Molting in chicken , What happens when your chicken molt ?

When your chicken begin to lose feathers you are worry, why this is happening to you beautiful chicken, don't worry is just a natural thing.
Molting refers to the shedding of feathers. It is the natural process of losing and regrowing of new feathers. Mostly all birds do it including chickens. Molting is generally, not a pretty sight! In fact, it usually hard to watch a chicken undergo a rough molting. Every chicken has about 8,500 feathers so losing them all is quite painful! Chickens have two kinds of molts: the juvenile molt and the annual molt. Let’s take a look at when molting happens, how to help chickens through it, and how to manage the molt .
 
What to do when Molting Occurs​

The first molt, also known as the juvenile molt, happens between 4-12 week period of a chicken’s life. They are constantly losing and growing feathers during this time. The annual molting happens once in a year, normally the chicken will experience this hard molt when it's around 16-18 months old. In fall the daylight hours get shorter, which signals to the chickens that it's time to regrow new feathers for the upcoming winter months. However, molting can happen at any time of the year because of lack of good nutrition, lack of water, and bullying/stress. I have seen a hen who went without water for about 8 hours and she molted for a week!

it is also possible that if you get poor quality stock chickens,, they can molt three or more times each year. Chickens generally don’t have the annual molt in their first year of life. But this is not always true. Most chickens molted in their first year. The annual molt lasts 5-7 weeks on average. However, they can be as short as two weeks or as long as twelve weeks! Older chickens always take longer than the younger one.

Why did chicken Molts

Many people don’t understand the whole point of the molt. But, there is purpose and beauty reasons behind it. Since chickens are busy creatures, they are constantly losing and breaking feathers. By the end of the year, their feathers are not appropriate for the duty of keeping the chickens warm during cold weather. The molt causes the chickens to lose these old feathers and grow strong, and warm new ones. By the end of the molt, your chickens will look amazing! Like they are brand new! Of course, the actual molting process is not fun to watch , but it is necessary for you chicken.

How Molting Occurs​

Most chicken begin molting at the tail and move up from there. Or start molting their saddle feathers first. All chickens molt differently.

Signs of  Molting in chicken

You may wonder if you’ll be able to notice your chickens molting. The answer is yes….and no! It really varies from chicken to chicken. Some molt so slowly you will hardly notice. Others throw all their feathers off at once and are half-naked for weeks. Rarely will you get a completely bald chicken. You also will notice great amounts of feathers laying around the coop and run. Other signs of molting include:
Decreased Laying
Hungrier Chickens
Feather-Eating Chickens
An Aggressive and Suddenly Shy Flock

How to help​ your chicken during molting ?

As you have probably gathered from the already stated information, molting is stressful and hard on a chicken’s body. While some people may run screaming for the hills, other people immediately want to know how they can help. There are many ways in which to help the molting flock. First of all, feathers take up 85% protein, and with all the feathers being lost; there is a great need for extra protein. Besides the normal chicken feed, you should provide foods with extra protein such as oatmeal, quinoa, scrambled or hard-boiled eggs, meat scraps, corn, peas, dry dog or cat food, tuna fish, black oil sunflower seeds, and soyabean meal. Be sure that you feed these all in moderation and do not overdo them! This will cause diarrhea and other problems.

If your molting chickens do not get enough protein, they will start pecking aggressively at each other and eat any feathers they can find. There are some feeds out there that are specially made for molting chickens and can be fed in higher quantities. These include Feather Fixers and Mite Fixers. Apple cider vinegar also helps a lot during the molt. It is full of vitamins and minerals.
These are all wonderful for your flock. It will not only help their molt but it will also take their mind off it and make them happy.

Other ways to help molting chickens include: not handling them as much as Poussin or to prevent injury, pain, and stress, making sure they have plenty of roaming room and access to shelter, making sure they have lots of water, and trying to reduce as much stress as possible.

Sometimes you may come across an injured, molting bird. Newly emerging feathers have vein-filled shafts. If a shaft is injured or cut, it will bleed a lot, similar to cutting the quick in a dog’s claw. This causes pain and stress on the bird so be sure and remove her from the rest of the flock. Clean her wound once it stops bleeding and remove it using tweezers. Keep her isolated until she is completely healed.

Some facts you should know about the chicken Molts

1.  Hens normally quit laying during molting,  Molting takes lots of energy and is stressful. Not to mention the protein required to molt. Instead of going to eggs, all the chicken’s body nutrients go to finishing the molt. Roosters often stop fertilizing during the molt too. Your flock will not be very productive during the molt.

2. Molting is a great way to find out which of your hens are the best producers. Good layers molt late and fast while poor layers molt early and slow. The primary wing feathers determine whether a hen is an early or late molter. The large, stiff, “flight” feathers can be seen on the outer part of each wing when the wing is spread out. Generally, there are ten primary feathers on each wing that are separated from the smaller secondary feathers by a short axial feather. Late molting hens lose primary feathers in groups of two or more, whereas early molting lose feathers individually.

3.Pure bred chickens usually take longer to molt than hybrids.

4.Broody hens molt after every hatch.

5. Chickens begin to run from human during the molt because they are stressed and fear the touching of humans which can result in pain.

6. Once the molt is finished, your flock will return to their normal behaviors and duties.

7. Bullying behaviors increase during molt.

8. Molting doesn’t always happen in fall. Chickens have been known to molt in spring, summer, and even winter.

9. Most chickens have a different molting pattern.

Signs and Symptoms of Chicken Flu

The closest thing to a ‘chicken cold’ is Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD), which has all the typical flu-like symptoms. Chronic respiratory diseases is not often fatal, but is like Fever for humans, the disease will remain in the chickens system for life.
one sneeze doesn’t mean an instant diagnosis of CRD, but if the sneezing is coming repeatedly and combined with other symptoms like nasal discharge and coughing, then a trip to the vets might be the next thing. CRD can cause re-occurring health problems in the future, and makes your chickens more susceptible to disease. Therefore it’s important to identify potential causes early, and to take precautions to prevent it before your flocks health is compromised.

What are the causes of respiratory diseases ?

1. Extreme temperatures

If there’s a sudden change in temperature, this can take a toll on your chickens’ health especially if its bitterly cold. Chickens need time to acclimatise to changing temperatures, and don’t do well with sudden shocks.

2. When new Chicken are being introduced to an existing flock

Introducing new chickens to a existing flock is a very stressful experience , and a stressful environment does make chickens more susceptible to disease. There are definitely things you can do to make this process less of an upheaval for all flocks , always isolate new chicken for at least a week before you add it to you existing flocks.

3. Dust/fine residue

A dusty coop environment can cause respiratory disease, as they irritate the chickens’ airways. Always make sure the coop is clean and bedding is changed regularly. Also, be careful when pouring feed out of the sack - sometimes this can stir up small pieces of residue into the air.

4.Moist litter

Moist litter and bedding is a breeding ground for disease, and can allow mould to grow - therefore replacing it regularly is very important.

5.Poor coop ventilation

A poorly ventilated coop that allows cold, sneaky drafts to infiltrate is a sure way to get your chicken sick! The best way to prevent drafts is to have a well ventilated coop.
   
Symptoms of Flu in your Chicken flocks

These are certain behaviours and symptoms that can indicate a respiratory problem in your chickens.

1. Coughing

If your chicken sounds like its got a nasty cough then it may be a symptom of CRD. It’ll sound like a raspy crow.

2.Nasal discharge

If there is a sticky, clear nasal discharge emerging from the chickens’ nose, then this may be a symptom of CRD.

3 Sneezing

A chickens’ sneeze is easy to identify - it pretty much sounds like a sneeze from any other animal! Generally this means something is interfering with their respiratory system .

4.Loss of appetite

When you chickens is sick is likely that you chicken will not eat as much as normal. This can also cause slow growth, as they aren’t getting the nutrients that they need.

5.Reduced egg production

If you’ve noticed drop in egg production , is not what it once was (unless your flock are moulting, or you're experiencing the cold season), this can be an indicator that something is wrong with their health.

These are possible Treatment of respiratory disease
Most Respiratory diseases are treated by uses of antibiotics. If the symptoms aren’t severe and are mainly a result of environmental factors, then once this has been rectified, the symptoms should clear up. These symptoms will manifest more in cold weather, so don’t freak out by the sign of a sneeze! Having a well ventilated coop is one of the best ways to ensure your chickens aren’t exposed to cold drafts that can be damaging to your flock’s health.
All your coops must have designed to prevent them from drafts, and to keep your flock as comfortable and healthy as possible.
As chicken keepers, we like to think that we are doing the best , but there is often more we can do to prevent diseases from.our flocks.

What you should do to stop that your egg eating Chickens

Did you have chickens who do eat their own eggs ? These are what you need to do to stop them. The simple truth is that you must have been doing something that pushes them over the edge to become egg-eaters. Before it gets worst, let’s find out the real reasons why your hens are eating their own eggs.
The answers can be vary – but you’ll soon have this problem sorted out once and for all.

There are Reasons Why your Chickens will begin to eat their Own Eggs .
Several reasons could begin the dreaded egg-eating in your flock. Once you figure out the reason causing your particular issue, you can create a remedy to solve the problem.

These are the reasons why your Hen will eat their own eggs

1. Overcrowding An overcrowded coop is the most common causes of egg-eating behavior in chickens. Just imagine you are put in one small, confined room with your entire family. Wouldn’t you feel stressed, annoyed, and exhausted ? The same thing happens with chicken, and it can get pretty ugly. The stress is too much for the chickens to handle that they’ll start pecking the egg shells until it breaks and the egg yolk spills out. In other cases, they’ll resort to feather pecking and cannibalism . Placing too many chickens under one roof is unhygienic. In case you haven’t noticed, chickens poop all the time. Small space + dirty chicken house and you have a recipe for disaster – not only several pieces of broken eggs but a breeding ground of diseases Solution: Fixing overcrowding is straightforward – you need to upgrade your chickens’ house. The more room you have for chickens to freely move around, the better (2). Unless you have space to free-range, chickens need at least four square feet per bird. Take note this is only for floor space – the nesting box and nesting area are excluded.

2. Nesting Boxes not enough

Eggs easily break if multiple hens are trying to squeeze into the same box – just two to three steps and crack! broken eggs. Of course, there is one possibility that you have an egg-eater in your flock but if you’ve harvested without broken eggs before, then there’s an issue with nest boxes. Even when it’s not egg-laying time, chickens will access the nest box and display pre-laying nesting behavior Hens have been found to work harder to access a discrete nest site prior to egg laying than they do gaining access to food following 4 hours of food deprivation. So, it’s no surprise that one of your hens, due to hormones and ovulation, will go to the nest box and not lay a single egg. If there are already eggs in the nesting box, well, you might as well say goodbye to two to three eggs. And, once she gets the taste of that yolk, the habit of egg-eating will kick in. Solution: . Harvest fresh eggs daily. For every four hens, you need one nest box. The boxes should be at least a 12-inch square and positioned four feet or more away from the roosts. Make sure to harvest every day to give your pre-laying hens a chance to lay. You can also add fresh bedding to the nest boxes and coop often. If an egg does happen to escape from nest boxes, fluffy bedding should provide adequate protection.

3. Unbalanced Diet (FEED)

Now if you already have a spacious coop and the right number of nest boxes, but your hens still have the nasty habit of egg eating, it may be a sign of something more serious. Egg-laying chickens require higher calcium intake in their diet ,Naturally, they will try to figure out a way to solve the problem themselves by pecking and eating the egg shells – the egg shell is pure calcium. Then, they’ll accidentally (and unknowingly) discover that the contents of the eggs are tasty and jumpstart the egg-eating habit! A low-calcium diet can also mean thin-shelled eggs and fewer eggs to harvest. If prolonged, calcium deficiency can lead to paralysis and even death. Solution: There are three things you can do to stop your birds from becoming egg eaters. First, you should provide the hens with a balanced diet A quality feed contains 16 to 18% protein content. Look for a complete diet designed for laying hens. For feed recipes and more information, see our ultimate guide to Chicken Feed Here! Now if you’re already feeding the hens with quality chicken feed, they’ll still benefit from adding more calcium to their diet. This leads us to the second solution – feeding crushed egg shells to your chickens. You can feed your hens crushed-up egg shells for extra calcium. Not only it is economical, but it’s also hassle-free to obtain and the easiest solution to fix their egg-eating habit. If you provide eggshells for additional calcium, be sure to crush them up thoroughly. You don’t want an unbalanced diet affecting your chickens’ gizzard.

4. Boredom

Chickens are like kids. Keep them together in one space without anything to do, and boom a war ensues. They’ll look for fun and then without any warning they’ll start fighting each other. And once they’ve figured that the eggs’ contents taste amazing, well, say goodbye to your eggs. Solution: What do you do to keep peace in your flock? Of course, give the kids something to do! That applies to chicken too. There are several ways that you can bust chicken boredom and stop hens from eating eggs. Here are some ideas: Turn the coop into a multi-leveled playground by adding several roosts. You can use PVC pipes, ladders, and anything else that you could get your hands on! Build their own dust bathing spot. It’s not only great for entertainment but dust bathing also keeps those nasty parasites like mites from ruining your hens’ plumage. Add a pile of dirt or hay in the coop. Chickens, including your egg-eating hens, hate the sight of a pile. They’ll stomp the pile down until it’s completely flat. If you tried the above tips and still have an egg eating chicken, you have a problem on your hands.. Unfortunately, there are many circumstances in which that hen must be culled. It isn’t the result you want, but she will pass the habit onto other hens. Before deciding to cull, here are some other tips when you want to figure out how to stop chickens from eating eggs. Find the culprit. You might catch her in the act of note that she has yolk on her beak and feathers. Remember, there could be more than one! Once you catch the criminals, isolate them for the flock for a few days. The isolation might be enough to break the habit. Place ceramic eggs or golf balls in the nests. The hen will tire of trying to break open the fake egg. Fill an emptied egg with mustard. She will break it and find the contents offending. You could also add dyed contents if you are having issues finding the egg eater. Now You Know What To Do If Your Chickens Eat Their Own Eggs The issue could be as simple as needing to change their diet or adding a few boredom busters to their coop. If the prevention tips don’t work, determine your culprit and separate her from the rest of the flock. After isolation, you can determine if culling is necessary. If you also have egg eating hen before or now please share with us, Thanks

Tips for Raising day old chicks, (Baby Chicken)

Raising Baby Chickens  for Beginners Much of our knowledge came from the old method of trial and error, but there are a few things that every new backyard chicken farmer needs to consider before bringing those adorable baby chicks home. Here are the tips for raising baby chickens:

1. Environment – Make sure your brooder is big enough that all of your chicks can move around freely. You can make your brooder out of any materials as long as if provides about half of foot for each chicken. We have user livestock water troughs, clothes baskets, storage bins, and when I just had two chicks I used a bushel basket.

2. Heat – Suspend a red, 250-watt lamp about a foot above your brooder floor for warmth.  Keep the temperature in the brooder between 90-95 degrees F for the first week, and start decreasing it by 5 degrees each week by raising the light higher above the brooder. I have learned to keep an extra bulb on hand in case of burn out. 

3. Bedding – You wouldn’t think baby chicks are messy but they are and their bedding needs to be changed daily. Pinewood shavings are the best choice for bedding.  Newspaper and straw become slippery for small chicks.

4. Water – Baby chick learn fast, but there is one mother hen duty you must teach as soon as you bring them home. Dip their beaks into the fresh clean water from a baby chick waterer and let them drink 4-5 hours before introducing feed to them. Raise the waterer a couple of inches off the bottom of the brooder to keep the bedding from contaminating the water. 

5. Feed – Baby chicks are little-eating machines and will eat about 10 pounds of chick starter per bird in the first 10 weeks of their life. Find a good quality chick starter feed and that is all they need to get started.  If you buy your chickens from a reliable source and your bedding and brooder are kept clean, you should not need to medicate or add anything to their diet but the chick starter feed for their first 10 weeks.  I have always used to top feed baby chick feeders for my new arrivals. 

6.Buying – To get it started with your own backyard chickens you can buy chickens at any age, but we like to buy day-old chicks so we can watch their development.  It’s so exciting to see that baby chick grows into an egg-producing hen. Purchase your chicks from a local hatchery, your local feed store, or online.  The last few batches we’ve ordered online , If you’re just starting out they allow for small orders, where many of the other online hatcheries have a 25 chick minimum. Most hatcheries will routinely vaccinate before shipping. Be aware that day-old chicks are much cheaper than buying older pullets, but they do require some extra attention to get started. If you’re interested in egg production only, purchase all females since a rooster is not necessary unless you want fertilized eggs.

7.Breed – There are many different breeds to choose from, but we have found that the black and brown colour hen  are our picks for a dual-purpose bird. They are good egg producers, have an easy temperament and double good as a meat chicken when needed. We have so much fun watching our baby chickens grow into egg-laying, meat providing farm birds. Record their progress, take lots of pictures and don’t be afraid to try new breeds.   

Having Rabbits as House Pet

If you are thinking of getting a pet ? Rabbits are good type of pet you can have around you. how to care for a rabbit first. And good thing you did! Rabbits are often a lot more work than people expect.
They have a very strict diet and need daily exercise and socialization. But I wouldn’t be here talking about rabbits if they couldn’t also be bouncing bundles of joy and great pets. Can rabbits make a good pets? Yes , Rabbits are amazing, affectionate, and social pets.
They can be great house pets if you take the time to socialize them and learn about their basic body language. However, rabbits require a lot more care than people typically expect, so it’s important to be prepared before bringing a rabbits home .
As you go through this list, take the time to consider whether or not a rabbit is the pet for you and your house. If you’re ready to take on the challenges of becoming a rabbit caretaker, go for it! Rabbits are truly awesome pets and I think more people should consider rabbits as possible friend. But if you don’t think you’ll be able to handle a rabbit at their worst, it might be better to wait a couple years to give yourself the chance to prepare a home for a new Rabbits.

Things you should know before you owning a pet rabbit As someone who loves rabbits, I truly believe these little balls of fluff can be great house pets. Rabbits are full of personality and have a way of bringing joy to your days. There are so many people who would be great rabbit caretakers. What about you? Do you think you’re a good match for a rabbit ?

13 Tips and things you should know before you get that pet rabbit

1. Rabbits are quiet While rabbits are capable of making sounds, they are among the quietest pets to own. They don’t stay up late at night barking, and they don’t meow at you to demand attention. I would even argue that sometimes a rabbit is quieter than a mouse because mice squeak and rabbits don’t.  This means that if you live in an apartment or in any close-together housing, you don’t have to worry about your rabbit annoying your neighbors. Rabbits are a great match for people who enjoy a quiet lifestyle. The two of you can easily occupy the same space without stressing each other out.  Rabbits don’t make many noises, but they will thump their hind legs if they are angry or scared. The only exception to quiet rabbits, is when they start thumping. Sometimes, rarely, rabbits thump their strong hindlegs against the ground. These little creatures can create a surprisingly loud sound when they thump. This behavior means one of two things: The rabbit is frustrated or angry with you. Usually there will only be one loud thump to let you know how disappointed they are in you. The rabbit is scared of something and is trying to warn you. This is when a rabbit will be continuously thumping, and their behavior will also have a very rigid and alert body position. As a rabbit caretaker you will likely hear a thumping rabbit at some point, but it’s not a particularly common behavior. If you are doing what you can to keep the rabbit’s environment calm and stress-free, they’ll only thump continuously if there is something scary around..

2. Rabbits can use a litter box Rabbits poop a lot, but it’s pretty easy to clean up after them when they are litter trained. If you adopt a rabbit as an adult, many of them will already be trained to use a litter box. But even if they don’t know how to use one when you first bring them home, it’s usually pretty easy to teach them.  Tip: Moving the hay near the litter box can encourage your rabbit to use the litter box more. Rabbits prefer to be clean and keep their waste in one place. By putting a litter box where they chose to make their bathroom, you can teach your rabbit to use it. This means that you don’t have to worry about your rabbit peeing and pooping all over your house. Just like a cat, they’ll be able to go back and use the bathroom whenever they need to. You may find it difficult to litter train a rabbit who has not been spayed or neutered though. Unaltered rabbits will spray urine and scatter poop as a way to claim their territory. If you aren’t adopting a rabbit who has already been spayed or neutered, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment for them as soon as they reach adulthood.

3. Rabbits are very neat animal You may have heard at some point that rabbits are smelly and messy animals. But this is a myth. Most of the time, rabbits will not smell up anyone’s house and you won’t have to worry about covering up their odor. Rabbits will spend a good portion of the day grooming themselves to stay clean. Rabbits are meticulously clean animals. They don’t have a discernible body odor, and even their poop doesn’t have a strong smell. The only part of rabbits that tends to have a strong smell is their urine, which has a high ammonia content. But as long as you keep your rabbit’s enclosure clean and scoop out their litter box every day, you shouldn’t have to worry about having a smelly house.

4. Rabbits have a long lifespan Believe it or not, pet rabbits have an average lifespan of about 10 years. The age can vary based on the rabbit’s breed and living conditions. Indoor rabbits tend to have a longer life expectancy than outdoor rabbits. But you can still expect a rabbit to live much longer than you first thought. The average rabbit lifespan is about 10 years! This means that rabbits are pets that will stay with you for a long time. Rabbits will be able to grow with you and become great companion animals. They’ll bring joy to your life for a long time while you learn about all the quirks of rabbit behavior. A long lifespan also means that there is a lot to consider before bringing a rabbit home. It’s not a choice you should make on the spur of the moment, because you’ll have 10 years ahead of you being responsible for the health and happiness of your pet rabbit. Make sure when you bring your bunny home, you are ready for the commitment.

5. Rabbits can be trained Like dogs, rabbits are very intelligent and can be trained to do tricks. This is a lot of fun and a great way to bond with a pet rabbit. I train my rabbits to give me high fives, and give me kisses. They can also be trained to come when you call them or even jump through agility courses. You can teach your rabbit to spin by luring them in a circle. Rabbits can also be harness trained so you can bring them for walks outside. Some people will bring their more adventurous rabbits with them to the park or to the beach to give their rabbit a chance to see the world. Rabbits are really amazing creatures, and it’s so interesting to work with them and see how their little brains work. It can be a little difficult at times to teach them tricks, but if you’re up to the challenge, rabbits can be a great pet for you. 6. Rabbits are very social and affectionate Rabbits are social animals. They love to hang out around people and demand attention. They’ll come up to you and beg for treats, or binky around the living room as you’re watching TV. My rabbit likes to always know where I am. If I leave the room she’ll follow me (even to the bathroom). Rabbits are also very affectionate animals. They’ll often lick their caretakers to groom them, or lay down next to you to show their trust. When a rabbit is excited to see you, they’ll run circles around your feet, and when they are content some rabbits will even climb into your lap and start purring. Rabbits will show you they love you and are excited to see you by running circles around your feet. These little fluffers are full of personality. As you learn about rabbit body language, you’ll be able to understand what these social butterflies are trying to tell you. You’ll know when they’re happy and you’ll understand when they are upset with you. Your rabbit will become an integral part of your life and family.

7. Rabbits are gentle animal As prey animals, rabbits are almost always very gentle creatures. They may be very shy at first, but once a rabbit is comfortable around people, they will be happy to come up and nudge you gently for treats or petting. Rabbits aren’t going to jump up on you like a dog, and they are not aren’t going to lash out at you like a cat when they get annoyed. Rabbits are very gentle pets and enjoy spending time with you and being pet. Rabbits can show aggressive behavior if they are afraid and feel cornered, but it’s not their first instinct. Some rabbits will become territorial and aggressively protect their space if they have not been spayed or neutered. So this is another good reason to make sure you get your rabbit fixed.

8. Rabbits love to be around human If you’ve ever wanted a pet you could sit with for hours, rabbits are for you. They love to be pet and massaged. Give them scritches on the top of their head or behind their ears and they will melt into the floor. If you stop petting them, most rabbits will nudge your hand to ask you to keep going because they like it so much. My rabbit will even hop into my lap and settle down while I give her a nice massage. While I wouldn’t say lap rabbits are common, many will be happy to hop up on the sofa next to you and sprawl out while you pet them. They might even fall asleep! Rabbits will grind their teeth and purr to show that they are relaxed and content. If you adopt a young rabbit, you might not notice this behavior until they get older. Young rabbits tend to be fidgety and full of energy. They don’t settle down for extended periods of time. But as they get older, rabbits will inevitably calm down and enjoy a good massage while spending time with you. Bunnies (Baby Rabbits) are the cutest! The way rabbits wash their face is just the cutest. Or they will stand up on their hindlegs to beg for treats with those big bunny eyes and cute twitching nose. Not to mention iconic rabbit ears that are so long and floppy. They can give a rabbit that adorable inquisitive look, like a puppy when they look confused. Not to mention the adorable way that rabbits look when they manage to eat food that looks too big for their mouths. Some rabbit breeds even stay tiny forever. Netherland Dwarfs, for example, are one of the smallest rabbit breeds, weighing only 2.5lbs as adult rabbits. There are more than a dozen recognized rabbit breeds that stay under 5lbs even as adult rabbits. The cons of owning a pet rabbit Sometimes pet rabbits are a little more trouble than you bargained for. They may be adorable, social bundles of joy, but these little bunnies have a knack for getting into trouble. Many people get a rabbit expecting them to require the amount of care as a hamster or gerbil, and are quickly shocked by how much responsibility rabbits are. Rabbits are not the most difficult pet to take care of, but they do have a number of drawbacks that you will need to be prepared for. As you go through this list, really consider if you are up to the commitment of having a pet rabbit, even when they are being little devils.

9. Rabbits like to chew on everything Rabbits have teeth that continue to grow longer (like fingernails), so they need to chew on things to keep them from overgrowing. This means that rabbits have the instinct to chew on wooden objects, such as your furniture and baseboards. You will need to rabbit-proof your house in a way that keeps your rabbits away from anything you don’t want them to chew on. Rabbits love to chew on wires, so make sure yours are covered or blocked off. Rabbits are also known for being a menace to household wires. This is unfortunate for our many chargers and appliances that no longer work. But it’s also incredibly dangerous to our pet rabbits. When they chew on a wire, they run the risk of getting electrocuted. To keep your rabbit safe, you will need to either remove all the wires from your rabbits reach, or cover them with plastic split tube wire covers. These little troublemakers can also try to dig into the corners of rooms and completely destroy the carpet. Since rabbits are burrowers in the wild, they have the instinct to try to dig tunnels. To stop them from destroying your flooring, you’ll want to place a plastic mat down in the corners of rooms. Check out more of my recommendations for rabbit-proofing your home!

10. Rabbits don’t like to be held Some people get rabbits expecting them to be a super cuddly pet. Then they are upset to find that their rabbit kicks and scrambles to escape every time they are picked up. Rabbits are prey animals whose ancestors depended on the ability to run away from predators. So when rabbits are trapped in someone’s arms, with no way to run away, they get very scared. While there are rare exceptions, most rabbits hate to be held. If you pick your rabbit up every time you interact with them, they’ll start to get scared of you and run away whenever you approach. They won’t even come up to you to be pet anymore because they want to avoid being picked up. Most rabbits don’t like to be held, so you shouldn’t pick them up all the time. If you want a rabbit because you think they’ll be easy to handle and hug, then this might not be the pet for you. But if you’re open to interacting with your rabbit on their level, petting them on the floor, then you and your rabbit have a much better chance at getting along.

11. Rabbits need a lot of space Most rabbit cages that are sold in pet stores and online are actually much too small for rabbits. The length of a rabbit enclosure should be at least 3 to 4 times the full length (measured from nose to toe when they are sprawled out) of your rabbit.  This means even a small rabbit that is about 1 foot in length should have an enclosure that is 3 to 4 feet long. Most cages sold for rabbits aren’t even 2 feet long! So don’t get sucked in by the marketing. Rabbits need a lot more space than you expect. I recommend using a rabbit exercise pen as their enclosure. It gives the rabbit a lot of space and it’s easy to clean. And bunnies need space to exercise too. For at least 1 to 2 hours a day, your rabbit will need to have access to an exercise space. I recommend the space be at least 24 square feet, but really any normal-sized room in your house will be good enough. Let the rabbit out for exercise, and stick around to supervise them so they don’t get into any trouble. Sure, compared to the amount of space a dog needs, rabbits don’t need that much. Even a small apartment will give a rabbit enough space to exercise, and there are ways of arranging the space to make sure they can have a big enough enclosure. But rabbits do need a lot more space than new rabbit caretakers are led to believe.

12. Rabbits need a lot of attention Rabbits are very social creatures, and you can’t just feed them and then leave them alone. You need to interact with your rabbit. Rabbits that are left alone all day tend to become bored. They’ll be more likely to act out to try to get your attention or they’ll get depressed and lose interest in everything.  Rabbits can get bored and grumpy if they’re left in a small cage all day with nothing to do. You’ll want to give your rabbit as much time with you and other people as you can. Hang out with your rabbit by sitting on the floor with them. Pet them and give them the love that they need. It’s especially good if you can spend time with them in the morning and the evening. Rabbits are crepuscular animals, which means they are most active around dawn and dusk, so these are the ideal times to interact with a pet rabbit. If you don’t have the time to give your rabbit the attention they need, consider getting a second rabbit to have a bonded pair. This way the rabbits will be able to spend time with each other and won’t require as much attention from their caretaker.

13. Rabbits have a complicated diet You can’t just give rabbits a bowl full of kibble, like you can for a cat or a dog. Rabbits have a very sensitive digestive system that requires a very specific diet. If they have an unhealthy diet, rabbits run a serious risk of developing gastrointestinal complications. Their gut can slow down, or even stop, causing a rabbit a lot of distress. In worst case scenarios this can be fatal for rabbits. There are three parts to a healthy rabbit diet: The first thing you want to consider is hay. Rabbits should always have an unlimited supply of grass-based hay (timothy, oat, orchard hay). You never want them to run out of hay because it is essential to the way their digestion works. Next you want to give them 1 to 2 cups of fresh leafy greens on a daily basis. These will provide a lot of nutrients and vitamins that rabbits don’t get from hay alone.  Last and least important is the pellets. Rabbits should only be given about ¼ to ½ a cup of pellets a day. Resist the urge to completely fill a rabbit’s bowl with pellets. They will run out before the end of the day, but they’ll still have all that hay available to eat.

HOW TO RAISE RABBITS FOR MEAT

For home meat and business purpose , rabbits meat provide one of the most cost-effective and sustainable options of home-raised meat for your family.
They have short reproduction cycles, and a single breeding doe will birth around four-to-five litters per year, which adds up to quite a bit of meat for a family! You won’t learn everything about how to raise rabbits for meat in one day, but the steps outlined in this article will get you started.

WHY YOU SHOULD RAISE RABBITS FOR MEAT? Rabbits have been kept by farmers for thousands of years, and many people still raise them today. Everything about rabbits makes them perfect to use as a sustainable meat source. They grow at an extremely rapid pace, and will usually be ready to slaughter by 10 weeks old. Depending on your breed, rabbits at the 10-week mark should ideally weigh about 5 pounds. Another benefit of raising rabbits for meat is the relatively low amount of daily work needed to sustain a healthy colony. Compared to raising other types of small game, such as chickens, raising rabbits will give you one of the highest yields of meat while having some of the lowest startup costs. And this makes them a good choice for families concerned about food supply issues.

TYPE OF RABBIT BREED YOU SHOULD CHOOSE? As you may already know, a lot of rabbit breeds exist. Common meat rabbit breeds include the New Zealand, hyla, American Californian, and Champagne D’Argent. Each breed has specific qualities that some farmers and rabbit specialists prefer over others, so everyone has their own favorite. When raising rabbits for meat, you want to choose a breed that has large litters and grows to a mature size as quickly as possible. For beginners, start with the New Zealand breed. Adults will grow up to 12 pounds within 10 - 12 weeks, and they come in a variety of colors. They have a high feed-to-meat ratio, giving you more meat for less rabbit food. The gestation period for a New Zealand doe will take about 30 - 35 days. Additionally, since New Zealand breeds have become so common amongst rabbit farmers, it won’t be too expensive to buy some breeding does and a buck to get your farm started. Depending on your area, a New Zealand doe (female) will cost between #35000 to #5500.

BUILDING A RABBIT HUTCH
Just like most animals, rabbits need some sort of shelter from the elements. Their fur helps insulate rabbits in colder temperatures, but hot conditions can be harmful to them and cause them to overheat. Ensure your rabbit hutch includes shaded or cooler areas where the rabbits can take refuge from the sun. A hutch also serves as protection from predators and keeps rabbits contained so you don’t have to chase down escapees. Rabbit hutch Building a rabbit houses as a farm project gives you a great opportunity to use up some scrap materials and extra supplies you have laying around. But beware, if you use scrap wood make sure it hasn’t been treated. Rabbits love to nibble on things, especially wood, and if you use treated wood on their hutch they will likely chew on it and ingest the chemicals. Also, if you have some extra chicken wire, AVOID using it. Depending on the gauge of chicken wire, the rabbits' feet will get injured or stuck in the wire, or they may even squeeze through the spaces and escape the hutch. You can find rabbit wire at most supply stores, so make sure you use the right material for the job. When it comes to designing the hutch, there is no “standard” plan. Everyone designs their own hutch a little differently, and you will need multiple designs anyways for a few different purposes. To get some inspiration for your design, check out the Peace Corps Handbook on Rabbit Production.

WHAT DO RABBITS EAT? .
As with most animals and backyard animals, the better diet a rabbit has, the better the meat will taste. To successfully raise a healthy rabbit colony, make sure you feed them a balanced diet with a steady supply of clean water. Most domestic rabbits are fed a pellet-type food with all of the essential nutrients in it. Most feed and supply stores carry rabbit pellets, but depending on the number of rabbits you have to feed, you will end up buying quite a few bags of pellets. In fact, feed accounts for about 75% of all production costs when raising rabbits for meat. Additionally, rabbits love hay. Give them an ample supply of hay or alfalfa to supplement their nutrient-rich pellets. Fortunately, hay and alfalfa are very cheap to purchase or grow on your own. You should also add some fresh vegetable scraps to your rabbit’s diet. About 10% of their total diet should be made up of greens, but don’t feed them leftovers that you wouldn’t eat. Rabbits get sick too. To save money on the feed costs, I prefer to create their own customized rabbit feed at the local grain elevator or feed store. However, before creating your own mix make sure you know what levels of nutrients your breed of rabbit requires since it will differ between breeds. To find out what feed ratio suits your breed, check out Michigan State University’s free resource.

HOW TO BREED RABBITS FOR MEAT Rabbits’ reproductive cycles have many unique qualities compared to other livestock animals. They have a gestation period of about 30 days, give birth to large litters, and can be rebred immediately after giving birth. Each breed of rabbit has different breeding requirements, but New Zealand females will become sexually mature at 6 or 7 months old. Males usually take about a month longer to mature. Setting up a successful breeding program will take organization, patience, and a watchful eye. Record all the dates of mating and birthing so you can keep track of your rabbit’s cycles and ensure all of your rabbits stay healthy and safe. Again, depending on the type of breed you’ve chosen, the specific steps for mating and breeding the rabbits will differ. For breed-specific information and an easy breeding schedule to follow, check out the Department of Agriculture’s rabbit farming resources. With many people working from home for the foreseeable future, use some of your spare time to learn how to raise rabbits for meat. With just a small backyard or outdoor space, you can start raising your own sustainable source of meat. Use all of the resources available online, and find some rabbit breeders near you to buy your breeding does and bucks. Get creative with your rabbit hutch, and find a frugal way to feed your rabbits nutrient-rich food to keep your costs low.
Are you raising meat rabbits?
Leave a comment below with any of your favorite rabbit tips or recipes and check out

COMMON CHICKEN DISEASES, PREVENTION AND CURE

Are you dealing with poultry diseases ? These are information on some of the most common chicken diseases that can help you to diagnose your backyard chickens and figure out what you can do to keep them alive, healthy, and laying . These are common Chicken Diseases That You Should Know

1. Avian Influenza Is commonly known as “bird flu,” Avian Influenza has become alarming to humans because of the infectious rate at which it can spread and kill off a flock – not to mention the possible transfer to humans as well. Causes Anything from an improperly disposed-of carcass to infected rodents, equipment, and even people can all spread the disease.

Symptoms Milder forms of Avian Flu can lead to tiredness, diarrhea, breathing issues, a decline in eating, and decreased egg production. For severe cases, dark red and white spots can develop on the legs and combs.

Treatment There is no effective treatment available at this time. You can read more about the Avian Flu here.

2. Botulism This is another worldwide sickness familiar to our collective ear: Botulism. Causes Botulism bacteria can come from pond scum, maggots, plant waste, and the classic – rotting meat.

Symptoms
Tremors and paralysis are common. You may find birds unable to stand or lift its head (1). Sometimes birds may just be found dead, with no evidence of struggling. There is no diarrhea or nasal discharge and no signs of injury. Eventually, the paralysis can extend to breathing, at which point you can lose the animal.

Treatment
The poultry vet will administer antitoxins.

3. Bumblefoot
Bumblefoot is a chicken’s version of a staph infection in their leg (hence the “foot” part…) Causes This bacteria, which comes from the soil, can appear especially after a heavy rain disrupts any stagnant water in the chicken’s environment.

Symptoms
A bird with Bumblefoot has some pretty gnarly-looking legs – pink, callused and covered in sores. If left untreated, the whole foot turns dark blue or even black.

Treatment
Antibiotics are effective. Dietary change and even surgery are options as well. Here is a good source for more information on Bumblefoot in chickens.

4. Coccidiosis
Coccidiosis is a chicken disease that invades the bird’s intestinal tract. Causes The parasite is ingested from the chicken’s environment in its egg form and then reproduces, at which point more eggs leave through the chicken’s feces.

Symptoms
Look out for diarrhea with blood and mucus and losing weight. Ruffled feathers and listless activity are also

symptoms. Treatment Get an anticoccidial agent like amprolium or toltrazuril. A gentler alternative is using an essential oil like thyme, tea tree, or clove.

5. Fowl Pox.
Fowl Pox spreads from direct contact between chickens and can spread through scabs that have fallen off, skin that has been scraped, breathing, and even through a bird’s eyes.

Symptoms
There are two kinds of Fowl Pox – dry form and wet form. Symptoms of a dry form include warty, raised spots on featherless areas while wet form comes with actual pox in the mouth and throat. Treatment There is no known treatment available, but it spreads slowly, you should conduct preventative measures.

6. Infectious
Bronchitis This incredibly contagious viral disease plagues chickens in particular, rather than birds in general. Causes The virus can spread through many transmissions, including feed bags, dead birds, infected coops, and those good-for-nothing rodents. But most commonly, it can spread via the air.

Symptoms
Chickens with Infectious Bronchitis will eat and drink less and develop a watery discharge from their eyes and nostrils. They will begin to have heavy and labored breathing and lay fewer eggs.

Treatment
There is little to do once your chickens already have the virus besides taking good, rehabilitative care of them. Regular cleaning of your coop and vaccination can help manage and prevent this infectious chicken disease from spreading. Vaccines are available to prevent contracting the disease, but it must be given early on in life (within the first 15 weeks) as eventually, it will stop the hen from laying eggs.

7. Infectious Coryza
Infectious Coryza is a bacteria-driven respiratory infection. Causes This disease transmits merely when two birds make contact, although airborne transmission is another possibility. Chickens who have recovered can carry the disease as well, so be careful when introducing a new chicken into your flock.

Symptoms
Coryza usually involves facial swelling accompanied by a thick, sticky discharge thick, sticky discharge. An infected bird also smells bad.

Treatment
Antibiotics and antibacterials are both options.

8.Marek’s
Disease This tumor-driven virus affects the nervous system. Causes It transmits through the air via chicken dander/dust and can lie dormant in a seemingly healthy host for as long as a year. It does not spread directly from parent to egg

Symptoms
Lameness, paralysis, drooping wings, weight loss, enlarged feather follicles, paleness, loss of appetite, blindness, and reddened, bloody-looking shanks (lower legs) can all be symptoms that something is going on.

Treatment
You can only vaccinate against Marek’s Disease before tumors develop. But even vaccinated chickens can still be carriers.

9. Mushy Chick
Officially known as Omphalitis, “Mushy Chick” infects new chicks shortly after hatching. Causes The navel can become infected if it comes in contact with a dirty environment, such as soiled eggs, unclean hatching boxes, etc.

Symptoms
External navel infection, including abnormally large, unused yolk sacs, and a very bad smelling peritonitis (a swelling infection of the abdomen).

Treatment
Some sources claim that antibiotics can give the chick a chance at recovery – although this is a long shot. Prevention can be easily attained by keeping your hatchery clean – one of the many rules of raising healthy chicks and creating a good environment for them.

10. Newcastle Disease
This viral infection attacks the nervous system and can vary in its intensity. Causes This disease can spread short distances through the air, but it is more likely to be transmitted through contaminated “outsiders.”

Symptoms
Wheezing, running nostrils, heavy breathing, swelling in the face, paralysis, trembling, and twisting of the neck, like this:

Treatment
There no treatment at this point.

11.Scaly Leg
This one is a basic infection with a simple (and gross) cause: mites. Causes Mites burrow down into the chicken’s skin, causing particularly bad damage to their legs and feet.

Symptoms
Roughness and unevenness, and straight-up deterioration of the skin’s legs and feet are obvious signs of Scaly Leg.

Treatment
Use topical ointments like vegetable oil, olive oil, coconut oil, and even petroleum jelly. You can also use Diatomaceous earth and Ivermectin, but please consult a vet before you do.

12. Thrush
Thrush or Candidiasis is a fungal disease much like the infection seen in humans. Causes Thrush transmits through a moldy feed, water, or other contaminated surfaces.

Symptoms
An oozy white secretion between the neck and the body is common, but overeating, lethargy, ruffled feathers, and a crusty vent area can occur.

Treatment
Your vet will prescribe an antifungal medication. In conclusion Having the right information on the types of poultry diseases can help you diagnose what your flock is suffering from. Also, remember to call the vet if things are looking serious! Now that you’ve got the rundown on what your chicken is dealing with, you can go help out your flock.
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