Categories
Poultry

Can Chickens Eat Cilantro? Gardening for Your Flock

can-chickens-eat-cilantro
Adobe Stock Photo by Betsy

Can chickens eat cilantro? If you want to expand your flock’s garden to more than tomatoes, squash, and lettuce, here are 10 plants for your chickens to enjoy.

Cilantro

Can chickens eat cilantro? Yes! Not only can chickens eat cilantro, but it benefits their health and vision.

Cilantro is high in vitamin A, helping to keep chickens’ eyes in tip-top condition. With clear vision, chickens can spot a tasty bug in the grass or a hungry hawk in the sky. This essential vitamin also supports a healthy reproductive system.

Can chickens eat cilantro growing in the garden. Yes.

Cilantro contains antioxidants, improves immune system health, and reduces pathogens in the digestive tract, working to keep the intestinal tract healthy. Due to its remarkable ability to remove these pathogens from the digestive tract, cilantro is one of the best herbs to feed laying hens and baby chicks.

Nasturtium

Nasturtiums are among my flock’s favorite flowers despite their slight pepper taste. Both the leaves and flowers are edible for chickens and humans. High in vitamin C and antioxidants, these pretty flowers are also believed to be antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and natural dewormers and are thought to prevent cancer.

naturtium

Nasturtiums are extremely hardy plants and can even hold up to chickens scratching.

French Marigold

While only the flowers are edible, this shouldn’t stop you from growing these for your flock. French marigold flowers are a great immune booster, insect and snake repellent, and they help increase eggshell strength. French Marigolds are also considered to be antiviral and antifungal.

Your chickens will not be the only thing benefiting from French Marigolds. Planting French Marigolds throughout your garden will help deter bugs from destroying your other plants.

french marigold

Feeding French Marigolds to your laying hens helps brighten feet and leg color and produces those bright orange yolks that many backyard chicken keepers love.

French Marigolds should not be confused with African Marigolds, as the two varieties vary greatly. Only feed French Marigolds to chickens.

Peas

Peas are a fun treat to grow and feed your flock. Not only is this vegetable one of my flock’s favorite treats but it is also filled with nutrients.

An excellent source of protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, C, E and K. These essential vitamins and minerals keep chickens’ bodies in tip-top condition and help prevent disease.

The peas and pods are edible, and your flock will be tripping over themselves to eat this tasty snack.

When feeding peas to chicks, break them into tiny pieces to avoid choking.

Rose

Now that we have answered the question, can chickens eat cilantro? Can they eat roses? Yes, chickens can eat roses, and they love them, too. If my chickens were to pick a favorite flower, it would be the Virginia Roses growing in my backyard. These fragrant flowers are high in vitamins C and A and are full of antioxidants and flavonoids that support a healthy immune system.

rose

Rose petals are also phytonutrients, a substance believed to prevent cancer cell formation.

Never feed roses that have been sprayed with chemicals, pesticides, or insecticides to chickens. Rose petals are edible for adult chickens and chicks. Adult chickens can also eat the ripened rose hips.

Lovage

Lovage is a vital health tonic for laying hens and roosters. One of the few culinary herbs to promote kidney health, lovage cleanses the kidneys without removing electrolytes from the body. Kidney health is crucial in backyard flocks, as the high calcium levels required for layers may result in kidney damage, especially in roosters.

Lovage is packed with nutrients and contains high amounts of B vitamins and vitamin C.

Never feed lovage to baby chicks. Lovage can cause kidney failure if fed in large quantities. To ere on the side of caution, I only feed a small handful of lovage to my flock once a week.

Yarrow

Safe to feed to baby chicks and chickens, yarrow is one of my flock’s all-time favorites and is a popular choice for many backyard flock raisers.  The leaves and flowers are both edible, although my flock seems to favor the taste of the leaves.

yarrow

Yarrow helps to alleviate digestive issues and improve blood circulation and flow. It is also an anti-inflammatory.

This beneficial plant benefits the garden, as its delicate flowers attract many pollinators and beneficial bugs.

Lavender

The smell of lavender can help soothe and relax your chickens during stressful times, such as when introducing new flock members or when your hen is broody. Even if your chickens aren’t stressed, lavender can help them feel more relaxed and safe.

A natural bug and rodent repellent, hanging lavender above your perch or sprinkling some lavender around the perimeter of your coop and run may help deter mites, lice, and other pests from visiting your henhouse.

lavender

Lavender is also believed to help prevent respiratory problems, keeping airways clean and healthy.

There are so many delicious vegetables, flowers, and herbs to feed chickens, so why stick to the basics? Before feeding new plants to your flock, check with your local extension office to see if they are safe to consume.

This article about can chickens eat cilantro was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Farm Management

Farm Animal Pictures: How to Make Money With Each Click

baby animal posing for farm animal pictures

Farm animal pictures can be cute, but hobby farmers often need photos of their animals for selling, breeding, blogging, family photos and overall documenting ages and stages for record keeping. Sale barns are becoming antiquated for farmers looking to sell livestock. It is such a risk to haul and expose farm animals to so many unknown variables for an opportunity to sell a small quantity, usually at the lowest price. Online marketing on websites and posting to farm groups are quickly becoming the new mainstream for hobby farmers to connect with buyers, preserving health and dollars.

snuggling farm puppies

Good quality photos are worth the extra investment of time and intentionality because the difference between a good photo and a poor quality one can result in closing a deal or not. We live in a digital photo world. Learning to produce top-notch images is a great first impression for a sale. A great photo communicates that the sellers are detail-oriented, careful, intentional, transparent and trustworthy. 

Getting that shot can be very difficult, especially when dealing with unpredictable animals. Follow these tips whether you’re shooting with a phone or professional camera.

1. Lighting & Timing – The golden hour (the first hour after sunrise or the last hour before sunset), casts a warmer tint with the softest lighting. Soft lighting wraps around your subject, rather than overloading it with tons of light. Too much hard lighting will create dark shadows, which will be very hard to edit in your pictures.

2. Lighting Angles – When possible, shoot with the sun at your back. This is tricky because it causes the subject to stare into the sun, however, it gives your animal the best exposure to natural light.   

3. Assess the Background – Focus on setting the scene before introducing the subject to the area. It would be very frustrating to get the animal’s attention and take a great shot just to learn you neglected to move unsightly obstacles in the background. Background problems to look out for are trees, branches, wires or any objects that may look as though they could block the shot or stick out at an awkward angle in the back.

4. Adjust your Camera – Whether you are shooting with a phone camera or a professional camera, do not shoot in manual focus mode, the motion from the animal will prove extremely challenging. Instead, use your camera’s autofocus mode to keep up with the action and get a sharp image. Make sure you know which subject you will be focusing on if there are multiple animals involved in the photo shoot. If you have the option to select Continuous Focus Mode, choose that feature.

5. Create a Plan Knowing Your Animal – Be aware of what time of day your animal is most cooperative. If you need to use food to motivate your livestock, consider a time when they are slightly hungry. They shouldn’t be starving or just recently fed.

farm animal picture with baby goats sleeping

6. Consider Animal Posture – Knowing your subject’s breed standard will help you decide what angles you want to take for their posing. Pay attention to their topline, loin, chest, underline and limbs making them all visible and positioned well.

7. Motion – Start furthest away from the animal. Move slowly and take a shot, step in, take a shot, step in, etc. You can always zoom in and edit later. 

8. Be Patient – Stress will wreak havoc in this situation. Allow the animal to explore its surroundings and be comfortable. Don’t force the animals, natural posing is always better. Just keep shooting, you can evaluate pictures later. Don’t risk missing the moment they look at the camera or hit their best stance.

9. Have a Few Tricks In the Bag – Be prepared to bark, moo, oink, grunt, whistle, sing or whatever it takes to alert the animal and get their attention. Treats might also need to be used. Have a few ideas of how you will pull their focus to get that shot. 

10. Edit – Even a crisp well-lit photo can stand to be edited. Editing photos can be as simple as choosing a filter on your phone. That extra push and color sharpness filters can add to the photo and create life in a shot, as opposed to dullness.

Taking farm animal pictures can prove very difficult. Keep your cool and follow these tips for the best possible scenario. As for the outtakes, those can be part of the fun.  

This article about taking farm animal pictures was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Animals

Polish Rabbit: Breed Profile

polish rabbit sitting on surry pedestal
Photo By Jne Valokuvaus

The Polish rabbit is believed to have been developed in England, with the first mention of the breed found in their literature in the mid-1800s. The exact development of the breed is uncertain. It is said this breed descended from the white hutch rabbit and was first bred as a ruby-eyed white rabbit. The American Polish Rabbit Club points to their introduction to the United States as being in 1912.  The red-eyed white Polish rabbit was the first accepted by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). Other colors followed over the decades and the lilac Polish was accepted as recently as 2020.

Polish Rabbits Over Time

Polish rabbits were originally larger and were popularly used as meat rabbits. The modern-day breed is small – weighing no more than 3.5 pounds – and is known for its unusually short ears. They somewhat resemble the Netherland Dwarf rabbit in this way but with several differentiating characteristics in their body conformation. They also do not carry the “dwarf gene” despite their small size.

Polish rabbits are docile, and their small size and easy care make them popular as pets. They are listed on many rabbit sites as good choice for someone living in an apartment, seniors or someone with a tight budget.

white polish rabbit sitting on baskets
Photo By smilewalli

Polish Rabbit Breed Standard

For those looking to show Polish rabbits, the largest segment of the judging points is in the body. According to the American Polish Rabbit Club, the breed should be compact. The hips should be rounded and wider than the shoulders. The core should taper evenly from the hips to the shoulders. The body being too long is considered a fault, as is the hips flaring out from the body. Unlike many of the larger breeds, a dewlap in the does is considered a flaw and the rabbit will be disqualified.

Head, ears and eyes are all considered separately, but are weighed equally when showing. The skull should sit low on the shoulders and be slightly rounded. Pinched or pointed noses or a longer head are considered faults. The eyes should be large, while the ears will be disqualified if they are over three inches. The ears should be parallel and close-set enough to touch from the base of the skull to the tips.

Polish Rabbit Fur

The coat of a Polish rabbit should be soft, short and “flyback.” This type of coat, when stroked backward, instantly returns itself to its original position.

The first accepted color to the show ring was the red-eyed white Polish, with blue-eyed white following quickly. Currently, the American Rabbit Breeder Association accepts these colors, as well as black, blue, chocolate and lilac. “Broken” – a white rabbit with colored spots – is also accepted.

The fur should be glossy, and rabbits with a “cottony” texture are disqualified from ARBA showing.

Polish Rabbit Care

While Polish rabbits are not prone to anything other than the normal rabbit ailments, the lifespan of breeding Polish is much shorter than the average rabbits. While many breeds live to about ten years of age, the Polish rabbit’s lifespan is often only five to six years. Rabbit care that includes neutering and careful oversight of their diet will help extend this, and a few have even been known to live to around eight years old. Recommended feeding is only 20 to 25 grams a day (.7 to .88 ounces). Breeders will find that the litter size for Polish rabbits is quite small since Polish rabbits only produce half the ova as other tested rabbit breeds. Most does produce only two to four kits per litter. Because their lifespan is so short, they can also only be bred for a narrow window, hitting menopause between three to four years of age.

This article about the Polish rabbit was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Poultry

14 Toxic Plants for Chickens To Avoid

apricots are toxic plants for chickens
Apricots are toxic plants for chickens to avoid.

Knowing toxic plants for chickens to avoid is important. Your free-range flock loves roaming into the garden and treating the marigolds, squash blossoms and dandelions like an all-you-can-eat salad bar. An abundant supply of fresh fruits, vegetables and garden greens is part of a balanced diet, but not all the plants in your garden are good for your chickens. In fact, some are toxic.

Below is a list of 14 common farmstead toxic plants for chickens. Don’t feed them these plants or confine them in an area of the garden where these toxic plants are growing, as their appetites might get the better of them. Remember, this is far from a complete list of toxic plants for chickens; there are hundreds of plants that can be harmful to your chickens. Before opening the coop doors to let your flock forage, do your research to keep your chickens out of harm’s way.

1. Apricots

Many fruits are safe for chickens, but the leaves and pits of an apricot contain cyanogenic glycosides that are highly toxic, triggering symptoms such as seizures, breathing problems and low blood pressure. When leaves are stressed from frost, drought or disease, the toxicity levels increase. If you want to grow apricot trees, prevent chickens from foraging near the orchard via fencing or other means.

2. Azalea

These deciduous shrubs are popular in landscapes across the U.S. thanks to their waxy green leaves and colorful flowers. Although azaleas are beautiful, all parts of the plant are on the highly toxic plants for chickens list and can cause digestive upset, weakness, loss of coordination and cardiac damage. To keep flocks safe, house them away from azaleas or dig up the shrubs and relocate them out of the birds’ reach.

Also Read: Avoid Giving These Toxic Foods To Your Chickens

3. Beans

Uncooked beans contain hemagglutinin, which is toxic to chickens. You don’t have to banish beans from the garden—just be sure to keep the flock from foraging in beds where beans are growing, and never feed them raw or undercooked beans.

4. Bulbs

Daffodils, iris, narcissus, tulips and other bulbs are among the first signs of spring in the garden and might tempt chickens with their fresh green leaves and flowers. However, many bulb varieties contain alkaloids that can cause low blood pressure, tremors and diarrhea. Dig up the bulbs and compost them or replant them in areas of the garden the flock can’t access.

5. Ferns

A specific variety of fern called the bracken fern can cause bracken fern poisoning in chickens, which leads to anemia, weight loss and muscle tremors. Although significant amounts of the plant must be consumed to be toxic, the perennial ferns with their large triangular-shaped fronds are native to most U.S. states, growing in pastures, forests and rangelands, giving chickens in rural areas ample access. The best way to identify bracken ferns is to use a wildlife guide. Because they grow aggressively, you’ll need to be vigilant about removing them.

6. Foxglove

This perennial or biennial is common in the Northeast and along the West Coast. The spires can grow to 8 feet and produce bright tubular-shaped flowers with speckled interiors that blossom in the summer. All parts of the plant—seeds, flowers, stems and leaves—are toxic for chickens. Foxgloves reseed prolifically, so getting the population under control can be challenging. It’s best to remove the entire plant, including the roots, from the garden.

7. Holly

The glossy green foliage and red berries make this festive evergreen popular for Christmas decorations. Varieties of holly grow across the U.S., but it’s is especially abundant in the Southeast. While holly has a low toxicity level, the leaves contain saponins, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea and drooling in your chickens. Because holly can grow up to 4 feet per year, keeping chickens away from the bushes is easier than digging them up. To ensure that chickens can’t access the plant, keep it trimmed and house the flock at least 5 feet away.

8. Lobelia

The pretty blue, purple, white or red blooms on this annual make it popular for containers, butterfly gardens and medicinal herb gardens. Some lobelia varieties trail while others can grow up to 3 feet tall. The plant contains toxins called pyridine alkaloids, which can cause tremors, weakness, increased breathing rate and lack of coordination in poultry. Remove annual plants from the garden if you plan to allow your chickens to forage.

9. Lupine

This herbaceous perennial grows 12 to 26 inches tall and produces bonnet-shaped flowers that grow on a spike. The flowers come in a range of colors from deep blue and purple to pink and white. All parts of lupine plants, which are more common in mountainous areas, contain a toxin called quinolizidine alkaloids that cause nervousness, depression,aimless wandering, muscle twitching and convulsions in chickens. Because it’s difficult to control wild lupines, keep chickens from accessing areas of the farm where lupines grow.

10. Nightshades

there are over 70 species of nightshade plants and they are toxic plants for chickens

There are 70 varieties of nightshade plants, including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, bittersweet and Jerusalem cherry, many of which can be harmful to your flock. Nightshades contain alkaloids, which cause appetite loss, increased salivation, weakened heart rate and trouble breathing. While it’s okay to throw your flock the occasional tomato, be weary of plants in this family. Raw potato peels, for example, should never be considered a chicken treat. You should also take particular care to keep your flock away from deadly nightshade, found across the U.S. and identified by their five-lobed white-and-purple flowers and green fruits or berries that turn yellow or black at maturity. Because nightshade plants often grow wild in pastures, orchards and along roadsides, removal can be a challenge. Prevent chickens from foraging near the plants.

11. Oak Trees

oak leaves and acorns are on the toxic plants for chickens list

Mature oak trees can grow up to 80 feet tall with canopies spanning more than 100 feet wide. Even on saplings, the elliptical-shaped leaves are too high off the ground for chickens to reach, but the both the leaves and the acorns that drop in the fall contain tannic acid, which can cause lack of appetite, frequent urination, excessive thirst and diarrhea. Instead of cutting down trees, confine chickens to acorn-free areas.

12. Periwinkle

periwinkle, or creeping myrtle is a toxic plant for chickens

Also known as creeping myrtle, periwinkle is a groundcover with dark-green foliage, oblong leaves, and blue, purple or white flowers that appear in early spring. The plants contain cardiac glycosides that are highly toxic and can cause tremors, seizures and death. The fast-growing, shade-loving perennial can be hard to control, so your best bet is to keep chickens confined to a periwinkle-free section of the farm or garden.

13. Rhubarb

rhubarb leaves contain acids that are toxic for chickens

It might make the perfect pie, but rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid or oxalates that are toxic to chickens, causing jaundice, tremors and increased salivation. It’s OK to continue growing rhubarb, just restrict the flock’s access to the garden.

14. Yew

all parts of the yew plant are toxic for chickens

This ornamental evergreen, known as the “Tree of Death,” is highly toxic. There are several varieties of yew, including the Japanese yew, which is the most common ornamental shrub in the U.S. All parts of the plant are toxic and contain cardiotoxic taxine alkaloids that can cause cardiac arrhythmia and death. The toxins are fast-acting, and a small amount can have a lethal impact. To be safe, remove all yews from the landscape if you free-range your flock.

While plenty of vegetation is safe for your chickens, it’s important to understand which plants could pose a danger to their health. Remember, this is not an exhaustive list: To keep your chickens safe, do your research. The payoff is a healthy and productive flock.

This story about toxic plants for chickens to avoid was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Farm Management

Livestock Water Troughs: 7 Ways to Stop Algae Growth

cow-drinking-from-water-troughs
Shutterstock

Got livestock water troughs with fuzzy green growth in them? The problem with algae in water tanks goes beyond looks. Algae change the quality of water and can dissuade livestock from drinking. Some algae can make livestock sick if they drink too much. It’s not difficult to keep algae out of your water tanks; it just requires that you pay attention.

Here are seven methods you can use to stop algae growth in warm weather.

1. Add a Sulfate

Copper sulfate and zinc sulfate have served as algae prevention for years by livestock producers. With proper use, these should be safe for livestock, except sheep. (Too much copper is toxic to sheep.) Follow veterinarian or extension instructions on a formulation, or purchase one ready-made.

2. Add Barley Straw

Researchers in Great Britain are studying this tactic, and you can find barley-straw products on farm store shelves in the United States. It’s not yet known how barley straw impedes algae growth, but it does. As barley straw decomposes, it deoxygenates the water, so do your own research about how much to add to your water troughs. Be sure the straw you get hasn’t been treated with chemicals, or try one of the commercial barley straw products.

3. Add a Small Amount of Bleach to Livestock Water Troughs

A small amount of bleach added to livestock water troughs shouldn’t affect the water’s taste so much that livestock won’t want to drink it, but it will affect algae’s ability to thrive. Try 2 to 3 ounces of bleach per 50 gallons of water, per the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

Also Read: Switching Tanks For Hoses Illustrates An Important Farm Lesson

4. Employ Fish Friends

This method is the most fun, because who doesn’t want goldfish in the water troughs? The University of Missouri Extension recommends four to six goldfish per 100 gallons of water. To survive, the fish need water that is 60°F or warmer, so they might do better in a constant-fill tank as opposed to a tank that gets emptied and refilled often. The fish do poop in the tank, so the tank requires cleaning regularly anyway.

5. Keep Animals Out of the Livestock Water Troughs

Another required ingredient for algae growth is organic matter. Colorado State University’s Golden Plains Area Extension points out that organic matter comes from livestock slobbering, urinating and defecating in a tank. Keeping these farmscape staples out of a water tank is impossible. You can, however, limit them by building fencing or rails low enough that your animals can’t slip between them and the tank but high enough that the animals can drink comfortably.

6. Move Livestock Water Troughs to the Shade

Algae requires sunlight to grow, so if you can take away the sun, you’ve solved part of your problem. If the shade you use is a tree canopy, you might be introducing a new problem—bird droppings—but the shady side of a structure or even a separate roof structure are good options. Something as simple as shade cloth suspended above livestock water troughs could help, too.

Also Read: Do You Have A Farm Water Backup Plan?

7. Scrub Livestock Water Troughs Regularly

Roll up your sleeves, grab a stiff-bristled brush and keep your water troughs clean with some manual labor. You might have to do this once a week, more or less, depending on the algae growth you experience. Let your animals drink down the level of water in the tank so you don’t have to waste so much water when you dump, rinse and refill.

This story about how to stop algae in livestock water troughs originally appeared in the July/August 2018 issue of Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Podcast Uncategorized

Growing Good Podcast #80: Sara Wittenberg, gardener and biologist

sara headshot

Pollinator Week is June 17-23, 2024. Without pollinators, we wouldn’t have food, making pollinators an essential link in the food system. You, as a gardener or farmer, have a role to play here. Gardener and biologist Sara Wittenberg talks with podcast host Lisa Munniksma about how and why we should be caring for our pollinators, including how to build a pollinator garden.

Learn about the Pollinator Partnership nonprofit and the work they’re doing to protect pollinators and prevent habitat loss, from educating gardeners and farmers to working on policies and supplying research grants. Sara may surprise you as she reveals who all of our pollinators are—not only honey bees, for sure!

More than 85% of U.S. households have outdoor living space, and Sara points out that even container gardens planted with pollinator habitat can make a difference! Hear about various pollinator initiatives happening in Arkansas and beyond that you can become involved in: the Project Wingspan effort to make native ecotype seeds more available to land stewards, NRCS programs to connect biologists with landowners for free advice and potential funding assistance, and all that the Pollinator Partnership offers. Sara explains the Bee Friendly Gardening program that she manages, which includes helping people learn how to build a pollinator garden. You can join the program to help them reach their goal of 1,000 Bee Friendly Gardeners by the end of 2024!

Sara lets us in on a new program—the first time she’s mentioned it to the public—the Bee Friendly Gardening badge system. Harkening back to your scout days, you can earn up to six badges to show your pollinator prowess.

For listeners growing on a commercial level, Bee Friendly Farming is an actual certification program that allows Bee Friendly Farmers to use the logo on their packaging.

Keep listening to learn about Sara’s own native-plant garden in her suburban Arkansas backyard. Milkweed, asters, black-eyed Susans, phlox and more turn her small outdoor space into a palette of colors throughout the seasons.

Keep listening for Sara’s best advice for how to build a pollinator garden on your own land, backyard or balcony. (Hint: The Pollinator Partnership’s garden recipe cards can help get you started.)

Links from this episode:

Bee Friendly Gardening website

Pollinator Partnership website

Native plants in your region

 

Categories
Poultry

What Chickens Lay Blue Eggs?

blue-chicken-eggs-in-basket
Ten blue chicken eggs in straw basket. Photo by Wagner Campelo

What chickens lay blue eggs? Here are five chicken breeds that lay blue eggs to consider adding to your flock, including their egg production and temperament.

1. Ameraucana

When asked what chickens lay blue eggs, most backyard flock owners think of the Ameraucana. This distinctive breed is easily recognized by its beard and muffs. However, there is some confusion about Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers being the same breed (more on that later). However, unlike the Easter Egger, the Ameraucana conforms to a breed standard and is recognized by the American Poultry Association as a true breed.

Ameraucana hens are excellent layers, producing 4 – 6 medium/large pale blue eggs weekly (200 – 220 eggs annually). They are also friendly and make wonderful pets for families with children. Hens of this breed get along well with other chickens, making them an ideal breed for backyard flocks.

chicken-breeds-ameraucana
Ameraucana (Photo by Andrew Jones/Adobe Stock)

Ameraucanas are hardy birds, tolerating both hot and cold weather. And live an average of five to eight years.

This breed comes in various colors: Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Lavender, Self-Blue, Silver, Splash, Wheaten, and White.

2. Araucana

The Araucana originated in Chile and was kept by the fierce Aruacana Indians. This breed is easily distinguished by its appearance: It is the only breed with ear tufts and one of a few rumpless breeds. These two characteristics make the Araucana stand out from other breeds but contribute to its lack of success.

When two parent birds are bred with the “ear tuff” gene, a lethal gene is produced, resulting in chicks dying a few days before hatching. Due to their rumpless bodies, Araucana chickens have a lower fertility rate than other breeds, averaging ten to twenty percent lower fertility ratings.

what-chickens-lay-blue-eggs
Araucana (Photo by OceanProd/Adobe Stock)

Araucana hens lay an average of 3 – 5 pale blue eggs weekly (about 160 – 200 eggs annually). Araucana hens and roosters are friendly, tame, and inquisitive chickens, making them a good choice for individuals looking for a pet. However, some strains tend to be flighty and temperamental, so buy from breeders who breed for even temperaments.

The Araucana comes in several striking colors. Black, Black Breasted Red, Golden Duckwing, Silver Duckwing, and White. This breed is also available in bantam form.

3. Easter Egger

What chickens lay blue eggs? Easter Eggers! This unique hybrid chicken doesn’t just lay blue eggs, but they also lay green or brown eggs, earning this breed their name. Easter Egger hens are excellent producers, averaging 4 – 6 large/extra large blue, green, or brown eggs weekly (250 – 280 eggs annually).

Often referred to as a “mutt” in the chicken world, Easter Eggers are not an actual breed. The Easter Egger is a combination of breeds used to create this hybrid with a gene for blue or green eggs. While Ameraucanas or Araucanas are usually in this chicken’s DNA, the rest of their ancestry remains a mystery. These chickens do not breed true, so hatching is always a fun surprise.

easter-egger-chicken-breed
Easter Egger (Photo by M. Huston/Flickr)

Like their Ameraucana ancestors, Easter Eggers often sport a beard and muff. Since Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers look alike, many chicken keepers confuse Easter Eggers with Ameraucanas.

Easter Eggers are friendly chickens who thrive on human interaction. With their calm and sweet nature, this breed is prone to being easily bullied in a mixed flock. Easter Eggers are an excellent addition to the backyard flock and are ideal for families with children.

Easter Eggers live a respectable five to eight years.

This unique chicken comes in many colors that do not breed true.

4. Cream Legbar

What chickens lay blue eggs? Did you know that one of the blue egg layers is also an autosexing chicken? One of the few chickens to be an autosexing breed, Cream Legbar chicks can be sexed by their color upon hatching. Male chicks hatch a lighter shade than female chicks and sport a yellow spot on the top of the head. Female chicks appear darker than males and have dark stripes down the back.

Autosexing chicken breeds are a popular choice for backyard chicken owners who do not want to worry about accidentally acquiring a rooster. Another interesting fact about these chickens is that, unlike sex link varieties, autosexing chickens breed true.

cream-legbar-blue-egg-laying-chicken
Cream Legbar (Photo by normanack/Flickr)

For the practical chicken keeper, Cream Legbars are a cost-effective breed. They love to forage for some of their feed and have an excellent feed-to-egg ratio. Hens lay an average of 3 – 5 sky blue to pastel green medium/large eggs weekly (about 160 – 200 eggs annually)

Cream Legbars are also an excellent addition to the pet chicken flock as these hens are friendly, calm, quiet, and curious.

5. Whiting True Blue

Whiting True Blue chickens are the rarest breed discussed in what chickens lay blue eggs. However, this breed is an excellent egg producer, averaging 5+ pastel blue eggs weekly (280 – 300 eggs annually).

The hens of this breed are calm, friendly, and inquisitive. Whiting Blue chickens are not aggressive toward humans or other chickens, making them ideal for the novice. They are also a hardy breed that tolerates summer heat and winter chills. Hens live a respectable five to ten years.

Whiting Blue chickens come in many colors but do not breed true.

While there may not be as many chicken breeds that lay blue eggs as their brown egg-laying chickens and white egg-laying chickens, blue egg layers are gaining popularity in backyard flocks. So, if you want to add color to your egg basket, consider adding one of these extraordinary breeds to your flock.

This article about what chickens lay blue eggs was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Food Recipes

3 Egg White Cocktails to Make with Backyard Eggs

egg-white-cocktails
Courtesy Tristan Peirce

Egg white cocktails are a great way to use eggs when they’re abundant in summer. Did you know, you can also make cocktails with a whole egg? Here are seven heavenly eggcellent concoctions perfect for summer sipping. Enjoy!

You probably already know this, but you don’t need to shy away from drinking—or eating—your own backyard-fresh eggs raw. Eggs are good, healthy food (and they make delicious cocktails, too!). When hens are kept right, in a clean environment, with plenty of fresh air, sunshine and grass, the chances of an overgrowth of bad bacteria are slim. 

Folks have been adding raw egg—whites, yolks or both—to drinks and foods for centuries. Yolks and whole eggs add an unmistakable rich, silky, creaminess without adding dairy. And adding whites of eggs to a shaker gives egg white cocktails a professional foamy top and velvety texture.

Tip: When using raw eggs in cocktail recipes, always break the egg into a bowl first, before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. That way you can discard any with unappealing blood spots or ones that don’t pass the sniff test, without contaminating the other ingredients and ruining the whole recipe.

Liquid Lemon Meringue

Limoncello is a sweet-tart Italian lemon liqueur that’s great to have on hand for making cocktails and baking. It’s lovely and refreshing on its own over ice after a meal or simply added to chilled fizzy water. This pretty cocktail delivers the flavor of the classic pie without the baking! 

Yield: 2 drinks

Ingredients
  • 1 ounce plain or vanilla vodka
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup limoncello 
  • 1 free-range egg white 
  • lemon peel to garnish (optional)
Preparation

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice for these egg white cocktails. Shake well for at least 30 seconds—really develop a thick, meringue-like foam. Hold the ice back and pour into two generous martini glasses. Garnish with a bit of lemon peel, if desired.

Read more: Spend a lovely afternoon coopside with your ladies and this delicious orange blossom cocktail!

Cool & Calm

This healthy, rich but refreshing blender mocktail is just what the doctor ordered for any time of day. Brew the green tea the day before and refrigerate, but don’t leave the tea leaves—or bags—in the pot, or the brew will become bitter. 

Yield: 2 drinks

Ingredients
  • 1 cup brewed and chilled jasmine or plain green tea 
  • 1 whole free-range egg 
  • 2 tablespoons maple or agave syrup 
  • 1 cup whole dairy or chilled plain almond milk
  • 4 ice cubes
Preparation

Add everything to a blender and blend on high into a smoothie. Pour into two glasses. Serve immediately as this drink may separate if left to sit for too long.

To take this from mocktail to cocktail, add 1/4 cup of green tea liqueur and eliminate the syrup. 

Blueberry Maple Sour 

This is so pretty and so delicious! We’ve used a specialty liqueur from Quebec called Sortilège, but any whiskey or bourbon-based maple liqueur will do. 

Yield: 2 drinks

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries 
  • 1/4 cup whiskey or bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 
  • 1 free-range egg white
  • 1/4 cup Sortilège or other maple liqueur 
  • 2 to 4 dashes Angostura bitters, depending on how tart you like things 
  • thin lime slices to garnish
Preparation

For these egg white cocktails, into a blender add frozen blueberries, lime juice and whiskey. Blend on high until puréed. Let stand for at least 20 minutes or longer. The berries will infuse flavor and color into the whiskey. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Discard the blueberry pulp.

You should end up with about 2⁄3 cup of infused blueberry whiskey.

Into a cocktail shaker, add the strained blueberry-whiskey mixture, egg white, maple liqueur, and bitters. Shake well for at least 30 seconds. Strain into two tumblers with ice and garnish with a lime slice.  

Creamy Vanilla-Orange Nog

Christmas isn’t the only time for nog! Made with fresh, raw, whole eggs and cream or milk, nogs are rich, creamy and frothy, and perfect for brunch. Combining vanilla and orange gives this velvety treat its delightful creamsicle flavor. Don’t substitute the freshly squeezed OJ for anything less. Store-bought is just too acidic. 

egg cocktails cocktail recipe
Courtesy Donna Griffith

Yield: 2 drinks

Ingredients
  • 1 small tin mandarin orange slices in syrup, drained, syrup reserved 
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/4 cup vanilla vodka
  • 1 whole free-range egg
  • 1 tablespoon reserved syrup from tinned mandarin orange slices
  • 2 tablespoons 35% or whipping cream
  • 8 ice cubes 
Preparation

Make the garnish in advance (optional): Thread several mandarin slices onto two skewers and set aside in the freezer on a bit of wax paper several hours or the day before. You could also just simply garnish with a couple of orange slices. 

Into a blender, add the orange juice, vodka, egg, mandarin syrup and two ice cubes. Blend until smooth.

Pour into tumblers with the remaining ice. Garnish with frozen mandarin slices.

Mango Flip

Like nogs, flips are silky and frothy and call for fresh, raw, whole eggs. Unlike nogs, they don’t call for cream or milk. This rum-spiked smoothie is ultrathick without being overly rich. Serve in a tall glass with a garnish of frozen mango.  

Yield: 2 drinks

Ingredients
  • 1 cup frozen mango chunks, plus extra for garnishing
  • 3/4 cup mango nectar
  • 1/4 cup white rum. (Darker rums taste fine but muddy the lovely orange color.)
  • 1 whole, free-range egg
  • 4 ice cubes
Preparation

Into a blender, add the mango, mango nectar, rum, egg and ice cubes. Blend on high until smooth. 

Pour into 2 glasses and garnish with some skewered fresh or frozen mango chunks.  

Raspberry-Rose Ginny 

The essence of rose is perfect with gin. Add raspberry and you’ve got an ode to springtime and summer. Adding egg white to this elegant cocktail makes it frothy and smooth. Gin runs the gamut of flavor profiles from juniper-forward to herbal to floral and melon.

Look for a gin with notes of rose petal, such as Hendrick’s from Scotland. Rose syrup is easy to make but can also be found in specialty food shops or online.

egg cocktails cocktail recipe
Courtesy Donna Griffith

Yield: 2 drinks

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup gin
  • 2 tablespoons rose syrup
  • 1 tablespoon homemade seedless raspberry jelly or excellent quality store-bought
  • 1 free-range egg white
Preparation

First make the rose syrup. Add 1⁄3 cup rosewater and 3 tablespoons of vanilla sugar to a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring up to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool. Transfer to a bottle or jar and refrigerate until ready to start bartending. Do this up to a couple of weeks before and store, covered, in the fridge. It needs to be cold when used in egg white cocktails. 

For the cocktail: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into 2 pretty martini or champagne glasses. Garnish with rose petals if you can find some organic ones! 

Chocolate-Brandy Cream

If you enjoy that classic 1980s cocktail, the Brandy Alexander, you’ll love this chocolaty version. Rich, sweet, creamy and decadent, serve this after dinner instead of dessert. And speaking of dessert, drizzle a splash of this cocktail over dishes of vanilla ice cream for a grownup sundae. 

egg cocktails cocktail recipe
Courtesy Tristan Peirce

Yield: 2 to 4 drinks depending on size and type of glass

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup brandy
  • 1/4 cup dark crème de cacao liqueur or
    coffee liqueur such as Kahlua 
  • 1/4 cup white crème de cacao liqueur 
  • 1 whole free-range egg 
  • 1/4 cup 18% or table cream
  • Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg or cocoa or shaved chocolate to garnish (optional)
Preparation

Add all ingredients except the nutmeg/cocoa to a blender with about 4 ice cubes and blend on high until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with a tiny sprinkle of nutmeg or cocoa or shaved chocolate, if desired. 

Disclaimer: Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition; are pregnant, elderly, very young; or have a compromised immune system. Before beginning a recipe, it’s recommended to do the necessary research and make appropriate food-handling decisions. You assume full responsibility for any food handling and cooking doneness decisions made regarding your own health and safety, and the health and safety of those consuming the recipes. 

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2023 issue of Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Food

Water Bath Canning: Questions & Answers

Some water bath canning jars on the table
Fresh strawberries preserved in jars as homemade jam and jelly. Photo by zigzagmtart

Water bath canning is a technique that can bring up lots of questions. As a food preservation author, instructor and certified master food preserver, I receive a lot of repeat questions. Here is a short list of five common water bath canning questions that I’m often asked and the answers.

If you aren’t sure where to begin when it comes to supplies, check out 5 Supplies You’ll Need to Water Bath Can.

Top 5 Water Bath Canning Questions with Answers

1. Do my jars need to be sterilized?

Old recipe books will call for you to sterilize your jars. However, if you are following a recipe that calls for you to water bath your jars of food for 10 minutes or longer, you do not need to sterilize your jars prior to filling them. This is a rule that has changed over the years.

If the recipe you are following calls for a processing time under 10 minutes, you will need to sterilize your jars prior to filling. To do so, you’ll need to boil your empty jars for at least 10 minutes prior to filling.

2. Can I reuse my jars, lids and rings?

When it comes to water bath canning, it is not recommended by the National Center for Home Food Preservation to reuse your canning lids more than once for water bath canning. You can use them for food storage, fermentation or other purposes, but not again for canning. However, the canning jar ring and glass jar can be reused as long as they are not flawed. Be sure to check your jars for chips around the rims or cracks within the glass, prior to using them for food preservation. The rings should be in good condition, circular and not deformed or bent.

3. Why is the garlic in my preserve green?

Sometimes garlic will turn green/blue during processing. This is caused by a chemical reaction and there is no harm or concern. The freshness of garlic plays a factor as well.

4. If my jars don’t seal, can I reprocess them?

First of all, it can take up to 12 hours for your jars to seal. All too often, people write to me and ask about their jar seals within a few minutes or few hours of processing. Do not touch your jars after removing them from the water bath. Allow them to completely cool down before testing the seal. Give them 12+ hours.

If your jar indeed does not seal, you can reprocess it if it is within a 24-hour window. I do recommend reprocessing for jams and other fruit spreads, however not so much for pickles or foods that can break down/soften even more during a second processing. For example, if I have a jar of pickles that did not seal, instead of re-boiling and cooking further, I’ll instead just transfer them to the refrigerator and enjoy them preserved that way.

5. Why did my jar break in the canner?

If the jar of food that you submerged in the water bath canner is too cool and your canner water is too hot, it can cause the jar to break. There is too much of a discrepancy between the temperature of the hot water bath and the jar of food, this is called thermal sho

To avoid this, reduce the heat of the water bath before submerging your jars of food. Once you have the water bath canner filled, apply the lid and turn up the heat until it reaches a rolling boil and then begin your timer per the recipe you’re following.

Another reason this can happen is if you are canning without a barrier on the bottom of your water bath canner. Don’t forget your canning rack. It’s not only important for avoiding thermal shock, but it also helps the water circulate around all parts of the canning jar to safely heat your food.

This article about water bath canning questions and answers was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Equipment

How to Prune Large Tree Branches Properly

how-to-prune-tree-branches
Old hand saw

How to prune large tree branches properly requires a bit of care and knowledge. It’s not a job you want to tackle willy-nilly, because taking the wrong approach can harm the tree.

What constitutes a large tree branch? You might be able to get away with safely cutting a branch up to one-inch thick using pruning loppers, but for any larger than that you’ll want to pull out a pruning saw (or chainsaw, if it’s a really big branch) and take additional steps to ensure the branch cuts cleanly and safely.

Whether you’re cutting a live branch in a bad location or a dead branch that needs removing, there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it:

The Wrong Way to Prune Large Tree Branches

You grab any old saw—maybe a dull one that doesn’t cut very well—and you start making a cut through the large branch. Regardless of how thick and long it is, your head right for the origin point and refuse to shorten it or remove smaller branches down the line.

You start on top, since that’s convenient, and work your way down through the branch. You pay little attention to where you start cutting; maybe you’re five inches out from the trunk of the tree, or maybe you’re as close as you can possibly get to the trunk.

As you cut, the branch starts to sag under its own weight. Then, with surprising speed, the branch falls before you’ve cut all the way through. As it falls, the uncut bark on the underside refuses to break, and the weight of the branch pulls a long strip of bark off the tree trunk. Now the tree has a gaping wound, exposing it to infections and rot. And healing the branch stub may prove difficult or impossible if you’ve left it too long or too short.

Yikes! Clearly this isn’t the way to go.

Properly Pruning Large Tree Branches

To properly prune a large tree branch, consider cutting it off in pieces, removing smaller branches and shortening its length to reduce the overall size and weight.

Once this is finished, make a shallow cut on the underside of the branch, perhaps tow to three inches away from the branch’s origin point (whether that’s the tree trunk or an even larger branch). This will prevent the bark from tearing away as the branch falls. Use a sharp saw that will cut cleanly and efficiently.

After the underside cut is made, switch to cutting the top of the branch at a point roughly an inch or so farther out from the origin point. Cut all the way through. You’ll be left with a branch stub several inches long.

Now you can make the final cut. Don’t cut flush against the tree trunk/larger branch. You’ll likely notice a swelling around the base of the branch you’re cutting, perhaps with ridges in the bark. This is the branch collar, and you don’t want to cut it off or damage it, since the branch collar will work to heal over the cut you make. Make your final cut at the point where the branch collar ends (in many cases, it will be obvious), and cut straight through.

Congratulations! You’ve properly pruned a large tree branch in a manner that gives your tree the best chance to heal.

This article about how to prune large tree branches was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.