Month: March 2022

Reasons for Getting a Pet

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Around 23 million American households adopted Pandemic pets since 2020. And 90.5 million US families currently have a pet. That’s ~ 70% of the population. Which must mean we really think pets are special. So, if you don’t have one already, let’s cover some reasons for getting a pet.

Reasons for Getting a Pet: Adults

Mental Health Benefits

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Reduce Stress and Anxiety: Petting an animal is known to release oxytocin, promoting feelings of happiness and love. It also reduces cortisol and increases serotonin. Which then lowers blood pressure and heart rate, which is also calming.
Help for PTSD: One study found that pets relieve anxiety by adding comfort while reducing feelings of loneliness.
Better Cancer Management: Pets can help cancer patients manage their treatment and emotions. Some patients even report that their visits are better with therapy animals.

Physical Health Benefits

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Lower Blood Pressure: The American Heart Association found a connection between owning a dog and lower blood pressure. That’s likely because dog owners who walk their dogs will probably reach the advised level of physical activity than pet owners who don’t walk.
Cardiovascular Health: Similarly, dog owners have a lower risk of death than non-dog owners following a major cardiovascular event, like heart attacks or stroke.
Pain Relief: Our pets can distract us. In some ways that can be bad. But, in a lot of ways, that can be great! Take pain, for instance: Spending time with our pets, playing with them, or just petting them can distract us from chronic pain. Or our pets can get us moving around, not focused on our pain.

Relational Benefits

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Social Catalyst: Pets have been referred to as “social capital.” People are more apt to know their neighbors if they have pets than if they don’t.
Better Marriages: Studies report that couples who have cats or dogs have closer relationships. Additionally, they’re more satisfied in their marriages and respond better to stress than non pet-owners.
Find Love: Some people believe their pets can even help them find romance. Further, some singles choose potential matches based on whether there’s a pet. Or how he or she treats their own pet.

Creativity Benefits

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Improves Work Life: One study revealed that employees that brought their dogs to work were more engaged. Also, they were more dedicated and had more work-based friendships.
Increases Creativity: Maybe you’re familiar with the Amazon Prime movie The Electrical Life of Louis Wain? It’s based on a true story. Mr. Wain was an artist and first started painting cats to cheer up his wife. However, after she died, Wain continued to be inspired by cats. Other artists likewise inspired by their pets were O’keefe, Picasso, Matisse, Andy Warhol, and Norman Rockwell.

Reasons for Getting a Pet: Children

Benefits for ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder

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More Positive Outcomes for ASD: Having a pet could help children diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. Purdue did a study on the effect guinea pigs had with children diagnosed with autism. And animal-assisted activities had positive results for kids with ASD, including smiling. Also, children hospitalized with ASD interacted more with a therapy dog than with toys. Furthermore, they smiled and talked more. And interacting with the therapy dog resulted in looking at peers and adults.
Help Kids With ADHD: Having children diagnosed with ADHD read to their pet could help them focus. A study had 2 groups of children diagnosed with ADHD. One group read to a therapy dog 30 minutes a week for 12 weeks. And the other group read to puppets that looked like dogs. The results of the study showed that the kids who read to the real dogs had better social skills and fewer behavioral issues.

Benefits for Child Development

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Emotional Wellness: Having a pet has been shown to decrease anxiety in children, specifically separation and social anxiety disorders.
More Confidence and Resilience: Children who have pets can talk to them easily, without fear of rejection. And that helps kids gain confidence. Pets listen without criticism or judgment.
Better Self Esteem: Kids with pets report better self esteem than those without pets.
Higher Self Concept Scores: Children who got pets, either in early childhood or adolescence, have a better self concept.
Teach Responsibility and Self Reliance: Having pets creates an opportunity to teach kids to be responsible. Since kids generally love animals, it’s a great way to show them how to take care of something.
Aid in the Learning Process: Pets help kids develop empathy and emotions. In addition, pets help kids succeed at school-related tasks.
Improve Education: 3 to 6 year old children, who had bonds with their pets, were more verbally intelligent than their peers without pets.
Reduce Stress: Having and actually interacting with a pet increases levels of oxytocin while reducing cortisol. Therefore, this benefit happens not only with adults, but with kids too.
Improve Immunity: If pets are introduced at a young age, they lower a child’s risk of future allergies and asthma.

Reasons for Getting a Pet: Older Adults

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Slows Cognitive Decline: A recent study has shown that longterm pet ownership can delay cognitive decline. And that includes dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, bunnies, etc.
Decreased Agitation: Studies show that patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s are more engaged when there are resident pets. And the patients have fewer problem behaviors and increased social interactions. Whether the pet is a robotic dog or real dog, the results are the same. Additionally, in the 1990s, Bill Thomas revolutionized the nursing home industry in upstate New York by bringing in live animals and plants. The results were amazing: the patients helped take care of the plants and animals. Then they started dressing themselves, and infections and prescriptions decreased.
Improved Health: A study in the Netherlands showed that older adults, who had a dog, were more physically active. Also, they had more social engagements. But this was just for dog owners, likely because they walked their dogs. Further, in another study, older pet owners had better overall health than their counterparts, regardless of walking the pet. They had less arthritis, healthier weight, and decreased incidents of congestive heart failure.

Pets are a Big Commitment

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But, before you buy a new puppy for grandma, remember that pets aren’t a miracle cure for everything. Even if we think they are. Therefore, whether you know someone who could benefit from a pet, or you want one, there’s a few things to go over.

Pets Cost Money: They are a lifelong financial commitment. From food, vet care, toys, bedding, boarding, and grooming to anything else that could come up. And if the pet is going to an elderly person on a fixed income, this could be overwhelming.
Time and Attention: Some pets require more time and attention than others. Dogs need to be walked, while rabbits need constant vigilance, so they don’t chew through things. Although there are other pets that require only a minimal amount of attention and care.
Can Hinder Your Social Life: If you have a pet, you can’t go away for a quick weekend, unless you have someone who can watch your pets.
Pets Can Tear Things Up: At times, there will be accidents. Though, pets left alone for long periods of time, especially energetic pets or pets that have abandonment issues, may continue to get into and tear things up.
Pets Need to be Handled Properly: Any pet has the ability of hurting someone if not handled responsibly. So, it’s important that parents take the time to train children how to interact with their pets.
Pets Carry Health Risks: Some people are immunocompromised, so they should always check with their doctor. But the most common health risks are allergies. However there are hypoallergenic pets.

What Next

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If, after considering all of the above, and you still want a pet, then you need to think of what kind you want. Some people don’t know what kind to get. And others don’t know the size or breed. Although there are alternatives to owning a pet. For example, you could foster an animal that you think you would like. That way you could find out if that kind of pet would be a good fit. Or you could volunteer at a shelter. Here’s a great article if you’re already considering a pet.

There are so many benefits to owning a pet: Mental, physical, and social advantages foremost among them. And I know that our pets continually increase oxytocin and serotonin in me. Because I always feel better just by watching them.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Please like, post a comment, share, and please don’t forget to follow!

Tags ADHD and ASD, oxytocin, pros and cons to pets, reasons to get a pet

Extras recipes

Easy Homemade French Toast Recipe

Post author By KS
Post date March 27, 2022
2 Comments on Easy Homemade French Toast Recipe

There are a number of different breads you can choose from when making French toast. I’ve used French bread, Ezekiel bread, and raisin bread. And I’ve even had it prepared with Challah bread. But for an easy homemade French toast recipe, you can just use the loaf you have at home.

Furthermore, you can make French toast in the oven, in a casserole, on a griddle, or in a frying pan. However, for this recipe, I used a griddle. In addition, it’s non-stick, so you don’t have to use cooking spray, butter, or oil. Thus, if you’re wanting to get crisp French toast, use an electric griddle; or invest in one and try it out, without the butter, non-stick spray, or oil.

Ingredients for Easy Homemade French Toast Recipe:

1 Loaf of bread (I used Oroweat 100% wheat bread)
8 eggs
1/4 – 1/2 c of Half n half or heavy whipping cream (I used heavy cream)
1 tsp Vanilla
1/8 tsp Allspice
3/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Salt

Instructions for Easy Homemade French Toast:

In a medium bowl, whisk all of the ingredients, except the bread, together.
Heat a griddle to 350°; after about 15 mins, water droplets on it should sizzle, but not dissolve. So, if that’s what happens, then your griddle is ready. If water dissolves, then turn the temperature down.
Dip slices of bread, one at a time, into the batter; don’t let the bread sit in the batter for long, just make sure both sides have batter, then put dipped slices onto heated griddle.
Cook the battered slices of bread for a couple of minutes; then flip. They should be golden brown. Cook for another couple of minutes before transferring to a plate.

This recipe is ideal if you don’t have sourdough or white bread at home, as it just uses what you have on hand. Since it’s essential that you don’t soak the slices in the batter, that’s the secret to coming up with this quick and easy recipe for French toast.

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Tags breakfast food, easy diy recipes, homemade

Hens raising happy, healthy chickens Roosters

Types of Combs on Chickens

Post author By KS
Post date March 24, 2022
5 Comments on Types of Combs on Chickens

Backyard chickens are both fun and entertaining. But have you ever wondered about their combs? Like, what their purpose is? Well, the chicken comb is the fleshy bit on top of their heads. Additionally, some are big, while others are small. Interestingly enough, there are 9 recognized types of combs on chickens.

And the chicken comb serves a few purposes. For instance, the comb is an outward signal of chicken wellness. Thus, depending on the color, you’ll know the health of your flock. Also, since chickens don’t sweat, their combs and wattles act as a sort of ventilation system. That’s how they get cooled off. So, the bigger the combs, the better the birds fare in summer. Likewise, the smaller they are, the better they do in harsh winters.

The next function of the chicken comb is to help establish the pecking order. Typically birds with bigger combs are more dominant than ones with smaller combs. However, it also depends on the breed. We have one black Sex-link, one Wyandotte-mix, a Cream Legbar, a few Plymouth Rocks, Cuckoo Marans, and the rest are Ameraucanas. One of our Ameraucana hens is the most aggressive hen out of the bunch since the Wyandotte sisters left. But that’s atypical of the Ameraucana breed.

4 juvenile roosters and a pullet make up this group. And you can easily differentiate the roosters from the hen by their tail feathers; but also their combs are darker and more pronounced as well.

Furthermore, the last role of the chicken comb is sexual attraction between roosters and hens. There are sites that claim this is the purpose of roosters’ combs in attracting hens; however, hens do not want to mate. Ever. Therefore, it’s been my experience, in watching roosters with chicks, while they’re maturing, the roos are just waiting for the chicks to develop. Maybe they’re waiting for some indication before mating with those birds. Who knows? The chicks change from this fluffy poofball into this creature that the rooster wants to mate with again and again and again.

Types of Combs on Chickens

Warm Climate Comb Types

Large, flamboyant combs are prominent in chickens that do well in warm temperatures. And there are only 3 types that feature for warm, or hot weather. Although, in freezing temperatures, they are more at-risk to frostbite. So, care should be taken in very cold weather with breeds that have the following kinds of combs.

Our first rooster, Cass, a Cream Legbar.

Single comb: This is generally the comb we picture when we think of chickens. Thus, it’s referred to as the classic comb. It’s bright red, stands upright, and has 5 or 6 points. Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, and Ayam Cemani have the single comb, though the latter sports a black comb.

Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith

Buttercup comb: The buttercup comb looks like a variation of the single comb. However, it looks like a cup-shaped crown with a circle of regular points. Further, there’s only one breed with this unique comb–the Sicilian Buttercup.

Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith

Carnation comb: This comb is another rare comb that mimics the single comb at first. But it has extra points that stick out at right angles at the back of the comb, also giving it the appearance of a crown. In addition, the only 2 breeds with this type of comb are the Penedesenca and Empordanesa.

Types of Combs on Chickens

Cold Climate Comb Types

Smaller combs, that sit lower to the head, usually characterize cold hardy chickens. That’s because these types of combs conserve heat, rather than expelling it. Therefore, if you have any birds with the following types of combs, watch them in hot weather for signs of heat stress.

Pea comb: This comb can be either small or medium in size, and presents as 3 rows of growths or ‘peas’ that extends in length from the beak. Additionally, the pea comb got its name from the little growths that favor peas. Breeds with pea combs are Araucana and Ameraucana, Brahma, Buckeye, and Sumatra.

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Rose comb: Thick and level, the rose comb is layered in small, round growths. And dependent upon the breed, the comb can have a slender point at the back, extending over the back of the head. In addition, some breeds have rose combs that curve upwards, while others have combs that lay horizontal. Rosecomb Bantams, Wyandottes, Hamburgs, and Sebrights are the breeds with this type of comb.

Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith

Strawberry comb: Similar to the Pea comb and peas, this comb derived its name from its likeness to strawberries. Additionally, the texture is rough and bumpy. And on some chickens, the comb just barely folds over their beaks. Breeds with this kind of comb are the Malay and Yokohama.

Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith

V-shaped comb: Due to the thick, obvious, horn-like points reaching left and right from the base of the beak, alternative names for this style include Devil’s Horn, ‘horn comb’, and ‘antler comb’. Crevecoeurs, Houdans, La Flèche, Polish, and Sultans all have the V-shaped comb.

Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith

Walnut comb: Yet another comb that got its name for having a likeness to the item it was named after, this time a walnut. In addition, the comb is usually red, flat, and bumpy. And you can most often see it on Silkie roosters; though the hens have them as well. However, due to their size, it can be more difficult to distinguish the type of comb.

Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith

Cushion comb: This last comb is small, compact, and also sits close to the head. And there are no spikes, points, or serrations on this one. Furthermore, the Chantecler dons this type of comb.

What the Chicken Comb Can Tell You

I already mentioned that, due to the color of your birds’ combs, you can determine the health of your flock. Generally a sexually mature chicken’s comb should be bright red, except for the Ayam Cemani, which is black. Sexually mature means ready to mate for the roos, and ready to lay eggs for the hens. In addition, rooster combs develop faster than hen combs.

The following is a list of things to look out for.

This was Natalie, our last broiler.

Dark red to purplish combs can be a sign of a few different issues, like respiratory or breathing problems, heart issues, or stroke. The last broiler we had, named Natalie, was displaying this kind of comb a few days before she laid her final egg, and ultimately died. She lived to be a year old and was probably every bit of 15 lbs. If you see one of your chickens with this type of comb, consult a vet immediately.

This is our hen, Rex, after she was attacked by a hawk. She stopped laying eggs for a while.

Pale combs most often indicate when hens are going through molt and don’t necessarily mean anything is wrong. However, it’s always a great idea to examine your backyard flock for any kind of sickness, including parasites (internal and external), and dehydration. Both of which can cause pale pink combs. But birds with dehydration will be panting and unresponsive. Therefore, if you have a chicken that’s dehydrated, get it to a cool, dim place; and using a medicine dropper, if the bird is too weak, give it water with electrolytes. On the other hand, if your chickens have parasites, treat them topically with Ivermectin. Click here for further instructions.

This is our hen, Oddball, whose single comb was pecked.

Black spots on the comb could either be caused by fowl pox or pecking. And you can tell the difference mainly be looking at the bird’s feet and wattles, because the birds typically don’t get pecked on the latter body parts. Otherwise they look very similar. There is no treatment for fowl pox, except to keep the affected birds separated. Although, you can get a vaccine for your flock to protect them. That’s what I did after 3 of our chickens came down with it.

Baby Nay’s comb used to be a little bit bigger before he got frostbite on the tip of his comb during the blizzard we had in February 2021.

Black tips on the comb is caused by frostbite. And that part of the comb will most likely fall off. But at first the area will appear off-color. Some people apply petroleum jelly to their birds combs during harsh winters; but the best prevention is deep litter in the coop.

Punnett Squares on Comb Types

You may remember learning about dominant and recessive genes and Punnett squares from when you went to school. Well, I’m not going to give you a lesson in that today. But I am going to tell you that Walnut combs are produced by chickens that breed true for Pea combs that are crossed with chickens that breed true for Rose combs.

Additionally, some backyard chicken enthusiasts report that if you cross a dominant Rose comb with a dominant Pea comb, you can even get a Cushion or a Strawberry comb.

In Conclusion

If you show poultry, there are 9 recognized types of combs on chickens. But if your birds are your hobby, pets, supply you with eggs, or all of the above, and you breed them, you could come up with a unique comb on your birds.

Not to mention, the comb is one of the first places we recognize if something is wrong with our birds. Whether dark red, purple, spotted, or pale, the comb won’t lie. And it’s usually easy to see. We just have to pay attention.

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Tags pea comb, rose comb, single comb, types of chicken combs

All animals non-fowl

Is Pet Insurance Worth it

Post author By KS
Post date March 18, 2022
No Comments on Is Pet Insurance Worth it

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With so many uncertainties still ongoing in the world right now, you may be tempted to pass by this article altogether. And I would understand. I mean, it’s just a pet blog. But our fur babies do offer unconditional love and acceptance. And that is very calming in a stormy, ambivalent time. Furthermore, accidents happen. Like the one a patient told me about regarding his standard Poodle, that tried following him to work. His fur baby ended up getting hit by a car; $50,000 and minus one leg later, he feels like insurance would’ve helped him out. So, let’s examine health insurance for them. Is pet insurance worth it? Does it live up to the hype?

I was surprised to find out that pet insurance first got its start in Sweden over 100 years ago. Additionally, its emphasis was on farm animals and cattle. But before long, in 1924, the first dog in Sweden was insured. Then, in 1982, America’s beloved Lassie was the first dog statewide to receive health insurance, due to her popularity. And as of 2019, 90% of dogs and 50% of cats have health insurance in Sweden.

As pet owners realized the benefits of health insurance, in 2007, NAPHIA, or the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, was established, by reputable and experienced pet health insurance companies and professionals, to create standards for the industry.

In a previous post, I briefly mentioned that many people adopted pets as pandemic companions. However, I didn’t mention an exact number or percentage. But, during the past couple of years, even though ~33% of American pet parents adopted pets, most didn’t get health plans for their fur babies. Therefore, keep reading to find out the pros and cons of getting your pet health coverage.

Pros of Getting Pet Health Insurance:

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premiums are usually less for young pets and cats
deductibles are acceptable
you can choose your vet
easy to compare options
and you can do more for your pet

With so many advances in veterinary medicine, pet parents no longer have to choose between a mountain of debt or letting their animal go. Also, in the past there weren’t as many options to treat animals like there are today. However, those options can be costly. And pet insurance seeks to mitigate those costs. Although, there are disadvantages to pet insurance as well.

Cons of Getting Pet Health Insurance:

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premiums are higher for older pets and dogs
you have to pay the vet up-front before getting reimbursed from the insurance co.
insurance plans don’t cover everything
plans have limits
and you could spend more on your pets with insurance than without it

Most US pet insurance policies are accident and injury, or coverage with added wellness care. And that makes sense when you first get your pet. You might not think your puppy or kitten has a debilitating disease or a genetic problem. So, if you get insurance, you might consider only accident and injury, thinking down the road, something could happen to them. Like the car accident I mentioned earlier. Or what about this other story I heard about a cat eating hair, and it got stuck in its bowels; that ended up costing the pet parent around $1500.

Should You Get Pet Health Insurance

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Although, what happens if your pet doesn’t ever have an accident or illness? Not every pet will have an illness or an accident, so they won’t necessarily need any insurance.

For example, my own history with pets: since being married, we’ve had 3 Shelties, 3 cats (that we still have), and one Aussie. And I’m not counting the chickens. Our first Sheltie, Kirby, died of old age; Roxy was hit by a car and died instantly, and Moses died of old age. So, routine care was all those dogs needed. Now we have 3 cats and an Aussie, and thus far, they too have only needed routine care.

I looked at our options for insurance on just Poppy and Sophie, to get an idea. Since we’ve been providing routine care for our pets anyway, I just looked into accident and illness. Therefore, for both pets, it was somewhere around $40- $50 a month. But that’s just the insurance. Hypothetically, if I got the insurance and had to take one of them to the vet, because they got sick or injured, then I’d have to pay whatever the vet charged me. Then I’d file the claim, and once the deductible was met, eventually get reimbursed based on whatever I chose to get reimbursed back–70-90% of the claim. There’s a maximum, unless I choose lifetime.

So, if your pet doesn’t ever have an accident or illness, that’s great news! However, you’re stuck making those insurance payments, unless you cancel the policy. Or you purchase a wellness policy for your pet instead.

What do Veterinarians Say

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AVMA, or American Veterinary Medical Association, states on its website that it “endorses the concept of pet health insurance to help defray the cost of veterinary medical care….” And then it lists some caveats about viable pet insurance. I include that because when I asked my father-in-law his take on pet insurance, he said to read the fine print. Additionally, if you go to the AVMAs site regarding pet health insurance, they re-iterate time and again, to read the fine print, make sure how they handle pre-existing conditions, etc.

Thus, according to my mother-in-law, who worked many years with my father-in-law in his practice, pet health insurance “is usually used to get pet parents in the door. However, most people don’t follow through with the things the contract covers. And when they have something really wrong with their animal, they find out it’s not covered by the contract.” (Italics, mine; substituted for people.)

Still, 1 out of every 3 pets need emergency veterinary care each year. And even though emergency veterinary care can run between $800 and $1500, less than 56% of Americans can afford an unexpected $1000 bill, of any kind.

Other Things to Consider

Usually no pet insurance plans cover pre-existing conditions. And that includes the accidents and illnesses that I mentioned earlier in this post, not just genetic issues. Therefore, getting a pet plan before they get sick or injured makes more sense than after. However, only you can make that decision. And there are different factors that can affect the cost of a pet insurance policy: where you live, kind of pet, breed, age, percentage you want to be reimbursed, maximum, and of course, if your pet has been sick or injured.

Although, there are alternatives to pet insurance if you can’t afford it, depending on the circumstances. Or if your pet is denied due to hereditary or pre-existing conditions. Some examples are:

Pawp: it has no deductibles, no payments; and it’s more of an emergency plan
Care-credit for pets: not only is there financing for people and health, but also for fur babies
Community health sharing plan: it’s like if insurance and crowdfunding had a baby
Pet care savings account: just what it sounds like, a bank account

Most of us love our pets. They’re like family, and we’d be devastated if something happened to them. But at the same time, we don’t want to lose the farm, metaphorically, if we can’t afford an unforeseen vet bill.

On a side note, I read an article on things veterinarians dislike; whether or not it’s true or false, I don’t know. But the comments were horrible. People saying that if you didn’t have insurance on your pet that you didn’t deserve to have pets, which I don’t agree with. There are so many animals in shelters or on the streets. If a loving family takes in a pet off the street or out of a shelter, feeds it, loves it, and gives it a good home, but doesn’t provide insurance, that family has still done more good for that animal.

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Tags pet insurance, pros and cons of pet insurance

Hens raising happy, healthy chickens Roosters

Best Chickens for Laying Eggs

Post author By KS
Post date March 11, 2022
4 Comments on Best Chickens for Laying Eggs

Photo by Julian Schwarzenbach on Pexels.com

If you’re thinking about starting a backyard flock, you need to answer some questions first. Is the primary purpose in order to get fresh eggs? Most people cite farm fresh eggs as the main reason for raising chickens. However there are also chickens for show. And some eggs are more esthetically pleasing than others. That’s how I’ve based most of my flock. But if, like most people, you want eggs, then it’s important to know the best chickens for laying eggs. Especially if you have limited space.

For the following list I’ve included backyard birds that lay between 200 and 300 eggs annually.

Leghorn

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No “best chickens for eggs” list would be complete without including the Leghorn. And they

come in many varieties, but we mainly associate them with white chickens
are classified as dual purpose
lay medium to large white eggs
can lay ~280-300 eggs annually, beginning at 17-20 weeks old
are nervous and flighty
weigh anywhere from 4-8 lbs
also, if they have pea combs, they do better in cold weather than hot; however if they have single combs, they do better in hot weather rather than cold; (freezing, not just cold)

Black Sex-Link

This is our atheist, Sunshine.

The Black Sex-link is a great bird for any backyard addition. Furthermore, they

are dual purpose birds
are hybrids created by crossing Barred Rock hens with Rhode Island Red roosters or New Hampshire Red roosters
lay large light brown eggs
are hardy in all weather; however roosters will be more vulnerable to frostbite in freezing weather with his comb and wattles
produce ~250 eggs annually, starting at 16-18 weeks old
are docile and have a friendly personality
weigh anywhere from 6 – 9 lbs
and the hens are mostly black with a little bit of brown on their chests and necks; roosters are larger, but appear more like Barred Rocks with hints of red in their feathers

Rhode Island Red

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The Rhode Island Red is another bird that completes any “best chicken” list as well. They

are America’s most popular breed
are the most notable dual purpose bird
lay medium to large light brown eggs
weigh from 6.5 – 8.5 lbs; feathers on hens range from dark red/brown to light rust; roosters are bigger and will have darker plumage
produce 200 – 280 eggs annually, originating from 18 to 22 weeks
can be described by some as bossy; while some roosters can be aggressive
are on The Livestock Conservancy Watch list
and similar to Leghorns, if they have a rose comb, they do better in freezing weather than hot; but if they have a single comb, they fare better in the heat than freezing temperatures

Golden Comet

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Just like Black Sex-links, Golden Comets are hybrids, and they

also are dual purpose
lay large light brown eggs
weigh 4 lbs – 8 lbs
lay 250 -320 eggs yearly, beginning at 16-18 weeks old
have light, medium red brown feathers with some white; while roosters are sometimes totally white, or white with some light to dark red feathers splashed on them
are gentle and friendly birds
have a short lifespan: the cost of high production and maturing quickly cut this breed’s life compared to other breeds
and as with all single comb chickens, this backyard bird fares better in hotter temperatures; therefore, they’re more at risk for frostbite in freezing temps

Australorp

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This bird is very popular in Australia, where it hales from. Also, they

have blue, black, and white varieties, but black Australorp is the most popular color
are another dual purpose chicken
lay large light brown eggs
produce ~300 eggs annually, starting ~5 to 6 months old
are described as friendly and shy birds
are 6.5 – 8.5 lbs; hens and roosters are all black, but obviously, the roos are bigger with more flair
go broody
and due to their single combs, frostbite can be an issue; but they should tolerate summers

Sussex

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This backyard bird is another good layer. Further, they

have speckled, red, and light varieties recognized by American Poultry Association, while light is the most popular; brown is also recognized in England. Some breeders have made 4 additional varieties.
lay medium to large tinted eggs
lay 200 – 250 eggs yearly, from around 20 weeks old
weigh 7 – 9 lbs; both the hen and rooster look similar: white bodies with black wing tips, black tail, and neck feathers have a black lacing around them. Again, roosters are bigger with longer, more flamboyant tails.
are dual purpose birds
are docile, and easy to handle
can go broody
also have a single comb, so care should be taken in freezing weather

Plymouth Rock

This is either Dopey or Sakura.

The last dual purpose bird on the list is the Plymouth Rock, and they

lay light brown medium to large eggs
come in 7 varieties, but the most popular is barred
produce ~ 230 eggs annually, starting around 20 weeks
can go broody
are very calm, friendly and tolerant
weigh 7.5 – 9.5 lbs; and again both barred rock roosters and hens look similar, black and white patterning; however the roosters are bigger, and they appear lighter in color than the hens, more gray and white; and their tail feathers are bigger
also have a single comb, which is prone to frostbite

To Summarize

I’ve listed 7 backyard birds that lay between 200 and 300 eggs annually. In addition, they’re also classified as dual purpose. Therefore, if you’re interested in having your own flock of birds, you know which ones lay the most eggs. And if you have extra roosters, you could logistically use the meat for a casserole or a soup, etc.

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Tags Australorp, Barred Rock hens, best chickens for laying eggs, leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, Sussex

All animals non-fowl

What Animals Can Get Covid

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We’re into our second year, continuing to deal with the ever-changing Covid, and all that entails. Not to mention all of the confusion that still seems to surround this strange virus, including what animals can get Covid.

I recall learning about the first animal in the U.S. that contracted this disease. It was a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in March 2020. And since then, many more animals have gotten infected. Moreover, recently in December 2021, two hippos tested positive for the virus at a Belgian Zoo. Even though their symptoms were reportedly mild, they are thought to be the first of their species to get Covid.

What are Coronaviruses

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Infectious coronaviruses transmit diseases to many species of birds and mammals, which include us. And there are hundreds of them that are spread around, mainly by animals like camels, bats, cats, and pigs. However, human coronaviruses were first observed in the 1960s and are divided into four main sections. Additionally, since 2019 and Covid, seven coronaviruses can now infect people. Thus, coronaviruses are just a big family of viruses that cause sickness and illness. And the symptoms can range from mild, like a cold, to more severe.

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The most common coronavirus(es) that your pet dog or cat could get is CCoV for dogs, and FCoV for cats. And the symptoms primarily involve GI problems. Though, these CV aren’t the same as Covid. But again, they are in the same family. Remember, SARS-CoV-2 was a brand new coronavirus at the end of 2019 and early 2020. It’s still new.

Furthermore, poultry have their own coronaviruses, generally from group 3. Also, the most common CV in fowl is IBV or infectious bronchitis. So, you see that, in just these 3 examples, there are many CV with varying symptoms, some affect the GI, while others affect the respiratory system.

So What Other Animals Can Get Covid

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Now that I’ve covered some basics, let’s discuss the novel coronavirus, that infects both people and animals. To date, the species that have been infected with Covid-19 are:

cats
dogs
tigers
lions
snow leopards
gorillas
otters
a cougar

a ferret
binturong
coati
hippos
fishing cat
hyenas
**mink
**white-tailed deer

The one thing the majority of these animals have in common is they are carnivoran, which isn’t the same as being a carnivore. Carnivoran mammals are placental, mostly consume meat, but are quite diverse. However, this point regarding Covid isn’t conclusive, and it doesn’t necessarily mean anything. It’s just one fact of many, which keeps evolving.

Also, most of these animals don’t get very sick, with some exceptions. Buddy, the first U.S. dog confirmed to have Covid, died in July 2021. And an unnamed cat in Pennsylvania was put down in October 2020 after suffering respiratory distress. Buddy reportedly had lymphoma, and the cat in Pennsylvania was 16 years old.

Can You Transmit Covid to Your Pet

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In case you don’t know, yes, if you or someone in your home has Covid, and gets cuddly with your pet, your pet can get infected. However, it’s not guaranteed. I think the risk of transmission, and definitely illness, is possibly similar to our own risk.

For example, my 19 year old had Covid around the holidays. But we didn’t make her isolate away from us. Although she did have to wear a mask and practice routine hygiene, like hand washing, or use a hand sanitizer if she couldn’t wash her hands. Also, neither our animals nor any of the other humans in my house got sick or infected. And we got tested. However, there’s definitely still a lot we don’t know.

Can Your Pet Transmit Covid to You

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As of this publishing, there have been no pet zoonotic transmissions of Covid. But, with that being said, in 2020, the virus did break out on 2 mink farms in the Netherlands. It ended up spreading to 70 farms, leading to the culling of millions of mink. The mink developed respiratory symptoms and the virus mutated, infecting the workers on the farms.

Further, it’s noteworthy to mention that white-tailed deer have been testing positive for Covid, yet not dying. And still the virus is spreading among deer, leading many to wonder if they are an animal reservoir for the illness. Besides, it is believed that Covid-19 originated in bats. However, as of yet, no one knows the intermediate animal that spread the virus from bats to people.

Thankfully, so far there have been no reports of Covid-19 in poultry. Birds have enough to worry about as it is. Avian flu probably being the biggest.

What to do if You Think Your Pet is Infected with Covid

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Once again, most animals that get infected with the virus don’t get seriously ill. And some might not have any symptoms at all. However, since it’s possible for animals to contract the virus, symptoms they could exhibit are:

fever
coughing
trouble breathing
lack of energy
sneezing

runny nose
eye discharge
vomiting
and/or diarrhea

So, if your pet is ill, and you’re concerned it might be Covid, the CDC advises you to call your veterinarian. And, if you’re infected with the virus, and your pet gets sick, the CDC cautions NOT TO TAKE YOUR PET TO THE VET YOURSELF. However, call your vet to let them know you have the virus; they might offer Telehealth for your pet or other options. Read here for some more guidelines from the CDC regarding Covid and your pet.

Important Reminders Concerning Wildlife

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Even considering the mutation and spread of the virus from mink populations back to humans, the risk remains low for animal to human transmission. Therefore, there’s no need to abandon or mistreat wild animals. But we should be cautious around them all the same. Some other reminders are:

Don’t feed wild animals or touch their droppings.
Maintain a safe distance from wild animals; and keep your pets at a safe distance from them too.
Wash your hands after playing or working outside.
Don’t directly interact with abandoned animals, because parents typically return.
DON’T touch or get close to sick or dead animals.
And if eating game meat, read your state’s wildlife agency guidelines.

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Tags animals and covid, carnivorans, wildlife