Tan rabbits, despite their name, are not, in fact, tan in color. They have a two-toned pattern with similar markings to Doberman Pincher dogs, with tan on the chin, chest, belly and tail. The rest of the rabbit may be lilac, blue, chocolate or black, depending on the type. Tans are small rabbits, weighing no more than 5.5 pounds and primarily bred by experienced rabbit breeders for show purposes.
Challenges to Raising Tan Rabbits
Personality
Tans, unlike many domestic rabbits, are a high-strung, active breed. They were developed in 1880 from a colony of wild rabbits in England and a Dutch cross, and while their physical appearance has changed over the generations, their ancestry certainly can be seen in their activity levels. If not properly socialized or handled, they have been known to be aggressive – especially the females. They are not “snuggly” rabbits, and require plenty of exercise.
Breeding
Breeding tan rabbits can be a challenge for a number of reasons. Litters are small, often only averaging about four kits. Because the adults are so active, the death of the young through cannibalization or stomping to death is common, especially since many rabbit cages don’t provide enough space. They also are known for having young outside the nestbox because of their energetic natures. Socializing does can help them become better mothers, and more experienced does are less likely to have issues.
If breeding for show, be aware that Tans have often been line bred for many generations. This means that the rabbits that have good genetics are great, but the breed will also be prone to harmful mutations. Bucks born with missing testicles or a split penis, or rabbits born with misaligned teeth are not uncommon. Body conformation will also be important at shows, and keeping only those that meet the proper standards will reduce available stock even further.
Care of Tan Rabbits
Tans live about eight to ten years, and aside from the previously-mentioned genetic concerns, are not unusually predisposed to any diseases. However, because of their activity level, they can be prone to injury. Broken tails and nails are especially common, and these or other injuries can be a cause for worry.
Especially for those who intend to show or breed their rabbits, the Tan will need lots of socialization and “hands-on” time. Daily handling, exercise and show-ring training are recommended. Despite being a small rabbit, plan on a larger cage to give them plenty of running room. Tans cannot be trusted outside a caged area, so don’t try them with free-ranging. You might never get them back!
The upside to all this activity is that breeders rarely have to worry about obesity with their Tans. Some even struggle to maintain a healthy weight. A balanced diet of pellets, high-quality hay and fresh water will help them maintain good nutrition. Make certain protein levels are as high as possible with pregnant and nursing does to ensure good health and lower stress levels.
Showing the Tan
Tans have a body type unlike almost any other breed and it is worth twenty-five out of the full hundred points at show. It should have a long, fine-boned body that arches from neck to tail. The chest should be wide and the body should taper from shoulders to hips. The hips and legs should be the width of the body and parallel to one another. Balance is important in the Tan, since if the body is too long or too short the rabbit will lose the lovely arch that makes the Tan so distinctive. The bone structure, likewise, should be fine without being too fine.
The Tan should have a short “flyback” coat that quickly returns to position when stroked backward. The line between the colors on the chest should be clearly defined. The coat texture will change as the rabbit gets older, so knowing the show requirements by category is important. The coat will always be medium fine, however, and should have no colors other than Tan and the color allowed by the rabbit’s type.
Broken tails, nails or other signs of injury are a common reason for disqualification, so rabbits should be checked carefully before showing.
Conclusion
The tan rabbit is an active breed, suggested for experienced rabbit breeders only. Their active nature has made them difficult to breed, high-strung and prone to injuries. Generations of line breeding also make it important to be able to recognize and cull poor genetics early on. However, they can be a stimulating project for the experienced breeder and their elegant appearance makes them a stand out in the show ring.
Egg yolk peritonitis is among the most common egg-laying disorders in chickens and other backyard poultry. Learning to prevent, diagnose, and treat this health concern in the beginning stages will help your flock beat the odds against this potentially deadly condition.
What is Egg Yolk Peritonitis?
Egg yolk peritonitis is when an egg yolk misses passing into the infundibulum (the funnel part of a hen’s reproductive tract where the egg-laying process begins), dropping into the abdomen.
Once the egg enters the abdomen, the hen’s body has no way of excreting it, causing inflammation within the stomach and intestinal peritoneal cavity. The inflamed area will also begin to accumulate free fluid and blood.
A secondary bacterial infection often follows egg yolk peritonitis, as egg yolks are an excellent growth feed for bacteria.
Causes
Several different health concerns, including salpingitis, ovarian cancer, egg binding, and impacted oviduct, can cause egg yolk peritonitis. Before treatment begins, the infected layer must visit a qualified veterinarian to diagnose the cause, as treatment options may vary with different diagnoses.
Symptoms
Egg yolk peritonitis can be tricky to diagnose from other health conditions. However, if your hen exhibits any of the following symptoms, taking her to the vet is the only way to get a correct diagnosis.
Reduced Activities: Hens suffering from egg yolk peritonitis often show reduced activities and may spend more time in the nesting box. For this reason, many poultry owners mistake egg yolk peritonitis for broodiness.
Egg Mishaps: Frequent laying of soft-shelled eggs, ceasing to lay, or yolk-colored droppings.
Reduced Appetite: Hens suffering from egg yolk peritonitis often have a decreased appetite and, in extreme cases, refuse to eat entirely. A vet visit is necessary if your hen ceases to eat for any reason.
Penguin Stance: Chickens suffering from egg yolk peritonitis often adopt a penguin stance, with their shoulders hunched, heads and necks tucked into the shoulders, and tails drooping toward the ground.
Uneven Weight: If you handle your chickens frequently, you may notice a hen suffering from peritonitis may have uneven weight proportions. The cause of this weight problem is that while the hen is eating less food, causing her to lose weight, her abdomen is filling up with eggs and fluid. Care should be taken when dealing with hens with this condition, as their uneven weight may make them unsteady on their feet.
Big Belly: A big belly is the most apparent symptom of egg yolk peritonitis. Run your hand along your chicken’s body, from the crop to the abdomen. If the belly is extended and feels full of fluid, egg yolk peritonitis is likely the culprit.
Diagnosis:
If you suspect a chicken suffers from this condition, take her to a qualified veterinarian for an exam. The vet will thoroughly examine the chicken to rule out other potential health concerns and diseases and perform some tests.
Complete Blood Count: A vet often suggests doing a complete blood count (CBC) to look for infections or other abnormalities in the hen’s blood.
Radiographs/Ultrasound: Radiographs are usually necessary to determine whether an oviduct tumor is causing the eggs to drop into the abdomen or if a blockage has occurred. Before allowing a vet to perform radiographs or an ultrasound on your hen, ask for an estimated cost, as these options can be costly.
Abdominal Fluid Cytology and Culture: To best determine the cause of the peritonitis, a vet may draw fluid out of the abdomen with a needle. The fluid is sent to a lab for further testing.
Treatment
Treatment for egg yolk peritonitis varies, from a round of antibiotics to costly, life-threatening emergency surgery such as spaying the hen, depending on the diagnosis.
Whether you treat the hen with traditional veterinarian care largely depends on whether it is kept for egg laying or a beloved family pet. However, if treatment isn’t an option, care should be taken to dispatch the hen to avoid suffering with humane euthanasia performed by a qualified veterinarian.
If a reproductive tumor causes peritonitis, a vet will likely suggest humane euthanasia. While this may sound extreme, it is the best way to prevent the hen from needless suffering, as reproductive tumors can wreak havoc on a hen’s body.
Dispatched poultry with this condition should not be consumed as the bacteria in their bodies can make you sick.
Prevention
One of the most common causes of egg yolk peritonitis is ovarian/oviduct tumors. Some of the best ways to prevent hens from developing reproductive tumors and peritonitis include:
Feed layer ration to ensure laying hens receive adequate amounts of calcium to prevent egg binding
Feed anti-inflammatory herbs
Avoid using artificial light to promote laying
Add flax seeds to your flock’s diet
Reduce stress in the flock
Routine checkups to ensure the abdomen isn’t filling with fluid performed by poultry owner
If egg binding is the cause, a veterinarian may prescribe hormone implants. (Bear in mind that due to government regulations, not all veterinarians offer hormone implants as part of the treatment options.) After a hen receives a hormone implant, neither she nor her eggs can be consumed for the rest of her life.
Egg Yolk Peritonitis in Other Poultry
Like chickens, other poultry can develop this condition. Treatment options, diagnosis, symptoms, and preventative care are similar in all poultry species. As with chickens, treatment should begin immediately to help your poultry friend beat this potentially deadly health condition.
Egg yolk peritonitis can be a deadly health condition, but with preventive care and proper treatment from a veterinarian, it may not have to be.
The benefits of electronic fuel injection for farm machines are numerous. Whether your farm chores require an ATV, a UTV, a garden tractor, a compact utility tractor, or some combination of these, opting for machines with this option can make a big difference in performance.
A fuel injection system replaces the carburetor in a gasoline engine. While designs can vary, the basic idea is always the same: an electric system is used to precisely spray fuel under pressure into the cylinders of the engine, as opposed to a carburetor using suction to pull fuel into the cylinders.
Benefits of Electronic Fuel Injection
These systems come with many advantages, including the following:
Easier engine starting
These engines are easier to start, even in cold weather, thanks to the sophisticated sensors throughout the system that control the fuel/air mixture. There isn’t a choke control, so starting—in many cases—is as easy as turning the key and letting the engine roar to life.
Decreased fuel consumption
Electronic fuel injection is superior to a carburetor at mixing the ideal amount of air and fuel in each cylinder, and it can adjust that ratio depending on temperature, elevation above sea level, and the requirements of the engine at any given moment. This leads to a decrease in fuel consumption, which adds up to cost savings.
More power
These engines can also maximize power and torque. Generally speaking, an engine with electronic fuel injection will be more powerful than a similarly sized engine with a carburetor.
Lower emissions
These engines produce fewer emissions than a carburetor engine.
Less maintenance
Although electronic fuel injection systems are more complex than carburetors, they can actually go longer between regular maintenance cycles. And whereas carburetors require fine-tuning for best performance, these systems perform their own fine-tuning electronically.
Downsides of Electronic Fuel Injection
It should be noted that there are some disadvantages to these systems. One is complexity—they have a lot of high-precision parts, so there’s more that can go wrong compared to a carburetor. While this complexity generates the benefits outlined above, it also means these systems aren’t readily user-serviceable. Diagnosing and fixing problems—like malfunctioning sensors or clogged injectors that starve the engine of fuel—are tasks best left to professionals.
Electronic fuel injection systems are also more expensive than carburetors. If you’re shopping on a tight budget, you may opt to purchase a machine without electronic fuel injection to save on upfront costs, though you’ll be giving up a lot of benefits (like reduced fuel consumption and less frequent maintenance needs) that can generate cost savings in the long run, depending on how heavily you use the machine.
Takeaways
If you can afford an ATV, UTV, or tractor with electronic fuel injection, you’ll appreciate the many benefits the technology offers. The downsides are minimal and the upsides can save you money.
This simple egg pie recipe is loaded with asiago cheese and fresh garlic for a bold flavor. Bake in a muffin tin to create individual servings for a welcomed savory addition to any weekend brunch gathering.
Yield: 8 miniature pies
Ingredients
crust
1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/2 ounces cold water
filling
1 1/2 ounces asiago cheese, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 large eggs
fresh parsley for garnish
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray eight slots in a 12-muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
To make the crust, stir together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and using two knives, or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until it is evenly distributed into pea-size pieces. Add the water and stir until a dough forms, work the dough into a ball.
Roll the crust on a well-floured surface to a rectangle about 12-by-10 inches. Turn the crust so that the 10-inch side faces you. Cut it down the middle from top to bottom. Then cut across to make 8 similar-size pieces. They don’t have to be perfect.
Transfer each crust to a sprayed muffin tin. Fold and tuck it so that it fits almost all the slots with some corners hanging over. Sprinkle an equal amount of cheese over each crust. Then add an equal amount of grated garlic. Stir together the salt and pepper in a small dish, and divide it evenly over each crust. Break 1 egg into each crust, careful to keep the yolk intact.
Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, until the eggs have reached your desired doneness and the edges of the crust are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each pie to loosen it from the pan. Remove, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve warm.
Makin’ Bacon
Egg’s best friend is bacon, and for these egg pies, a side of bacon turns a snack into a meal. Author and food commentator Sara Perry makes her bacon in a cold cast-iron skillet and provides tips in her book, Everything Tastes Better with Bacon:
“For whole slices, let the bacon reach room temperature,” she writes. “In a cold, heavy skillet large enough to hold the slices in a single layer, arrange the slices and cook over low to medium-low heat.” Cooking bacon at a low temperature prevents shrinking, curling and uneven cooking.
When the bacon is cooked the way you like it, transfer the slices to paper towels to drain. Perry says that a thick, 1-ounce bacon slice cooked over medium-low heat will take 10 to 12 minutes, while one regular slice will be ready in about 5 minutes.
This egg pie recipe article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Lewis Hughes’s vast experience in the farming world set him up to be able to work with small-scale farmers in distributing their products to wider markets.
Learn about the What Chefs Want (formerly called Creation Gardens) food distributor and its local-foods procurement arm, Local Food Connection. Lewis explains how a small-scale grower in Northeast Ohio might typically only be able to distribute their food to a farmers market or local food hub and how What Chefs Want can now help them sell throughout the Midwest and beyond. He talks about the grant funding (USDA Local Food Purchase Assistance, USDA Local Food for Schools and others) that has helped rapidly build capacity and infrastructure in the local food system and positively impact farmers and consumers.
Take Lewis’s best advice for how you, as a small-scale farmer, can make the step from selling at a farmers market to selling to a food hub, with the potential to bring your full-time-farming dream into reality.
Finally, Lewis talks about his new 13-acre property in Michigan and his plans to develop a “micro-farm” that relies on season extension and a focused crop plan.
Abnormal chicken eggs are a fact of life if you’re keeping backyard chickens. One day you find something that looks like an egg, but it’s not the same as all the others.
Maybe your unusual egg is unusually big, maybe it’s very small or maybe it doesn’t have a shell at all. You’ve discovered an abnormal egg, and you aren’t sure whether you can eat it, throw it away, or take a pic and post it to your Instagram account with your other photos of eggs.
For the most part, it’s normal for hens to lay abnormal chicken eggs. But sometimes it’s also an indicator of something you need to watch out for or a signal that your flock needs a change in their diet.
Abnormal chicken eggs come in all shapes and sizes. But you’ll see the following types most often.
Double Yolk
When you find an egg in the nesting box that’s quite a bit larger than your other eggs, you’ve probably found a double-yolk egg. You won’t be able to confirm until you crack it. When you do, though, you’ll find two normal-sized yolks inside.
A double-yolk egg happens when your hen releases two eggs in her oviduct and both eggs are included in the shell. While eggs like this are considered abnormal, it’s only a cause of concern if your hen becomes egg-bound because she can’t pass it.
Most hens, though, usually don’t struggle to lay the occasional larger-than-average egg.
Eating double-yolk eggs is like cracking two eggs at the same time. They’re such a popular treat that some shops in the United Kingdom offer a dozen guaranteed double-yolk eggs. If you decide not to eat it and you’d rather try incubating your double-yolk egg, your odds of succeeding are slim.
One embryo will almost always die before the hatch. Yet some people have successfully welcomed two chicks from a double-yolk egg.
No Yolk
When you crack an egg over a bowl or into a pan, you expect a yolk to come out. With a yolkless egg, the only thing you’ll see when you crack it is egg white. Abnormal chicken eggs with no yolk tend to be smaller in size, too.
If you raised chickens 100 or more years ago, you might have called this type of egg a witch’s egg or a fairy egg. It was common back then to think a rooster laid the egg. There were various superstitions attached to finding an egg of this type.
But the real reason it happens is that the pullet wasn’t quite ready to lay yet or some reproductive tissue broke away. The egg-producing glands think it’s a yolk, and that fragment gets wrapped up in the egg-laying process so yolk isn’t produced.
You can still eat a yolkless egg. It’ll be just like you’re eating an egg white after you’ve separated it from the yolk.
Inside Another Eggshell
These abnormal chicken eggs might make you do a double take. You crack an egg over a bowl and instead of a yolk and egg white dropping out, you see another shell. These types of abnormal chicken eggs are technically called a counter-peristalsis contraction. More commonly, though, we call it an egg within an egg.
Finding this abnormal egg is definitely strange, but it’s not a cause for concern. It happens because the egg stops going through the normal laying process and reverses direction within the oviduct. The egg in reverse is added to another egg, giving you a normal egg within an eggshell. It’s pretty rare, but it can be caused by stress in the henhouse or just happen for no reason at all.
Once you crack the second eggshell, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t eat this type of egg.
Dirty Egg
Mud, chicken manure or some other type of debris covers these types of eggs. Eggs commonly get dirty when it’s raining outside and a hen walks into the nesting box with muddy feet. This type of egg is streaked with debris or has large spots of dirty manure on the egg. Dirty eggs can also happen if your hens roost in their nesting box, using them as a place to sleep, go to the bathroom and lay their eggs.
David Salcedo/Shutterstock
If your eggs are dirty because of the weather, you’ll want to ensure your hens have a clean nesting box and you check for eggs more frequently. If your hens are sleeping in their nesting box, redirect them to the roost, if possible.
Do you regularly get dirty eggs? It could also be a sign of a problem in your flock. Your hen could have watery droppings they can’t control, resulting in a mess in the nesting box. Watery droppings can be caused by a virus, something in their food that doesn’t agree with them or something in the water source, such as an electrolyte imbalance.
You can wash dirty eggs and eat them if you’d like. Some people, though, opt to toss them. Eggs are porous, and although you can’t see the tiny holes in the shell of the egg, the concern is that some of the debris will have made its way into the egg.
That’s usually not the case. You’ll know as soon as you crack it whether the egg is spoiled or if it’s safe to eat.
No Shell
As far as abnormal chicken eggs go, an egg with no shell is quite a find. You’ll look into the nesting box and see a rubbery-looking egg shape with a clearly visible yolk. If you pick it up and hold it, you’ll find it’s fairly durable, but there is no eggshell at all.
An egg with no shell, also known as a shell-less egg, is rare. But almost all chicken keepers will find one at one time or another.
This occurs because the pullet is just starting to lay and its body is sorting out the kinks along the way. It can also be an indicator of a disease or infection. It may be a dietary issue or an indicator that your flock needs more vitamin D or calcium in their feed.
There is no problem with eating a shell-less egg. But you’ll have to cut it open with a knife to access the white and yolk.
Soft Shell
When your egg has a shell that feels paper-thin and you can easily pull it open without cracking it, you have a soft-shell egg. These types of abnormal chicken eggs show up in nesting boxes looking like they have an incomplete shell or a shell that’s missing a spot. They might even feel powdery and look as though you could keep wiping until the shell disappears entirely.
Denise Cogliando/Shutterstock
A soft-shell egg isn’t as rare as other types of abnormal chicken eggs. It can happen to a hen that’s at the end of her laying cycle. It can also happen due to heat or stress. But more often than not farmers who find soft shell eggs in their nesting boxes keep flocks that need an added dose of calcium or minerals.
The first thing you can try? Add oyster shell or ground-up eggshells to their diet.
Eggs with soft shells are generally safe to eat, although you may want to make that decision once you crack it. On occasion, the eggshell could be so thin you have an open spot in the egg. You’ll want to take a good look at it before eating.
Blood Spots
Finding blood spots in your eggs is rare, but it does happen. It can occur when blood or tissue releases during the laying process after a blood vessel breaks. This will leave a spot or a streak of blood on the yolk or in the egg white.
Blood spots can happen because of a lack of vitamins in your hen’s food. It can also be a genetic issue. If a hen consistently lays eggs with blood spots, her pullets may also lay blood-spotted eggs as well.
It’s up to you whether or not you’d like to eat an egg with blood spots. Most people will find them a bit off-putting and toss them if there is a lot of blood or the blood looks bright red.
Internally Cracked
If you find an egg with a line or seam in the shell but it looks like it’s just below the surface, you may have an internally cracked egg. There may be a ridge on the egg that looks like it’s been patched or repaired. That’s almost exactly what’s happened.
kai foret/Shutterstock
During the egg-laying process, the egg cracked. But when calcification occurred, the eggshell was repaired.
An internally cracked egg can happen if the hen sustains an injury of some kind while her body is creating the egg. Sometimes it’s because of an aggressive rooster. Other times it’s because of a fall.
Internally cracked eggs are usually safe to eat, but you’ll want to crack it before you make that decision. If the egg is off-color or has an odor to it, you’ll want to toss it.
Two-Tone
Two-tone eggs look like your hen has decided it’s Easter and they’re going to decorate a few eggs for you. One half of the egg will be one color, the other half will be another.
Also called white-banded eggs, it can happen when two eggs touch during the egg development process. The first egg will have all of the calcium required to make a shell. The second egg will look like a shrunken balloon.
Two-tone eggs are usually caused by stress in the flock. The best course of action is to evaluate what could be causing stress and work to make your henhouse happy again. They are generally safe to eat. Some farmers, though, will toss them just in case the white and yolk have been affected during the laying process.
It’s always an adventure raising chickens, so you shouldn’t be surprised if your hens lay a few surprises for you once in a while. Abnormal eggs are all part of the process and adventure of keeping poultry.
More Information
Lash Eggs
Out of all the types of abnormal eggs, a lash egg is probably the most concerning. Lash eggs are also called salpingitis eggs. If you find one, your hen is already quite ill.
Eggs like these will look very abnormal. It may have a bumpy, uneven surface, be an odd shape, or have a very thick interior with multiple layers inside. It may look so strange you aren’t even sure it’s an egg at all. Often you’ll see pus or some other indicator of infection on the surface.
Salpingitis or egg lash disease is a bacterial disease where your chicken’s oviduct is inflamed. Your hen has an infection, and that infection is ejected in egg form.
Depending on what type of salpingitis your hen has, it could be contagious to other birds in your flock. It’s almost always terminal unless you immediately take your chicken to a vet for evaluation or you treat with an antibiotic such as tetracycline.
You shouldn’t eat a lash egg. And you should be very careful with how you handle it as well. Bacteria can transfer from chickens to humans, so you’ll want to wear gloves when disposing of the egg.
This article about abnormal chicken eggs originally appeared in the July/August 2022 issue of Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Learning farming equipment names may seem trivial, but when you’re a farmer shopping at auctions, dealerships and estate sales, it’s hard to know where to begin. Knowing the names and uses of farm equipment is the basis for making a good purchase for your farm and wallet.
1. Tractor
There never was a more broad category of farming equipment than the tractor. If only choosing a tractor was as simple as choosing a color—though many farmers with brand allegiance will tell you it is.
Tractors (one of which is pictured above) are available in sizes appropriate for farmers with 1 acre up to those working 1,000 acres or more. As versatile as these pieces of farm equipment are, a tractor is a pretty common-sense purchase for small-scale farmers. You want one that has the right amount of horsepower and the right hitch rating for the work you plan to do with it. Farm Journal’s AgWeb offers a guide to determining the size of tractor you need for your farm. Hobby Farms has guides including 8 Things to Consider When Buying a Tractor and 4 Tractor Types to Consider for Your Farm
Two-Wheeled Tractor
Also known as a walk-behind tractor, this piece of farming equipment is worth consideration for the smallest-scale farm. You truly do walk behind it, as the name implies, and you can use a range of attachments: hay baler, rototiller, snow blower, bed shaper, seeder, wagon and so on.
2. ATV/UTV
All-terrain vehicles (or four-wheelers) and utility vehicles (think hefty golf carts) are really fun pieces of farming equipment, yet they’re also really handy. If you have a large property, it’s nice to have an option besides walking everywhere. ATVs and UTVs are great for hauling your harvest or equipment. They can tow small trailers, and you can get attachments for many models. (See also: 22 Attachments for Your ATV or UTV, 10 Uses for an ATV or UTV on Your Farm and If You Can’t Afford a Tractor, Use Your ATV or UTV to the Max)
3. Farm Truck
Sure, you can get by farming with your Prius or Mini, but when you need to put a goat in the hatchback, you might wish you had a truck. A host of small, midsize and full-size trucks can fit your farm’s needs. Consider whether you need to pull a trailer, make long trips, put a cap on the bed or drive it through your fields. Once you know what kind of tasks you expect your truck to perform, you can find the right size and look at the makes and models available to you.
4. Wagon
A farm “wagon” might be akin to the little red wagon you had as a kid. On the opposite end of the spectrum, it might also be a large, four-wheel wooden piece of farming equipment designed for moving hay. There are wagons at many levels in between, too, and numerous uses for wagons aside from hauling hay.
5. Backhoe
If digging is your thing, a backhoe is your tool; if you don’t plan to dig holes on a regular basis, you’d be better served to borrow or rent a backhoe rather than purchase your own. Backhoes can be purchased as separate hydraulic implements for some tractor types. According to the Louisiana State University Ag Center, most backhoe attachments are designed to dig as deep as 10 feet.
6. Front-End Loader
While backhoes look like fun, front-end loaders can be considered more useful on the small-scale farm on a regular basis. Not all tractors are equipped to handle a front-end loader, but if yours is, you can dig, move bulky items (including loose things such as soil and manure), lift heavy items and equipment, and perform some land-grading tasks.
7. Cultivator
Cultivators are used for—you probably already guessed this—soil cultivation. In particular, cultivators are used for weed control before planting into a bed, as well as incorporating crop or weed residues and preparing a seed bed. Cultivator tines can be properly spaced to be used in a garden bed or crop field after plants are growing to remove the weeds from around the plants. It takes someone with a steady hand to drive the tractor in a straight line and not hit the vegetable plants with the cultivator.
8. Cultipacker
Cultipackers are pulled behind tractors to firm seedbeds before seeding to set up your planting for good seed-to-soil contact. Following up broadcast seeding with a cultipacker pass will press the seeds into the soil.
9. Plows
There are more types of plows than you anyone cares to name. Select the right combination of plows for your farm based on your soil type, your type of crop production and the condition of the land.
Moldboard plows: These are most often used on land that has not been in crop production before or has been fallow for a long time. The large wings of the plow are designed to cut into and turn over all of the soil in an area.
Chisel Plow: This has long shanks that turn over the soil to a depth of 12 inches. Chisel plowing after applying a soil amendment can incorporate the amendment to 3 to 4 inches, and crop residues that are turned over during the plowing are concentrated in that soil depth, as well, according to Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service. Chisel plowing still leaves some crop residue on the soil surface and usually doesn’t create a seedbed that’s smooth enough to plant into—you need further soil prep for that.
Disk Plow: This cuts into the soil but doesn’t turn it over completely the way a moldboard plow would.
10. Harrows
Harrows are pulled behind a tractor or ATV to level the soil surface, redistribute crop residue and disturb weed germination. You can attach a harrow to another implement that’s attached to your tractor to save time and expenses by making fewer passes through your field. Harrows are also handy for breaking up manure in the pasture and smoothing out riding ring surfaces.
11. Plastic Mulch Layer
A plastic mulch layer tractor attachment is a must for large-scale farms using plasticulture growing methods. Small-scale farmers can find plastic mulch layer attachments for their walk-behind tractors and for low-horsepower tractors. A ream of plastic is mounted on the implement, discs shape the planting bed, and a series of wheels and wings lay the plastic flat along the bed.
12. Sprayers
For applying compost tea, pesticides or herbicides (organic or synthetic), a sprayer is a necessary piece of farming equipment. Backpack-size sprayers and walk-behind sprayers are hand-operated, while farmers who have several acres of crops should use a tractor- or ATV-mounted and operated sprayer.
13. Irrigation System
Your crops won’t do well without consistent watering. Unless you plan to stand in your garden or field with a hose a few nights each week, plan to get an irrigation system. This could be as simple as a soaker hose connected to your outdoor spigot or as complicated as a multi-level drip irrigation system.
14. Seed Drills
Seed drills are tractor attachments that insert seeds into the ground with minimal soil disturbance. They are most often used for row crops (such as grains), cover crops, and grasses or forage. There are no-till seed drills and traditional seed drills.
No-Till Drills
No-till drills have colter blades—a means of cutting through the existing crop residue—that create a clear path for planting seeds. Farmers.gov has good information about no-till drill options.
Traditional Seed Drills
Traditional seed drills generally require tilling or planting-area preparation before seeding because traditional seed drills do not have coulters to cut through the residue.
15. Broadcast Seeder
Broadcast seeders—also called rotary spreaders or seeders—come in many sizes, from a lawn seeder that you can carry around your neck to industrial-size seeders pulled behind the largest of tractors. The idea behind these pieces of farming equipment is all the same: As the plate inside the seeder turns, the seeds in the seeder’s hopper are distributed across an area. Each model has its own broadcast area, and this is usually adjustable. Broadcast seeders are ideal for planting cover crops, grasses and forages, but they aren’t practical for garden crops that require rows or organization.
16. Transplanter
These were long considered a tool of the large-scale farmer, but handheld transplanters are now available—in addition to the tractor-pulled transplanters—that make small-scale farmers’ lives easier. Of course, the original transplanter was the farmer’s hand, and probably everyone reading this has put plants in the ground using a spade. There are also handheld transplanters, which let you put transplants into the ground without bending over and digging in the dirt. Different models use either foot action or hand action to activate a lever inside the transplanter, which allows the plant to drop into the hole in the ground that this tool has made—no crawling required. For farmers approaching 10 acres of vegetables, a waterwheel or other tractor-pulled transplanter might be worth a look.
17. Mowers
Do you need a push-behind mower, a riding mower, a zero-turn mower, a belly-mounted mower or a pull-behind mower implement for your lawn and pastures? If you make hay, do you want a sickle-bar mower, a drum mower or a disc (also called a rotary) mower? For larger areas or wild areas, are brush mowers, batwing mowers or flail mowers right for you? As a landowner, you need at least one mower—if not a combination of mowers—among your farming equipment collection.
18. Scythe
Scythes were the world’s primary grass- or shrub-cutting tools among farm equipment until mechanization moved in. According to Penn State University, the scythe is gaining in popularity again among small-scale farmers. One swing of a scythe can cut a swath 6 feet long by 4 inches wide—not exactly the efficiency of using a mower, but maybe it’s not a piece of farming equipment that should be ruled out.
19. Sickle
Even smaller than a scythe, a sickle is a handheld cutting tool with a curved blade for harvesting or mowing. Sickles are less efficient than scythes, as far as hand-operated cutting tools go, but they can be useful in small applications.
20. Rakes
Rakes are necessary pieces of farm equipment if you make hay. Wheel rakes, parallel-bar rakes, rotary rakes and belt rakes are pulled behind a tractor, and each have advantages and disadvantages, depending on the quality of the hay-cutting job, the moisture content of the hay and the equipment-storage area available to you.
21. Balers
Three general types of hay balers exist: round balers, square balers and large square balers. These are costly investments, and with all of their moving parts, they require maintenance, so it’s important to be confident that you’ll use your baler before you write your check.
Round balers pick up hay from the field and roll it into round bales, then wrap it with netting or twine.
Square balers are available in various sizes. The right square baler for your farm depends on how much acreage you bale. You can find balers that tie bales in twine, in wire or in both. A bale thrower is an add-on that makes stacking your bales on the wagon a whole lot easier.
Large square balers are designed for large farms. Unless you bale hundreds of acres, standard square bales or round bales are probably better options for you.
22. Combine or Harvester
Grain farmers find they need a combine (also called a harvester) for their crops. Even with just an acre of grain crop, a combine is the most efficient means of getting it out of the field.
23. Manure Spreader
Manure—everyone’s favorite farm subject—needs to be managed on every farm that includes livestock. If you don’t compost the manure or remove it from your property and you want to spread it on a field, a manure spreader is your tool.
Manure spreaders are especially popular on horse farms. Read about proper manure-spreading techniques to prevent the spread of parasites and pollution from manure runoff.
24. Hydroponics
Increasing in popularity, hydroponics is the system of growing plants in water rather than in soil. Benefits are being able to grow a lot of food in a small space, using less water than soil-cultivated gardens, growing indoors and generally faster plant growth. Downsides are making major investments in hydroponics farming equipment, finding the plants that do well growing without soil, and having a learning curve of how much and what type of inputs your plants need.
There is no way to read an article and know exactly what farm equipment you need for your small-scale farm. Using this list, you can start to make your agricultural machinery wish list and start shopping around.
This article about farming equipment names and uses was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
The right tools are essential for creating and maintaining a beautiful property. When you work with Bobcat® equipment, you’ll achieve stunning results with ease and efficiency. The versatile, powerful Bobcat lineup of machines and attachments delivers everything you need. From the high-speed, heavy-duty capability of its legendary compact track loaders, skid-steer loaders and mini track loaders to the user-friendly speed and precision of its mowers, compact tractors and utility vehicles, Bobcat equipment excels on your home turf.
Your Lawn and Garden Go-To’s
The beauty of Bobcat equipment is how much it can do. Whether you tackle multiple acres of hard mowing with a zero-turn mower or you check off a full list of daily chores with a Bobcat compact tractor, you’ll stay on top of every task.
Zero-turn mowers deliver razor-sharp results.
Maintaining a pristine, manicured lawn is a breeze with Bobcat zero-turn mowers. These machines are designed for maximum maneuverability and enable you to navigate around trees, flower beds and other obstacles with ease.
Professional-Grade Performance and Results
Even if you’re not a pro, Bobcat zero-turn mowers help you mow like one. Bobcat zero-turn mowers feature innovative patented cutting decks that provide a sharp, uniform cut for a gorgeous work result in any terrain. All Bobcat mower decks have deep deck designs with patented baffle, airflow and vacuum-seal technologies that will make the neighbors green with envy.
Powerful Engines
Robust, powerful engines are made to tackle thick grass and challenging mowing conditions day after day. Whenever the grass grows long, your Bobcat mower is ready to make short work of it.
Hour After Hour of Operator Comfort
Designed with your comfort in mind, these mowers feature adjustable seats, intuitive controls and other features that reduce fatigue and increase productivity.
Bobcat Compact Tractors deliver versatility and power.
If you have a wide range of projects and chores on your property, Bobcat compact tractors are the ideal solution. These economical, powerful machines deliver unbeatable versatility for mowing, tilling, hauling, brushwork and digging with the front-end loader. These workhorses handle it all. Their compact size makes them ideal for navigating buildings, trees, fences and other obstacles, while their power ensures they can tackle your toughest jobs.
Attachment and Implement Versatility
The wide range of Bobcat-approved attachments and implements makes you a multitasking master. Swap out front loader attachments like the rock bucket, front-mount snowblower, pallet fork or utility grapple and handle all kinds of different tasks, from storm cleanup and snow removal to digging and soil preparation.
The possibilities really expand when you turn to the 3-point hitch of your Bobcat compact tractor. Implements like the angle blade, box blade and 3-point finish mower put an endless array of tasks in your reach.
Built to Last
Bobcat tractors are designed to perform in difficult working conditions and stand up to harsh weather, heavy lifting, dust, dirt and more. Bobcat is built to take everything that years of regular outdoor work will throw at you.
User-Friendly Design
Featuring easy-to-use controls and a comfortable cabin, Bobcat compact tractors are a pleasure to operate. The hours will fly by, your chore list will shrink, and you’ll feel less tired at the day’s end.
Bobcat dealers keep you running strong.
When you buy Bobcat equipment, you’re not just getting a top-of-the-line machine. You’re joining an unparalleled customer support and service experience. Your Bobcat dealer is the local face of the Bobcat brand, and they’re dedicated to keeping your equipment in peak condition. Bobcat stands behind its products – and you – helping you feel good about your investment in Bobcat equipment.
Check out the full range of Bobcat equipment for homeowners.
Ready to take your lawn, garden and home projects to the next level? Explore all of the equipment and attachments designed to take your work to the next level. Whether you’re looking for a zero-turn mower, a compact tractor or one of our legendary compact loaders, Bobcat provides the reliability, performance and versatility you can rely on.
Visit Bobcat.com today and start making your chores and property maintenance tasks easier than ever before.
Have you ever wondered where weed names come from? Not the scientific name, the common name. For instance, no one is giving much thought to Amaranthus retroflexus, but you have to wonder why it’s called pigweed? And how did Erigeron canadensis become horseweed? Is it a food thing? Do pigs love pigweed and horses love horseweed? Not exactly. Pigs will eat pigweed, but horses avoid horseweed unless it’s mixed into their hay.
The answer could be related to the edibility of the weeds though: both can be toxic to their namesakes. Pigs rarely eat enough pigweed for it to poison them, but it can happen, resulting in renal failure. Horseweed can be toxic to a horse, especially when ingested in large amounts. It contains an enzyme that breaks down vitamin B1 in the body, which helps to turn food into energy and strengthens the immune system.
The two weeds share another thing in common: resistance. Horseweed was one of the first weeds in the U.S. to be found developing a resistance to glyphosate, and pigweed wasn’t far behind. Enter LV MAX Fast-Acting Weed Killer from Gordon’s®. LV MAX controls more than 90 broadleaf weeds, including ground ivy, thistle, bindweed, and of course, horseweed and pigweed. It’s labeled for use in lawns, pastures, and non-cropland areas, and LV MAX delivers visible results in as little as six hours.
As the leaves begin to change and the cool air settles in, backyard poultry enthusiasts know that the care regimen for their feathered friends needs a seasonal adjustment. Fall brings about challenges such as cooler temperatures, less daylight, and preparing your flock for the winter months ahead. One of the keys to maintaining a healthy, happy flock during this transitional period is with proper nutrition, notably through a diet like the 16% protein Homestead Layer Feed. Let’s explore how to keep your backyard hens flourishing in the fall months.
Adjust to the Cooling Temperatures
As temperatures start to drop, your hens will require more energy to maintain their body heat. A diet rich in protein, like the 16% Homestead Layer Feed, is crucial to meet their increased energy needs. The higher protein content helps them not only to stay warm but also supports feather regrowth as they molt. Molting, the process of losing and regrowing feathers, commonly occurs in the fall and can be quite taxing on their bodies. Providing a high-protein diet ensures they have the necessary nutrients to go through this process smoothly.
Consider the Decreasing Daylight
With the days growing shorter, the decrease in daylight can affect your hens’ laying patterns. Chickens need a certain amount of light—about 14 to 16 hours a day—to lay consistently. As natural light decreases, their egg production might slow down. To counter this, and to ensure your hens are getting enough nutrients, supplementing their diet with Homestead Layer Feed enriches their intake. Its balanced formulation supports optimal egg laying, even when daylight is not on our side.
Ramp Up the Coop Comfort
In addition to adjusting their diet, preparing the coop for the colder months is vital. Ensure it is well-insulated and free from drafts to keep your hens comfortable. However, be mindful of ventilation. The coop should be closed enough to keep them warm, but still allow for air circulation to prevent moisture buildup, which can lead to respiratory issues. Bedding should be kept dry and clean, consider layering more than usual for added warmth. Within this cozy setup, having a consistent diet of 16% Homestead Layer Feed will significantly help in keeping your hens content and healthy.
Health Check-Ups
Fall is an ideal time for a health check-up. Before the harsher winter weather hits, ensure your flock is in top condition. Look out for any signs of illness or parasites and treat immediately. A nutritional and enriching diet plays a key part in this. The Homestead Layer Feed, with its well-rounded ingredients, contributes not just to the physical well-being of your chickens by enhancing their immune system, but also supports them in facing the season’s peculiar challenges.
Promoting a Sustainable Approach
Feeding your backyard hens with Homestead Layer Feed not only supports their dietary needs but also aligns with a sustainable approach to farming. Made from natural ingredients, this feed supports the overall health of your chickens without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones, promoting a natural laying process and ensuring the quality of the eggs.
In conclusion, maintaining a healthy backyard flock during the fall involves attentive care, strategic coop management, and most importantly, providing a diet that meets their seasonal needs. The 16% protein Homestead Layer Feed is a pivotal component of this care plan, supporting your hens through the cooler temperatures, decreased daylight, and ensuring their overall health as they transition into the winter months.
