Sheep are known for being generally calm and docile, but what should you do when your sheep become aggressive? Adult sheep weigh hundreds of pounds, with some breeds averaging 300 lbs. And, sheep are the strongest livestock per pound of weight. That can make them dangerous if they become aggressive. Why do sheep become aggressive? […]
Aggressive Sheep: Tips and Tricks to Make Your Flock Docile Read More »
A few years ago, I opened up the back of the chicken coop and found feathers everywhere. I immediately thought two of our hens got in a fight overnight and panicked. All the chickens looked okay, but a few chickens were missing feathers. What is molting? Molting is when chickens lose their feathers and replace
Caring for Molting Chickens: Understanding Your Flocks Needs Read More »
Your rabbit seems distressed and is panting frantically. Do you know what to do? If your rabbit is breathing rapidly, it’s essential to know what to look for and recognize rapid breathing in your rabbit. Why is my rabbit breathing fast? A rabbit will breathe very fast when it is hungry, afraid and anxious,
Why is My Rabbit Panting? 14 Reasons For Rapid Breathing Read More »
Some of the most common questions I get are around goat vaccinations. Goats are gaining in popularity, both as pets and for utility. As their population grows, so do some of the risks of transmitting diseases between herds and among people. Do goats need vaccinations? Goats need vaccinations. The number of vaccinations that a goat
Complete Goat Vaccination Guide: Protect Goats From Illness Read More »
Last spring, the weather was crazy. Within a single week, we had rain, followed by a searing heat, followed by icy sleet. The craziness in the weather caused my goats to come down with Pneumonia. Fortunately, we acted swiftly and were able to nip it before it became too severe or life-threatening. Pneumonia is one
My Goats Are Coughing, Sick: Treating Pneumonia in Goats Read More »
This article is the second part of a 2-part series on Horse Hoof Care. To see how to prevent hoof issues, check out Part 1: Guide to Horse Hoof Care: Preventing Hoof Degloving. When you look at a horse’s hoof, you only see the surface of a hoof. The hoof wall or capsule is
Degloved Horse Hoof Injury: Treatment and Cure w/Images Read More »
There is an old saying among many horse people: No hoof, no horse. This is a timeless truth. A horse with bad hooves that are overgrown or badly worn or whose hooves are cracked will inevitably go lame. If the damage is severe enough, such as a serious degloving of the hoof capsule, you
Guide to Horse Hoof Care: Preventing Hoof Degloving Read More »
Before ever deciding to breed your goats, you must make a difficult decision about the horns of their kids: should you disbud them? Most goat owners feel quite strongly one way or the other, so if you ask around, you’ll probably hear both sides of the argument. The disbudding process requires an experienced person to
Should I Disbud or Dehorn My Goats: Pros and Cons of Horns Read More »
For an experienced rider, a hyper horse can be a welcome challenge. An unfocused or skittish one, however, can be a danger to themselves and everyone around them. I’ve had horses bolt, rear, spin, and buck with me while leading a trail. This resulted in scattering my clients’ horses in the process and upsetting the
10 Reasons your Horse is Skittish: Handling Horse Spook Read More »
In the past, I believed that only bad, abused, and neglected horses bit. After all, I have been around horses for many years. I’m no beginner; I have fixed bucking, rearing, and running away behavior. Even shying and the ninja-style kicking of my gelding proved no issue. But, when I ended up with a
Stop Horse Biting: Understanding Why & Preventing It Read More »
