Tortoise Food

This morning, my tortoise Hermann, started his daily routine—bask and eat and explore! This type of tortoise, (called a Hermann's Tortoise) is a vegetarian. He eats greens such as dandelions and red-leafed lettuce. In the picture above, the white speckles on his food is calcium. This needs to be fed to him about four times a week.

Hermann is starting to wake up from his winter mode. This means that he sleeps a lot. In the spring and summertime, Hermann is more energetic and playful. He loves to get out of his cage almost every day—we let him out around dinnertime.

Winter Sunshine

Although it is still winter, the sun peeks through the clouds once and a while; this is the perfect opportunity to take pictures outside! I opened the coop gate and out shot the girls! We meandered about for a while and enjoyed the sun.

Many other birds were out as well—towhees, house finches, and dark-eyed juncos! I enjoyed listening to their cheerful tunes.

Pictures:

The top photo is of Snickers kicking up dirt by a holly bush.

The second captures all three of my chickens. From left to right—Snickers, Checkers, Sweetie.

Hermann

Along with my three chickens, I have a tortoise named Hermann. He is about 6 years old and has been a very reliable pet for this family. Living to about 80 years old, he will be a lifetime companion for me. This kind of tortoise is a vegetarian so his main diet consists of greens such as dandelions, lettuce, kale, fruit, and vegetables.

In the winter months, Hermann is slower, yet he still likes to get out to stretch is legs. Surprisingly, tortoises aren't as slow as people make them out to be. When he sees a tasty treat, Hermann will sprint! This is always a pleasure to see!

Many people are confused about the difference between tortoises and turtles. The main difference; turtles are water and tortoises are land. Most turtles are either omnivorous or carnivorous.

Wildlife Blog

Did you know that I have another blog? Its my wildlife blog; check it out sometime! We post photography and descriptions about different types of animals and plants. Here is the link:

Kelly's Wildlife Blog

Thank you for visiting my blog! Be sure to check again sometime for updates!

Mystery Bird Revealed

The answer to the bird in my backyard(from a previous post), was the mourning dove! This was hard because the bird was so nondescript! Check again for a new mystery animal. I will have one about every couple weeks! Throughout this time I will supply hints in the comment section! Thank you for visiting my blog!

P.s.
If there is are any requests on blog posts I would be happy to oblige!

Rain Days

Your girls are bound to face a rainy day, especially in the winter time. Chickens need a place to go in the coop that is sheltered from the rain. We supply them a potting table. This is convenient because it has their food and water can under it. My chickens do not care a bit about getting muddy and ruffled in the rain; they dig deep holes and scratch around in the dirt! This is a good, normal behavior that most happy chickens will do.

On cold days where the temperature is below freezing, your girl's water bowl is bound to freeze! To prevent this from happening, place a heating pad under the can. Extra treats such as millet, cracked corn, greens, fruit, and vegetables are all great things to give them (especially in the winter). Always remember to check wattles, combs, and feet for frostbite in the winter, as these areas are prone to this. You will know wen they get frostbite because this area will turn black and die.

Even in the cold, winter weather, spend time with your chickens and let them know your there and ready to give them treats! This will keep their spirits up! Spring is on its way!

Mystery Bird Picture

A view from my backyard on a winter's day. Note the bird in the cherry tree; can you guess what it is? Please comment!

Winter Chickens

The Winter months can be hard for every chicken. Wattles are in danger of frostbite and the water cans freeze, leaving the chickens thirsty. Thanks to a few tips, my chickens are as happy as ever! Here is the list:

-Put a heat lamp inside of the coop
-Use a heating pad for the water cans
-Feed them plenty of food and scratch(chickens have to lay eggs as well as take care of themselves. The extra treat will go a long way.)
-Have a sheltered area in the coop

My chickens have survived two harsh winters so far and are still laying eggs!