Snakes as Pets- Choosing the Best Snake for Beginners

This is a great article I found on about.com:

Snakes are fascinating, and with regular handling can be quite tame. However, snakes are obviously not the right pets for everyone. They have unique requirements and should only be kept by those with the commitment to understand and meet their needs. If you are new to pet snakes, find out what you should consider before deciding on a pet snake, and what species are the best snakes for beginners.

Choosing a Snake as a Pet - First Things First

• When choosing a snake, you are making a long term commitment - many can be expected to live longer than 20 years.
• You must be willing to feed prey animals to your snake (though frozen, pre-killed prey is the best choice), and you will probably have to devote some freezer space to frozen prey items (i.e. rodents).
• Snakes are very adept escape artists, so make sure you have an escape-proof tank, keeping in mind that http://barleyslist.org
• Snakes are persistent about finding and squeezing through any small gaps.
• Finally, as beautiful as they are, I strongly recommend against anyone keeping large constricting snakes or venomous snakes.

About Choosing Your Snake
Get a captive bred snake from a reputable breeder, if at all possible. Wild caught snakes tend to be more stressed and prone to parasites and disease, and more difficult to tame. For more about the advantages of captive bred reptiles, see Should I Get a Wild Caught or Captive Bred Reptile on About.com.

You will also want to do a cursory exam of your snake to check for any signs of illness: see Choosing a Healthy Reptile for areas and signs to look at on About.com.

It also doesn't hurt to ask for a feeding demonstration, to make sure your new snake is readily taking pre-killed prey and feeding well. Ball pythons are somewhat notorious for having feeding problems, so this is especially a good idea with ball pythons (though if you get a captive breed ball python it seems less likely that feeding problems will crop up).

Recommended Beginner Snakes
These are all reasonably sized, fairly easy to care for, and tend to be quite docile:

• Corn Snakes
• King and Milk Snakes
• Ball Pythons

Snakes to Avoid
Beginners should avoid large constricting snakes, venomous snakes, and snakes with more difficult care requirements, including such snakes as:

• Boa constrictors / red-tailed boas (not as large as some constricting snakes, but still a handful, especially for beginners)
• Burmese pythons
• Tree boas or pythons
• Water snakes
• Green snakes

Snakes Not Recommended as Pets at All Snakes that are potentially very dangerous (to their owners or others around them) are best avoided as pets, including:

• Reticulated pythons
• Anacondas
• Any venomous snakes

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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

Divine Canine

It gives me pleasure to present another story from Lisa Sellman, Top Dog at
Aloha Pet Care & Dog Training. She writes "Here is another one along with a poem":

Lessons from the Universe are always present and finding the stillness within us can allow those lessons to be comprehended. As we all have found, the lessons come quietly but at times the lessons are as loud as a rushing waterfall.

My first lesson from the Universe came to me at the age of 6. My Shetland pony, Trixie was enjoying her oats. I decided to get on her back and enjoy that moment with her. I had no bridle or halter but I easily stepped on the fence and sat on her back as I had done so many times. I can still feel that stillness with Trixie and that sense of love and harmony, if only for a moment, it felt so familiar like I had been at that place before. Then a thought rushed over my mind of her running with me to the end of the pasture and of me screaming for her to stop but she wouldn’t. I could get hurt and I could not stop her. At that moment, she took off at a full gallop. The other horses were at the end of the 60 acre pasture and I felt her little legs running for them. I held on to her mane, crying in fear. We finally reached the horses and I slid off. Why oh why had she done that to me? Although I rode horses until I left for college and still ride horses when given the chance, I have never forgot that fear that I felt that day when my trust and innocence was lost.

While in college and my first 10 years of married life after college, animals especially horses and dogs were not of my realm. I was a business person, utilizing my mind in a capitalist society. My dear husband and I went backpacking and camping every chance we had but our little peaceful home life was not to be disrupted by the chores and mundane demands of animals neither horse nor dog was to be a part of our clan.

At our 10 year anniversary, that utopian world ended when intuition and a desire beyond our control brought Jasmine into our life. A wiry haired mixed breed pup with unknown lineage but eyes that melted my soul consumed our very existence. We both had this need to make sure everything was done right. She was in training and on the best food. I took classes, decided to start an apprentice program under a dog trainer because taking a class once a week was not enough. Jasmine needed her education in being a good dog constantly and I needed the reassurance I was doing everything right. Oh those insecurities were to ruin me. If only she could learn to roll over, why oh why her little tail was tucked all of the time, what is wrong with her?

Then one day I looked at her and she looked at me and we recognized ourselves in each other. My mind was quiet on this day for in the stillness her thoughts became my own. She told me not to try to dominate her and control her every move for she is here to teach me to let go and trust nature again. Trixie had not forsaken me; she had only done my bidding when that vision of her taking me to the end of the pasture as I screamed in terror came in to my mind. Trixie and you were so connected in that time of quiet she could only do as your mind had asked.

A revelation came over me in that stillness, Jasmine was here to teach me as all dogs are and all living creatures and nature itself. I looked at her and her eyes softened and her tail raised from its tucked position. Love poured out from me and Jasmine said to me embrace that love as that is what the Universe wants you to experience. That stillness abounds within us all if we can only listen.

A Poem From The Canine

My dog has issues that need to disappear
She is naughty, defiant and cavalier.

I have taken her to trainers and behaviorists, galore.
She will listen for a day or two but sadly no more.

I am frustrated and my mood is always black.
I am tired and the breeder won’t take her back.

With screams of anger, I yelled at the ceiling,
“Why is my life so hard? I hate this feeling!”

Just then a soft muzzle licked at my hand,
She was the teacher and I listened for her command.

Embody the essence you seek in me
And we shall live in harmony.

When I am afraid be present and strong.
Loose your sense of right and wrong.

As I jump up on you and scratch your arm,
Give love to everyone and wish me no harm.

When I am distracted and hard to reach,
Caress me gently with hands that teach.

I am your dog but I will lead the way.
I will teach you peace without delay.

Breathe and let your troubles disappear,
Resistance may come, but we shall persevere.

All the answers of the universe are near,
All we have to do is choose love and not fear.

I knew my dog was special you see,
For she laid back down and winked at me.

Our future is glorious, for this woman and her canine.
Inner peace and stillness is now mine.

Lisa Sellman, Top Dog
Aloha Pet Care & Dog Training
www.alohapetcare.us ~ website
(763) 503-4797 ~ home or (763) 228-6862 ~ cell
"Delivering the Aloha spirit to Minnesota dog owners one tail wag at a 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

How To Care For Goldfish

Believe it or not, a goldfish could live for 10-25 years or longer if it's given proper care. However, with normal care it should live about 6 years. The Guinness Book of World Records cites a goldfish named Tish that lived 43 years after being won at a fair in England in 1890! Here's how to help your scaly companion survive into the "golden years."

1- Purchase a largest possible tank for your goldfish. While using a 10 liter (L) tank instead of a small bowl will increase longevity, albeit not by much, 40 liters/fish or more is necessary for quality of life. Choose a tank with large surface area to increase amount of oxygen in contact with the surface of the water (i.e., wider is better than taller), or set up a pond for your goldfish.

2- Provide mental and physical stimulation for the fish. Decorate tank with gravel, bridges, plants, etc. However, don't make the substrate too deep as harmful bacteria can build up in there. A thin layer across the bottom of the tank is enough. Also, be sure that any decorations you choose aren't hollow (again, harmful bacteria can grow inside) and that they don't have sharp edges, which can tear your fish's fins. Rearrange the bridges and plants on a monthly basis to offer the goldfish "new" areas to explore. You can also train your fish to stimulate them. If you feed them at the same time every day, they will soon be waiting for you at that time. You can also use a fish net with the netting taken out as a 'hoop' and train your fish to swim through it.

3- Set up the tank prior to the purchase of fish. Getting it ready may take two or more weeks. It is necessary to build up enough good bacteria to break down the fish' wastes. To do this, do a "Fishless Cycle". Once completed, your goldfish aquarium will have more than enough bacteria to break down fish waste. Failure to cycle a tank will result in ammonia poisoning and death.

4-Add a filter. You can use either a large internal or an external filter. An external is usually the best, as goldfish are very messy creatures. When you clean the filter, don't throw the inserts and filter media away as this is where the beneficial bacteria live. Instead,rinse them in dechlorinated water. Without a filter, smaller tanks will foul and become deadly in just a day or two. Keep in mind that having a filter doesn't mean you can avoid cleaning the tank. Even with a filter, change 20% to 30% of the water about once every week.

5- Add some equipment to increase oxygen diffusion into the water. A small air pump and air stone can be sufficient. You can also have the current from a 'waterfall' type filter help agitate the water's surface.

6- Clean the tank at least once every two weeks, but more frequently is preferable due to the large amount of waste goldfish produce. This is essential. How often you do this will depend on the size of your tank, the number of fish, and the effectiveness of the filter. Also, if you have real plants they will help absorb some of the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. So if you have real plants, you don't need to clean as often.

7- *When you add/change water, use a dechlorinator that also removes chloramine and heavy metals as per instructions on the back of the bottle.

8- *Frequently test for ammonia and nitrite (you want both to measure zero). A pH test is also handy to ensure your goldfish's water is not too alkaline or acidic. This can be purchased at any pet store. Do not modify the fish's water, however, unless it is significantly different from neutral. Goldfish can tolerate a wide pH range, and pH modifying chemicals are not a lasting solution without more consistent monitoring than most people will do. A range of pH 6.5-8.25 is fine. Many municipal water supplies buffer their water up to around 7.5, and goldfish will live very happily in this range.

9- *Do not remove the goldfish during a water change. Using a gravel vacuum to suck debris out of the gravel can be done with the fish in the tank. Frequent partial water changes are better than full (and stressful) water changes.

10- *If you do need to catch your fish, consider using a plastic container rather than a net, as the fish can injure its fins and scales while thrashing around. This also increases stress! If a net is the only option, soak it prior to use. Dry nets are much more likely to cause injury than wet ones.

11- Allow the water temperature to change as the seasons change. While goldfish don't like temperatures over 75°F (24°C), they do seem to like seasonal variations where the temperature falls to the high 50s or 60s (15-20°c) in the winter. Fancier goldfish are an exception and cannot easily tolerate temperatures below about 60°F (16°c). Be aware that goldfish will not eat below 50-55°F (10-14°c).

12- Feed the goldfish one to three times daily with food specifically designed for goldfish. If you choose to feed them more often, then reduce the size of the meals so you don't overfeed. Give them only as much as they can eat in a few minutes, and clean any leftovers immediately. If a floating food is used, soak it in water for a few seconds before feeding so that it will sink. This reduces the amount of air the fish swallows while eating, which in turn reduces the risk of buoyancy problems.

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

Horse Trail Manners

Trail manners count. Knowing how to act on a trail will make sure you are a welcome partner on the next trail ride. Here are a few common sense things to keep in mind to make social riding more fun.

1. Don't pass a group at a high speed. I have seen people come galloping past our group and not bother to slow down despite the presence of small children. This is rude and dangerous. If the horses in the group are suprised, they might spook and someone could get hurt.

2. Don't make loud noise on the trail. Most of us that trail ride are looking for quiet time with nature. It is our mental therapy. Be considerate and don't yell unless there is a problem.

3. Don't trash mother nature. You ride on trails to enjoy nature and beautiful surroundings. Don't spoil the view by leaving empty beer cans and other trash on the trail. Leave nothing but your hoofprints.

4. If your horse kicks, wear a red ribbon on its tail. The red ribbon is the traditional signal that a horse is a kicker. My mare normally is fine, but when she is in heat, I need three red ribbons on her.

5. Take care of your horse after the ride. The horses carried you over miles of trails. Don't leave the dear creature standing for extended periods tied to a trailer without water in the hot sun. Treat your horse with the respect and care it deserves.

6. Leave gates as you found them. This is a universal rule in the country. Many trail areas double as cow pastures so always leave the gate as you found them.

7. Slow down going around sharp corners. You've been on trails where the trees block the view around the next corner. Slow down and move to the right side of the trail to avoid running into someone coming around the same bend.

8. Be a good samaritan. If you encounter someone having trouble on the trail, offer to stop and help. Remember, it could be you needing assistance next time.

Trail etiquette isn't hard. It's common sense and the golden rule. Treat others as you want to be treated.

Happy trails to you!

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

Amazing Spinner Dolphins

It gives me pleasure to present this story from Lisa Sellman, Top Dog at Aloha Pet Care & Dog Training. She writes "This is an article I wrote last week for my newsletter for my dog training clients"

After spending 10 days in Hawaii, most of which was immersed in the philosophy of Tellington TTouch, a dog training method I have been studying for the past 2 1/2 years, I was surprised to witness the most profound life lesson just hours before I boarded my plane back to Minnesota.

The dog training class that I assisted in finished on Friday and I relished the idea of having two days to do whatever my heart desired. Since it was prime whale watching season in Hawaii, I had made plans prior to leaving for the Big Island that Sunday afternoon would be spent in this endeavor. The ship that took us out had a Cetologist on board, this is a scientist who studies the
behavior of whales, dolphins and porpoises. I never caught his name but he was facinating. We must have seen over 50 whales that day along with many pods of dolphin. It was just another day for the scientist and the crew of the ship but it was unbelievable for all of the tourists on board.

The most amazing event occurred towards the end of our journey off the Kona coast. We all were handed binoculars as we boarded the ship. The Cetologist was so excited as he talked us through what was happening below the water by his estimation as we watched from a distance through our binoculars. I will never forget it. I will describe it to you as best as I can.

From our distance, we could see an area of about the size of a football field with several hundred spinner dolphins doing vertical jumps one after another. You could see that there was a space about 10 feet between the dolphin jumps. I estimate this because a spinner dolphin, much smaller than a bottlenose, is about 6 feet. One could see that the dolphins were in some ways taking turns leaping. I watched one dolphin jump out of the water over 10 times and then you
would not see that dolphin but another dolphin near that area, would then take it over. When you see a spinner dolphin leaping, it is exhilerating, but to see hundreds in a circular pattern all at the same time, was nothing short of magical.

The Cetologist explained that we were all extremely blessed to be witnessing what we were. We were witnessing a humpback whale giving birth. The spinner dolphins had formed a protective circle around the female humpback whale to give her a feeling of protection so she could focus on the delivery. It may take up to 3 hours for the delivery which we only watched for about 20 minutes and could only see the dolphins jumping from the far distance we were at. Then the ship
left the area and let other whale watching ships know to stay clear of the coordinates as not to disturb the delivery.

It was so fascinating to witness this event but even more amazing to me was the decision of the spinner dolphin to be nurse maids to a 50 foot long, 40 ton mammal. The spinner dolphins will often display this behavior when their own pods are sleeping to offer a look out or protection. Usually just a few of the dolphins would leap in that circumstance but to witness hundreds surrounding a whale offering the same protection, words can not express. For a Humpback whale the only real predator in the Hawaiian waters is humans. There is no whaling ships in Hawaii but still boats are in the waters. The dolphin decided to ease the sense of fear for that mother whale by making a sacred circle for her to deliver in peace knowing that any boat that came near would at least see the dolphin and give the mother whale space. This same event has been witnessed by lucky tourists just walking the streets of Kona looking out at the bay a few
years back.

The spinner dolphin's actions make themselves feel safe while sleeping and they decided to use the same actions to help their much larger cousins in the same way. It is complete brilliance on their part.

I see myself as a TTouch practitioner, a lot like being a spinner dolphin. When I work with a dog and their guardian, I can never fully know what trauma that dog has went through or the difficult dynamics that the family is going through. Having a compassionate heart and a constitution of service taught to me from my South Dakota farm upbringing, I want to help dogs and their families find that safe sacred circle where healing can begin. I want to give them guidance so their dogs can feel safe in new environments or around people or other animals.
I don't have the many years of education to be a veterinary behavioralist or a human psychiatrist, but I do have some things which this program has taught me. I have an intuitive mind that knows dogs need to feel secure, an open heart that wants to help, and two hands ready to make a connection with dogs to assist them to feel secure. Together with some unique bodywork, specialized equipment, a confidence course, and a clear picture in my mind for animals to remember their perfection, TTouch renews my soul every time I work with a dog.

What a blessing it is to be of service to others - a lesson made most clear to me by spinner dolphins sensitive enough to ask the question, how can I be of service?

Lisa Sellman, Top Dog
Aloha Pet Care & Dog Training
www.alohapetcare.us ~ website
(763) 503-4797 ~ home or (763) 228-6862 ~ cell
"Delivering the Aloha spirit to Minnesota dog owners one tail wag at a 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 ordog 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

The Basics of What Chickens Need

Man has the dirtiest mouth of any animal. Getting bitten by a human is far more likely to lead to infection than any other kind of bite. Why? Because we eat more kinds of things than any other animal on earth. So, because there is a greater variety of food for organisms in our mouths, we have more kinds of organisms growing there than any other animal has.

Man has mastered all kinds of situations, and has grown to a very high degree of dietary versatility. Animals are not so "fortunate". They must have very precise types of food, at precise times. Some more than others, of course. Domesticated animals, living with man for the last several millennia, have adapted to man's diet to a far greater extent than wild animals.

Chickens are one of man's closest domesticated friends. They, like dogs, have grown to eat many of the foods of their keepers. But chickens cannot be assumed to just "make it" on any kind of stuff. They will probably "make it" on man's junk food, but they won't be as healthy as they could be, nor will they be much good as egg layers, unless they are fed the basics of what they need. And mold or salt in table scraps and old grains can quickly kill a chicken.

WHAT CHICKENS NEED (It's simple!)
1. Grains (whole, living grains are way better than cracked, and a mixture is way better than pure corn)
2. Greens (grass! weeds! fresh veggie parings from kitchen!)
3. Protein (in summer, they get enough bugs -- but in colder weather they need protein supplementation, including perhaps the following: yellow-jackets from restaurant traps, soybeans -- see below, worms, milk, meat --- but sea fish is the very best)


And WATER, WATER, WATER.

Chickens won't always search far for food or water. Sometimes they won't even go around a see-through fence to get it. And they need lots of water, especially when laying. We put the water dish right by the door of their coop, where they can get it every time they go by. They can die of salt toxicity in a few hours if not given water at all times. They will shun dirty water, so make a point to keep it fresh using the BAMN method (By Any Means Necessary).

If they're Fenceless Free Range, that's about it. But if you keep them penned up most or all of the time, even in a largish yard, you will also need to make sure they get . . .

4. Hard grit (do not confuse this with oyster shell or calcium --- these dissolve in the chicken's digestive system, grit does not --- grit is used in place of "teeth"); quartz-based sand with angular edges (not rounded, as often is found in riverbeds) can be collected wherever you find it.

5. Calcium (crushed oyster shell, other shells, ground or hammered bone) (There's lots of calcium in greens, if they get to forage all day.)

6. Vitamins A (and D if the weather is cloudy for long stretches)

7. Salt (best given separately, free choice; kelp is the very supreme choice for this, if you can get it --- it supplies all the minerals in the world --- see below)

About Protein

Producing a huge lump of protein in the form of an egg every day doesn't leave room for erratic protein consumption. A 5-ounce egg is to a five-pound chicken what a 9-pound egg is to a person weighing 150 pounds (so to speak). To produce this lump of pure protein is thus something like giving birth to a baby, every day! That protein needs to be replaced through the diet!

If you're confining your chickens at all, even in a largish yard, and feeding them only one pre-mixed type of feed, you need to blend in the correct proportion of grains and protein. See the protein section for mixing grains and protein. (Contact our Feed Experts if in question, but not until reading the Protein section.)

If your birds are Fenceless Free Range, you don't need to mix the protein into the feed. Rather, let them have a special protein dish in the morning or afternoon. An ideal one, that will keep them laying all Winter, is soybeans, mixed with a little bit of instant oats, a few nuts, and milk for variety. Or, some fresh fish you have left over. They really love canned ~~ unsalted! ~~ fish, but it's usually too expensive for the usual fare. Unless you have a good source. There are all sorts of ways to make your chickens happy as well as healthy. And happy chickens aim to please; they are not so prone to bad habits. For some real fun, see the "Traditional Recipes" section for how supplementary feeding was done in the Old Days.

Also, we're really interested in getting into worms for protein! Another great, unused protein resource is the plethora of yellow jackets that are caught in traps near restaurants around the world. The attractant in those traps(1) is not a poison, it is just an odor; (2) is not consumed by the yellow jackets, and (3) is highly volatile anyway, meaning that any trace that might be on them will disappear after removing the (dead) yellow jackets from the trap. Chickens will instinctively avoid the dead yellow jackets at first, but their curiosity and good sense will quickly win out, and they'll gobble them up whenever they see you bringing them. Many restaurants will happily give you their yellow jackets. Or, offer to put up a trap for them yourself, at a restaurant that you see has a problem with yellow jackets. (In which case, study the directions for placing the trap thoroughly, to avoid causing a highway of yellow jackets that patrons might cross!)

Here's what we currently give our chickens:

GRAINS

Scratch grain mix, from feed store, containing many kinds of grain ($5/50 lb)
Extra yellow corn (cracked) --- it gives them warmth in the winter, we're told
GRAINS MUST NEVER BE WET AND MOLDY -- CAN KILL!

GREENS

Grass forage
Garden clippings
Kitchen trimmings (thrown in the compost pile near their coop)

PROTEIN (MAINLY SOYBEANS)

Every morning (quantity for 12 chickens): 3/4ths cup of boiled soybeans ~~ (make a batch every week or so: SOAK 2 cups of dried soybeans in three or four times the volume of water overnight; bring to ROLLING BOIL in the same soaking water for 15 minutes; DRAIN; STORE in fridge) mixed with 1 cup of instant oats, some sunflower seeds, milk to moisten, warmed up.

Every other afternoon, same thing, with some fish flakes, bits of scrap fish, or some canned cheap fish.

OYSTER SHELL

Crushed, is kept in their coop, $5 for 50 lbs

MINERALS

Dried kelp fronds (the leafy parts, not the stalks, which are too hard to chop up and don't get eaten) are kept in their coop on a sturdy clip. They can free-choose it, letting them adjust their salt and mineral intake. There are nearly 100 minerals on Earth. Only sea water and sea life has them in the ratios that animals need. All blood of animals contains these minerals, in the same proportions as in sea water! Scientists have barely scratched the surface of understanding all the things that these minerals do in living bodies. For optimum health, it's best to get all of them.

Just gather a mess of kelp off any beach that is more than 50 miles from a city, sling it into a garbage bag and take it home. At home, set it out in the yard, and in a very short while, it will be dry and crisp. Take the flakey parts, and clip them about a foot off the ground where your chickens frequently go --- those document clips with a black "hinge" and two folding silver "arms" work best.

GRIT

Collect angular granite grit from trips to areas that have it. Tiny chicks need tiny grit, so get a variety of sizes. A little lasts a long time. The girls will pick and choose a few choice pieces now and then. Fun to watch them study and try out the different grains of grit.

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 ordog 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

Fresh Chicken Eggs

Nothing compares in beauty or nutrition to the deep golden yolk of a home-grown chicken egg. Diet and lifestyle can determine the quality of a backyard flock's eggs.

Raising chickens for their eggs is a delightful hobby that supplements a family's diet. Understanding the effects of breed, environment and feed on the life of the laying hens can increase chicken longevity, production and egg quality.
Select chicken breeds for their rate of egg-laying and shell color. A top breed with an excellent laying rate for traditional white eggs is the White Leghorn. Blue Andelusians, Anconas and Black Minorcas all produce white eggs at a very good rate. For brown eggs, choose Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, New Hampshires and Black Australorps.
It is not necessary to have a rooster for the hens to lay eggs. A single hen will lay, on average, one to two eggs per day in laying season. This rate fluctuates based on season, age, diet and the amount of available daylight.

Hens need 12 to 14 hours of light to produce eggs. In the winter in the northern climes, the rate of laying declines as the hours of daylight are reduced

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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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