Hobby Farms Forums / Farm Pets / HobbyFarms.com Forum Topics

Rabbit freezing to death?

Amy Grisak — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:11:21 GMT

This is really bothering me... my stepson's sister's rabbit died last week, and he said they thought it froze to death. My dad kept rabbits for years, and I had a few for a long time. As long as they were provided a decent little shelter they were always fine. (Actually Dad built nifty bunny condos.) But that was Ohio. Does anyone have recommendations for very cold (-40F actual temp isn't out of the question) weather? Even though I try to stay out of matters in that household I'll speak up with suggestions if they get another, which they probably will.

Thanks a bunch!

Looking for ideas of what type of animals to purchase for our new family farm

maust — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:37:40 GMT

Recently purchased 4 acre farm house. Looking for ideas of what type of animals to purchase that are low maintenance.

Sad day on the farm

prettypalfrey — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 14:53:27 GMT

My husband and have a beautiful farm; problem? The only things we have n the farm now are our farm dogs and one cat.. We had nine cats and kittens, the foxes took care of them. I had four horses but the roof went and my flooring needs to be redone and I had to replace a hot water tank. What is a farm without livestock? In keeping with the story about being sure animals will go for pets, its pointless. I have been upset for days. My old mare who I didn't want to sell left yesterday in a truck to go to a sale, I have been praying she goes to a home with kids. No one around here wanted an older horse, no matter the deal I gave them. When did farming become such an emotional job?

Will I ever get livestock again? And why is it that I always have part with my animals and my husband keeps his old cars.

Raising Chickens

Peggy — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:23:36 GMT

I am not sure how warm it has to be outside or how old the chics should be to put out side. Any and all information on these funny little girls would be appreciated.

Baby Button quail

Farmermom — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 03:08:44 GMT

My sister raises Button Quail and I had some eggs in one of my incubators and had a couple hatch. The chicks are so tiny we have to put them in a bird cage with a high sided bottom section for a brooder cage or they pop right out thru the sides of the cages and it's very easy to lose them.

Purple Martin House

kmw — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:50:29 GMT

Who puts up a Martin house and when? Don't forget to put the area of the country you are in since the further north you are the later your house goes up.

I live in SE Nebraska and put one up for the first time on the 22nd of March. Haven't seen any Martins, but a pair of Blue birds are starting to nest there. I know I have to evict them if I want the Martins, but I hate to they are cool looking.

dumping of animals

the bird lady — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:36:21 GMT

I live on a dead end road last house with only one neighbor across the field. So out of know where comes a cat. The nearest house is a half mile away and no they don't own it either. This means someone dumped it by my house. I guess they see the barn and think a new home for it. Well the cat fight at four in the morning was not pleasant. DON'T they have the common sense to think we might already own a cat but again what is another cat. WELL IT IS A $150.00 VET BILL for our cat to have his head sewn up. My sister had people dump cats at her farm all the time. People seen her big barns and dump went the cat but what they didn't see was her very big dog who hated cats and would hunt them down and kill them. She would try to catch them before the dog but when they are dumped they are very scared and not to willing to be caught. I guess I wish they would think before doing this basically the animals are not wanted where they are dumped either!!

Fact or Fiction

cweick — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:01:31 GMT

Roofus lost his middle pad on his foot due to an infection. We were told that the middle pad was the only one that will grow back.

Has anyone else heard of this?

Sick rabbit?

Lyndsie — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:22:05 GMT

I hope someone can help me with this. One of my rabbits is sick but I can't figure out what she has. She has crusty stuff on the top part of her nose, her eyes sometimes water a little and her droppings are soft. She is eating and drinking normal. The thing the confuses me is that it go's away and comes back a few months later! Can anyone tell me what she has?

Dew Claws

kmw — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:52:14 GMT

My neice has a Lab. that is 5 mo. old I believe. On a trip to the Vet she was told she should not hunt with the dog 'cause it still had it's dew claws. Why would this be? Before dogs were domesticated they didn't have Vets to remove the dew claws and they still had to hunt to eat.

Any Vet out there care to fill me in, my curiosity is killing me on this one.

Dogs and livestock

Theona — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:34:34 GMT

We purchased a collie for a pet, but have noticed he actually herded our chickens into the chicken coop a couple of times. He also helped me get my two goats back into the barn once. I don't know anything about herding dogs, other than watching them a few times at fairs and on t.v., but I am really curious now.

Do any of you have herd dogs and do you use them to herd livestock? Can the dog actually stay with the herd at some point, or will he continue to herd them all day long? What is the best way to train them?
Thanks for any input!

Chicken maintenance

av8rwife — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 05:41:39 GMT

We have 11 chickens that are 6 months old. One of them has developed a croupy sound. Has anyone else had this problem? I've also read where people worm their chickens. How do you go about doing that, why and how often should this be done?

Crap eating Beagle

Howlin Hound — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 19:36:51 GMT

Hello, We have a beagle and a basset. They have a large fenced in yard and access to their food all the time.( they do'nt over eat) The beagle has recently started this crap eating habit but not the Basset. I was wondering if anyone knew of a possible deficiency of some kind. We are feeding basic grocery store dry food, and occasionally venison. The yard is large enough that removing all poop is not possible. Thanks for any input. Ken

Crazy Labrador

Debbi — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:54:38 GMT

I need help! I am baby sitting my son's girlfriend's Labs. I've had them 1 month. And one of them spends every waking moment jumping up and down! She has lost so much weight! I put food and water down, and she continues to jump! It's like she can't calm herself down. Has anyone had any luck with the calming drops?

rabbit cleaning

Lyndsie — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 09:34:36 GMT

how do you clean the calcium deposit left behind by rabbit urine the drop tray?

LGD breeds

madessa — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:59:01 GMT

Our Great Pyrenees was recently diagnosed with bone cancer and so we are now in a tight spot to find a puppy for him to train. We love our Pyr but there aren't any good ones(almost all have hip or spine problems)around and so we are considering other breeds, but we would like some input. So if you've had a breed that just didn't work i.e. it killed everything please mention that. Thank you!

Cattle Dog National Finals

kmw — Tue, 31 May 2011 17:54:43 GMT

Got to see 1 day of the cattle dog finals last Sat. Cool to watch the dogs try to run the cattlle thru the course. Out of the 6 hrs I was there only 3 completed the course. Wonder if those dogs would be good enough to heard teen age daughters

need help with silkie chciken father and grooming care

jenbolduc10 — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:40:58 GMT

i have a little silkie and she is great exsept her fuzz and feather. i dont know what to do because she has white casings all on her feathers and she is very greesy . what should i do about all the casings should when i bath her i also brush her down or is there somthing special i should do ?, i just wanna know is there somthing i can do for it or not . also her wing feathers are hard and i was told there are supose to be soft ,

looking for animals to expant farm

Rescuechick — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:08:58 GMT

I have three dogs, three cats, and 10 chickens, and 2 kids. I plant a garden every year, but besides that I am pretty new to the "farm" life. I am looking forward to adding on to my farm, but not sure with what. I thought about adding two pygmy goats, but the hubby is worried they will destroy things. I'm not looking to breed, sell or butcher. My animals are a part of my family. Any ideas on what would be a good addition to our farm?

Sunnyside up! LOL!!

Rescuechick — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:23:41 GMT

Every seen such a cool egg! I don't know how it happened but it sure is neat!

Great Danes!

ozark_jewels — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 10:43:03 GMT

I've had a lifelong dream of having a Great Dane.....and I finally got the perfect one!!

Meet Bella:

And my sister bought the runt of the litter, a pretty little girl she name Brennan:

They are the sweetest pups. 8 weeks old, eating well on a good diet to meet their large dog needs. Sire was black and white, dam was a dark brindle. Bella will of course be spayed when the time comes and I hope to train her to travel with me.:bouncy:

The irony of it is that just four days before I found Bella and her owners, I had decided to settle for a half Great Dane puppy that a lady was selling for $25, having rescued the litter from a bad situation. The other half is supposed to be Mountain Cur. So I now have Winchester, but I should find a new home for him as I do NOT need two pet dogs and I am going to need to spend my time on training Bella. Winchester is really the cutest pup who is thriving on farm life.

Here he is next to Bella. He is nine weeks old.

And alone:

Anyone want a real cutey??:)

Sis's bunny

Farmermom — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:10:23 GMT

He passed away this morning after she left for work and Mom found him, she came and got me and asked me what she should do, Sheboomafu was dead, so I went next door to help her and I couldn't help but burst out laughing when I picked him up to put him in his grain bag casket and Mom looked at me with this completely stiff rabbit in my hands and says " Is he really dead?" Yeah Ma when they are this stiff they are really real dead. Sometimes the obvious "dumb" question just comes with the best timing.

Blueberry muffins anyone?

Farmermom — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:05:06 GMT

Some kitties think that they can sleep anywhere they please

Aggressive Rooster

Kate — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 17:05:02 GMT

I have one rooster and three hens, all Americuana, raised together. They are are about six months old now and the male has built up to a high degree of aggression toward humans. Is there any way I can "train" him to be friendly? Does he need more "girls"? Is he lacking something in his diet? I can't keep him if he frightens people. He is absolutely gorgeous!

Dogs

Debbi — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:10:00 GMT

The dogs were having fits the other night, didn't stop. I thought, "What if they have a bear or cougar treed, she'll get mad and start fighting back. So, I get to go out, in my PJs! Located the dogs, and very upset porcupines! I couldn't get the dogs to come away, so I finally went back in. Worried about those porcupines all night! Needless to say : 4 dog faces full of quills, met me at the door in the morning. We pulled quills for hours and we're still not done!How do animals in the wild get them out? Our Lab even went back the next night, to get more!

Seeking Art Reference Photos

cattlecait — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 09:30:09 GMT

Hey everyone! I'm doing some drawings to sell in an art co-op here in Laramie and online at etsy.com, I was wondering if anyone has some photos that I can use?

They need to be biggish so that they'll show enough detail when I print them off. Any type of livestock is fine, if its a horse though I'd prefer that there not be much tack on them, and fyi I CAN'T draw people!

A good day

Jasper08 — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 09:10:18 GMT

Well today, My palimino horse goes to the trainer! We got a halter back on her, of course there were a few tense moments but all and all it didn't go bad. No injuries to humans or horse. She is smart though, this time when she spooked she jumped the fences rather than run through them! which also answered the question how every once and awhile she is outside the pasture..waiting to be let back in

Dog behaviour

Tobiasrer — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:40:20 GMT

We have a male dog that is lifting his leg on EVERYTHING! the kids toys, patio furniture, grass anything above his ankles! how do i stop this?

Chickens and sunshine

Diane — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:37:57 GMT

Hi,

I would like to get a couple of backyard chickens. There are a couple of good spots for a small coop with a run, but the areas can be very shady in the summertime. And in the winter the spots are in the shade part of the day due to the solid block fence.

So, my question is how much direct sun would the chickens need? Is it okay to build the coop under a shade tree?

Thanks,

Diane

One cat is driving me crazy

Farmermom — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 05:16:32 GMT

I have one that is a wonderful mouser - when it comes to catching them - the big problem is she's catch & release and she always releases in the house!!!!!!!!!!!! As of right now I have 2 running loose in the house compliments of kitty and my daughter hasn't helped matters any because both times when one of the other cats tries to catch it she shoos it away

And she wonders why I was so terrible I disposed of the 4 newborn mice I found in a nest in a container in my shed (the contents of which were totally ruined)???????????? She thought I should have given them to her to raise to adulthood to release back into the wild - I just DON'T think so.

Everyone needs a catch & release cat that couldn't kill a mouse if her life depended on it - and a 21 yo that sees nothing wrong with the release being in the house at least she's stopped springing traps when I set them.

Female Aggresive Duck

adl2614 — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:33:02 GMT

I have one duck and one hen, both laying as of a couple months ago. My husband and I hop-footed it down the road and swapped a rabbit for another hen (about the same age but not laying yet.) When we brought Lola, our new hen, home Senor Pato, our duck, she would not stop attacking Lola! Every time Lola had her back to Pato that is when Pato would attack! Does it have to do with the fact that Lola isn't fully red and has some white tail feathers? Or is it because Pato thinks she is the dominate female?
Is there any way I can help out Lola? She still is off to the side like an outcast and I feel sorry for her. Any suggestions from my fellow farmers?
thank you!

p.s. I'm aware that Senor Pato is a male gender name & our duck is a female.....we named her that when she was a duckling not knowing if she was going to be a boy or a girl and the name sort of stuck. I think she prefers it too since she's so mucho macho!

Seizures!

Williams — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:25:40 GMT

My Welsh Springer began having seizures this month. I am so upset - it is heartbreaking to watch him go through them.

The vet says that I can put him on medication if they become more frequent (which they seem to be doing). But that once on meds, it is very hard to take them off - so it is a lifetime decision. Folks have told me that the meds make them dopy and dull - a terrible life for a high-energy bird dog.

Anyone have experience with the seizure meds? Phenobarbitol or Potassium bromide (I think). Anyone have any other management technique that has worked?

Any advice would be appreciated. I am just devastated. He's been high energy health for 4 years . . . and now 4 seizures in three weeks. It's hard to cope with. I'm afraid to let him swim - and getting nervous about letting him out of my sight.

Farm Dog Stories

HFfriend — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:51:12 GMT

For all of you who keep farm dogs, we know these helpful hounds play an integral role in your everyday farm life. The Hobby Farms editors want to hear you boast about your pups, whether it be an endearing tale or humorous story.

Fleas

jenlaar — Sat, 23 May 2009 06:22:40 GMT

Does anyone have an idea of how to get rid of fleas from my dog? I have done bathes, flea collars, frontline, etc. I can't treat the ground becuase of the goats, sheep, and other animals. Any ideas?

How hard is it to ensure that your cows and goats remain as pets and don't head to the slaughterhouse once they are sold?

H Singh — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:56 GMT

Perhaps this article should be in livestock, I'm really not sure since my question is about raising livestock as both a pet and source of dairy.

How hard is it to ensure that your cows and goats remain as pets and don't head to the slaughterhouse once they are sold?

I just got my first issue of hobby farms magazine today and look forward to one day having my own little farm. I would love to raise a dairy cow and or a few dairy goats, but obviously goats and cows must be bred yearly in order to continue producing milk, which is where the problem arises. I know cows/goats eventually get beyond there milking years, but I figure I can keep them around as pets instead of dual dairy/pets.

I'm not planning on farming in order to make a living so it makes sense for me to keep things small. Working as a nurse and raising a large family will take up alot of my time, although I see a farm as an ideal place to raise a family.

I don't think I'll be able to afford or keep up with raising a new cow or goat each year so I would need to sell the offspring. I know some people sell their cows and goats for pets, but how difficult is it to find people looking for a pet cow or goat every year? I guess it really doesn't need to be a pet, as long as it is not going to be slaughtered. I read a hobby farms article talking about cows as pets, but how much consistent demand is there for pet cows/goats?

Border Collie

Drawbar — Sat, 08 May 2010 04:23:40 GMT

I have toyed with the idea of getting a Border Collie. I have plenty of sheep to justify it and sometimes, while working alone, I just can't get the sheep to go where I need them too alone. I know a dog would help, but I am not that great at training dogs.

I was curious as to how hard it would be to train a border collie to do some sheep herding. I don't expect him/her to herd sheep like they do at the sheep dog trials, but getting them through a gate or two would be a big help.

baby pigs- when to put them outside

BnF — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:19:26 GMT

We live in Northern Nevada and the tempature is still cold. Our two new baby pigs are 1 month old. We have them in a small barn. When is is safe to put them in an outside pen with a shelter that is open on one side?

Wintering Ducks? Does anyone do this?

Maggie45 — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:05:28 GMT

Hi there:
We have quite a great group of Chickens and I wintered over 2 Cayuga Drakes last winter. Unfortunately, I think a hawk or owl got one this spring.
In any case, my son thought we needed variety this year I guess, so now I have 2 geese, 2 turkeys, 3 Indian runners, 2 Peking, 2 Swedish, a campbell hen and a Rouen hen, 2 Cayuga hens and a drake. Slaughtering is not an option.

I was wondering if anyone wintered ducks and how you do that? It was quite messy with the ducks in the hen house last winter. Since I'm in Alaska, I have to be concerned with the freezing temps and wetness.

Thanks for any advice.
Maggie

Somedays I just give up

Farmermom — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:35:26 GMT

I set a hav-a-hart trap out near the compost bin last night because we've had something eating the chicken food and the composting scraps. I went out this morning to check the trap and the bait was gone but the trap was tripped and empty! At this point I'm thinking whatever is out here is longer than the trap so is able to eat and leave, a little later sis tells me that when she went out this morning to let the birds out she opened the trap to let my stupid kitten (she's 10 months old) out of it! And I can almost garrantee that when I set it again tonight tomorrow morning the kitten will be in it again - she's a VERY slow learner

Why Do People Do This

Norsemn — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 20:33:49 GMT

I awoke to the alarm at 5:30 this morning but should have been able to turn it off, roll over and go back to sleep. Instead, our dog started barking and growling. Thinking there might be a deer in the yard I ignored it for a few minutes until she wouldn't stop. I opened my eyes and saw a German Short hair peering in our bedroom window. I was able to scare off the German but the Brittany Spaniel that was with it would not go away. It turns out she's a beautiful, well trained, well behaved, house broke dog that has had at least one litter of puppies, she has prominent, but not recently used, nipples. The County Sheriff, local police and local park/campground sup. were notified but there have no responses yet tonight so I'm left to think someone dumped the 2 dogs. So, Happy Fathers Day, we may have become new Doggie Daddies. Which would be okay with me as this dog makes a good companion to our dog (Golden Retriever/Chocolate Lab/Collie mix). Both have high energy and like to roam but always return home. Just need to teach the Brittany that our free-range chickens are not free game. She'll learn, she seem very smart. It just makes me very dissapointed in the people that would abandon a wonderful dog like this one. But, since I don't know the circumstances of her arrival here, I've been happy to brush or cut the burrs out of her fur and give her a bath (stinky dog) before she was allowed in the house. If we can make her happy and comfortable here, I'll be content with that...one more mouth to feed I can handle especially for a dog that seems very content to have a roof over her head, dog food, water and human and another dog for companionship.