poultry

Why More People Are Choosing to Keep Poultry

It has recently become a popular trend to keep poultry as a kind of hobby or a natural source of food. There are many different theories as to why keeping poultry is becoming both a hobby and a life-long investment. It seems as if people are getting in touch with an age gone by. Craft-making and other similar activities have also been on the up-rise.

One of the reasons for this new phenomenon is the simple fact that people are becoming more educated on animal cruelty. Displays of animal cruelty are more prominent and easy accessible across the media and noticeable online. Vegetarianism has been on the rise for the past decade and many of these people aspire to 'save' the animals by keeping chickens in their backyard.

Also, since the ban of battery farming there has been many charities appearing and their soul aim is to re-house these forgotten hens. Amazing figures have been released that state the interest in adopting hens has soared exponentially from 5,000 annual rehoming's in 2005 to up to 60,000.

Upon the petitions to stop animal cruelty, more people have latched onto this craze by purely purchasing free-range eggs. As sales soared for this specific type of eggs, organic eggs then became the next step and now people want them from their own gardens. Many poultry keepers say that there is 'no going back once you have tasted those sunset-coloured yolks'.

Along with this, TV chefs like Jamie Oliver and other various cooking programmes have displayed the benefits of having naturally sourced eggs. This influence from famous and trusted food experts has spurred a revolution against the ready-prepared, commercial products. With this, Tesco have even started selling their own chicken coops as if to show their support.

Despite the obvious inspiration of keeping poultry from the animal cruelty act and similar topics there are also some other reasonable reasons why this is becoming 'fashionable'. With the recession still in our midst many are aiming to save as much money as possible by choosing a more natural way of supplying food for the home. Organic food is a lot more expensive from the supermarket - but not if you are getting it from your own backyard.

Although there are many beneficial reasons why people would want to keep poultry - they also make fantastic pets. With over half a million chicken keepers in the UK there is no denying the fact that they can act similarly to a dog or another household pet. It has also been known that sitting in the garden and watching them cluck away is extremely soothing and relaxing. Maybe this is a good thing for the economy.

Jade Jennison is an enthusiastic writer in many subject matters and aims to provide information to people who share the same interests as her own. The websites recommended by Jade have been thoroughly researched and come highly acclaimed from direct experience. If you are one of the many who are choosing to keep poultry then visit Snack and Tack for a fantastic selection of cheappoultry supplies.

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eagles picture

The Bald Eagle Defies Extinction

Many Americans feared the extinction of their national symbol, but the bald eagle has been slowing growing in numbers and largely recovered from its earlier decline. The bald eagle was found to be endangered in 1940 and a law was passed, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, to protect it from hunting. Once the threat from hunting was gone, the species found its numbers declining further by the ingestion of DDT. In 1963 the numbers of breeding pairs was only 417, leading to the 1973 inclusion in the list of endangered species.

Instead of the expected extinction of the species, the bald eagle has executed a miraculous rise in the number of breeding pairs. Today the number of bald eagle breeding pairs is almost 10,000 and it is no longer listed on the endangered species list. The birds will not be abandoned by wildlife experts, however. The bald eagle's numbers will be monitored for a few years to make sure they do not begin to decline again. If the monitoring shows a decline in the number of breeding pairs, experts can then move to get the bird back onto the endangered species list.

There are legal protections for the bald eagle even without the endangered species list, such as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. There is also protection afforded to the eagles from an act passed in 1918- the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This treaty ensured that not only were migratory birds protected in the United States, but from hunting and trade in several other countries as well. This act provides protection in Canada and Mexico for the eagles that migrate across the border and makes it illegal for their nest and eggs, and even their feathers, to be bought or sold.

Bald eagles have further benefited from the DDT ban of 1972. The toxic chemical penetrated the entire food chain, resulting in the deaths of eagles as well as many other bird species. This pesticide spread from fields to waterways and then to eagles. When the eagles caught fish from these lakes and streams, the fish had already been contaminated. DDT kept bald eagles from being able to create eggshells with enough calcium to keep them strong enough to support the embryos. DDT devastated the bald eagle population, as mother eagles were unable to incubate the thin eggs, often cracking them in the nest. With DDT now gone, the number of bald eagles can continue to grow.

For more bald eagle facts, bald eagle statues [http://www.oodlesonbaldeagles.com/category/bald-eagle-shopping], and other bald eagle information visit http://www.OodlesOnBaldEagles.com

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pandas

The Reluctant Pandas of China

The Giant Panda is universally loved around the world, but this amazing creature currently faces many threats. The giant panda population is small and isolated to China's mountainous areas in the south-west of the country. They are a national treasure and also protected by law. The Chinese government has set-up more than 30 reserves, but destruction of the local habitat and poaching continues to pose a threat to pandas living outside these reserves. With China's rapid economic development, it is becoming increasingly crucial to ensure the giant pandas survival.

It is an incredible fact that female giant pandas living in China can only become pregnant during a 12 to 24 hour window throughout the whole year. This of course presents many problems when it comes to successful breeding and the Chinese authorities have tried and continue to experiment with weird and wonderful ways to keep these amazing species from extinction - including panda porn! Females will give birth to one or two cubs, which are dependent on their mothers during the first few years of their life, and it is not uncommon for one of the cubs to die early in childhood. In the panda facilities in China, keepers will help to hand raise any twin cubs. One baby is always left with the mother and the keepers switch the twins every other day so one cub gets care and milk directly from the mother.

Tourism in China is currently on the rise and many people now combine China cruises down the mighty Yangtze River with a stop off in one of the Panda breeding centres. However, it is not just the Chinese authorities that are doing all the work when it comes to Giant panda survival. It is an international effort. For example, Researchers at the San Diego Zoo are currently studying pandas' scent marking, their nutritional needs and how they communicate with other. This kind of invaluable information all goes towards helping the researchers in China successfully breed and bring to adulthood as many giant pandas as possible.

A recent guest on one of China's luxury cruises who combined his holiday with a visit to a breeding centre said how lazy and docile the pandas seem to be. They are indeed solitary creatures and prefer to spend most of the time by themselves predominantly eating bamboo (at least 12 hours a day!). It will however require the international community's hard work, to keep these fascinating creatures from going extinct by opening up the panda centres for the public's enjoyment and understanding. Only that way will the international community realise the threats still facing these reluctant and treasured giants.

This article was written by Ashley Gilmour on behalf of Sanctuary Cruises who offer China Cruises which are perfect if you are looking for Luxury Cruise holiday.

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information of parrots

Great Information on Parrots

One of the most charming and intelligent creatures in the animal kingdom is the parrot. We are captivated by the beauty of this creature, but before adopting a parrot, here are three essential parrot information that one must know.

Most experts note that having a pet parrot is not that easy, however, I am sure that even though they say that it is hard, you still would want to own one. In this light, here are here are 3 essential information on parrots that you should consider.

Parrots Live a Long Time!

The first is that most parrots lives a very long life. They have such long lives that sometimes they outlive their owners! Now the question that you must ask yourself is that will you still be around to take good care of your pet. If you still decide to get one be sure that there will be someone that will be able to take care of your pets just in case.

Parrots are Smart!

Parrots are intellectual animals. As what I have said earlier, they are one of the most intelligent animals around, there intelligence is exceptional that in order to function properly they need constant intellectual stimulation. If they will not have enough intellectual stimulation they would tend to get bored and trust me, you do not want your Parrot to get bored. If they are bored, they tend to be very noisy and they will start picking their feathers.

Where is My Food?

The third and the most important fact that you must know about parrots is that it will take a lot of effort for you to feed them properly. Your parrot needs more than seed and pellets, but you must also be aware that not all foods are suited to be eaten by a parrot. So you must take an extra effort in preparing foods for your pets.

This information on parrots tidbits should help you decide if you would like to adopt a parrot. If you are OK with the uniqueness of parrots, then by all means, adopt one! Parrots are incredibly fun pets with beauty and flair, and will make a great addition to your family.

Ty Easley loves parrots and raises parrots for a living. He is a parrot care expert and has helped teach parrot owners how to properly adopt and care for their parrots for over 10 years. Click here for more Information on Parrots [http://parrotcare911.com/important-information-on-parrots] or go to Parrot Care for Ty's outstanding and free mini course on parrots.

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information of parrot

Valuable General Information About Parrots

The first thing that we all should do after picking out our parrot is to find a suitable cage for it. Even though some people intend on letting them fly around the house, it is safer to keep them in cages most of the time. Always make sure that the cage has enough space for your parrot to move freely. A good rule of thumb, is that the more space your feathered friend has in her cage the happier she will be.

Cages are definitely recommended because they will keep your parrot safe and confine their mess to a small area. Cages can be used to protect your parrot from other pets that you have in your house and certain obstacles such as fans. Also, by keeping your parrot in a cage you are reducing the chance that they will fly into windows and injuring themselves. Cages are available in the local pet stores and they come in different sizes. The size of cage required depends on the size of bird. Suggested cage dimensions for different parrots are as follows:

Macaw: 36" by 24"
Conures: 24" by 22"
Cockatiels: 22" by 17"
African Grey: 32" by 23"
Cockatoo: 36" by 24"

Moving on. Make sure your parrot's diet is optimal as it is one of the most critical aspects of its health. Feed your parrot at the same time every day because failing to do so may lead to behavioral problems that may cause them to strike at their owners or anyone trying to touch them. They should be fed nutritious, healthy foods and they need to have access to fresh, clean water that is replaced every day.

Parrots are able to keep themselves clean in the wild, but they need your help when they are living with you. You will have to clean and bath your parrot on a regular basis. Most parrots enjoy bathing in a bathtub or shower, but some do not. If your parrot freaks out in the shower or the bath then just get a spray bottle filled with warm water and spray them with it. Make sure you use warm water since parrots get cold too. When you are finished bathing your feathered friend leave her in a warm place so she can dry herself off.

Parrots live in flocks and are very social and they also love to play. So during your free time, try to play with your parrot. You can even cuddle with it, which makes them feel appreciated and loved.

Ryan Benson is a parrot enthusiast. For more parrot info, visit http://www.parrottrainingsecret.com.

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