Category Archives: Birds

Hummingbirds

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I have a real love of hummingbirds, but am not a fan of feeding them sugar water. Just like us humans, I believe that natural is the better way to go… none of those processed sugary foods!

Hummingbird Eating Nectar

The Hummingbird’s natural diet is made up of nectar and tiny flying bugs. Hummingbirds are not interested in eating dead insects or pests on plants – they prefer their meals alive. Hummingbirds like to eat ants, aphids, fruit flies, gnats, weevils, beetles, mites and mosquitoes, and can eat up to 100 or more mosquitoes per day!! Imagine how many mosquito bites you could avoid if a Hummingbird was visiting your yard or patio. So if we don’t feed them our sugar to attract them, what will they eat?

The answer is actually quite a long list! So below I have listed a few of my favorites that are both favorites of hummingbirds as well as easy to grow and attractive for your garden.

Echinacea

Image Source: BeHealthyandRelax.com

Echinacea plants are one of my favorite plants for hummingbirds. Also, they are quite beautiful in the yard and have many medicinal purposes as discussed on BeHealthyandRelax.com. Both butterflies and hummingbirds find them irresistible, and you’ll love them as cut flowers, too.

Fuschia

Image Source: LehighValleyLive.com

Another extremely intricate and beautiful flower that attracts hummingbirds is the Fuschia. While it can be grown otherwise, you may recognize the Fuschia as a hanging potted plant. It is a great flower to have around if you are a nature photographer, amateur or otherwise as you will find the little hummers really love this plant!

Gladiolus

Image Source: UFSeeds.com

Lastly are the beautiful gladiolus plant. If you are looking for a tall flower that promotes lots of color in your yard to attract butterflies, this is the way to go! Gladiolus are a late summer bulb flower and can be purchased through our image source UFSeeds.com.

Have you ever noticed how most hummingbird feeders are red? There’s a reason for this – it’s the color they can see best. If you have a feeder and it’s not red, I would suggest adding some red tape to it.

Some other flowers that can attract and feed hummingbirds naturally include:

HoneySuckle
Sunflowers
Delphinium
Foxglove
Pride of Madeira
Cardinal Flower
Salvia
Red Hot Poker
Trumpet Flower
Petunias
Bleeding Heart
Yarrow
Zinnia
Butterfly Bush

Personally, I would go for the red flowers, since hummingbirds see that color best. For more details on these flowers, visit the source: CountryLiving

Garbage Can Chicken Tractor

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A chicken tractor is essentially a chicken coop on wheels. It consists of the traditional wooden frame with wire mesh for walls and roof, but unlike other stationary coops, can be dragged across your yard with an attached rope or chain. This allows you to control where your chickens roam and fertilize by dragging their shelter from one location to another throughout the day.

Chicken Tractor

Image Source: blossomsnblunders.blogspot.com

A chicken tractor is a mobile hen house that can be moved around a garden or plot of land in order to allow the hens easy access fresh grass which they will eat and also fertilize the crops or the lawn with their droppings.

Teapot Birdhouse

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Birdhouses are, duh, houses that have been built specifically to attract birds. Birdhouses can range from a simple wooden box with a hole cut in the front, to cozy little condos with air conditioning, heating units and even cable television.

In order for a birdhouse to be effective, it must meet certain criteria to make it appealing to birds. Birdhouses should be made small enough so only one or two nesting pairs of birds can possibly occupy them at any given time. The entrance/exit hole must also be large enough for adult birds but too small for predators.

Birdhouses should also be raised off the ground as much as possible to prevent predators from gaining easy access to their occupants. Birdhouses are typically placed 5–25 feet above the ground on tree limbs or buildings. Birdhouses may also be placed on a pole or other raised location as long as the height meets the safety guidelines for birds and predators. Birdhouses should not be hung from wire as it will sag under the birdhouse’s weight, causing predators to have access to them from below.

Birdhouses can also be painted to help them blend in with their surroundings, which is beneficial for those who need to camouflage their birdhouses among trees and other plants. Birdhouses should never feature nails or screws protruding out of the front entrance hole (which would injure baby birds), nor should they contain external perches (which would allow predators easier access).

This teapot bird house, is so cute! You could probably get everything you need from garage sales 🙂

Teapot Birdthouse

ImageSource: CarolynsHomework.com

Birdhouse Made From A Teapot

To read more about how this cute birdhouse was made, visit RobinsNestingPlace.com

Chicken Breeds – Chick And Egg Identification

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Chicken Breeds

 

When it comes to backyard chickens, there are many different chicken breeds to choose from. However, sometimes it can be difficult to tell which breed your chicken is. This is where chick and egg identification comes in handy!

There are a few things you can look for when trying to identify a chicken breed. First, take a look at the size of the bird. Some chicken breeds are larger than others, so this can be a helpful clue. Second, look at the color of the plumage. Each chicken breed has its own unique color pattern. Finally, pay attention to the shape of the eggs that the chicken lays. Again, each breed lays eggs that are a different shape and size.

If you’re still having trouble identifying your chicken’s breed, don’t worry! There are many resources available to help you out. You can always consult a chicken expert or even look online for more information. Or check on this handy chart.

Now that you know a little bit more about chick and egg identification, you’ll be able to tell which chicken breed you have in no time!

DIY Chicken Feeder Pipe

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How to make 3 different Chicken Feeders with PVC.

I am always looking to find a cheaper way to take care of my chickens. So I built these three different Chicken Feeders with some PVC to show you how to do it too. I used 3″ pvc and fittings. So if you know someone who does plumbing, you might be able to get these materials a little cheaper than at the local hardware store.

If you have ever considered getting chickens, they are a great source of food and entertainment. They can live in small portable coops called chicken tractors which work great in small backyards. They can eat many of the same foods that we eat, but keep it in moderation. It is a good idea to keep them on a pellet diet if they are caged, but even better if you can let them be free range. If you get your chickens when they are chicks, they will grow up knowing you and come running most of the time when you come to feed them. They can provide hours of entertainment because each one has its own personality, just like people.