There are people won't raise chickens because of chicken disease and illness that may strike the flock. This is a valid concern for every chicken owner. We should be aware of the common chicken diseases, but, I don't feel it is a reason to avoid raising backyard chickens. There are health benefits in fresh eggs. Chickens who eat only healthy food and free range goodies provide us with good nutrition. Also, the free compost from feeding the flock, when carefully tended, will keep your garden soil … [Read more...]
Hardest Part of Farming
How to Survive the Bad Times and Live to Enjoy the Good days What is the hardest part of farming. This farming life can be so hard and so amazing all at once. How can one week in life suddenly claim some beloved farm critters, find healing for others and see 10 new lives enter into the world. So, it's not the hard work, or the heat, or the cold, or the insect bites, or the endless tromping through mud. It's the loss. Unexpected, unpredictable, heartbreaking loss, after you do everything you … [Read more...]
What is Coccidiosis?
What is Coccidiosis ? How Does it Affect Small Ruminants on a Homestead? Coccidia are actually small protozoa. In a normal healthy flock, a small amount of coccidia will not make your animals sick. So what happens to change this? As is the case with many opportunistic infections, the parasite looks for an opportunity to strike. In the right conditions and a weakened physical condition, illness will occur. When we brought Joey and Ike home last spring, they both had some minor bouts of … [Read more...]
