Cornbread for BirdsOne of the winter favorites for birds (which include chickadees, blue jays, juncos, starlings, cardinals and sparrows, as well as others) is corn bread.
Blue and Brown Eggs, Oh My!After losing all of our chickens last year, we hand raised 5 new girls last spring. They finally started laying eggs and by the time we realized it there was quite a collection hidden around the coop. After washing them up I had to take a moment to appreciate the wide range of colors and speckles on them. I saved many of these and plan to blow them out and save them.
Chicken Eggs for Finch FoodThe best food for finches is not grains. They like hen eggs, removing the yolk and crushing the shell containing albumin. It will eat an egg per a day. Providing an egg daily can lead to some chances for laying an egg per day (maximum 7)
Chicken Cooling StationIt's unusually hot here and our chickens are having a hard time staying cool. I decided to make this cooling station, so they can beat the heat and it provides an extra source of water. They love it and started using it right away. It's super simple too!
Baby Wipes for Cleaning Up After Pet BirdsUnder supervision, I allow my cockatiel to free roam around the house. Once in awhile, there will be droppings and these baby wipes, the unscented kind are useful to use and gets the job done. Baby wipes are affordable: greater the count, less inexpensive.
Silkie Bantam - 7 WeeksWe had a beautiful sunny day this weekend and decided to let our new chicks out for the first time, to enjoy the grass and sunshine.
Black Sex Link - 6 WeeksThis is our Black Sex Link on her first adventure outside this past weekend! They are starting to get pretty stir crazy in their brooder box, but the weather isn't nice enough for them to move quite yet.
Easter Egger - 7 WeeksOur new girls had a wonderful first adventure outside this weekend! We have at least a few more weeks before they can be out for any length of time, since the weather is still usually quite chilly and rainy.
Using Vaseline for Chicks with Pasty ButtIt is not uncommon for chicks to end up with a case of pasty butt. The buildup of poop around their vent can completely block their ability to poop, which can be fatal.
Baby Toys for Parrot JoyParrot toys are very expensive, yet vitally important to the health and happiness of our beloved friends. Parrots are exceptionally intelligent and require a lot of mental stimulation to thrive. They need much more than a good diet, fresh water, clean surroundings, fresh air, and warm sunshine.
Salmonella Concerns with Backyard ChickensMany people have started keeping chickens and other fowl at home. They are a great source of fresh eggs, don't take much special care, and can be quite funny and charming. However, you should be careful when you or your children are handling them. Most chickens naturally carry salmonella.
Weeds for ChickensIf you have chickens, when you get done pulling weeds, toss them in their chicken coop. Chickens are especially fond of dandelions.
Keeping Chickens Warm During WinterOur chickens absolutely love any special little treat we give them. So, on very cold days I'll cook up some oatmeal, enough for our flock of 16. But of course you don't want to add any sugar or butter : )
Apple Cider Vinegar For Chicken WaterApple cider vinegar is loaded with vitamins and minerals. So it's perfect for adding to your chicken's water in moderation. Plus, because of the acidity in it, it helps in preventing algae from growing in your water.
Use Clothespins on Bird CageI use spring-type clothes pins to clip treats to the bars of my bird's cage like millet sprays, snow peas, romaine lettuce and omelet. They make a sturdy, cheap holder, easy to fill and can be positioned anywhere.
Sneaky Chicken EggsAfter our chicken's last broody episode, we thought that she had quit laying eggs. When my husband was moving things around in their coop, he made a funny discovery. She had been laying her eggs in a hidden place behind their hen house.
Egg Color Anomalies Due to Hot WeatherThe summer heat seems to affect everything, even our eggs! A while back it got over 103 degrees F and I had one chicken go into heat stroke because she had decided to start going broody that day. I got an emergency crash course in reviving and stabilizing a chicken in severe heat stroke.
Treating a Chicken With HeatstrokeFirst off, if your chicken is suffering from heat stroke, its comb and waddles will be scarlet red and they will start panting really hard. Often they will fall over or keep sitting down and panting. They will be staggering like they're drunk.
Keeping Chickens Safe in Hot WeatherThe summer heat is upon us, make sure to monitor your chicken coop's temperatures as they can often get as hot as a parked car. If you can, install fans and have windows to keep air circulating. Try to have the chicken's nests in the shade and keep an eye on them.
Put Chicks Under Broody HenA good thing a brooding hen can do for you is raise some new chicks. You can buy some hatchlings, and put them under her in the evening. She will take full responsibility for food, warmth, and safety.
Breaking a Broody ChickenAll pullets or female chickens go broody at one or more points in the year. Most broody hens will start acting a bit odd, seeming a bit lethargic or moody. Their personalities change pretty drastically. Nice birds can turn into vicious, grumpy, snarly, birds and grumpy birds get worse.
Duck PlaypenThis is Willie and Daffy's outdoor playpen. They can spend some time out here under supervision and get some nice sunshine.
Plastic Containers for Storing EggsWith 7 chickens, I end up storing a lot of eggs. I bought clear plastic reusable egg containers to store the eggs from my chickens. They are more expensive than the cardboard ones, but you can wash and sterilize them between uses.
Natural Way to Keep Chickens Out of YardPlant marigolds and spray vingear around the area you don't want your chickens to play, or destroy, LOL.
Hatching Finch EggsThey should hatch at around 14 days. But only when you start counting the time after the last egg is laid and when mom finch starts sitting on them. The countdown of when they will hatch does not commence at laying but at the beginning of incubation.
Chicken Coop CurtainsDo chickens need curtains? Yes! I didn't believe it either until I tried it for myself. I have one floor in my chicken coop so the nest boxes are on ground level essentially. It is a pre-fab so it's how the coop was made.
Using a BriteTap Chicken WatererYou can purchase a BriteTap chicken waterer attachment online. It is made for attaching to an insulated drink cooler (i.e. Igloo) with spigot. You remove the spigot and attach the BriteTap in its place. It is a super easy solution for keeping their water clean.
Vittles Vaults for Storing Chicken FoodWe wanted to store our chicken food and treats outside for easier access. However, without proper storage you will likely attract pests and you run the risk of the food spoiling from moisture.
Winterizing Your Chicken CoopBuy burlap bags from local feed store (about $2 each). Staple them around the coop to cut down on snow and cold drafts coming into the coop.
Ceramic Heat Emitter for Chicken CoopInstead of using a heat lamp in our chicken coop, we use a ceramic heat emitter typically used for reptiles. It doesn't light up so it won't affect the chickens' sleep pattern.
Sports Bottle Chicken WatererSports bottles make great chicken waterers. They are very durable and their large opening makes them easy to clean and fill. The holder for your bicycle makes it easy to mount them in the coop or anywhere you want.
Avian Emergency KitThere is nothing more annoying than having an urgent emergency bird issue and not being ready or being able to find the stuff you need when you have a problem. Having birds is a lot like having a toddler, they hurt themselves, they get sick, and they eat things they shouldn't.
Using Porcelain Eggs in Nesting BoxesOur chickens kept laying their eggs on the bottom of their hen house. It isn't good for the eggs to be laid outside of the nesting box for multiple reasons. They are at risk of getting broken, which can lead to the chickens eating the eggs and they are more likely to get pooped on.
Using Real Eggs in Nesting BoxesIf your chickens are not laying their eggs in the nesting box you can give this trick a try. Take a few of their eggs, mark them with an "x", and place them in the nesting box. Give your chickens a week or two, to see if they will get the hint.
Branch Chicken PerchAfter building a large coop for our chickens, we realized that they needed a place to get off the ground. My husband found a large branch on our property and some scrap 2 x 4s that he used to make them a perch. He chose to remove the bark from the branch but that isn't necessary. They love it!
America's Classic Backyard ChickenThe Rhode Island Red is one of the most popular breeds among backyard hobbyists. Although they can also be raised and eaten for meat, these rust-feathered fowl have earned their popularity mostly due to their prolific egg laying ability, calm temperament, and their ability to adapt to nearly any environment.
Swim Noodles for PerchesI always decorate our rooster Phoenix's pen with swim noodles. Well, I had an extra one so I just laid that one in his pen by the opening to the crawl space where he goes at night.
Birds and Self Cleaning Oven CycleWhen running through a self cleaning cycle, the oven will get abnormally hot. Birds can be very sensitive to the fumes omitted during the self cleaning cycle.
Chicks Week-by-Week (Weeks 1-6)This was our first experience raising chickens from chickens. I honestly felt like a new mom...completely in awe of all the changes they went through in such a short amount of time.
Brooder Box PerchStarting around week 5 we noticed that our girls were trying to roost on anything and everything that was available.
Getting Ready to Raise ChicksRaising chicks is easier than you think and can be very rewarding. Besides being a fun family activity, your family will also benefit from healthier eggs than you will find at the grocery store.
Warning: No String Toys for BirdsI had put on here a long time ago how my parakeet Perry loved to unravel string in his cage for entertainment. He really did love to do this. Just the other night, he became entangled in one of the strings that he often played with.
Parrot Toy IdeasSome of the toys my parrots have enjoyed over the years are:
Finding Inexpensive Bird CagesFinding bird cages at affordable prices can sometimes be difficult. You can save money on bird cages in several ways.
Nylon Strand for Parakeet ToyI was looking through Drsfostersmith website and I saw these wonderful foraging and picking apart toys. Birds love to use their beaks to pick things. It is not just the physical playing, but it makes them think about the toy and feel wild.
Zebra Finch CareIn my opinion, zebra finches are the most enjoyable birds there are! Now that I no longer have a cat, I hope to get some more! They are very easy to take care of. Best of all, the sounds they make are so soothing to listen to.
Cleaning a Bird CageAlways line the cage tray with newspaper, folded to fit. All you have to do then is pull the tray part way out and remove the soiled paper. Replace with clean paper. The job is half done.
Avoid Feeding These Foods To Your Pet BirdIn spite of the rumor that you "should" feed your parrot grit, do not do so. They do not need this, and grit can cause crop impaction, so he'll be unable to digest his food properly. Excess grit in the gut can lead to death.
Cooked Food For Your Birds (Mish Mash)This is a recipe for a warm meal for my birds, who love it, and I love it because it is healthy.
Travel Carrier For BirdsI recently received my Drs. Foster and Smith mail order catalog and was looking into purchasing a travel carrier for my birds.
Bird Toys Using Cuttlebones and Mineral Blocks I got my African gray parrot (Scout) cuttlebones and mineral blocks. She likes to snap cuttlebones into pieces and then ignore them, and she won't even touch the mineral blocks.
Eggshells for Birds and PlantsDon't throw away your egg shells, bake them to sanitize, grind them up, and use to dust crickets or other insects before feeding the insects to your reptiles. You can also put some in your bird's food when they are laying eggs to give them extra calcium.
Lettuce for Chickens in Freezing WeatherWith the snow as deep as it is now and with more to come, heading over and breaking frozen water bowls in the chicken coop in the morning is a cold proposition!
Soak Bird Cage Grates in Kiddie PoolUse a child's swimming pool to soak grates for bird cages. Place the grates into a child's swimming pool to let them soak for 5 or 10 minutes. It makes them so much easier to get the mess off when you are cleaning bird cages. No scrubbing required!
How to Make Chop Mix for Birds (Parrots)This combination of rice and/or beans and vegetables such as kale, carrots, peppers, etc., cost approximately $10-$15 and will feed my African Grey for several months at one meal of fresh food per day.
Get Your Parrot to Try New FoodsAs one should, I try to offer my parrot new foods at least once per week. It doesn't need to be anything elaborate, just healthy. The problem that some parrot owners run into is that their bird won't try new foods.
Homemade Bird ToysMy husband and I have two parrots and I am constantly looking for ideas to make my own bird toys for them. I have come up with several ideas for those of you who have parrots and want to make your own toys. Parrot toys are expensive and end up getting destroyed anyway.
Make a Video of Your ParrotI noticed that Perry, my budgie or parakeet, is very unsociable and likes to be left alone, so I have to find ways to interact with him that don't make him startle.
Pay Attention To Your Bird's Body LanguageFlapping wings: clipped birds hanging onto the side of their cage and flapping their wings is an exercise for your bird and can indicate that he might need a little more activity or wants some of your attention.
Cover Birds To Keep Them QuietIf you have parakeets (budgies) who annoy you or your family with their screeching all day and all night, throw a light cover over their cage. You can buy or make one or you can simply use an old cotton tablecloth.
How to (or Not) Administer Medicine to an Ungrateful BirdThis is just a funny account of having to administer medicine to my Moluccan Cockatoo. I knew when I picked him up at the vet, that I would have to give him his medicine twice daily.
Be Careful What Your Bird Plays WithMy daughter made a lanyard for her phone using beads and chain. Recently, her Masked Indian Ringneck (MIR) parakeet was chewing on her lanyard and managed to get one of the beads off of the chain.
Have Your Vet Clip Wings, Nails and BeaksWhen it comes to clipping wings and trimming nails and beaks on pet birds, my vet recommends that you bring the bird in and let the vet do the dirty deed.
Basic Bird CareI don't see many tips or articles about birds on this website, and thought that it might be helpful to give some general guidelines about basic bird care.
Use Press and Seal for Sticky Bird PaperExpensive sticky side up bird paper can be cheaply imitated by using a sheet of Press and Seal paper that you buy at any grocery store.
Save Grease for SuetI am an avid bird feeder. In the winter I save my grease drippings, mix them with seed and pour them in a paper milk container. Put it in the fridge to harden and once hardened tear off the paper. I save my net onion bags and hang the home made suet in them for the birds.
Tips For Caring For Your ParakeetThe easiest way to clean the cage is to simply pull the slide out tray to the utility sink and use the sprayer and a putty knife to scrape. First I dump seeds into the trash then spray with hot hot water, then I feel secure in knowing it is sanitized.
Acclimatized ParakeetsI was privileged to photograph these little parakeets last week. It was 28 degrees! The owner has acclimatized them and keeps them outdoors year 'round.
Cake for Wild Birds in Winter MonthsMany of us enjoy to feed in the spring and summer birds. Making these cakes is a great way to feed them during the winter months too.
Toss Leftover Bird Seed OutsideFor caged birds, when refilling their food bowls, don't throw the old seed away. Instead take 2 containers of the old seed outside on a mildly windy day and pour the seed from one container to the next.
Large Parrot TipsFor easy cage clean-ups I place newspapers on the tray on the bottom of their cages. For bathing I put warm water in a spritzing bottle and spray them.
Bird PiePut it out in your birdfeeder and see what kind of birds eat it all.
Make Your Own Bird SeedMake your own bird seed by saving the pulp and seeds from squash and other vegetables and spread it thinly on a plate or tray.
Frugal Parrot PerchParrot perches can be quite expensive. They need jungle gyms and toys to play with or else they get bored and begin to exhibit negative behaviors like feather plucking.
Nontoxic Cleaning for Bird CagesFor those who have birds, a nontoxic way to clean is hydrogen peroxide at full strength. It works great!
