. In addition, wool clothing lasts longer, resulting in less waste in landfills. While a “fast fashion” polyester shirt is expected to have a lifespan of 35-50 washes, wool can last for decades. With proper care, you may never need to replace a wool top in your lifetime.
Wool is also a naturally renewable and sustainable substance. It doesn’t require additional land or water like linen or cotton. Wool is a byproduct of raising sheep. Wearing it decreases waste since most of these animals are raised for meat but still need shearing every year. Currently, it is estimated that 200,000 tons of raw wool are unused annually – wool that could be transformed into clothing, insulation, rugs, upholstery and other common needs.
Financial Benefits of Wool
While cattle are more common in the United States, worldwide, sheep are a more sustainable resource. Sheep farmers, on average, make more money than cattle farmers. Despite this, sheep are considered less financially viable, and their full potential is rarely exploited. The current popularity of synthetic clothing makes wool an unrealistic resource for many farmers to process or sell. In Europe, this means that sheep ranchers require subsidies from the government to keep their livelihood sustainable.
A mainstream demand for wool would help farmers become self-sustaining. “Waste wool” from meat sheep can not only help farmers directly but also provide new employment in creating value-added products. Increased usage would likely lower prices, making it even more affordable for both farmers and consumers. Even if only used as mulch, this discarded wool can generate financial opportunity, rather than being burned or buried.
Practicality of Using Wool
While wool fabric may have a larger up-front cost than synthetics, its extended life span makes it a comparatively more practical buy. While it may seem expensive to pay $80 for a wool t-shirt, paying twenty to forty dollars for a polyester t-shirt isn’t uncommon. Since the wool t-shirt is likely to last more than four times longer, in the long run, the savings are obvious.
Shoppers might also hesitate at buying wool if they live in warmer climates. There is a tendency to associate wool with cold temperatures and cozy sweaters. However, wool is incredibly versatile, insulating sheep and humans alike against cold and heat. Wool will wick sweat during athletic activities and is the only substance that can keep you warm, even when wet.
Adobe Stock/CJO Photography
Wool & Animal Care
One of the reasons given for not wearing wool is concern about conditions where sheep are raised and possible injuries during shearing. However, fiber producers are likely to be more careful with their sheep, not wanting to risk the health and profit from their animals. Shearing conditions in many countries are improving due to public demand, and this improvement can only continue if wool is seen as marketable, rather than a waste product.
This article on the benefits of wool was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Trap crops lure pests away from other plants and can have a positive effect on our garden even as their roots decompose. Here’s how companion planting and no-dig cleanup can make your garden healthier and easier to maintain.
How Trap Crops Work
Plants are so much smarter than we give them credit for. They’re communicating amongst themselves via electrical, cellular and chemical means all the time.
Thanks to the release of a wide array of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) certain plants can lure pest insects in (called trap cropping) while others release chemicals that happen to mask our favorite crops. Most companion planting practices attempt to confuse the pest before it either eats the host plant or lays eggs on it. Masking a host plant’s own VOC’s from a pest buzzing around looking for food is a pretty powerful organic gardening tool.
There are long-lasting chemical reactions going on below ground as well.
Soil is ‘ground zero’ for the overall health of your garden. Soil is a living breathing thing, full of microorganisms like fungi, invertebrates, worms, bacteria, algae, nematodes and protozoa… up to 1 billion per teaspoon of soil. When we deeply till our gardens we destroy the existing relationships in the soil. These relationships do best when left undisturbed, which is why ‘no dig’ gardening works so well.
We can nurture these relationships and use naturally existing chemical reactions to our garden’s benefit.
Marigolds
Let’s take a well-known companion planting flower, the marigold. They naturally exude a chemical called alpha-terthienyl. This VOC has been shown to mask host plants above ground while repelling root-knot nematodes below ground. Specifically African and French marigolds have been studied and proven effective (Hethelyi et al. 1986; Soule 1993).
First, we should remember there are many kinds of nematodes, some are free-living and feed on many different things in the soil. But, plant-parasitic nematodes cause serious damage, namely the root-knot nematode. They attach themselves to the roots and become part of the plants making them impossible to remove without removing the crop they’ve infested.
By leaving the marigold roots in the soil, the alpha-terthienyl chemical continues to be released as the roots decompose. So, practicing no dig garden clean-up is a win-win. By cutting the plants off at soil level and leaving the roots remaining, you’ll prolong the repelling of the nematodes.
Oat garden bed cover. Photo by Michelle Bruhn
Oats
Oats make a smart choice when cover cropping. As oat plants decompose, they release chemicals that inhibit the germination of seeds by exuding the chemical, Avena fatua. This chemical is one of many that inhibit seed germination in other plants, called allelopathy. You may have heard of alleopathy with Black Walnut trees, as they release juglone, another chemical that inhibits the growth of many other plants. There are many types of allelochemicals, all with their own ways to defend plants against microbial attacks, herbivore predation, and/or competition with other plants. But again, for the oats to keep others out, it’s best if they’re left in the ground.
Building Soil with Companion Planting
Keeping our garden soil covered helps feed the microorganisms, avoids compaction, and decreases evaporation, all ways to build healthy soil. One great way to keep your soil covered is by planting cover crops. My favorite general-purpose cover crop seed mix consists of oats, peas and radishes. This blend gives an all-around nitrogen boost to the soil and creates biomass both above and below the soil surface. And now that we know the oats pack a one-two punch, it makes choosing to cover crop that much smarter.
Scissor beak in chickens is a life-threatening condition occurring in chicks and pullets. Learn more to prevent, treat and help your chicks survive and thrive through this congenital deformity.
What is Scissor Beak in Chickens?
Scissor beak (often referred to as cross beak) is a congenital deformity in which the upper and bottom beaks grow in two directions, giving the appearance of an open pair of scissors.
This deformity makes it difficult for the chicken to pick up food, and in severe cases, if left untreated, it can lead to death. While not all chickens with scissor beaks survive, experts are finding ways to improve their longevity and quality of life.
Causes and Preventions
Several factors can cause scissor beak, including poor nutrition, genetics, inappropriate heating and humidity levels during incubation, and malposition in the egg.
Cause: Poor Nutrition
Poor nutrition can cause scissor beaks to develop. Feeding chicks quality, age-appropriate feed is the best way to prevent poor nutrition.
Prevention: Supplementing chicks’ diet with probiotics and vitamins (added to their water) will help ensure they have everything they need to develop a healthy beak.
Cause: Genetics
Breeding individuals with a scissor beak.
Prevention: Never breed a chicken with a scissor beak, even if the beak is only slightly deformed. Scissor beak is hereditary, so breeding stock with this condition should be culled.
Cause: Inappropriate Heat and Humidity
Inappropriate heat and humidity levels may increase the risk of chicks developing scissor beak.
Prevention: When hatching eggs, ensure the incubator temperature stays steady at 100.5°F and humidity levels are between 50 and 55 percent.
Cause: Malposition in Egg
Sometimes, a chick’s head will not be positioned correctly in the egg, causing a malformed skull.
Prevention: None
What Age Does Scissor Beak in Chickens Occur?
Scissor beaks appear in chicks between one and two weeks of age, but in some cases, the condition may not be seen until four weeks old. If caused by poor genetics, this condition may be visible at hatching.
Symptoms
Curving or bending of the beak. The severity of the condition depends on how severely the beak is curved.
Treatment
If one or more of your chicks have a scissor beak, treatment should begin immediately. Taking your chick to the vet is the best way to start the treatment process, as your veterinarian can evaluate the severity of the condition and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Vet-Prescribed Chick Care
Euthanasia: Sadly, some chicks with a scissor beak are severely deformed, making it impossible to consume food and water. Without these essential nutrients, chicks quickly become weak and die. By humanely euthanizing severely deformed chicks, you can prevent any unnecessary suffering.
Beak Trimming: One of the best ways to help a chicken with a scissor beak is to trim it. This will not correct the condition. Rather, it will help to keep the bird’s beak trimmed to a manageable length since their beaks do not receive normal wear. Regularly trimming of the beak helps increase the chance of a chick’s ability to eat and drink. Your veterinarian can trim the beak and set up a beak-trimming routine to keep your chick’s beak in working order. Trimming a scissor beak is extremely difficult and should only be trimmed by a qualified vet.
Beak Therapy: Beak therapy is a common veterinarian-prescribed scissor beak treatment. It involves gently aligning the top beak with the bottom and holding it in place for ten minutes two to three times a day. While this treatment plan will not likely cure the deformity, it usually helps prevent it from becoming more deformed and making the condition less severe. Continue beak therapy daily until your vet instructs otherwise.
Weight Check: Chicks with a scissor beak need routine weight checks throughout their lives to ensure they get enough food to maintain a healthy weight.
Vet-Prescribed Lifelong Care
A chicken with a scissor beak needs lifelong care. Routine beak trims, regular weight checks and tube feeding to ensure the chicken has enough nutrients.
Tube feeding should be done by a qualified veterinarian or a member of the vet office staff, as it can become deadly if the tube is not placed correctly down the chicken’s throat. If you desire to tube feed your chicken, ask your vet to show you how to do it correctly.
Feeding Tube Alternatives
Another option is to moisten the feed to form a mash. The mash is often easier for a chicken with a scissor beak to pick up than dry crumble or pellets. Mix the mash right before feeding chickens, as it becomes rancid quickly. Be sure to allow plenty of feeding time, as scissored-beaked chickens eat slower than other flock members. Treats must also be cut into small, easy-to-pick-up pieces for them to enjoy.
Whatever feeding option you choose, chickens with scissor beaks need their weight monitored by a qualified veterinarian.
Keep Them Clean
A chicken with a scissor beak needs routine bathing to keep its feathers free of parasites and help feathers stay clean and shiny. To do this, use a couple of drops of mild, unscented baby shampoo in a pan of warm water and gently splash the water over the hen’s body, carefully avoiding getting water on her head or in her eyes or nostrils. Gently towel dry the chicken before using a blow dryer on her. Keep the blow dryer on a cool setting to avoid burning the chicken’s skin.
Move bathtime into the basement or garage during the colder months to avoid chilling the hen.
A scissor beak in chickens requires daily cleaning with a Q-tip moistened with water. Gently clean out any dirt or feed with the Q-tip.
Separate Housing
Some flock members may bully a chicken with a scissor beak, while others behave more kindly. Not all chickens with a scissor beak are bullied, so keep a close eye on your flock to ensure no one is bullied. Remove the chicken from the flock and give her a separate living space if you notice any bullying.
Breeds to Avoid
While all breeds can have a scissor beak, Ameraucanas, Easter Eggers, and Orpingtons are more prone to this deformity.
Caring for scissor beak in chickens may not be for the faint of heart, but the rewards of watching your handicapped hen enjoying a happy chicken life make the efforts worthwhile.
This article about scissor beak in chickens was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Aggressive chicken behavior might sound funny, but a mean chicken is no joke. To reduce the tyranny these birds can impose upon us well-meaning humans and the overall flock, we need to take some defensive steps.
On a personal note, when we were young, my little sister rescued a bantam chick from certain demise. She named the bird Miss Peep and loved her immensely. But before long, it became apparent that Miss Peep was actually Mr. Peep, and beyond that, he was one mean rooster. He would watch for one of us to leave the house and come barreling out of the fencerow, head lowered, spurred legs at the ready. We had no idea why he was such a pill when all we’d ever done was take care of him. This was our first experience with aggressive chicken behavior.
Defense # 1: Understand Meanness
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To begin with, “mean” is a bit of a misnomer. In the chicken’s tiny brain, there is no room for meanness as we understand it. Aggressive chickens, however, might adopt behaviors that humans perceive as mean: pecking the hand that feeds; beating at its opponent or keeper with its wings (called “flogging”); spurring people, animals or other chickens; and basically terrorizing anything that moves. So defense Number One is to recognize that it’s nothing personal.
While aggression is irritating, concerning, and at times, scary, it can be comforting to realize that chickens put no planning or malice into their actions. When we understand that, we’re less likely to personify aggressive chickens, assigning them ulterior emotion-based motives they are incapable of and viewing them as enemies.
Aggressiveness in chickens can be hormonal, genetic, instinctive or behaviorally reinforced. Some breeds are naturally more aggressive, just as some are better foragers, layers or mothers. (See “Read Your Breed” below.) Within a breed itself, there will be variations. Bantams tend to be gentle, but Mr. Peep was obviously not a good representative of his tiny breed. Roosters can also perceive people as threats to the flock and react protectively.
Defense # 2: Be Top Bird
Think like an alpha chicken. Chickens use pecking and aggressiveness to establish their social hierarchy. In her University of Kentucky Extension article, “Normal Behaviors of Chickens in Small and Backyard Poultry Flocks,” project extension manager Jacquie Jacob writes: “By 16 days of age, fighting to determine the pecking order begins.”
Like a Chihuahua fronting up to a pit bull, aggressive chickens have no inkling that attacking people to show them who’s the boss is not going to put them on top—unless, of course, you back down. Backing down from a chicken is not a good thing to do any more than letting a dog, horse or other animal establish dominance over you. You, or some other less suspecting person or child, could get hurt.
Jacob says that while male and female chickens can attack, roosters tend to be more violent, and by use of spurs, as well as the beak, they can draw blood on unprotected skin. They can be bullies. Hens can also adopt unpleasant behaviors. Sometimes, in a roosterless flock, a hen might adopt a rooster’s protective role, becoming aggressive to people though docile with the other hens.
In my last bunch of backyard hens, I had an escape artist, a homebody and a hen named Kristy, which you had to look at continuously or she would attack with beak, wings and claws every single time. A fox ate her for dinner one night, and we didn’t mourn her. In retrospect, I wondered whether Kristy had appointed herself the token rooster in the group and was just doing her job, protecting her flock.
Defense # 3: Be On Guard
Know the signs: If a chicken lowers its head and sidles toward you, watch out! Being attacked by a chicken might sound hilarious to some—unless it happens to you. Jacob says that raised neck feathers and wings pointed toward the ground and away from the body are classic attack signals in aggressive chickens. If not turned away, a chicken will flog its opponent and stand very tall before kicking out to engage leg spurs, pecking, jumping at and spurring as they go.
There doesn’t seem to be one foolproof way to deal with aggressive chickens. Some advocate bringing food as a distraction. This has never worked for me, nor has kindness and sweet-talking: Experiences with Mr. Peep and Kristy are evidence of this. Others suggest defending yourself with your boot or a stick, which did cause Mr. Peep to leave me alone, but it didn’t faze Kristy in the least. In fact, some research indicates such methods can make the bird more aggressive because they view it as a challenge or threat.
Defense # 4: Go On The Offensive
Shutterstocck
Regardless of the method, establishing yourself at the top of the pecking order seems to be the best way to deal with aggressive chickens. Perhaps the most humane way to do this is to show dominance similarly to how you’d train a dog.
For chicken domination, at first sign of attack, reach down, grab the bird by the feet, turn it upside down—ignore the squawking—and tuck it under your arm like a football. If it’s clear that you’ll have this type of showdown, you can wear gloves and clothing you don’t mind bringing in contact with chicken feet and feathers. Then go about your business, holding it until it acknowledges your dominance by ceasing to struggle and holler, which typically takes less than a minute.
Once it does, release it, but watch out. At first, it might come right back at you. Every time it attacks, give it more of the same. Ultimately, the aggressive bird might learn to leave you alone, though some just never give up.
Defense # 5: Remove The Threat
Finally, Jacob cites a doctoral thesis about the social structures of birds, written by Norwegian scientist Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe, a zoology student at the University of Oslo in 1921, who coined the phrase “pecking order.”
Schjelderup-Ebbe indicated that pecking order relies on recognition, and chickens can recognize as many as 30 individuals. This means that even if your attack chicken learns to give you a wide berth, don’t count on other people receiving the same level of respect. If you’ve got a very aggressive bird, consider removing it from the flock. Options include gifting a friend who’s up to the challenge of dealing with aggressive chicken behavior or sending it to the stewpot.
Living in fear of attack from aggressive chicken behavior is not a good option. If you have an aggressive chicken, don’t send your kids out to gather eggs or feed until they’re old enough to be the dominant force. Show them how to do it, or get rid of the threat. Children have been blinded in chicken attacks.
If you must deal with an aggressive chicken, don’t expect it to appreciate your position as a caretaker human or be moved by your kind acts. Be on your guard at all times, establish humane dominance if possible, and if not, send that bird on its way.
Aggressive Chicken Behavior: Read Your Breed
Shutterstock
Sometimes, we inherit our flocks and take the good with the bad. But if you have the leisure to choose, peruse breed descriptions to minimize the possibility that you end up with an attack chicken in your flock. In “Choosing the Best Poultry Breed for Your Small Farm,” The University of Maryland Extension advises deciding on your goal for raising chickens as a first step in finding a breed that is best for you, and nonaggressiveness is a factor to consider. Here are 12 common breeds and their basic temperaments:
Ameraucana: calm and nonaggressive
Australorp: docile and adaptable
Barred Plymouth Rock: calm and docile, easily handled
Buff Orpington: very docile and make good pets; can be bullied by other breeds
Cochin: very friendly and tame; tend to make good pets
Delaware: calm and inquisitive, but can be cranky, which can be an awful lot like being aggressive
Jersey Giant: calm, gentle, and easily handled
Leghorn: friendly, but often nervous, noisy; can be aggressive
Rhode Island Red: fairly docile but can be aggressive, especially the roosters
Silkie: usually docile and easily handled
Welsummer: intelligent, active, friendly, but not very docile/tame
Wyandotte: docile, good mothers
This article about aggressive chicken behavior originally appeared in the May/June 2017 issue of Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.
In this episode of Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good, listen to Jenny’s story of her love of farming rooted in childhood. You might identify with her vivid childhood memories of digging potatoes, setting off with the family dogs through the woods and fields, and living a life outdoors. She talks about being in the Peace Corps in Gabon as her first experience with environmental education and the start to her work in sharing the outdoors with others. During her time in Gabon, she learned about gardening in the tropics and started teaching the concepts of ecology through school gardens.
Hear about how, when Jenny left Kentucky after college, she had no interest in living in her home state again but has since come back to Kentucky and built a farm. Being flexible is the lesson here. Jenny talks about the time she spent as a market farmer when her son was young and how she’s transitioned their 8 acres to more of a homesteading space for the time being.
Jenny tells us about her work as a farmer educator with the Organic Association of Kentucky, a nonprofit promoting and supporting organic farmers in the state. An annual conference, regular farmer field days, assistance for farmers transitioning to organic certification, and consumer education are all part of OAK programming. Additionally, the organization hosts the Kentucky Farm Share Coalition, which arranges employer-sponsored CSA programs with local farmers.
Finally, Jenny offers advice for getting started on your own land, sharing what she wished she knew when she and her husband were setting up their farm 10 years ago. And we hear about why this work is important to Jenny.
A swollen abdomen in chickens could be a symptom of any number of illnesses or health issues, several of which directly or indirectly affect the hen’s reproductive system. In veterinary medicine, there is rarely one cause of a condition, so we usually begin with a list of differential diagnoses and use lab tests and physical exams to differentiate. With this in mind, your best course of action is to reach out to your county-extension poultry personnel or veterinarian for help in differentiating the various causes of a swollen abdomen in chickens. Veterinarians can perform a physical exam and run diagnostic tests, including X-rays, to distinguish between fluid and solid contents in the abdominal cavity.
Approach the diagnostic process with a clear sense of the animal’s financial value to your operation: Although some services might be available free of charge through a land-grant extension office, the expense of some diagnostic tests and treatments can add up quickly. While it’s always worth your time and money to identify a bacterial or viral infection that could potentially impact more than one member of the flock, this might not be the case with a condition that only affects one hen.
Poultry keepers who keep genetically improved breeds, bred for high egg production, might see these problems more frequently in their flocks, as production breeds—most of which are usually kept for 12 to 18 months in commercial settings—do not have the genetics to support three to four years of egg-laying. The risk of reproductive disorders increases with age in layers. These afflictions aren’t exclusive to production breeds, however—they can show up in any small-scale flock. Although it’s best to have a veterinarian examine your chicken, here’s a short list of differential diagnoses.
1. Ascites (aka Water Belly)
Fluid can accumulate in the abdominal cavity, secondary to heart disease or tumors in the heart and liver. Fluid in the abdominal cavity is usually accompanied by respiratory distress and cyanosis (bluish color) of the combs and wattles. There is no treatment for ascites.
2. Tumors
Several diseases, such as Marek’s disease, lymphoid leukosis and various adenocarcinomas, cause tumors and enlargement of a chicken’s internal organs, such as the liver, which might, in turn, distend the abdomen. Tumor diseases tend to be chronic, and affected chickens slowly suffer weight loss and decreased appetite. All day-old chicks should be vaccinated for Marek’s disease at the hatchery. Lymphoid leukosis can be transmitted from hens to developing embryos; therefore, disease-free chicks should be purchased from reputable hatcheries. There is no treatment for tumor diseases.
3. Fat Deposition
Extremely obese hens have a thick fat pad that can distend the lower abdomen. Obesity, normally caused by high-energy diets, also predisposes chickens to a condition called fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome, where the liver is infiltrated with fat and can contribute to abdominal distension. The syndrome causes acute death in chickens when blood vessels in the liver rupture and cause internal bleeding. It’s seen increasingly in backyard and pet chickens that are fed table scraps high in calories. It’s also very common with small-scale flocks fed free-choice via feeders. Chickens should be fed a well-formulated and appropriately portioned diet to avoid FLHS.
4. Cystic Oviduct
Normally, only the left ovary and oviduct of the hen are functional, but sometimes, the right oviduct is functional and becomes cystic. The cysts appear in a range of sizes, and overly large cysts can distend the hen’s abdomen and compress internal organs. Your veterinarian might be able to drain the cyst nonsurgically using a sterile syringe and needle.
5. Impacted or Egg-Bound Oviducts
These oviductal disorders are seen in obese hens, older hens or pullets that come into lay too early. The oviduct becomes blocked by an egg or a mass of broken eggs and eventually eggs are pushed back into the body cavity as the hen continues to lay. Affected hens walk like penguins when the eggs in the abdomen are excessive.
There is no technical difference between impaction and “egg-bound;” however, I don’t like using the term egg-bound, as it’s more appropriate for what happens in pet birds, such as parrots, where one fully formed egg is stuck in the oviduct.
In chickens, the obstruction can result from several lodged eggs or a mass of broken shells, shell membranes, or a mass of yolk and egg white, and the result is the same. When impaction occurs in the front part of the oviduct (aka uterus), which is usually the case, eggs enclosed by shell membranes might be found in the abdominal cavity. This indicates that eggs continued to form but were refluxed back into the peritoneal cavity. The prognosis for affected hens is poor. The use of antibiotics might prolong an affected chicken’s life for a few months, but it will eventually die from the condition.
6. Salpingitis
This inflammation of the oviduct occurs frequently and can be introduced through the cloaca by various means, including pecking. The most common infection is by E. coli bacteria. In later stages of the condition, the oviduct and abdomen become distended due to masses of foul-smelling, cheesy contents in the oviduct. The cheesy masses are sometimes mixed with egg contents; as a result, salpingitis can frequently be confused with an impacted oviduct.
A chicken with salpingitis can remain healthy for a long time—until the late stage when oviductal contents start to impinge on vital organs. The chicken then becomes sick, refuses to eat and slowly declines. Antibiotics seem to help only temporarily, and while some veterinarians might attempt surgery, the chicken’s oviduct is so friable that the procedure is unlikely to be successful. Affected birds will die.
About the Author: Jarra Jagne, DVM, DACPV, senior extension associate, Veterinary Support Services, Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center.
This article was vetted by Dr. Lyle G. McNeal.
This article the causes of a swollen abdomen in chickens originally appeared in the May/June 2013 issue of Hobby Farms. Click here to subscribe.
How to get rid of poison ivy is top of mind in summer and throughout the year, especially if you’re allergic to it. Even in winter, bare vines can still cause a skin reaction so it’s important to get this plant under control. But it’s also important to consider natural options for the safety of your farm’s wild inhabitants.
How to Get Rid of Poison Ivy: A Personal Story
My father recently asked me whether I plan to use the land where he and my mother live for business at some point. My husband and I already keep some bees with them, and because their land is so different than ours—we have wide-open farmland while theirs is thoroughly wooded—we’ve considered using their space for some plants we want to use in our farm products. I knew my dad asked the question from more than passing curiosity. Mom and Dad haven’t lived on their land very long, and as dad is working to create green spaces and manage the trees. He has become increasingly frustrated with one particular plant that is fighting back: poison ivy.
Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) has taken over most of the wooded space. He has been sorely tempted to use glyphosate to kill off the plant but knew that if I wanted to use the land, it would be a big problem for me because we grow without such chemicals. He challenged me to find a replacement or he would have to resort to the chemical solution. Of course, he reasons, that he could use it and then make the land available three years from now when organic standards would deem it safe to use again, but I would disagree. Glyphosate damages soil bacteria, and we can’t stop there and not discuss the debated health ramifications.
Why further damage the soil with a chemical when it’s imbalanced enough to allow poison ivy to take over in the first place? Those who choose the chemical route are chasing a symptom rather than solving the problem. In addition, many report that using glyphosate on this particular weed slows it down but doesn’t kill it off completely.
Here are some alternate ways to get rid of poison ivy and get it under control without damaging the soil in the process.
1. Use Boiling Water
Some folks suggest that pouring boiling water on the plants and the nearby roots will kill off growth. You must be willing to kill everything in the area, though, as this is a non-specific solution. For my purpose, this isn’t practical, as the area in question is rather large. Boiling water may be a good solution for a few isolated plants, though.
2. Manually Pull the Poison Ivy
Pulling out the vines and root of the plant (suitably covered up while doing so, of course) is one of the time-tested ways of discouraging poison ivy. You have to keep at it, though and don’t burn the weeds afterward if you value your lungs or your relationship with your neighbors.
3. Mow It
Repeatedly trimming or mowing off the vines at the soil surface will absolutely end your poison ivy problem, but you have to be diligent about keeping it trimmed every time the plant pokes its head above ground.
4. Use Sheet Mulch
Any kind of heavy mulch piled thick above a poison ivy plant will kill it off. This is a nice solution to use in combination with mowing or trimming.
5. Enlist the Help of Goats
Seriously, Dad, get a goat already. They’re cute and would provide hours of aggrav… I mean entertainment. Goats love to eat poison ivy, but you’ll need to be able to fence them or stake them in a specific area for a while. They aren’t single-minded eaters and will mow up quite a few of your other plants, but if you keep them in the same area long enough they will eat down all the poison ivy.
6. Try Soil Remediation
Here is where my real focus is in fixing just about any weed issue. Why is the poison ivy there in the first place? What is “wrong” with the soil?
Fixing the Calcium Deficit
Poison ivy appears to like soils that are deficient in calcium, phosphorus and selenium. A good compost tea that includes comfrey, horsetail and even seaweed and is applied on a routine basis could bring the nutrient level up in the soil and create an environment where poison ivy can’t survive.
Neutralizing Soil pH
To take another route, in most cases, poison ivy likes an acid soil. Test the soil in the area to be sure and then add lime to counteract the acidity.
I have a few plants here on my property where I’m going to be trying out my soil remediation ideas. If my Dad lets me, I’ll give a few other options a try in larger areas. Perhaps I’ll have something interesting to report later.
Do you have any natural options for how to get rid of poison ivy?
This post about how to get rid of poison ivy was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
