Category: Extras

Best Feature of Egg Cookers

Post author By KS
Post date January 29, 2023
No Comments on Best Feature of Egg Cookers

Even with higher prices, eggs are a staple in most homes. Considering they can be cooked in various ways, eggs are also used in desserts and sides. But not everyone has time to make a nutritious breakfast via the stove or oven before starting their day. Thus, technology made a way with the egg cooker. Continue reading for basic characteristics of, and the best feature of egg cookers.

Perhaps you’re familiar with egg cookers. Well, up till this past Christmas I’m not sure I ever heard of them. But now I can’t imagine not having one. Why did it take so long for me to learn about egg cookers? And how did I find out about them? Likely I didn’t know about them, because I have a very small kitchen. And any extra appliances added make it that much smaller. In addition, my husband gifted me an egg cooker this past Christmas.

But before moving on to the best feature egg cookers have, I’m going to spend a couple of minutes going over some key information electric egg cookers share.

Aspects of Electric Egg Cookers

Egg cookers have been around for a long time, ca 1920s. Since then, they’ve been through many changes. And there are electric egg cookers that range in capacity from 4 to 14 eggs. Plus, they come in an array of colors. Also, you can choose metal or plastic ones. And they even have BPA-free plastic as well. Additionally, they vary in cost, anywhere from $10 to over $100, depending on the bells and whistles you choose.

Moreover, electric egg cookers are able to cook eggs in at least 3 different styles: hard-boiled, poached, and omelettes. Although, the omelettes are on the small side in my opinion. And some egg cookers even cook vegetables. In addition, egg cookers work by utilizing steam from the water that’s added to the cooker. Further, they beep to let you know when your eggs are done, ~7-15 minutes. Also, some even include automatic shut-off. Though, mine does not.

Since I’ve provided some general info regarding most egg cookers, I’ll briefly continue in more detail about my own: the Greenlife Qwik egg cooker.

My Electric Egg Cooker: GreenLife Qwik Egg Cooker

This nifty little machine, at 6.34″H x 6.30″W x 7.17″D, easily fits in a cupboard or the pantry. Because I don’t have a big kitchen, or a ton of counter space, the size is a plus for me. And it has a 28 inch long cord. Also, my egg cooker is turquoise. However, they come in red and pink as well. Though, pink is currently out of stock.

With this particular brand, we can boil 7 eggs at a time. Or make 2 omelettes or 2 poached eggs. In addition, it has a one switch design: on and off. And a clear lid to see the eggs while they’re cooking. Furthermore, all removable parts are BPA-free and dishwasher safe.

Using the Greenlife Qwik egg cooker is very simple. Plus, it only takes about 10 minutes for the eggs to be done. And I suspect we’re using less electricity using the egg cooker than when we use the stove; it simply doesn’t generate as much heat.

Best Feature of Egg Cookers

One of the things I enjoy about our electric egg cooker is the consistency of the eggs. For example, every time we use the egg cooker in any capacity, the eggs are always perfect. But I suppose that’s because they’re in a controlled environment in a way.

Moreover I like that it’s small, and can be put out of the way. When you have a small kitchen without a lot of counter space, this is essential to extra appliances and gadgets.

Nevertheless, my favorite part about our egg cooker is that our boiled, farm fresh, eggs peel easy every time. Every. Single. Time. Therefore, we don’t have to wait a certain amount of time to cook them. Likewise we don’t have to perform any tricks. Given that egg cookers use steam to cook eggs in the same way that I recommended in a past post, it makes sense. Although, it’s much faster with the electric egg cooker than the stove. Thus, this was a complete game changer for me on work days.

In Summary

Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith

Egg cookers come in an assortment of sizes and colors. And you can find one from almost any price-point. Plus, they have a lot of benefits, which include cooking eggs easier and better. But, if you enjoy hardboiled eggs, the best feature of egg cookers is that boiled, farm fresh, eggs peel easy.

What’s your favorite part about of an egg cooker, provided you have one or have used one?

Thank you for taking the time to read this post! If you enjoyed it, please like it, share it, and please don’t forget to follow!

Tags egg cookers, electric egg cookers, Greenlife Qwik egg cooker, hardboiled eggs, poached eggs

All animals non-fowl

Cats Gain Weight after Spaying

Post author By KS
Post date January 22, 2023
1 Comment on Cats Gain Weight after Spaying

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

About 80% of American household cats are spayed or neutered, which is invaluable for the many health and social benefits. However, most studies have found that cats gain weight after spaying. But it’s possible you didn’t notice many changes if your cat was spayed when she was a kitten, since she was still growing. Though, if you had your cat spayed as an adult, you might have discovered that she’s heavier than she once was.

Even if you have a cat that put on some extra pounds post-spay, nevertheless, with your help, they aren’t destined to become obese. Continue reading for ways to combat the weight gain, and to keep obesity at bay.

Why Cats Gain Weight After being Spayed

Meow Meow is too heavy to lift herself up enough to drink out of the fountain!

I never experienced a cat in heat before Itty. But just to recap feline estrous: female cats are in heat every few days for at least 10 solid months of the year! Plus, their hormones are raging, which includes estrogen being released, on and off, during this 10 month long period.

Thus, when Itty was in heat, she had no time for food. Because she was distracted. And it wasn’t until she was out of heat that she would finally eat food. However, a few days later she would be back into her heat cycle. Until she was spayed. Since she no longer has all those hormones driving her other needs, I have theories about what caused her starvation after surgery, then over-eating, and therefore, weight gain.

Regardless of my theories, multiple studies have revealed that cats gain weight after being spayed because:

they lose estrogen, which decreases metabolic rate
metabolic rate is decreased, thus their energy needs are decreased
plus, spayed cats need about 20-25% less food than intact cats for ideal weight
in addition, appetites can increase because estrogen has been shown to decrease appetite
and finally, some spayed cats are under-exercised and over-fed.

Age Cat is Spayed is a Factor in Weight Gain Post-Spay

Photo by Pranidchakan Boonrom on Pexels.com

This might actually surprise you, but adult cats are more at-risk for gaining weight, resulting in obesity, post-spay than kittens. Although, depending on which site you look at, you might get a totally different answer. But I was suspicious of this myself, after witnessing the effects of hormones during Itty’s estrous cycles. And considering that spaying a cat is similar to a human hysterectomy, it has to be such a shock to their systems.

In any case, this study published in 2017, involved only kittens (15-52 weeks). And the purpose was to determine their total energy needs by inspecting the significance of spaying, age when spayed on intake, and body weight. Given the study only included kittens, half were spayed/neutered early compared to the rest, which was conventional. Or they were spayed/neutered at a later date, when they hit puberty.

The results revealed that the kittens spayed/neutered early, before reaching sexual maturity and their first heat cycle, gradually gained weight through normal growth. Whereas the kittens spayed/neutered after sexual maturity showed sudden increases in feeding, hence gaining weight more quickly, and becoming overweight.

A Word About Hyperphagia and Leptin Resistance

Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith

Hyper-what? Well, up till now I’ve just been referring to Itty’s need for food post-spay starvation. Though, it turns out there’s an actual word for the condition. Also, it appears that other pet parents are unaware of this term as well. Because when I looked up this issue about starving cat post surgery, there were tons of others with the same problem. They just didn’t have a word for it either. However, it is most commonly associated with injury to the hypothalamus.

But there’s also leptin, which is a hormone that helps our bodies maintain normal weight on a long-term basis. While normally leptin increases when food is eaten, signaling the hypothalamus to tell the brain that we and our pets are satisfied, mammals with too much or too little leptin don’t get those signals. Additionally, those with higher levels of leptin, who eat more and gain more weight, indicate leptin resistance. Therefore, from what I’ve read, there’s obviously a connection between spaying/neutering and leptin resistance. For instance, this 2002 article from The Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism says:

One means through which estrogen may affect energy balance is through influencing synthesis of the hormone leptin. Leptin is a hormone produced by adipocytes (10) that is thought to affect energy intake and expenditure (11–13).
Leptin in Postmenopausal Women: Influence of Hormone Therapy, Insulin, and Fat Distribution^*
B. A. Gower, T. R. Nagy, M. I. Goran, A. Smith, E. Kent

Scientists used to think it was just cats eating too much. Or that their owners were too lazy to play with them. However, with more research done on leptin and its function, it makes more sense that something else is going on. For example, all the starving cats post-spay. It’s the classic chicken or egg question: which came first, the eating disorder or the starving cat? Since I’ve experienced this firsthand, and I know how small Itty was prior to spaying, I can tell you how off the charts hungry she has been. She has no idea that she’s full. Thus, once cats hit puberty and are then spayed, hormonally something happens. Or doesn’t happen like it’s supposed to. And so cats eat. And eat, because they don’t know they’re full.

What You can do to Prevent Obesity Post-Spay

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

If your cat was spayed recently, or is going to be, just know that she is going to gain some weight. It’s a given, at least with everything I’ve read. Despite that, to prevent obesity

first, don’t allow your feline friend free choice feeding post-spay.

Instead figure out your cat’s daily caloric needs using this site. And then adjust their food intake by giving your cat several smaller, measured meals throughout the day.

Also, avoid feeding your fur baby table scraps or treats

Most of the time cats seem finicky. Until they get spayed. Next, they appear starving. And then any type of food is fair game to them then. Be strong, my friend. Be strong.

And promote physical activity.

Get some toys and play with your cat. Or even explore your backyard together. But do something that distracts them from wanting to eat all the time.

Before Itty went into her very first heat cycle, she and I would play together all the time. However, once she hit puberty, she was no longer herself due to those crazy hormones. While Itty is now spayed and no longer distracted, she’s up to playing and exploring again.

Lastly, make an appointment with the vet.

If after all of these steps and you’re still fighting the daily hyperphagia, or starvation, then it’s time to see the vet. You can’t do this on your own; you need some help.

In fact, I’m planning on making an appointment for Itty as well. Because I’ve already changed her diet. Though, I’m not sure how much fat content I’m supposed to cut out of her diet, since fat is vital to their diet. And I suspect she has leptin resistance. The good news on that is there is treatment to reverse leptin resistance. But the vet probably needs blood work before starting any treatment.

In Conclusion

Photo by Arzum Kaya on Pexels.com

Most cats gain weight after being spayed due to the loss of estrogen. And the hormone leptin experiences resistance after spay as well, which leads cats to eating more, and thus, gaining more weight. However, there’s things we can do to help our cats from becoming obese: providing smaller meals, encouraging exercise, and talking with the veterinarian.

If you’ve already had your cat spayed for some time, did your cat experience hyperphagia? Also, did she gain weight? And how did you handle the changes?

If you enjoyed this post, please like, share, and please don’t forget to follow!

Tags estrogen and leptin association in cats, leptin resistance, post spay weight gain

Extras personal

Back to Blogging

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I’m semi-finished with my long break from blogging. To recap, I took time off to spend with my 12 year old, and have her tested due to behavior issues. However, I discovered that for girls it’s a lot more difficult to get a diagnosis. Therefore, ultimately, we got nowhere with that; at least where we live.

Nevertheless, I got a lot of work done on my house. Also, Itty was finally spayed, which I’ll write a post on. Moreover, I could probably write a comic based off of Itty’s eating behaviors since being spayed, titled, “My 600 lb cat life.” Though, seriously, it’s no joking matter. I have to monitor her every eating moment. And that’s a lot of work, especially when she gets me up every 2 or 3 hours while I’m supposed to be sleeping, all for food.

Photo by Louis Bauer on Pexels.com

In addition, I had carpal tunnel release surgery on my left hand a couple days before Christmas. For those of you unfamiliar with what that is, it’s surgery to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. I’ve had issues with that on and off since being a dental assistant for over 2 decades. Although, it was so bad my hand would sort of spasm and lock up. I suspect all the work I did on our house, with the sanders and painting, contributed toward my hand and wrist issues.

Even though I took a break to spend time with my daughter, having her tested, and getting nowhere, I’m still returning to blogging. Though, you’ll notice I may not blog as much as before. Furthermore, I downgraded my account, which affected the look of my site, among other things. So I have some messes on my site to clean up, which I’ve already been attending to; others I’ll need WP to help me with. As such, I beg your pardon while I deal with the issues. I hope everyone had great and safe holidays. And I look forward to blogging again!

Tags blogging, return to blogging

Extras

Yummy Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Post author By KS
Post date November 23, 2022
No Comments on Yummy Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Below is a yummy sweet potato pie recipe that I used when I first swapped baking sweet potato pie over pumpkin pie. It was Thanksgiving 2021, a year after one of my neighbor’s brought us some to try. And I knew I just had to make one myself.

So I did, and I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to pumpkin pie again. You might be wondering why. The recipe isn’t easier, unless you use canned yams, which I don’t. But I’m not sure why yet, because we use canned pumpkin when baking pumpkin pie. However, I think right now it’s just a mental thing. Really I prefer this over pumpkin because of the taste. Sweet potato pie is just creamier than pumpkin. And I think it has something to do with the brown butter.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie:

1 pkg of refrigerated piecrusts
1/2 cup of butter
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
4 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes; 1lb equals 1 cup mashed
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c Truvia
4 large eggs, beaten
2 tsp each vanilla ext and lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions for Sweet Potato Pie:

Preheat oven to 350°. Fit each piecrust into a 9-inch pie pan. And prick the bottoms of crusts several times with a fork, line the piecrusts with parchment paper; and fill with either pie weights or dried beans. Bake in preheated oven ~ 15 minutes, or till slightly golden. Then remove weights or beans and parchment, and cool ~ an hour.
After crusts have cooled, preheat oven to 350°. And melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add cinnamon stick and cloves. Cook, stirring periodically, until foam from butter wanes and the butter darkens and smells fragrant. Then remove from heat, and pour through a fine wire strainer over a bowl. Toss out the cinnamon stick and cloves.
Next, beat brown butter, mashed sweet potatoes, condensed milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Then measure out mixture evenly between the 2 piecrusts. And bake on middle rack in preheated oven until the filling is slightly puffed and set, ~ 45 minutes. If the crust gets too dark, loosely cover with aluminum foil. Then cool at least one hour before serving.

As you can see, you would have to cook the sweet potatoes beforehand, which makes this recipe take longer than pumpkin pie. Though, if you wanted, I’m sure you could substitute canned yams for fresh. However, I have no idea how it would compare to this recipe in the taste department. But it would be worth it, I think, to at least try it. Also, if you want to substitute sugar for Truvia, just double it to one cup.

For those who are interested, here is the original recipe from Southern Living. What’s your favorite pie to make and eat for Thanksgiving? Thank you for reading this! Please like and share, and if you don’t do so already, you can follow me now.

Tags brown butter, homemade, sweet potato pie, Thanksgiving recipes

Extras recipes

Recipe for Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Post author By KS
Post date September 17, 2022
No Comments on Recipe for Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

There are many things to add to banana bread: carrots, raisins, peanut butter, or dates. But the first time I made a recipe for banana bread with chocolate chips was around 10 years ago. And I think the first time I tried banana bread with chocolate chips was when working in Dallas. However I prefer the following recipe, which is also made with coconut, and the one I made a decade ago.

Ingredients for Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips:

1/2 c chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips)
1/3 c plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1 stick (1/2 c) of butter
1 large egg
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp each, baking soda and salt
1 tsp each, ground nutmeg and ginger
4 very ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 c coarsely chopped nuts (I used pistachios)
and 1/2 c shredded coconut

Instructions for Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips:

First, preheat the oven to 350°, and grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Next, using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Then add the egg and beat till light and fluffy. Next, beat in the vanilla.
Further, in another bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients and spices together. Then add them alternately with the mashed banana, mixing well after each addition.
Next, mix in the nuts, coconut, and yogurt with chocolate chips. Then pour evenly into the prepared pan.
And bake the bread until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean, ~ 1 hour. Then cool in the pan 30 minutes, and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Finally, serve at room temperature.

Banana bread is great to eat alone, or as an addition to eggs. What do you like to put in your banana bread? Your comments are appreciated.

Tags banana bread, banana bread with chocolate chips, delicious recipes, nutritious

Extras personal

Taking a Break

Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith

For those of you who follow my blog, I’m going to be taking a break. I only have one daughter left at home, who’s going to be 12 next month. And she doesn’t learn the same way my two older daughters did. So next month we’re taking her for testing; it’s been scheduled for almost half a year. But, with everything I’ve read and experienced thus far, she requires more attention from me than they did. And blogging demands a lot of attention, so I can’t in good faith do both.

Bryngyld Ameraucana rooster

However I have really enjoyed it. And I had so many more posts to write. You will be happy to know that Bakugo, our white Pekin, has found another rooster to cast her duck eyes on. And I agree that he’s pretty handsome for a roo. Of course I’m partial to the roosters already, because they’re more flamboyant than the hens.

Furthermore, I still plan to be on WordPress, just not posting to Google for the time being. Therefore, if you follow me on WordPress, I will occasionally still post there.

I really appreciate all of you who follow me and read my posts.

Tags family, personal, taking a break

guineas other fowl

Why have Guinea Fowl

Around 3 years ago we bought 2 guinea keets in addition to 2 barred rock chicks. And at first all 4 were buddies to our preemie chick, Baby Nay. But we ate the male guinea, for reasons I’ll share momentarily. Since then, we’ve expanded our backyard flock to include ducks, and even more chickens. Because this is my first post about guineas, I’ll explain reasons why to have guinea fowl.

Guineas are native to Africa. Even though there are about 6 different types, the one we’ll look at is the helmeted guinea fowl, which has been established most everywhere. Did you know guineas are related to chickens? Although you wouldn’t know it just by looking at them, or by their behavior.

What do Guinea Fowl Look Like

If you’ve never seen any, these birds have a curious appearance. The helmeted guinea fowl have small heads that sport an exotic bony crest on top. And they have featherless faces that can be white, red, or blue skin. Also, their bodies are somewhat large and oval-shaped. Plus, their plumage comes in an array of colors. Further, their beaks are short and curved, but still sizable.

Pros to having Guinea Fowl

The happy couple together.

Below are some advantages to keeping guineas, such as

Insect patrol

Probably the number 1 thing you’ve heard about guineas is their pest control abilities. And I confess that we don’t have a problem with bugs in our yard. However that could also be due to the ducks.

An alarm

Having guineas sometimes feels like you live in a foreign land. And that’s because of the sounds they make. They definitely let you know when something isn’t right, even if it’s just a false alarm. Yet many people believe guineas are good predator control because of their noisiness.

Their independence

You don’t have to do as much for guineas as for chickens when you have guinea fowl. Since, just like chickens, they forage. Though, if not trained, these birds will forage very far afield.

Plus, like ducks, guinea fowl are mostly healthy birds, which means they aren’t as susceptible to illnesses as chickens. But that doesn’t mean they can’t get sick.

They’re romantic

Yes, you read that correctly; guineas can be romantic. Out of all the birds we have (chickens, ducks, and guineas), only guineas will do the impossible for their mate(s). And that is they mate for life. Drakes and roosters have harems which, depending on the species, can be quite large. Hence, they are not monogamous.

Furthermore, some guineas travel many lands till they find their true love. That’s what happened to Leorio 2.0, the male guinea who found himself in our garden of Eden. Seriously, I don’t know where he came from, but he decided to stay. And it wasn’t only due to the bird paradise he saw. He also was enraptured with our lone guinea hen, Kurapika. And once he heard her racket and saw her hideousness, he just had to stay.

Food

You can eat both guinea eggs and guinea meat. However I personally have never tried a solo guinea egg, because my husband said it tasted gamey. So when we have guinea eggs, we scramble them with either chicken or duck eggs.

On the other hand, guinea meat is fantastic! Even though I’ve read others say it tastes like pheasant, (which I’ve never tried) I think guinea meat tastes like actual chicken. Like the chicken you buy in the store.

Cons to Having Guinea Fowl

Digital Art, Courtesy of Sarah Smith

Just as there are benefits to keeping guineas, there are also some disadvantages to them, which include

Noise pollution

Guineas make a lot more noise than a rooster. In the same way that their obnoxious sounds can be a benefit, like for predator alerts, they’re also a con.

Difficulty training

We didn’t have too much trouble training our guineas, (even our original male when we had him) to go in the coop at night. But guineas prefer to sleep out in the open, and up in a tree or similar. That’s what Leorio 2.0 does. Apparently his previous owners gave up on his training, thus he’s with us now.

Bullying

It doesn’t really matter how many guineas you have, they will bully your other backyard birds, especially the younger ones. If you only have one guinea, it will bully the others. But if you have a male, he’ll terrorize the baby birds. And that’s why our first guinea didn’t live very long. Leorio 2.o is currently not making a very good impression on me by bullying all the baby chicks. He makes the tiny ones cry; no telling what he tells them.

Intelligence issues

Guineas aren’t known for being smart. For example, the guineas we have, and the one we no longer have, always go in the front yard, or on our side of the backyard. However they can never remember how to get back on their side. Therefore, they will pace and pace and pace the fence line, all while making their plaintive cries for help.

Terrible mothering

It’s said that guinea hens aren’t good mothers. My guineas haven’t raised their own keets, so I have no experience in this. But just going by their lack of intelligence, I have no doubts.

On the other hand, we’ve had 2 of our broody hens hatch 4 keets. And everyone is doing wonderful. Of course the surrogate parents have no idea there are any children at all.

Best Time to Get Guinea Fowl

The most opportune time to raise guineas is when they’re keets, or babies. And it’s ideal to raise them with some chicks; that way they learn the ropes of staying around home and all about the coop. But once they’re grown that won’t necessarily prevent them from bullying.

So, Why have Guinea Fowl

The boss rooster and top drake are the birds with the most rank. And no one messes with them.

Assuming you live on acreage, guinea fowl would make a good addition to any backyard flock, even with their cons. And if you raise them when they’re babies with chicks, you should have no problem getting them to stay on your property. Additionally, make sure you have older chickens, or ones with rank, that won’t get bullied. None of our ranking birds are harassed by the guineas; it’s just the young ones. And the males seem to be the worst bullies.

Plus, guineas are fun to watch, especially when they’re together. Furthermore, you would have another type of egg to eat. And if you wanted to, you could try guinea meat, which I think is delicious.

Do you know anyone with guineas? Or do you have any? If not, are you more inclined to get any now that you know more about them? Your comments are appreciated.

If you enjoyed this post, please like, share, and please don’t forget to follow!

Tags guinea fowl, keets, pest control, predator alarm

Extras

Signs of Old Age in Chickens

Post author By KS
Post date September 1, 2022
1 Comment on Signs of Old Age in Chickens

After raising chickens for around 7 years, I’ve started to notice some concerning behaviors in my birds. Things like decreased egg production and slower fertility had me wondering about other signs of old age in chickens. But particularly symptoms of old age in my rooster, because he’s special. And I’ll miss him when he’s gone.

Megatron still makes time for his hatchery mate after all these years.

Like some of you, I’ve lost birds to predators, freezing weather, heat stress, and obesity. Shoot, I even lost one to a heart attack. But I’ve never actually lost a chicken to old age. Well, I might’ve. There were the Black Sex-links. Though this is different, because these birds are actually . . . getting old.

How Long can Chickens Actually Live

It’s more of a guesstimate than fact to say how long chickens live. And that’s due more to breed, predators, stress, illness, and any number of factors. But generally most people agree that chickens can live anywhere from 4 to 12 years. Although there was a hen named Matilda who lived to be 16.

This is Sunshine.

Typically the birds on the lower end will be hybrids, but not always. I have one remaining Black Sex-link who’s 6 years old. And I think she’s completely healthy. However, she no longer lays eggs.

Signs of Old Age in Chickens: Appearance

Sometimes the first sign of old age in chickens is their appearance, such as

Sunshine’s feet.

paler combs
dull feathers
dryer, scalier, and thicker legs and feet
and some hens have spurs

Activity, or Lack thereof

Chopper moves around the least, and she eats the most.

As chickens age, (read get older) they move slower, take more breaks, and rest more often. They may even walk stiffly. Also, for senior birds, they may have a more difficult time getting on roosting bars than they once did. Megatron started walking with a limp ever since his major fight with Baby Nay a year or so ago.

Egg Laying Changes in Hens

But for laying hens, they’ll also produce less eggs. And their eggs tend to get bigger each year.

Sex-link chickens have a good run of egg laying for about 3 years. But heritage breeds can lay longer. As in everything, there aren’t consistent numbers as to how long though. However I have some Ameraucana chickens that are also 6 years old. And they still lay eggs, but not everyday.

Changes in Roosters

These juvenile roosters are not Megatron’s progeny.

One of the signs of old age, or aging in roosters is decreased fertility. You all know you have a cockerel full of raging hormones when he’s all over the yard, going from one hen to the next. And he doesn’t settle down until maybe the second year, if you’re lucky. But if you’re not one of the lucky ones, then it could just be the third year that he finally mellows out.

I read an article that said roosters stop crowing and mating by their third year. But the person who wrote the article didn’t have any chickens. So how do they know roosters do this, I’d like to know. My 5 1/2 year old rooster still crows all day long faithfully. And he still mates, even if he has slowed down a bit. His son just happened to be more enthusiastic about mating than he was.

Extra Fat

Chickens love to eat. And they’ll eat just about anything. That’s why it’s important to feed them a proper diet, with the right amount of protein. And only about 2 tbsp of treats per 1/2 cup of feed.

But once hens are on the retirement path, they tend to rest more, as I pointed out. And they forage less. Thus, they’re not getting as much exercise, which means they’re likely to end up overweight from overeating.

Things You Can Do

If, like me, your chickens do more than provide eggs, then there are things you can do to help them as they age. Provide lower roosts or a ladder to help them get on the roosts. Continue to provide the correct feed for their diet to help prevent them getting fat. And since they aren’t getting around as easy as they once did, maintain a predator-proof yard.

To Conclude

Photo by Styves Exantus on Pexels.com

With the proper care, chickens can live into their teens. Although most don’t. (It’s comparable to us living into our 100s.) In reality most chickens live 5 to 10 years, depending upon the breed. What is the oldest chicken you have? Your comments are appreciated.

If you enjoyed this post, please like, share, and please don’t forget to follow!

Tags old age in chickens, old age signs in hens, old age signs in roosters, tips for helping chickens as they age

Extras recipes

Recipe for Vegetable Omelette

Post author By KS
Post date August 28, 2022
2 Comments on Recipe for Vegetable Omelette

Since eggs are some of the healthiest foods available, you can eat them virtually any time. Plus, there are plenty of ways to prepare them, like this recipe for vegetable omelette. It’s stuffed with bell pepper, onions, mushrooms, spinach, and shredded cheese.

Make this for breakfast or brunch. Or instead, like us, have it for dinner.

Ingredients for Vegetable Omelette

3 or 4 eggs per omelette
2 to 3 tbsp butter per omelette
2 tbsp olive oil
1 each, yellow onion and green bell pepper, diced
2 to 3 c baby spinach
4 oz can mushrooms, drained
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 c shredded Mexican blend cheese
and salt and pepper

Instructions for Vegetable Omelette

First, add olive oil in frying pan, and then add the peppers and onions. Top with Italian seasoning.
Next, once vegetables soften add mushrooms and spinach, stirring until spinach wilted.
Then beat eggs in a bowl, and heat another skillet over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and beat some more.
Next, melt some butter in heated pan, thoroughly coating pan. Add a little more butter before pouring beaten eggs into hot pan. And wait until almost cooked through before adding the sautéed vegetables and cheese.
Then, with a spatula, fold over twice; you may have to use two spatulas to do this part. And let it heat through for about a minute before removing to a plate.
Finally, enjoy!

If you couldn’t fold the omelette over twice, no worries. A lot of people just fold it in half. Further, if you wanted to add meat to this recipe, by all means, do so. Recipes are for mixing up and adding your own flair. But if you made this, what did you think? Do you have a favorite omelette recipe? Your comments are appreciated.

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Tags diy, eggs, healthy food, omelette

All animals non-fowl

Benefits of Spaying Your Cat

Post author By KS
Post date August 18, 2022
2 Comments on Benefits of Spaying Your Cat

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Just as there are reasons to spay bunnies and dogs, there are also benefits of spaying your cat. Furthermore, there are more opportune times to have your cat spayed than others. But first, let’s discuss what spaying is.

Spaying is the common word for ovariohysterectomy. And it’s a surgical procedure removing the ovaries and uterus, thereby sterilizing the female cat. Therefore, she won’t be able to produce any offspring. So, unless you are a breeder, it’s recommended to spay your cat for the reasons below.

Also, I’m dividing this into two parts, medical and behavioral benefits. First, we’ll look at the medical benefits to spaying cats. And then go over the behavior advantages.

Medical Benefits of Spaying Your Cat

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Spaying your cat

removes the threat of ovarian and uterine cancers

before her first heat cycle, greatly reduces her risk of getting breast cancer

Mammary tumors are the most common tumors in cats. And ~85% of them are malignant. Also, cats who are not spayed have a higher incidence of mammary cancer.

decreases her risk for urinary tract infections

The risk of UTIs won’t completely go away if your cat is spayed. Although the threat of them is reduced.

and it eliminates the chances of her getting a serious and fatal uterine infection called pyometra

Pyometra is a secondary infection of the cat’s uterus, occurring within weeks of her being in heat.

Behavioral Benefits to Spaying Your Cat

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If you spay your cat

she’ll no longer go into her heat cycle

No more yowling, meowing, or cat calling at all hours of the night. And no more of her trying to get her freak on with any of the other pets.

and she’ll no longer spray urine, if she did that during her heat cycles

Other Benefits of Spaying Your Cat

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No extra mouths to feed or kittens to find homes for

Cats can mate and get pregnant quickly. And shelters are already overcrowded. Thus, by spaying your cat, you don’t have to worry about any of those issues.

Best Time to Spay Your Cat

As you can see, there are a lot of advantages to spaying your cat. But when is the best time to have it done? Most veterinarians agree that spaying your cat before their first heat cycle is the preferred time. And this is primarily to reduce any mammary cancer risks.

In a previous post I explained that cats can have their first heat cycle as young as 4 months old. Therefore, whether you have a cat that’s already had her first heat cycle, or you have a kitten, discuss spaying her with your veterinarian.

Weight Gain After Spaying

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One reason pet parents cite for not wanting to spay their cats is the belief they will get fat. Well, those pet parents aren’t wrong. This co-relation has been studied: sterilized pets, including dogs, were 3 times as likely to be overweight than non-sterile pets.

The reason cats gain weight after being spayed is mainly due to hormonal imbalance. They lose certain hormones that not only control reproduction, but also affect metabolism and food intake. So they might roam less, have less physical activity, and eat more.

What You Can Do

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After your cat is spayed,

talk to your veterinarian about how much food you should feed her, because her caloric intake needs to be adjusted
since she’ll feel hungrier, adjust her feeding schedule by giving her smaller, more frequent, meals throughout the day
don’t give her any table scraps
and play with your cat; wand toys, laser pens and fuzz balls are all great!

We have 2 cats that are spayed, and one that will be by October. Unfortunately none of our cats were spayed before their first heat cycle. But 2 were given to us as adults. And I tried to get Itty in before her subsequent heat cycles. However none of the offices I talked to would spay her unless she was done with her heat cycle completely. So this was the next best thing; waiting till it slowed down. (July didn’t work, because by the time her surgery would come up, each week she’d be back in heat.)

Meow Meow definitely is overweight. But I think it’s due to no activity. Cake is a good weight. And that’s because she’s still active. If you have cats, are they spayed? Did they gain weight after being spayed? Your comments are appreciated.

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Tags best time to spay your cat, reasons to spay your cat, spaying your cat