(NAPSI)-Raising "backyard poultry" has become increasingly popular all over the U.S. these days. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds both new and experienced poultry owners it's important to keep your birds healthy by practicing backyard biosecurity.
While "biosecurity" may not be a common household word, for poultry and bird owners it can spell the difference between health and disease. Practicing biosecurity can help keep disease away from farms and backyard pens and keep birds healthy. By using biosecurity practices, poultry owners can help reduce the chances of their birds being exposed to infectious poultry diseases such as avian influenza.
According to Dr. Fidelis Hegngi, senior staff veterinarian with USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, backyard biosecurity means doing everything needed to protect birds from disease--similar to what people do every day to protect themselves from human infections--essentially good hygiene.
"That's what protects us from germs-we wash our hands, avoid contact with people who have colds and flu, and we cover our mouths and noses when we sneeze," says Dr. Hegngi. "If you follow basic hygiene activities with your birds, you'll go a long way to keeping your birds safe from disease."
By taking a few simple steps, you can protect your birds. Dr. Hegngi recommends bird owners wash their hands thoroughly with soap, water and disinfectant before and after handling birds. When you're through working with your birds, disinfect your shoes and equipment. Cages, food and water should be cleaned daily. Poultry owners should remove feed from bags; place it in clean, sealed containers; and throw the bags away. Finally, bird owners should not borrow or share bird supplies. If they must, items should be cleaned and disinfected before being brought home.
Be sure to isolate new birds you bring in from your other birds for at least 30 days. You should restrict access to your birds, especially from people who own birds that are housed outside. Keep your birds away from other birds whenever possible.
Look your flock over regularly so you can watch for signs of illness or unexpected deaths among your birds. Report sick birds or die-offs to the local cooperative extension office, a veterinarian, State Veterinarian, State animal diagnostic laboratory or USDA Veterinary Services toll free at (866) 536-7593.
For additional recommendations, poultry owners are encouraged to visit the USDA's Web site at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.
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Showing posts with label backyard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label backyard. Show all posts
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Backyard Buzz: How to Attract Hummingbirds
(ARA) - If the birding world had a rock star, it would be the hummingbird. Swift, tiny, secretive and simply amazing to watch, “hummers” are so hard to spot that catching a glimpse of one can be a summer experience you’ll long remember. But you don’t have to be an avid birder to be thrilled by the sight of a hummingbird.
Hummingbirds can be found across the country, with ruby-throated hummingbirds common east of the Rocky Mountains and a dozen or more species common in western regions. To maximize your chances of seeing a hummingbird this summer, take a few simple steps to attract them to your backyard, where you can enjoy them at your leisure.
In spring, hummingbirds return from their tropical winter retreats in Central and South America, and this is the best time to attract them to your backyard. Like all wild birds, hummers have three basic requirements to make a place their home – access to food, water and a good nesting spot.
Offering nectar-rich flowers and feeders is a good start. But you also need suitable habitat that provides sheltered perches and good nesting places, encouraging females to raise their young.
Research shows that these tiny birds have a remarkable memory and frequently return to the same hospitable sites on the same day of each year. If you feed consistently, you may have return visitors, especially during spring and fall migrations. If you can get them to nest nearby, too, you’ll have fledglings who also may remember your address in years to come.
Female hummers typically settle in deciduous trees over a clearing or stream. They fashion their nests from sticky spider webbing, using lichen to camouflage the exterior and soft plant fibers to cushion the interior. It’s probably not practical for the average hummingbird fan to stock spider webs and lichens in their yard. But there is a man-made alternative.
Hummer Helper is the first commercially available product that has proven appealing to hummingbirds. Introduced by Songbird Essentials, the all-natural material (specially processed with oil left in) is contained in a wire frame painted red to attract a hummingbird’s eye.
The product is endorsed by the Hummingbird Society (hummingbirdsociety.org), an Arizona-based advocacy group. In the March 2009 edition of the society’s journal, Executive Director Ross Hawkins reported watching females at work gathering the material. “We recommend ‘Hummer Helper,’” he wrote. “It has the potential to help bring in more hummers, close by where you can observe them, and to increase the odds that they will nest near you.”
To start attracting hummers, hang a small feeder. Nectar mixes are available, but it’s easy to make your own. Use four parts tap water to one part ordinary table sugar, heated until dissolved. Red coloring isn’t necessary.
Increase the visibility of new feeders by hanging red ribbons nearby. The hummingbird’s high metabolism drives it to feed about every 10 minutes, and it examines every square yard in its range for food, experts say.
Keeping the feeder clean and the nectar refreshed is critical. Spoiled solutions can turn to alcohol and support mold, both harmful to the tiny birds. In cool weather, fluid can be left for five to seven days, but during hot spells it should be replaced every two days.
For easy cleaning, pick up a specialized brush like Songbird's “Best Hummer Brush.” Don’t use soap or detergents, which can be hard to rinse thoroughly. A solution of ordinary white vinegar is a good non-toxic cleaner.
Two other handy accessories are a water-filled nectar protector ant moat, hung above feeders to keep ants at bay, and an overhead protector like Songbird's Hummer Helmet to keep rain water from diluting nectar solutions. While its shade helps keep nectar fresh longer, the red color acts as a big red “Food Here” sign. Songbird products are sold through outlets catering to birders. The Web site www.songbirdessentials.com includes a “Retail Finder” directing customers to nearby locations.
To learn more about hummingbird research, visit the Hummer Bird Study Group at hummingbirdsplus.org.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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Hummingbirds can be found across the country, with ruby-throated hummingbirds common east of the Rocky Mountains and a dozen or more species common in western regions. To maximize your chances of seeing a hummingbird this summer, take a few simple steps to attract them to your backyard, where you can enjoy them at your leisure.
In spring, hummingbirds return from their tropical winter retreats in Central and South America, and this is the best time to attract them to your backyard. Like all wild birds, hummers have three basic requirements to make a place their home – access to food, water and a good nesting spot.
Offering nectar-rich flowers and feeders is a good start. But you also need suitable habitat that provides sheltered perches and good nesting places, encouraging females to raise their young.
Research shows that these tiny birds have a remarkable memory and frequently return to the same hospitable sites on the same day of each year. If you feed consistently, you may have return visitors, especially during spring and fall migrations. If you can get them to nest nearby, too, you’ll have fledglings who also may remember your address in years to come.
Female hummers typically settle in deciduous trees over a clearing or stream. They fashion their nests from sticky spider webbing, using lichen to camouflage the exterior and soft plant fibers to cushion the interior. It’s probably not practical for the average hummingbird fan to stock spider webs and lichens in their yard. But there is a man-made alternative.
Hummer Helper is the first commercially available product that has proven appealing to hummingbirds. Introduced by Songbird Essentials, the all-natural material (specially processed with oil left in) is contained in a wire frame painted red to attract a hummingbird’s eye.
The product is endorsed by the Hummingbird Society (hummingbirdsociety.org), an Arizona-based advocacy group. In the March 2009 edition of the society’s journal, Executive Director Ross Hawkins reported watching females at work gathering the material. “We recommend ‘Hummer Helper,’” he wrote. “It has the potential to help bring in more hummers, close by where you can observe them, and to increase the odds that they will nest near you.”
To start attracting hummers, hang a small feeder. Nectar mixes are available, but it’s easy to make your own. Use four parts tap water to one part ordinary table sugar, heated until dissolved. Red coloring isn’t necessary.
Increase the visibility of new feeders by hanging red ribbons nearby. The hummingbird’s high metabolism drives it to feed about every 10 minutes, and it examines every square yard in its range for food, experts say.
Keeping the feeder clean and the nectar refreshed is critical. Spoiled solutions can turn to alcohol and support mold, both harmful to the tiny birds. In cool weather, fluid can be left for five to seven days, but during hot spells it should be replaced every two days.
For easy cleaning, pick up a specialized brush like Songbird's “Best Hummer Brush.” Don’t use soap or detergents, which can be hard to rinse thoroughly. A solution of ordinary white vinegar is a good non-toxic cleaner.
Two other handy accessories are a water-filled nectar protector ant moat, hung above feeders to keep ants at bay, and an overhead protector like Songbird's Hummer Helmet to keep rain water from diluting nectar solutions. While its shade helps keep nectar fresh longer, the red color acts as a big red “Food Here” sign. Songbird products are sold through outlets catering to birders. The Web site www.songbirdessentials.com includes a “Retail Finder” directing customers to nearby locations.
To learn more about hummingbird research, visit the Hummer Bird Study Group at hummingbirdsplus.org.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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Monday, December 8, 2008
Backyard Critters Appreciate the Generosity of the Season
This is the time of year when we can share our "bounty" with those around us, including the wild animals living outside our homes and in our neighborhoods, reports The Humane Society of the United States. Raccoons, squirrels, skunks and other animals in our yards are grateful recipients of any goodwill that humans are able to show them this season.
According to Laura Simon, field director of urban wildlife for The HSUS, "Although wild animals are able to adapt to survive cold winter temperatures and food limitations, there are some small but very significant things that people can do to help them survive this time of year." The HSUS suggests several acts of goodwill that can give our backyard neighbors a warm boost during the holidays:
Keep bird feeders full in the winter since food availability is very limited for non-migratory birds.
Fill large pinecones with peanut butter and roll them in sunflower seeds. Attach a string to the top and hang from trees for birds.
Invest in a heated birdbath and keep it filled all winter long. Birds need the water at this time of year when most natural sources may be frozen.
Put decorative snowflakes 4" apart on any windows where birds might hit, or have hit in the past.
Put a cover over any window wells around your house to prevent animals from becoming stuck. Animals, such as skunks, who have poor climbing abilities commonly fall into window wells.
Use only environmentally friendly sidewalk salt for melting ice such as Safe Paws Ice Melter.
Regular sidewalk salts pollute the environment and can irritate cats' and dogs' paws.
Get to know your backyard wild neighbors by going on an adventure around your own yard in the snow. Try to identify different species by looking at tracks and other signs they leave behind, such as partial remains of food like cracked nuts or twigs. Buy a good wildlife tracking guide - - or give one as a gift - - to learn more and to better appreciate these animals.
The HSUS Wild Neighbors Program promotes non-lethal means for resolving conflicts between people and wildlife and cultivates understanding and appreciation for wild animals commonly found in cities and towns.
The program's book, Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living with Wildlife is a useful reference for individuals and communities faced with resolving encounters with wild animals who find their way into yards, gardens, houses, parks and playgrounds. On the web at humanesociety.org/wildneighbors.
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According to Laura Simon, field director of urban wildlife for The HSUS, "Although wild animals are able to adapt to survive cold winter temperatures and food limitations, there are some small but very significant things that people can do to help them survive this time of year." The HSUS suggests several acts of goodwill that can give our backyard neighbors a warm boost during the holidays:
Keep bird feeders full in the winter since food availability is very limited for non-migratory birds.
Fill large pinecones with peanut butter and roll them in sunflower seeds. Attach a string to the top and hang from trees for birds.
Invest in a heated birdbath and keep it filled all winter long. Birds need the water at this time of year when most natural sources may be frozen.
Put decorative snowflakes 4" apart on any windows where birds might hit, or have hit in the past.
Put a cover over any window wells around your house to prevent animals from becoming stuck. Animals, such as skunks, who have poor climbing abilities commonly fall into window wells.
Use only environmentally friendly sidewalk salt for melting ice such as Safe Paws Ice Melter.
Regular sidewalk salts pollute the environment and can irritate cats' and dogs' paws.
Get to know your backyard wild neighbors by going on an adventure around your own yard in the snow. Try to identify different species by looking at tracks and other signs they leave behind, such as partial remains of food like cracked nuts or twigs. Buy a good wildlife tracking guide - - or give one as a gift - - to learn more and to better appreciate these animals.
The HSUS Wild Neighbors Program promotes non-lethal means for resolving conflicts between people and wildlife and cultivates understanding and appreciation for wild animals commonly found in cities and towns.
The program's book, Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living with Wildlife is a useful reference for individuals and communities faced with resolving encounters with wild animals who find their way into yards, gardens, houses, parks and playgrounds. On the web at humanesociety.org/wildneighbors.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
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