I want to create an Instagram or other social account for my animals – but I’d like to focus on only one pet. But which one? You get to decide. Please take a look around my blog at https://todaysfurrymoments.home.blog/ and check out the featured animals. Then come back here and vote for your fav! Feel free to tell me why in the comments.
I’m not looking for which pet is “better” – I love them all! I want to know which pet YOU think has a personality that shines through in its photos and posts!
The winning pet will get a social account with pictures, videos, and original content. And maybe I’ll teach it how to paint?
Your options:
Rex the rescue pup
Winnie the purebred black lab
Peaches the rescue cat
Dill the one-eyed bearded dragon
Phil, Fancy, Pumpkin, Sweet Pea, and Ostrich – the fluffy Silkie chickens.
At the height of summer, you are sure to find this flower adding a pop of bright orange or yellow to any garden. Originally found from the southwestern U.S. to Argentina, these plants were transported to Europe by Spanish explorers and then made their way across the globe. Today, they have found immense popularity in North America as a resilient and easy-to-grow annual flower. But, did you know that marigolds are great for chickens, too?
Yes, that’s right! Let’s learn about feeding marigolds to our feathery friends.
Marigolds and marigold extracts have been found to keep parasitic insects away, enhance egg and beak color, and contain powerful antioxidants. Plus, marigolds are incredibly easy to add to your flock’s diet. Grab a flat of marigold flowers at a local nursery for only a few bucks, and you have a great way to keep your flock happy and healthy.
Please note that there are several different marigold species, including the African, French and common marigolds. They all have slightly different benefits. I use French marigolds for my silkies. Make sure your flowers have not been sprayed with any pesticides that may be harmful to your flock.
Natural Insect Repellent
Marigolds contain limonene, a phytotoxin that acts as a natural pesticide. To keep away mites, lice, and other parasitic insects, just pinch off some fresh marigold flower heads and add them to the pine shavings, the run, and in the nesting boxes. The flowers will dry out and keep until you clean out the coop, no need to remove them. I have several large pots of marigolds on the patio, and it’s so easy to pick a few flower heads. You can also plant marigolds around the coop and run area. I have NEVER had any problems with mites, lice, or other insects, and I attribute that to the marigolds! It’s fine if your chickens eat the marigolds, in fact, it’s very good for their health!
Enhance Egg and Beak Color
Feeding marigold petals to your flock is an excellent way to get bright orange egg yolks and keep their feet and beaks looking healthy. This is because marigolds contain the pigment xanthophyll, which is what gives autumn leaves their orange color. My chickens eat fresh marigold petals, but you can also add dried marigolds to their feed, at 10 g per kg (Poultry DVM). Marigolds are also shown to increase egg shell strength!
Marigolds for Healthy Chickens
Marigolds have many other benefits. They are a great source of carotenoids, flavonoids, and antioxidants, such as lutein, gallic acid, and quercetin. Quercetin is a flavonoid, which are anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and protect cells. Lutein is a carotenoid that is also anti-inflammatory. Gallic acid is a natural antioxidant. So definitely consider adding marigolds to your flock’s diet!
Treatment for Sick Chickens
Marigolds have been shown to improve skin repair in chickens, and some even claim that they can treat respiratory diseases. They support a healthy immune system and have antibacterial properties.
Are you ready to grow these incredible flowers for your flock? Here’s how!
Growing Marigolds
Marigolds are fast-growing and resilient. Plant seeds after the last frost and have blooms in about 8 weeks. For best results, follow instructions on the seed packet. Marigolds are pretty tolerant of both wet and dry weather, and should not need fertilizer.
Buying marigolds at your local garden center is also inexpensive. They are easy to transplant – just dig a small hole about two times the size of the roots, loosen roots, plant, and water.
Another Photo Friday post! There is no rhyme or reason to my Photo Friday posts, it’s just me sharing some pictures of my pets and hikes I’ve gone on. Feel free to add your own links to photos in the comments.
Want to see more photos, recipes, and activities for pets?
Bored chickens can cause all sorts of problems, from feather pecking to garden destruction. Here are some ideas to prevent boredom and keep your flock happy and healthy.
Ice pops or slushies!
What better way to cool off on a hot summer day than with an ice pop? Now your chickens can enjoy their own version of this summer treat. In a blender, blend some of their favorite foods with water. I used carrots, apple, and mixed greens with about a cup of water. Freeze it in a bowl or mold. Serve, or grind up the frozen chunks to make a chicken slushy!
Chicken Trail Mix
Throw a few chicken-friendly ingredients together for an easy Chicken Trail Mix. You can use dried fruit, raisins, oats, scratch, feed pellets, dried mealworms, seeds, and more. Mix your flock’s faves together and scatter in the run or yard. My flock’s favorite is 1 part raw whole sunflower seeds, 1 part rolled oats, and 1 part dried mealworms. I like to feed this a lot in the winter for extra protein and to maintain weight.
Peanut Butter & Paper Towel Roll “Bird Feeder”
Use peanut butter to coat a paper towel roll. Put some chicken trail mix (from the previous list item), scratch, feed, or anything dried that your chickens like to eat (dried mealworms, dried fruit, etc.) on a plate. Roll the paper towel roll over the plate, so that the treats stick to it. Hang it in your chicken run for your flock.
Watermelon
Watermelon is a delicious, hydrating treat for your chickens, perfect for hot weather. Feed watermelon sparingly, as it has a high sugar content and too much may cause gastrointestinal upset.
Hanging Salad
Choose some chicken-friendly vegetables, such as carrots and kale. Rinse them to remove any pesticides. Then cut a long piece of twine, about the height of your run. Do not use short pieces – chickens can accidentally eat these and get sick. Lay your veggies on the end of the twine, and wrap the twine around several times before tying it off. Hang this in the run, and watch your flock go wild! You can also hang a whole head of romaine lettuce.
Rinse and core an apple. Then put a short stake in the ground, and impale the apple on it. You can also peel the apple if you prefer; however, the skin is very nutritious for your flock.
Chicken “Wading Pool”
Fill a large, shallow container with water. Make sure it’s not too deep, and that they can easily get in and out. Add some herbs or leaves for your chickens to snack on. This is a great way to help your chickens cool off on a hot summer day.
Saturday morning, we picked up our three new chicks!
Our chicks on the way home from picking them up
They are are absolutely adorable and very sweet. The gray one is named Smokey, the black one on the left is Eggplant and the one in back is Pepper. Their names definitely fit in with the rest of our flock’s – Sweet Pea, Phil, Fancy Pants, Pumpkin, and Olive.
The chicks are three weeks old, so they are beginning to lose their chick fluff and grow in new feathers.
While we were expecting pure Silkies, these chickens are actually Silkie mixes, which means that only one chicken parent was a Silkie. We think they’re Easter Egger/Silkie crosses. Silkies come in nearly every color of the rainbow, and it will be interesting to see how they’ll look as adults. Also, Easter Eggers can lay eggs in many different colors, including green, blue, and light pink.
Have you ever heard of a blue chicken? What about a cuckoo-colored one? A chocolate chicken? Well, these are all colors of silkie chickens. There are white, red, lavender, black, gray, splash, buff and partridge silkies, too (and probably more colors in the works).
Today's Furry Moments 