Three Chickens Are Better Than One

Yep it's true. We adopted two more hens to keep Ruby company. I have come to the conclusion that one hen by herself was too lonely. So we now have three. I have come to accept that Ruby is too old for making eggs and perhaps that is why her previous owners decided they no longer wanted her. It makes me sad but happy that we found her. She lives the life of Queen Hen and gets to boss the other two youngsters around. The picture to the left is Betty. She is a 3 month old Buff Orpington. She is as big as Ruby already! And Ruby is a big bird.

The picture below is Helen. She was acquired from a friend who had three hens, but preferred two, so we took her in. My friend lives nearby so they can come to visit her. She should start egg laying in the next month or so. My guess is she is a Rhode Island Red. She's still small at four months, but boy is she fast. She doesn't like to be picked up as much, but we've been working with her. When we first brought her home, Ruby would peck at her. It took several days of isolating them to help reset the pecking order. I did quite a bit of on line research and feel confident enough now to prevent any further battles. Please feel free to email me if you have any problems at admin@BarleysList.org

Below you can see Helen and Betty hanging out together. They really have become buddies. They even nest together at night and Big ol' Ruby takes her own private nesting box!

Pet Friendly Businesses- To edit and/or update your information follow the link to that page: http://www.barleyslist.org/ and Select Add/ Edit your business.

If you're looking for pet supplies, pet stores, pet friendly hotels or dog friendly restaurants, specialty veterinarians, animal rescue, pet adoption, pet sitters and pet sitting, pet services, pet friendly services, dog parks and cat friendly bed and breakfast inns, etc- for all types of pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, rabbits, sheep and goat, farm animals, small pets and pocket pets, etc- visit our site. It has all the free pet information and pet links you will ever need for your pet. And is totally free for anyone to use!

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Welcome Our New Pet

Well if something looks different you guessed it. It's a chicken! Her name is Ruby and she is very tame. So, how did we acquire this pretty bird? Well, we went for a run with the dogs on a local trail which parallels a semi trafficked road. There are no homes in this area. The nearest house is at least 7 miles away. Nonetheless, as we were running along, there was a chicken in the middle of the trail. She just sat there and pecked the ground. We didn't want to frighten her so we walked over to the road part and continued on. We made it to the end of the trail and were heading back when there she was again. This time we decided to attempt a rescue. So my dog was tied up and I slowly approached her making cooing sounds. I was thinking how painful it will be when she pecks my hand or even worse, if she ran in the road when a car was coming by. I slowly kept approaching and my heart was racing. I think I was sweating more than I was when I was running! So there we are. Human and chicken. Face to face. Standing there. I slowly bent down, expecting the worse- I am normally an optimist. But dreading the snap of her beak into my hand. I announced back "I'm here, so now what?" Lisa said "Pick her up." I placed my hands onto her wings, grasping her slowly and I picked her up. No bite. No struggle. No resistance. I cooed again and she cooed back. I announced back "I got her, so now what?" But when I looked up Lisa was gone. Running as fast as she could with both dogs towards the car. She had at least 2 miles to go. So I walked up to the road and started to walk back with my new friend under my arm. I cooed and she cooed back. I wondered what the passing cars thought as I had this big beautiful hen tucked under my arm. Lisa made it back to us. And the hen made no mention to the panting dogs one foot away from her. She was very tame.

We brought her home and built a very nice coop the following day. We searched for postings of a lost pet and left word and the neighborhood feed store, but found no owners of her. We named her Ruby, but I call her Miss Chicken. She fits right in with us. What a blessing!

Pet Friendly Businesses- To edit and/or update your information follow the link to that page: http://www.barleyslist.org/ and Select Add/ Edit your business.

If you're looking for pet supplies, pet stores, pet friendly hotels or dog friendly restaurants, specialty veterinarians, animal rescue, pet adoption, pet sitters and pet sitting, pet services, pet friendly services, dog parks and cat friendly bed and breakfast inns, etc- for all types of pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, rabbits, sheep and goat, farm animals, small pets and pocket pets, etc- visit our site. It has all the free pet information and pet links you will ever need for your pet. And is totally free for anyone to use!

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Do Goats Make Good Pets?

Keeping goats as pets can be rewarding, or uniquely infuriating. Although some goats do make excellent pets, they require commitment and tolerance on the part of their owners to do well, and anyone considering the acquisition of a pet goat should think carefully before taking the plunge. Goats have unique needs which are unfamiliar to people who have not interacted with them before. In addition, you may be restricted by municipal laws if you live within the limits of an incorporated area, or have trouble getting access to a veterinarian to care for your goats

The traits which make goats great pets also cause them to be very difficult to handle. Almost all goats are intelligent and deeply curious, and will constantly investigate their surroundings. As part of their adventuring, goats routinely fight their way through fences and gates, and the animals, while endearing, can wreak havoc on gardens and landscaping. Goats also tend to eat indiscriminately, which can lead to gastrointestinal distress, or costly surgery, if the goat swallows something inappropriate such as clothing or garbage.

Goats are herd animals, which means that you should plan on keeping at least two goats if you want them as pets. In addition, goats need a roomy space, and do not thrive in restricted living conditions. Because of their natural curiosity, the space also needs to be rich with stimuli, and you should be prepared to put together a varied and interesting diet for the goats to keep them out of trouble. Like other livestock kept as pets, you may experience difficulties finding someone to care for your goats if you go on a trip, let alone tracking down a veterinarian to provide routine care, if you live in a non-rural area. In addition, some municipalities consider goats to be livestock, and you may not even legally be allowed to keep goats.

On the other hand, goats are loving, affectionate, loyal animals, and many people deeply enjoy keeping them as pets. For people with more limited space, pygmy goats might be an excellent consideration, as they do not get nearly as large as some goat breeds, such as Swiss Alpines and Nubians. The native intelligent and intensely curious animals are fun to have around, if you are willing to put in the work.

Pet Friendly Businesses- To edit and/or update your information follow the link to that page: http://www.barleyslist.org/ and Select Add/ Edit your business.

If you're looking for pet supplies, pet stores, pet friendly hotels or dog friendly restaurants, specialty veterinarians, animal rescue, pet adoption, pet sitters and pet sitting, pet services, pet friendly services, dog parks and cat friendly bed and breakfast inns, etc- for all types of pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, rabbits, sheep and goat, farm animals, small pets and pocket pets, etc- visit our site. It has all the free pet information and pet links you will ever need for your pet. And is totally free for anyone to use!

BarleysList.org is Where People Go For Pet Info

Excercising with your Best Friend

Can you believe it! Spring is just around the corner. I bet many of you are thinking, it's time to come out of hibernation from the wet winter months and start thinking about exercising. What better way to exercise but with your best canine friend. That's the amazing thing about dogs, they love to do whatever you like to do.

Research tells us exercise is a stress tamer-ditto for hanging out with your pooch. I can list several great things about running with your dog. He or she offers you companionship, encouragement, protection and a smile. You always want to make sure your dog stays right by your side whether you head off to the hills or down city streets. I went to http://www.barleyslist.org/ to find a place to buy a great harness and leash for my dog. The harness securely fits around him and then I attach his leash to a metal ring at the top of the harness. I then attached the leash to my pack that holds my water bottle. As we run down the street, we sure turn heads. People waive, smile and laugh. I am always amazed how smart animals are. It's almost like a Pavlovian response. When my dog hears me in the garage putting on my running shoes, he comes right to the back door and starts winning. He knows it's time to go for a run.


I recently went back to http://www.barleyslist.org/ to see if there were any other types of activities that allowed you to participate with your canine. Low and behold I found Thank Dog! Boot camp in Los Angeles. I encourage all of you to get fit and why not do it with the one you love -your dog. See you next time.

Pet Friendly Businesses- To edit and/or update your information follow the link to that page: http://www.barleyslist.org/ and Select Add/ Edit your business.

If you're looking for pet supplies, pet stores, pet friendly hotels or dog friendly restaurants, specialty veterinarians, animal rescue, pet adoption, pet sitters and pet sitting, pet services, pet friendly services, dog parks and cat friendly bed and breakfast inns, etc- for all types of pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, rabbits, sheep and goat, farm animals, small pets and pocket pets, etc- visit our site. It has all the free pet information and pet links you will ever need for your pet. And is totally free for anyone to use!

BarleysList.org is Where People Go For Pet Info

In Memory of Hopps Feb 14, 95- Jun 1, 09

Happy New Year to every pet owner and pet lover out there! Here we are, the beginning of a new year. As we reflect on the past year, I am sure many of you will remember the good times and the not so good times. Some of us may have adopted a new pet and some of us may have lost a very dear pet. I know for us, 2009 was a sad one. We had to put our 14 1/2 year old Golden Retriever Hopps to sleep in June. His father was Barley. He was such a wonderful dog. As we reflect, we feel so blessed to have had such a dedicated friend. We went on so many wonderful adventures with Hopps. It makes me smile when I think about all the different experiences he was able to encounter over his life journey. Even though it makes me sad that he is no longer with our family, I can sure smile when I think about being blessed with such a great dog for 14 1/2 years.

For some of you who may have received a puppy over the holidays, make sure you visit http://www.barleyslist.org/. You will be sure to find what ever pet products you may need for your new friend.

As pet owners, you and I know how precious our pets are. It is up to us as responsible, loving pet owners to take care of our animals. Thank you for visiting BarleysList.

Pet Friendly Businesses- To edit and/or update your information follow the link to that page: http://www.barleyslist.org/ and Select Add/ Edit your business.

If you're looking for pet supplies, pet stores, pet friendly hotels or dog friendly restaurants, specialty veterinarians, animal rescue, pet adoption, pet sitters and pet sitting, pet services, pet friendly services, dog parks and cat friendly bed and breakfast inns, etc- for all types of pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, rabbits, sheep and goat, farm animals, small pets and pocket pets, etc- visit our site. It has all the free pet information and pet links you will ever need for your pet. And is totally free for anyone to use!

BarleysList.org is Where People Go For Pet Info

Well can you believe it? Thanksgiving has come and gone and now Christmas is right around the corner. I think this is the perfect time to talk about keeping our pets warm and comfortable during the winter months. It's amazing how quickly the weather can change. I was walking Murphy and Lucy the other morning and could not believe how cold it was. It just seems like yesterday when I could take off for our morning jog in running shorts and a tank top. Now, it's time for sweats, a beanie and gloves.

I know that everyone who reads this blog may be living in various places around the world. Therefore, the temperature varies greatly. As pet owners, it is important to keep our pets in mind when it comes to protection against weather elements. Because we are heading into winter, we must think about the environment in which your pets live. If your dog is strictly an outside pet, you have to make sure he or she has a shelter to protect him from the cold weather. Because Lucy and Murphy spend most of their day outdoors, we went ahead and built them a wonderful cozy bed that they can lay in that sits under an overhang. This way, if it rains during the day, they can sit on their beds and stay totally dry. While I am at work, it buys me piece of mind knowing that they are nice and dry.


If you are in need of bedding, visit PetSmart, Petco or any of the pet shops listed on BarleysList to find pet bedding and other supplies. BarleysList also offers businesses that feature portable pet shelters, fencing etc., for creating living quarters for your pet.


As pet owners, you and I know how precious our pets are. It is up to us as responsible, loving pet owners to take care of our animals. Thank you for visiting BarleysList.

Pet Friendly Businesses- To edit and/or update your information follow the link to that page: http://www.barleyslist.org/ and Select Add/ Edit your business.

If you're looking for pet supplies, pet stores, pet friendly hotels or dog friendly restaurants, specialty veterinarians, animal rescue, pet adoption, pet sitters and pet sitting, pet services, pet friendly services, dog parks and cat friendly bed and breakfast inns, etc- for all types of pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, rabbits, sheep and goat, farm animals, small pets and pocket pets, etc- visit our site. It has all the free pet information and pet links you will ever need for your pet. And is totally free for anyone to use!

BarleysList.org is Where People Go For Pet Info

Animal Safety

As a responsible pet owner, I believe it is important to talk about pet safety while traveling. OK, we all know how important it is to wear a seat belt while driving. It is actually the law. It has become an automatic response when we jump into our car to automatically click our self in our seat. Well, what about our pets? They are precious cargo. How come so many people zoom down the roads with their dogs clutching to their seats without restraint. I have seen so many dogs holding on by their paws in the back of trucks without restraints as they squeal around corners. It is so hard to see. What if you have to slam on your brakes. Where is that dog going to go?! Whenever we travel with our pets, we place a harness on them. It's like a four point restraint. You can buy them at any pet store such as Petco, Petsmart, Pet Club. Murphy loves it when I place his harness on because he knows "I am going for a ride". He sits patiently while I place it on his back. Once he jumps in the car, its just a matter of clicking him in. As I drive down the road, I am rest assured that we are all taking pet safety into account.

I have included a couple photos to show you how simple it is to secure your pet in your car. The dogs love the fact that they can stick their nose into the fresh air as we sail down the road. I love the fact that they can safely enjoy the ride without worrying that they could accidentally fall out. The only thing they have to worry about is my driving "Just Kidding"! Take a few extra minutes to ensure your pets will be safe before you take your next outing. Remember - they are precious cargo.

You can find our detailed trips at http://www.BarleysList.org/adventures.php or from the home page select Click Here For Our August Adventure". See you there!

Pet Friendly Businesses- To edit and/or update your information follow the link to that page: http://www.barleyslist.org/ and Select Add/ Edit your business.

If you're looking for pet supplies, pet stores, pet friendly hotels or dog friendly restaurants, specialty veterinarians, animal rescue, pet adoption, pet sitters and pet sitting, pet services, pet friendly services, dog parks and cat friendly bed and breakfast inns, etc- for all types of pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, rabbits, sheep and goat, farm animals, small pets and pocket pets, etc- visit our site. It has all the free pet information and pet links you will ever need for your pet. And is totally free for anyone to use!

BarleysList.org is Where People Go For Pet Info