Congratulations! The decision has been made to have your own backyard chicken coop.  While the trend to have a backyard chicken coop is growing, let’s make sure that even after some research has been conducted that we touch on a few more pros and cons.

PRO:

I DEFINITELY WANT MY OWN BACKYARD CHICKEN COOP!

But Why? Don’t they poop everywhere?

Yes they do. They Poop. Everywhere. But this is a Pro.

Chicken poop is full of nitrogen. If your backyard chicken coop is for the hens to sleep in and the whole yard allows for the chickens to be free range, then when the chickens do their business the lush ingredient makes for wonderful fertilizer.  The lawn will be a fuller green and foliage around the yard will grow stronger.

Now, if there’s a patio or a Pet Gazebo in the backyard, be warned that they’re both destined for poop coverage. Also, allowing the free range practice of chickens in the yard they become one of the best pest controllers out there. Imagine never finding a spider in the backyard again. Do you suffer from arachnophobia?

It’s Just a spider, Jarred.                                                          I’m not going to apologize, Carl.

If you do fear spiders, then you can count on your chickens pecking away and eating them.  From centipedes, snails, ticks, flies and anything else one may consider a pest, they will prowl and be on foot patrol all hours. Chickens also have a taste for scorpions. This allows for the fear of dark corners and what’s possibly in your shoes to be lessened.

Don’t have bad mojo.

Then they’ll eat more, poop even more and scratch the fowl feces into the lawn. Seriously, it’s all good stuff.  Just make sure you clean your shoes before going back into the house.  Poop prints on the floor isn’t the most desirable.

Seriously Though, Chickens are hilarious!

They call me Frank

They will most likely associate their owners with food and come running across the yard in anticipation of the eats. Remember that this is not attack mode. A chicken running to you at full speed may induce fear, but they just want to be loved, and fed, a lot.  Plus, the care for them is pretty basic. All chickens really need are food, water and a little exercise.

The blue brings out your eyes, Stefan.

EGGS! FRESH EGGS!

Chances are if you’re about to get a backyard chicken coop you aren’t vegan and enjoy eating eggs.  There are many great benefits to eating eggs. This link provides in depth information about the nutrition gained from eating an egg. The control of what food is provided to the chickens is obviously up to the owners, but remember whatever they are fed will go directly into their eggs. So if they get the left over veggies from the house that circulates back to us, that’s a secret way to get additional nutrients. Fresh eggs have a thicker egg white and the yolk is more vibrantly orange. Having three to four hens should provide a small family with enough eggs to go around.

CON:

I DEFINITELY WANT MY OWN BACKYARD CHICKEN COOP!

But Why? Don’t they poop everywhere?

Yes they do. They Poop. Everywhere. This is a Pro Con.

It is stated above that it is a pro, but let’s face it. It’s poop. A lot of poop.

Let’s have fun with poop!

They’re also terrible drivers.

Is my blind spot clear, Felicia?

There really ins’t a ton of downsides to getting your own backyard chicken coop. Of all the research that was conducted for this entry, the majority of cons was about cleanup, noise and the fact that the backyard essentially becomes the chickens home (if free range) and lost is other backyard activities, like house party barbecues.  Clearly there’s always sacrifices that need to be made when taking on chickens.  Knowing this information upfront always clarifies the decision. Care needs to be taken to ensure the safety of your new chicken family. Predators are a risk that need to be addressed, especially if you have a dog. The biggest threat may be your own.

Don’t think those that live in urban areas are out of the woods.  This article from National Geographic regarding coyotes living in Downtown Chicago is a fascinating read. Don’t think that only rural areas are threatened by predators.

Now after discussing some of the pros and cons about having a backyard chicken coop let’s get back to the title of the article, “Does my neighborhood allow a backyard chicken coop?” One quick internet search gave all the information that we need to find out if we in fact can have a backyard chicken coop in the neighborhood. This website was the most specific to almost every county and town that was found. It even offers interesting facts like, there’s a town in Wyoming that doesn’t allow a backyard chicken coop but does allow a person to keep a maximum of twelve pigeons as pets.

The Pigeon Pageant

Good luck! And we hope chickens are legal in your neighborhood. Enjoy the fresh eggs, hilarity, poop and pest protection!

As December rolls around, the temperature is dropping and fireplaces laced with stockings are heating up. Depending on where you live, snow may be falling or it may just be way too cold in the morning for you at 40 degrees. Whatever your situation may be, we all know one thing: It’s getting cold. Just because your dog has a fur coat, doesn’t mean he can’t feel it too. We may not be able to tell you how to keep yourself warm, but here are some outdoor pet safety tips for the upcoming winter months.

Image courtesy of Jon Wick

Let Your Dog Keep His Coat

If you’ve been shaving your dog’s coat down to the skin during the summer, it’s a good idea to let it grow out for the winter months. The best thing to do is keep it trimmed so snowballs and ice don’t get caught up in the fur. However, letting your dog keep his coat is one of the most important outdoor pet safety tips for winter we can pass on to you.

Tip: If you’ve just shaved your dog, or if he has a short coat, buy a sweater for them to wear when it’s coldest out! It’s a good excuse for a fun and festive Instagram photo as well.

Image courtesy of Michael Gil

Preventing Itchy and Flaking Skin

During the winter months, the air tends to get drier and going to and from the cold of the outside and the heat of the house can cause damage to your dog’s skin. In order to prevent itchy and flaking skin, it’s a good idea to be waiting by the door with a towel to dry off your dog in wet weather as soon as he comes in. This will also protect your floors and furniture from becoming wet and ruined! Additionally, getting a humidifier will not only help keep your dog’s skin soft, but yours as well!

Image courtesy of David Nagy

Adjusting Your Dog’s Walking Time

Different dogs have varied limits based on their size, the thickness of their coat, and activity level. You should know your dog’s limits so you can adjust accordingly, especially when it comes to taking them for a walk. Your dog may get cold easily and may not want to be outside for longer than a few minutes at a time. Instead of fewer longer walks, it may be a good idea to take your dog on more shorter walks. This way, your dog still gets the exercise he needs without freezing his paws off.

Image courtesy of Martin Pettitt

Cold Cars Are Not Much Better Than Hot Ones

You know how in the summer social media is filled with warnings of keeping your dogs in hot cars? Well, same goes for cold cars. Just don’t do it.

Image courtesy of Camera Eye Photography

Playing Inside

Finally, your dog may get a bit restless from being inside more often in the winter. It might be a good idea to have a set aside, dog-proof (no sharp coffee table corners, for example) area to play with your dog. Whether it’s a game of tug-of-war or a ball that drops treats, give your dog something mentally and physically stimulating so he doesn’t take out his extra energy on your or your furniture.

Have any additional outdoor pet safety tips to share with us? Find us on Facebook and leave us a post with what YOU do to keep your pets safe in the cold months!

Another good way to keep your dog warm outside is to get him an insulated wooden dog house. Check out our selection of dog houses here, and keep your eye out for new ones coming out soon!

As the grey skies hide their summer blue and the winds from the south turn to arrive from the north, winter arrives bringing its eventual snow.  The leaves dance to the ground and blanket the lawn to hibernate for the season.  The world becomes barren with a desolate feel of quiet, yet still forming a striking beauty in the current landscape. Gone are the days of keeping dogs cool by sitting beneath our favorite tree at the park or escaping inside to air conditioning from the backyard after playing.

But wait! Did I read that correctly? The topic is keeping dogs cool inside during the winter????

Yes.

You read it correctly.

Now you may ask,  “Why would this be a topic? Why are we keeping dogs cool in the winter and not warm? OR!  Here’s a thought… maybe cool in the summer?”

I’m glad you asked. There are two reasons for this.

Think of Keeping Dogs Cool as in The Fonz.

Sup?

Yes, keeping dogs cool might be a subjective statement. But we can trust the Internet? Right? This link gives great information on what it is to be cool. The picture below, however, is not keeping dogs cool.

How Dare You

There are two types of people in this world. First are people that love to dress up their pets. The other type is people that think it’s utterly ridiculous to dress their pets.  Now, the one element that should be shared by all is the safety of our pets. Keeping dogs cool becomes mute when the care of our pets is necessary.  As an example… Those of us that live in climates where winter really takes control and streets accumulate ice and snow the salt that is spread on the streets can be very hazardous to our pets. Those little crystals are very hard and sharp. It could puncture the padding on the paw of our pets. This needs to be protected against while we go on our winter walks.

Here’s a link to an internet search for dog boots. Our dogs will absolutely be cool wearing these.

January 14 happens to be dress up your pet day. Yes yes, there’s a day for everything. But when done right this is a great day for keeping dogs cool.  PetMD has this article about the positive reasons for dressing up our pets. And not only are they keeping dogs cool in their slideshow, they’re keeping other pets cool too.

On the front of it being absolutely ridiculous, and we shudder at the thought of dressing up our pets and think that this no way near keeping dogs cool, this article offers a great argument for not dressing up our pets.

Safety is all about Keeping Dogs Cool.

We’ve touched upon the safety aspect up above. Remember that our pets are temperature reliant too. On those bitterly cold days when the thermostat is turned up to its maximum setting, keep in mind that the winter coats of our pets can’t just be unzipped and taken off. Keeping dogs cool inside is something that requires serious consideration if it’s too cold to go outside. We remember all too well the polar vortex way back in the winter of 2013-2014, and there were days that the radiator clinked and bounced and spat out a lot of heat. But during those days where the high temperatures were below zero we had to play indoors. Running around the house not only fogged up the windows but made us sweat. The heavy fur didn’t help keeping dogs cool, but we had to make sure that pets stay hydrated and cool down appropriately.

Yes, we can have hot dogs during the winter.

I relish the chance to play inside on this cold day.

This is a very informative list about all things safety related in winter. This list also helps translate to keeping dogs cool inside.  Keeping dogs cool is all about safety. We love our pets as much as you do and as pet parents keeping them cool is one thing, but keeping them safe, healthy and happy is our first priority.

I’m Cool and I’m Inside