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Poultry

Do Opossums Kill Chickens? Signs, Risks & Solutions

opossum climbing on a fence near a chicken coop raises the question, do opossums kill chickens
Robert Linder/Unsplash

Do opossums kill chickens? While the opossum will indeed kill a chick or chicken if it is hungry and the opportunity presents itself, this marsupial is actually much maligned.

Having an opossum in the area can actually be beneficial, especially if you live in a rural or agricultural zone.

Why Opossums Can Be Helpful Around Your Yard

Opossums help control the mouse and rat population since these are a staple of the opossum diet. They also consume ticks and are reported to reduce tick populations by 90 percent. They also eat slugs and snails, which is a huge benefit to gardeners.

Opossums are also fastidiously clean, they are resistant to snake venom, and they are rarely rabid (although they can carry the disease). If you notice an opossum trundling around your property, it may be best to just let it be … especially if your flock, coop and run are secured.

Do Opossums Kill Chickens? Understanding Opossum Behavior and Habits

Native to South America, the opossum (Didelphis virginiana) established its presence in the United States and Canada during the 1920s. While it’s uncertain how the opossum arrived in North America, records indicate that this cat-sized omnivore was once farmed for both its grey-and-white pelt and its meat.

Although its natural habitat consists of forests and fields, the opossum easily adapts to inhabit agricultural and suburban zones. It is the only marsupial in North America: the females will carry their young in pouches just like kangaroo mothers.

Nocturnal by nature, the opossum emerges at nightfall for nine or so hours of activity before returning to its shelter just before dawn. Its keen eyesight—more than twice as sharp as human vision—allows it to see easily in the dark.

What Opossums Eat and How They Hunt

Opossums are opportunistic animals, which is why you’ll sometimes find them with your chickens. They have adapted to eat anything: fish, frogs, insects, rodents, and reptiles. A skilled scavenger, opossums can survive on carrion and on the biowaste in our garbage bins and compost piles.

Orchards and vegetable gardens provide plenty of food for opossums … as do chickens and their coops. Despite its fearsome appearance—beady eyes, scaly pink tail and a mouth bearing close to 50 razor-sharp teeth—the opossum is a non-confrontational hunter. Opossums prefer to help themselves to eggs, chicks and nesting hens versus chickens that fight back or attack.

Do Opossums Kill Chickens? Signs Your Coop Was Raided

Invasive opossums may be long gone by the time you release your chickens in the morning. Still, look for telltale signs that an opossum raided your henhouse overnight. Empty, discarded eggshells show that an opossum collected your chickens’ eggs for you and ate them on-site.

While missing chicks can be attributed not just to an opossum but also to a variety of predators, a dead chicken with its underbelly or chest torn open and its insides missing or scattered clearly indicates one or more opossums stopped by for dinner.

How Opossums Access Chicken Coops

There’s always a possibility that you may encounter an opossum on your property. If you leave your garage door open, if you keep your trash bin outside, if you have an outdoor pet shelter with a food bowl, chances are an opossum will eventually come by.

Opossums can also find a way into the coop with your chickens simply by climbing your run’s fence.

Opossums are designed to climb. Each of their feet has five toes, including opposable thumbs, giving this animal the ability and agility to grip fence wiring quite securely (its tail is also prehensile). Once an opossum climbs down the other side of your run fence, it can just stroll right on into your coop.

What to Do If You Encounter One

Should you encounter an opossum, be ready for quite a show. Two shows, in fact. A cornered opossum may hiss, growl, bare its teeth and even snap its jaws at you.

A more likely reaction, however, is that it will “play possum.” The animal freezes and lies so still that it appears dead. If left alone, the opossum will recover from this catatonic state in one to four hours.

Just because the animal is playing possum does not mean he’s more easily handled in this state. Contact your local animal control officer or an animal-removal service.

Do Opossums Kill Chickens? How to Protect Your Flock

Unfortunately, there is no fence tall enough to keep an opossum out. This talented climber will nimbly scale the tallest enclosure if it thinks there are easy pickings or there’s a safe shelter inside. To protect your chickens against opossums accessing your coop via your run, you’ll need to put a cover over it.

Some sort of permanent roof or a section of wire fencing that securely attaches to your existing fence should do the trick.

Do not use chicken wire, as this is not meant to keep intruders out but rather keep your flock in. Predators can easily tear through flimsy chicken wire, so avoid using this material at all. An added bonus to covering your run is that you will also deter aerial predators such as hawks and owls.

Other preventative measures include installing a motion-sensor light over your coop’s entrance, adding a rooster to your flock, and setting up live traps baited with fruit and kitchen scraps.

Coexisting With Opossums on Your Property

My husband Jae and I first noticed opossums on our acreage about five years ago, at about the same time we started having to live-trap rats. (Our silly hens—and some unfortunate songbirds—kept setting off the kill traps.) My first thought was “Great! Another pest to deal with!” My second was, do opossums kill chickens?

By the end of the summer, our rodent problem was over. I haven’t seen a single rat or mouse since, although our neighbor regularly informs me that she keeps finding rodent remains in her yard.

I also know for a fact that our birds refuse to eat ticks. Even our guineas, when we had them, refused to eat ticks. But our property has been tick-free ever since the opossums arrived.

So, do opossums kill chickens? Yes, they can be poultry predators, but their good outweighs the bad. We may not be all hugs and kisses, especially after we spent a very frustrating time trying to coax a juvenile opossum out of our Orpington coop. (The little thing kept playing dead on us and the Orpingtons were fussily clucking in the run, wanting to roost for the night.)

We finally scooped the little marsupial up with a garden hoe and sent him on his way, hopefully, to keep eating rodents and insects in a careful coexistence with our poultry … and with us.

This article about do opossums kill chickens was written for Chickens and Hobby Farms magazines. Click here to subscribe.

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Poultry

How to Take Care of Chickens After A Predator Attack

fox holding a dead chicken knowing how to take care of chickens after a predator attack is important
Adobe Stock/Tatiana

How to take care of chickens after a predator attack is necessary for both your flock’s and your own safety. Unfortunately, predator attacks can happen at any time, so it’s vital to learn how to protect chickens from predators and keep yourself protected, too. 

How Do I Know if My Flock Has Been Attacked?

While chickens are prone to feather picking and can draw blood, it is usually fairly obvious if a predator or their flock mates have attacked the injured chicken.

Victims of a predatory attack will usually have deeper wounds, and depending on the prey, visible bite marks. You may also notice that the entire flock seems to be traumatized and dazed. Another clear indication of a predator attack is when more than one chicken has been injured.

Bear in mind that many chickens who have been attacked by predators will not survive the attack. These chickens may have their entrails eaten out, heads removed, wings and legs broken or eaten off, and remains scattered about.

Moving the Flock to Safety

How to take care of chickens after a predator attack should start with moving everyone to safety. Confine uninjured chickens to the coop if possible.

If the coop or run is where the attack happened, load the chickens into a large dog crate and move them temporarily to your basement. Make necessary repairs to prevent further attacks before moving the remaining flock members back to the coop.

5 Tips for How to Take Care of Chickens After An Attack

Knowing how to take care of chickens during or after a predator attack can literally be the difference between life and death. Caring for the victim isn’t a once-and-done job, nor is it a one-step process. While each case is different, here are five tips that are helpful no matter what predators you have encountered.

1. Gloves on!

How to take care of chickens during a predator attack begins with taking necessary precautions to protect yourself. If your flock has been attacked by a predator, the first step is to don a pair of heavy work gloves. Gloves should be worn to handle both injured and deceased chickens at all times.

Wearing gloves will protect you from becoming exposed to certain diseases, such as rabies and leptospirosis. Many predators, including the mouths of domestic dogs, contain harmful bacteria, so wearing gloves is the best way to ensure you don’t get sick.

2. Isolate the Victims

One of the first steps of how to take care of chickens after an attack is isolation. Isolating the victim(s) is essential to prevent the healthy flock members from bullying or turning cannibalistic toward them.

While it’s tempting to leave the injured flock member with their chicken friends, this is not the best option for your flock.

Set up a makeshift chicken hospital in your basement, spare bedroom or bath, or even a corner of the living room where she will be safe, and you can keep a close eye on her.

Important Note: If you have other pets in the house, be sure to confine them or the chicken in a separate room to avoid stressing the chicken and prevent accidental injuries.

3. Clean the Wounds

Wash any visible wounds with lukewarm (not hot) water and a mild soap. Next, clean the wounds with peroxide. Let the peroxide sit on the injured area for several minutes before thoroughly rinsing with clean water. The peroxide will burn, so having an extra set of hands to help restrain the chicken can be helpful. Wear disposable gloves/medical gloves at all times when cleaning the wounds and restraining the chicken.

4. Call the Vet

How to care for chickens after a predator attack should include a visit to the vet. Finding a vet who treats chickens can be tricky, but vet care is a must for the chicken to recover.

A vet will prescribe strong antibiotics, clean the wound with disinfectants, stop the bleeding, take radiographs to ensure there are no internal injuries, splint broken legs and wings, and perform a humane euthanasia if the chicken’s injuries are beyond repair.

5. Clean up the Mess

How to take care of chickens comes with some disturbing jobs. None is worse than cleaning up your beloved flock’s remains. While it may not be fun, all remains, feather clumps, and blood need to be cleaned up and properly disposed of to help prevent future attacks. Remains should be buried two feet underground or sent to a pet cemetery for cremation.

Never dump remains on your or someone else’s property, as this practice may be against the law in some areas, and the remains will attract unwanted predators to your flock.

3 Things Not to Do After A Predator Attack

How to take care of chickens after a predator attack includes knowing what not to do. Be sure to check out this list to avoid making these deadly mistakes.

1. Refusing Medical Attention

While the high costs of vet bills and the inconvenience of having to travel far distances may not sound appealing, refusing medical attention for your chicken(s) is an unacceptable practice.

2. How to Take Care of Chickens So They Don’t Suffer

Sometimes the surviving victims’ injuries are life-threatening and the chance of recovery is slim. In these circumstances, the best option is to humanely cull or euthanize the victim(s).

This may not be an easy decision, especially if the chicken is a beloved family pet, but it may be in the best interest of the bird. Under no circumstances is it okay to let your chicken(s) suffer needlessly, so even if it’s hard, letting them go may be the best decision.

3. Repeating the Offense

Knowing how to take care of chickens includes learning from your mistakes. There is no better place to put this to action than the aftermath of a predator attack.

How, when, and where the chickens were attacked will best help you avoid making the same mistake again. Here’s a list of questions to ask yourself.

  • Were the chickens free-ranging at the time of the attack?
  • Did the predator attack inside the coop or run?
  • Were the chickens let outdoors overnight to roost?

If the chickens were free-ranging, confine them to a run or chicken tractor in the future to prevent future attacks. Continuing to allow your flock to free-range is guaranteed to invite further attacks, so be sure to keep everyone confined and safe. Unfortunately, this means forever, as the predator will be back to attack if you let your guard down.

If the predator gained access to the coop or run, thoroughly check the enclosures for weak spots the predator entered through and fix accordingly. Make sure to use the proper chicken fencing so it’s up to the task.

Last, but not least, if the attack happened when chickens were left outdoors overnight, lock them into a secure coop before dusk. If your chickens aren’t used to going into the coop, entice them to walk in with a trail of scratch or other treats.

Removing Predators from a Backyard Chicken Flock

Sometimes, predators will refuse to leave the crime scene. This doesn’t usually happen, but if you find yourself in this situation, here’s what to do.

  1. Do not approach the predator. Instead, try making loud noises to scare the predator. i.e., shouting, banging two metal trash can lids together, etc.

  2. Call the local Game Commission and report your problem.

  3. Provide an escape for the predator. (This works for weasels and other mustelids who have consumed too much food and can no longer squeeze through the hole from which they entered.) Removing all living chickens from the coop and leaving the coop door wide open will usually convince these predators to leave.

How to Take Care of Chickens After a Predator Attack: Treating Traumatized Birds

Predator attack survivors (both chickens that have been attacked and those who have only witnessed the attack) are usually traumatized. Sadly, some chickens never recover from the trauma and go on to live their lives in fear.

Providing your flock with mental enrichment, such as treat balls, chicken xylophones, and swings, and spending time with them may help your flock recover from their trauma.

As always, prevention is key, so be extra vigilant to prevent future attacks. Nothing traumatizes surviving victims more than a repeated offense.

How to Take Care of Chickens After a Predator Attack: Final Thoughts

Knowing how to take care of chickens after a predator attack is necessary to protect you and your flock. And will help you know how to give the victim(s) their best surviving chance.

This article about how to take care of chickens after a predator attack was written for Hobby Farms and Chickens magazines. Click here to subscribe.

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Poultry

Healthy Treats for Chickens: Fall Favorites For Your Flock

healthy chicken treats in the fall include the squash this chicken is eating
Abobe Stock/Zach

Healthy treats for chickens give flock owners the chance to bond with their flock while adding essential nutrients to boost overall health. In the fall, offering seasonal favorites can support your flock’s immune system and overall well-being. Keep reading to learn which healthy fall treats for chickens your flock will love.

Pumpkins: A Fall Favorite Healthy Treat for Chickens

Pumpkins are a classic fall vegetable and one of the most healthy treats for chickens, packed with nutrients that support immune health and digestion. Members of the squash family, pumpkin seeds are believed to be a natural dewormer because they contain a compound called cucurbitacin. This compound is believed to help rid livestock and poultry of tapeworms. While pumpkin seeds work well as a preventive against tapeworms, if your flock has internal parasites, a vet-prescribed dewormer should be used instead of natural dewormers.

Pumpkins for chickens are also a great source of beta-carotene. Once ingested, the beta-carotene is then converted to vitamin A. The chicken’s body will then use the vitamin A to boost the immune system and prevent respiratory diseases.

Pumpkin seeds also contain high levels of vitamin E, which helps to prevent common chicken health conditions such as coccidosis and E. coli.

Winter Squashes: Nutritious Fall Treats for Your Flock

Winter squashes, including butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash, are seasonal favorites that make excellent healthy fall treats for chickens. The winter squash family includes butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and acorn squash. These delightful squashes may not be as popular a choice in a good treats for chickens list, but they are equally as healthy for your flock.

Spaghetti Squash: A Safe and Healthy Fall Treat

Spaghetti squash is a gentle, nutrient-rich option that can be cooked and fed in small pieces, making it a healthy treat for chickens during the fall. While it can be fed to chickens raw, cooking it until tender and cutting it into small, manageable pieces is the best way to prevent choking or a crop impaction due to a chicken swallowing a large piece and getting it lodged in the crop.

Spaghetti squash is an excellent source of vitamin C needed to support a healthy immune system and is a good source of fiber.

Butternut Squash: Vitamin-Rich Treats for Chickens

Butternut squash is high in vitamins A and C and provides essential minerals, making it one of the best healthy treats for chickens this season. This beneficial squash is high in vitamins A and C and is also a good source of potassium. Potassium helps a chicken’s body function correctly, helping to ensure the heart, organs, and muscular system are running smoothly.

Feed cooked butternut squash in small pieces to prevent choking.

Acorn Squash: Hydrating Fall Treats for Your Flock

With its high water content, acorn squash helps keep chickens hydrated while providing a seasonal, healthy treat for chickens in the fall. The high water contents help chickens stay hydrated, especially in warmer climates where fall temperatures are still quite warm. While staying hydrated is important at any age, it is especially critical to ensure laying hens stay well-hydrated to ensure good egg production.

As with all squashes, cook acorn squash before feeding to your flock.

Fennel: An Enriching and Healthy Fall Treat for Chickens

Fennel bulbs and fronds offer both nutritional benefits and entertainment, making this aromatic plant a perfect healthy treat for chickens during fall. All parts of the plant are edible, including the bulb. In the fall, if you’ve been growing fennel, dig up the bulb and watch your flock go to work pecking at the bulb.

Fennel is considered to be antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and anticancer. Fennel is also an excellent choice to feed to molting hens.

Apples: Sweet and Healthy Fall Treats

Apples are a favorite fall fruit for both people and poultry, and feeding them in small, seedless pieces provides a safe, healthy treat for chickens. This delicious fruit contains prebiotics and phytochemicals that help support a healthy gut and intestinal tract. Apples are high in protein and are a healthy treat for molting hens (especially when mixed with unsalted, sugar-free peanut butter).

When you’re harvesting apples, hang some in the run for chickens to peck at or cut them into small pieces and sprinkle them on the ground. Or you can mix cut apples with peanut butter and feed them in treat block hangers. Do not feed apple stems, cores, seeds, or leaves to chickens, as these are toxic.

French Marigolds: Edible Flowers That Boost Health

French marigold blossoms are edible, antiviral, and antioxidant-rich, offering a colorful and healthy fall treat for chickens. Not only does eating French Marigolds make for vibrant yellow-orange egg yolks, but they are also considered to be antiviral, antifungal, and an immune booster.

Another benefit to French Marigolds is that they are a natural insect and snake repellent. Planting them around the perimeter of the coop and run is believed to help ward off insects and snakes.

Feed only the French variety of marigolds (only the blossoms are edible) to your flock.

Fresh Greens: Nutrient-Packed Treats for Fall

Seasonal greens like kale, arugula, and dandelion leaves are packed with vitamins and minerals, making them top healthy treats for chickens in autumn. Arugula, kale, dandelion greens, herbs, and leaf lettuce are all packed with nutrients and essential vitamins and minerals to help your flock thrive.

In warmer climates where fall temperatures are still warm, these greens offer an excellent way to help chickens stay hydrated. Fall greens are packed full of calcium, folate, potassium, vitamins A, C, and K, and zinc, supporting a healthy immune system.

Broccoli: Superfood Treats for Healthy Chickens

Broccoli is a nutrient-dense superfood that supports immune function and overall health, making it one of the most beneficial healthy treats for chickens this fall. Broccoli is antimicrobial and antibacterial, and contains lots of antioxidants.

This healthy vegetable contains many vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc. Feeding chickens broccoli is also believed to ward off winter illnesses in the flock.

While this list highlights some of the best healthy treats for chickens this fall, there are many seasonal and year-round options to keep your flock thriving. Feeding your chickens nutritious treats not only supports their health and immune system but also provides fun enrichment for your flock.

This article about treats for chickens in the fall was written for Hobby Farms and Chickens magazines. Click here to subscribe.

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Equipment Sponsored

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Large Animals

Wether Goat Guide: From Pack Animals to Perfect Pets

a wether goat with his head through the fence seeking attention
Adobe Stock/radek

A wether goat is a castrated male goat that can serve many purposes, from farm work to companionship. Even though they don’t produce milk or raise kids, wether goats are highly valued for their calm personalities and usefulness.

What is a Wether Goat?

A weather goat is a castrated male goat. The male goat can be castrated as an adult, but it is easier for everyone involved if the procedure is done between the ages of eight and twelve weeks; however, it can be done as early as six weeks of age.

But why are wether goats so popular? There are many reasons for their popularity, so keep reading to learn more.

No Accidental Breeding With a Wether Goat

Intact male and female goats both have a lot to offer goat owners, but if you aren’t looking to raise kids (baby goats) to sell or produce your own milk, you may not want to own an intact male goat (also known as a buck).

Individuals looking to raise both male and female goats for companionship have found that wethers are the perfect choice, especially when it comes to goat care. Wether goats give owners the ability to raise males and females alongside each other without the worries of accidental pregnancies or the aggression of an intact buck during breeding season.

Wether Goats as Pack and Draft Animals

A wether goat is the draft horse of the goat world and makes an ideal choice for those looking for work goats. These boys are hardworking and can be trained as both a pack goat and a draft goat, and can even be trained to pull a cultivator through a garden. So why does a wether make a better work goat than intact males and females?

Wethers grow larger and stronger than female goats (often referred to as a doe), allowing them to pull more weight and carry heavier packs without hurting themselves. Wethers also have a calmer personality than both intact male and female goats. So there is no need to worry about an intact buck turning on you while hiking through the wilderness with your pack goats.

Another plus to using a wether goat for working is that there is no need to worry about udder injuries caused by branches, twigs, or even dried grass cutting or tearing the udder. Also, the wethers will be able to work year-round, not needing to take a break to give birth to kids like a doe would.

Note: A draft or pack wether can be any breed or even a mixed breed, as breed choice doesn’t matter to get these jobs done successfully.

Raising a Wether Goat for Meat

If you are a small-scale farmer looking to raise some meat goats, wethers just might be the right choice for you. And if you have never raised goats for meat before, wethers are a good beginner goat.

Wethers grow larger and gain weight faster than intact males and are less aggressive, making them easy to handle and work with, which makes them a good choice for small-scale farmers with children.

The meat of a wether goat has a mild flavor, and many people prefer the taste of a wether goat to that of an intact buck. Raising wethers for meat may not only mean easier to work with goats, but it can also help you gain repeat meat customers.

Rescuing or Adopting a Wether Goat

Just like many other species of livestock, female goats are often preferred over males (intact or castrated) because they can raise young. Sadly, this means that many male goats find themselves without a home and no one to take care of them.

Did you know? Many shelters often have wether goats for adoption due to the shortage of homes for these boys. Whether or not you rescue a wether goat from a rescue, off the side of the road, or purchase some castrated goats from a breeder, you can do your part to help and prevent the homeless wether populations.

Wether Goats as Pets and Companions

A wether goat is hands down the perfect choice for those wanting a calm and friendly goat breed for a pet or companion animal.

When handled from a young age, these delightful goats bond closely to their whole family and love to interact with their humans. Some wethers will even follow their owners around the yard without a leash.

A wether goat is highly trainable and can be trained to walk on a leash, do tricks, and even be taught agility. These goats have a loveable and affectionate personality and are ideal for families with children or if your human kids want to raise some goats of their own.

Another reason wethers make such excellent pets is that they don’t go into season and become hormonal like a doe, nor do they possess an odor like intact males during the breeding season. This makes them a more enjoyable pet all year round.

A wether goat should never display an aggressive personality like intact males. However, like all goats, they can be mischievous and can try to butt or nibble on their owner’s clothes. These behaviors should be discouraged at all times to ensure the safety and well-being of the entire family, including the goats.

A wether goat is the perfect option for those who are not looking to breed their herd. With their friendly, calm personalities and willingness to work alongside their handlers, wethers make remarkable work companions and pets.

This article about wether goats was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Beekeeping

Fall Beekeeping Tasks: 4 Steps To Prep Hives for Winter

beehives after fall beekeeping tasks have been completed for the year
Adobe Stock/Teri

Fall beekeeping tasks are critical for helping your honeybees survive the cold months ahead. Autumn is a time for change, when the natural world shifts gears seemingly overnight and begins preparing for harsher days. For your colony, the changes you make in the fall can mean the difference between life and death come winter. Throughout the summer, bees have worked tirelessly to build stores of honey and pollen. If they’re strong, they’ve done their part. Now, your role in autumn gives them the leg up they need to thrive until spring.

1. Final Fall Beekeeping Task: Hive Inspection

Just before the weather turns, seemingly for good, is the time for a final inspection. The date for this varies widely based on your region, but a good rule of thumb is that your final window to inspect is right before days are consistently below 55°F.

This is the time to lay your eyes on the queen and replace her if necessary. It’s also the time to assess the colony’s honey stores and make sure they have an adequate amount for the coming winter—roughly 40 to 60 pounds, depending on how long and harsh winters are in your area. If they don’t, see No. 2 below.

Also, as part of your fall beekeeping tasks, assess if the colony is strong: Are there mites? Wax moths? Hive beetles? Do they need to be treated, and if so, how and how aggressively? Conventional mite treatments are often applied in the fall.

If the colony seems strong but small, you may opt to combine it with another, larger colony. This means you’ll need to sacrifice one of the queens, but beekeepers would often rather lose one queen than entire colony. You can always re-split again come spring.

2. Fall Beekeeping Task: Feeding Bees if Necesary

Feeding can be a touchy subject in the beekeeping community. The general consensus seems to be that since we choose to keep our bees in boxes of our creation and a bit domesticated, as it were, it’s our duty to feed them if they need it. Traditionally, beekeepers feed a 1:1 sugar-water syrup to bees, who then convert the sugar to honey—though this wouldn’t ever be “honey” you’d want to harvest. In the fall, because they need to put it away quickly, that ratio jumps up to 2:1. With all that said, real honey (made by bees gathering nectar) is the best, healthiest food for bees. I always keep a bit of honey on hand if my bees need feeding: either a few capped frames in the deep freezer or a few jars of honey harvested from the year before. True honey has nutrients that sugar syrup simply does not. If you can, feed them the good stuff.

3. Fall Task: Securing and Wrapping Hives

Winter winds can be strong, and strapping hives helps to keep all the supers together in the event the hive tips over. I also find strapping hives to be very helpful if you have roaming bears where you live. A strap may be enough to deter a young, small bear to move on, though larger bears may take a more persistent approach.

Wrapping hives for winter protection is another controversial topic. The idea is that wrapping a hive keeps the colony warmer in cold weather. However, some beekeepers feel that a tightly wrapped hive holds more moisture inside the boxes, creating more opportunities for cold, wet bees—a combination that is most certainly deadly. Because the severity of winter weather varies so much in North America, I’d recommend speaking to your local county extension service and getting in touch with beekeepers in your area to broach the subject with those who may have tried it already.

4. Fall Beekeeping Task: Mouse Guard Installation

It’s such a simple thing, and yet if missed when completing fall beekeeping tasks, a single mouse seeking warm refuge from the coming winter can wreak havoc on a slumbering hive of bees. A mouse guard is a metal strip that is fitted to the entrance of the hive. It has holes to allow bees to come and go, but mice won’t be able to chew through it as they would a typical wood entrance reducer. Two quick screws, and it’s on. Without it, mice will chew their way in, urinate to mark their territory, leave feces everywhere, make a nest and eat comb. At best, it’s a huge mess to clean; at worst, the bees abscond and leave the safety of their hive in the worst time of year.

Autumn prep is pretty easy in the beeyard. Just as you do throughout the rest of the year, keep a close eye on the entrance and check your hives for damage throughout the fall and winter seasons. Conduct inspections when the weather breaks and warms up throughout the winter (if it does) to re-feed and tackle any issues as they come.

This article about fall beekeeping tasks was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Poultry

When Do Ducks Molt? Plus, Proper Nutrition During Molting

molting wood duck swimming
Molting wood duck. Adobe Stock/Jim Cumming

When do ducks molt? Ducks go through seasonal feather molts that help them stay healthy, warm, and ready for egg laying. In this guide, we’ll cover when and why ducks molt, what to expect, and the best nutrition to support your flock during this time.

Why Do Ducks Molt?

Ducks molt for various reasons, including replacing their worn-out feathers in autumn to mating plumage, but to understand why ducks molt, let’s first look at when ducks molt.

When Do Ducks Molt?

Like chickens, ducks do a big molt in autumn, replacing the worn-out feathers on their heads, necks, bodies, and wings with new ones. The new feathers are more airtight and keep ducks warm during the cold winter months. This molt usually occurs in August or September, but exceptional egg layers may not molt until October. But unlike their chicken cousins, who molt once a year, ducks molt twice.

Female ducks drop their body feathers again in the late winter/early spring just before the point of lay. This molt is a good sign for backyard duck keepers eagerly anticipating those first spring eggs, and it does not seem to cause the duck any discomfort.

Male ducks go into an eclipse molt in late spring/early summer as they replace their bright, vivid mating plumage with subdued plumage, making them look like females. Since all domesticated ducks are Mallard descendants (excluding Muscovies), all drakes go through an eclipse molt. However, if you raise Pekins or other white duck breeds, you will not be able to see any difference in your drake’s feathering except for losing the curly feathers on his tail.

What To Expect

Ducks molt fast. You may find feathers everywhere when you head out to the coop one morning in late summer/early fall. You might think that your flock has been attacked by a predator, but a look around the coop will reassure you all ducks are accounted for. And the fall molt is underway.

molting duck feathers scattered in a backyard
Scattered feathers from a molting duck. Photo by Erin Snyder

Dropping all their feathers may not be the only symptom molting ducks may show. Changes in hormones may result in some ducks becoming grumpy. Grumpy ducks may even start flock squabbles. If this occurs, separate the bully from the other flock members until everything calms down.

How Do Ducks Molt?

Ducks and chickens do not molt the same way, so if you are accustomed to how a chicken molts, ducks may surprise you. Ducks drop all their feathers, including their wing feathers, in just a few days, while chickens drop their feathers over several weeks. Even though domestic ducks cannot fly, losing their primary flight feathers makes them skittish and nervous.

Ducks also appear to feel more prickly than chickens, so be extra careful when handling them (more on that later).

While ducks quickly regrow their feathers, they need a lot of feed and proper nutrition to do that. Molting is hard work, so let’s look at what a duck needs to grow strong, healthy feathers.

Molting Duck Nutrition

Molting requires a lot of energy, second only to egg laying, so it’s crucial to supply your flock with the proper nutrients they need to molt.

High-Quality Feed: High-quality feed begins with choosing a good brand. Look for a feed with essential amino acids and probiotics to support a healthy immune system. Always feed ducks a layer ration during a molt, as maintenance feed does not have the nutritional values molting ducks require.

Healthy Protein-Filled Treats: Supplementing your duck’s diet with healthy treats will help boost protein levels and encourage your flock to eat, as molting poultry tend to consume less feed. Encourage your ducks to eat by offering healthy treats such as black soldier fly larvae, peas, oatmeal, wheat berries, and zucchini.

Probiotics: If you are not already supplementing your ducks’ diet with probiotics, adding some to their feed or water during a molt is essential to keeping your flock healthy. Molting is stressful for ducks, making them more susceptible to disease. Adding probiotics to your flock’s diet will make the molt easier for everyone.

Brewer’s Yeast: Brewer’s yeast is essential to a duck’s diet. This vitamin B supplement contains high amounts of niacin, an essential vitamin ducks need to stay healthy.

Herbs: Many herbs contain vitamins and minerals beneficial to ducks, especially during molting. Feed oregano to molting ducks to boost their immune system and parsley, fennel, and dill to help them through the molt.

Avoid feeding unhealthy treats such as bread, corn, mealworms, pasta, and tomatoes.

Keep Them Safe

When do ducks molt? In the fall, when many predators are teaching their young to hunt, the combination of increased predator activities and not feeling their best increases a duck’s chance of falling prey.

If your duck flock isn’t already housed in an entirely predator-proofed coop and run, move molting ducks to a safe place to keep everyone safe. Do not allow molting ducks to free-range unless directly supervised by an adult.

Handling Tips

Ducks are often uncomfortable when molting as the new feather growth can make them sensitive to being handled. When handling a molting duck, let them lay across your right arm while placing your left hand on their chest to support them. Pay close attention to the wings as new flight feathers growing in are extremely painful for ducks.

Now that you know when ducks molt, what to expect, and how to support them with the right nutrition, you can help your flock through this natural but sometimes stressful process.

This article about when do ducks molt was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Farm & Garden

Fall Garden Chores: 5 Essential Tasks to Prepare for Winter

woman in garden completing fall garden chores like weeding
Adobe Stock/Cecilia Di Dio

Fall garden chores are an important step in closing out the growing season and setting your garden up for success next year. Tackling these tasks now means healthier soil, fewer pests and weeds, and less work when spring planting arrives. Here are five simple chores to keep your garden in top shape this fall.

1. Tidy Up Garden Beds

If you’re not growing cool-weather crops for the fall, now’s the time to clean up any plant debris left behind from your summer plantings. Removing this organic material will help reduce the incidence of future disease and pests. If you had issues with plant diseases during the growing season, do not compost any of the affected plant remains, as most domestic composters never get near the 130 or 140°F needed to destroy many of these plant pathogens.

2. Get Ahead on Weeding

A good weeding in and around the garden at the end of the year will help prevent some weeds from overwintering and will destroy some important habitats for many insect pests. Also, if your garden plot is in your formal yard, now is the time to edge your garden plot to stop the gradual encroachment of grasses.

3. Check and Improve Soil Health

Testing your soil this time of year means you’ll be able to amend it well before the spring planting season. Testing is as simple as contacting your local extension agent to get a sample bag or box and then following the instructions to submit your soil sample. In the same vein as soil testing, this is also the time of year to add compost and other organic materials to enrich your garden soil.

4. Update Your Garden Journal After Your Fall Garden Chores

If you tried and failed to keep or update your garden journal during the spring and summer months, now is a great time to jot down a few general notes about any successes or failures you faced, favorite cultivars to grow again next year, a simple sketch map of plantings to help with crop rotation, and any other observations regarding the soil conditions, diseases and pests.

5. Care for Tools and Equipment

Finally, clean and lightly oil your tools after you have finished your fall chores. Store the clean tools in a dry environment off the ground. These simple steps will help protect your investment in good shovels, rakes, and hoes by preventing rust and corrosion.

Fall Garden Chores: Final Thoughts

Completing these fall garden chores now sets the stage for healthier soil, fewer pests, and stronger plants in the coming year. A little effort in autumn goes a long way toward ensuring a smooth start when spring planting arrives.

This article about fall garden chores was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Poultry

Dogs and Ducks: How to Help Them Live Together

dogs and ducks can live together as evidenced by this dog with a baby duck
Adobe Stock/Rita Kochmarjova

Dogs and ducks living together and coexisting peacefully may sound impossible, but it doesn’t have to be. With a duck-friendly dog breed, careful training, and the right dog, your canine companion can learn to live in harmony with your webbed-footed friends.

Choosing Dog Breeds for Ducks

If owning both ducks and dogs is on your bucket list, a good place to start is by choosing a duck-friendly dog breed, such as a livestock guardian dog. There are many breeds available that can coexist with ducks, but before acquiring a dog, do your research to learn what breed best fits your needs.

Even when choosing a duck-friendly breed, dogs are individuals, and some may possess a higher prey drive than others. To prevent accidental injuries or fatalities, always supervise dogs and ducks living together. Even the most behaved canine can accidentally injure ducks.

Good dog breeds to raise with ducks include:
Australian Shepherd
Border Collie
English Shepherd
Great Pyrenees
Rough Collie
Shetland Sheepdog
Pembroke Welsh Corgi

dogs and ducks together with a dog being introduced to ducklings while they are being held in a person's lap
Erin Snyder

Dogs and Ducks That Don’t Mix

To help dogs and ducks living together coexist peacefully, avoid dogs with high prey drives. However, some individuals of the breeds below may still get along well with ducks.

Some dog breeds to avoid include:
Alaskion Malamutes
Dachshunds
Golden Retriever
Greyhounds
Huskies
Jack Russell Terriers
Pitbulls
TerriersWhippets
Whippets
Yorkshire Terriers

A Word on Retrievers

Some Labrador Retrievers and Nova Scotia Duck Trolling Retrievers can get along well with ducks, while others have a higher prey drive due to their purpose as waterfowl retrievers.

If you are considering owning one of these two breeds and want your dogs and ducks living together in harmony, stay clear of individuals with hunting bloodlines.

dogs and ducks together with a dog watching ducklings swim in a bath tub
Erin Snyder

Helping Dogs and Ducks Get Comfortable

Ducks will be more relaxed if they are allowed to build an awareness of your dog before any introductions are made. Not only will this first step benefit the ducks, but it will give you a chance to see how your dog reacts to seeing ducks from a distance.

Chain your dog for a few minutes at a time close to the duck run, making sure to choose a spot where he will be safe and can easily see the ducks, but can’t reach them.

Give the dog a distraction, such as a chew toy or dog bone to chew on while he watches the ducks. Discourage your dog from barking, as barking can make ducks act nervous.

With your dog in plain sight, offer the ducks a treat to keep them calm and relaxed. Keeping ducks calm is important, as excited, nervous ducks will perk up your canine’s prey drive.

Wait to take the next step of the introductions until the ducks remain consistently calm, and the dogs are calm and not showing any aggressive behaviors such as lunging or barking.

Training Dogs and Ducks to Coexist

For dogs and ducks living together to work, you must train your dog to behave around waterfowl. Ducks are prone to being nervous, especially around things they view as threats. If your flock isn’t used to interacting with your dog, or when you bring a new dog home, their first reaction is to become nervous.

Start by introducing your dog to the ducks on opposite sides of a completely predator-proofed run. Allow your dog to approach the enclosure. Keep the dog on a leash and speak in a gentle, but firm voice. Remind your dog to be gentle (a command he should master before being introduced to waterfowl).

In most cases, the ducks will panic as the dog approaches, causing the dog to react. Keep a firm hold of the leash so the dog can not keep approaching the scared ducks. Use the commands “no” and “gentle” to remind your canine to settle down.

Once the dog has calmed down, lead him away from the ducks. Repeat these steps daily until all members involved have calmed down around each other and no longer react. While it may seem impossible at first, ideally, your dog should be able to walk right past the duck pen without the dog or ducks reacting, before being introduced face-to-face.

Always keep introductions to one dog at a time, even if you have a multi-dog household.

Knowing Your Dog Around Ducks

Knowing your dog’s personality can go a long way to help dogs and ducks living together. Does your dog remain calm when he sees ducks? Does he show signs of aggression or become overly excited when visiting the flock?

Watching a dog’s behavior before introducing him to ducks face-to-face can tell you whether or not your dog is up for the challenge.

Introducing Dogs and Ducks Safely

Dogs and ducks living together will only work if they respond to each other in a positive manner.

If both ducks and dogs are responding well to seeing each other on opposite sides of the fence, the face-to-face introductions are usually smooth.

Always keep your dog on a short leash during the introduction so you can control him if needed.

Use the same commands as when introducing ducks to dogs with a fence between them. Never allow your dog to chase or harass your ducks in any way. Keep meet and greets short and frequent to prevent stressing ducks and dogs. With time, some dogs are able to safely be around ducks without needing a leash restraint.

During these times, a careful eye should be kept on both webbed-footed and four-footed friends at all times.

Never allow dogs access to your ducks’ coop or pen in the barn. This is critical as ducks should always have a place they can go to feel safe and secure, should they become spooked by a dog or other predator.

Raising Puppies With Ducks

Dogs and ducks living together is certainly possible; however, most puppies are not the best mix with ducks. Puppies become very excitable and may accidentally injure or kill a duck.

Protect your puppy and your flock by waiting until puppies have matured before being introduced to your ducks.

When Dogs Show Aggression to Ducks

If your dog shows signs of aggression toward ducks, it does not always mean that they can’t live together. Some signs of aggression include:

Baring teeth
Biting ducks
Growling
Killing ducks
Snapping at ducks (Snapping at the air when herding, not included)

If you notice your dog displaying any of these behaviors towards your ducks, permanently remove him from the flock and avoid flock interactions.

Important Note: Even if a dog shows aggression to ducks, it does not mean that you can not own ducks. Protecting your ducks from an aggressive dog is possible with a completely predator-proofed pen and by avoiding confrontations.

Protecting Ducks From Dogs

Accidents can happen, so it’s important to be prepared. The best way to do this is to have a secure run and coop for your ducks to live in. Never allow ducks to free range to minimize ducks and dogs meeting face to face without supervision (this is especially critical when dealing with a dog with a high prey drive. When allowing dogs to interact with ducks, keep a close eye out for problems that may arise to prevent accidents from happening.

Protecting Dogs From Ducks

It may sound strange when discussing dogs and ducks living together to discuss dog protection, but some ducks love nothing more than terrorizing their canine companions.

Ducks that are confident around dogs have no problems biting a dog’s legs, neck, and any other body parts they can grab hold of. This is especially important when working with a toy or small breed or an elderly dog.

Even when non-intentionally bullying dogs, confident ducks have no problems walking right up to a dog, walking in between your dog’s front and hind legs, and even climbing on a resting dog. If these behaviors make your dog uncomfortable, be sure to keep a watchful eye on your flock and discourage unwanted behaviors.

Dogs and Ducks Living in Harmony

With time, patience, and the right canine companion, dogs and ducks living together is possible. Learning how to train your dog, and recognize signs of aggression will also help your ducks and dogs live together in harmony.

This article was written for Hobby Farms and Chickens magazines. Click here to subscribe.

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Farm & Garden

Ethanol for Farm Equipment Pros & Cons

Using gas or ethanol for farm equipment depends on many factors. Pictures is a man pouring gas into a farm tractor gas tank.
Adobe Stock/agneskantaruk

Can you use ethanol for farm equipment? Using ethanol gas on the farm has some benefits. We’re typically looking at the common E10 blend, standard in the U.S, which consists of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. Using E10 for farm equipment can make some financial sense, as E10 is often less expensive than 100% gasoline. It’s also far more widely available, so E10 is easily sourced. So is it a good fit for your gasoline-powered tractors and other farm equipment?

Pros and Cons of Ethanol For Farm Equipment

Generally, yes, E10 gasoline is fine to use. But there are some caveats. E10 is designed with the idea that it’s going to be used in vehicles—and used frequently. Most vehicles don’t spend a lot of time in storage—they’re on the road, going through a tank of gas with relative speed. Problems with ethanol can pop up when a machine—like a tractor—sees more storage time, perhaps in the off-season.

Gasoline itself cannot mix with water, but the 10% ethanol content of E10 can—it’s hygroscopic, meaning it’s water-soluble and actually attracts moisture into the fuel system. While not an issue in the short term, machines that are stored with E10 can see rust and deterioration occur due to the water molecules introduced by the ethanol. Proper storage techniques are required to keep this from occurring.

Also, older machinery built before 1995 may definitely see some other downsides from ethanol, including the deterioration and corrosion of rubber gaskets, fuel lines, and other parts.

But for newer farm equipment that is used frequently and properly maintained, E10 should pose no serious problems—go ahead and use it (following manufacturer recommendations of course).

Using Ethanol in Small Farm Engines

Then we have your small machines. This would include your typical fleet of small 4-stroke engines—walk-behind snow blowers, walk-behind and small riding lawnmowers, walk-behind rototillers, chippers, walk-behind string-trimmers, and more. These are often one-cylinder machines with carburetors. For these, 10% (E10) ethanol should still be OK, but again, these machines often see limited use throughout the year, so straight gasoline may be more desirable for that reason. Also, many small machines have very long lifespans, and if your small engine is older than 1995, it may be wise to forego the ethanol and use straight gasoline for compatibility reasons.

For 2-stroke engines—what you typically find in chainsaws, weed trimmers, small rototillers, and the like—ethanol is probably best avoided. The hygroscopic water-attracting properties of ethanol can lead to poor performance and engine degradation with 2-stroke machines, even damaging gaskets, so it might be best to skip the E10 for these unless the manufacturer specifically recommends E10.

Ethanol and Older Farm Equipment

Your other issue may be with machines that ran for many years on straight gasoline and have deposit buildups in fuel lines or carburetors. If this is the case, the ethanol in E10 may actually work as a solvent and dissipate those old deposits, which can actually lead to clogged engine parts and poor performance. So it’s not the ethanol per se, but its role in removing old deposit buildup. Still, the result is the same, so if you have an engine that’s never seen ethanol, you might want to keep on using the 100% gasoline.

Final Thoughts on Using Ethanol or Gas in Farm Equipment

Bottom line? If it’s a newer machine and sees consistent use, E10 is likely a fine option. Older or poorly maintained machines may do better with 100% gasoline.

This article about using ethanol for farm equipment was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.