With preparation in the fall, your hens can continue thriving all winter long. A few adjustments will go a long way toward healthy, productive layers.

Every lambing season is a learning opportunity. Take notes, document your experiences, and seek advice from experienced shepherds. Each year, strive to improve your practices based on what you've learned. Remember, the path to success is paved with continuous learning and adaptation.

Now more than ever, we as a society, are disconnected from our food sources. Although there are many great independent processors in the United States, many large ones are owned by overseas interest. Saying that, it’s important to highlight that most of their producers are small cattle/calf or stocker operations. By buying your livestock from a local producer, you are giving them another avenue to market their stock for a fair market value, with minimal middlemen. Growing your own protein source, keeps money local, producers and butchers in business and provides a lower carbon footprint by less travel of said livestock.

A diet is not balanced unless it includes the recommended water intake. Our livestock’s health and performance are affected by water consumption. In fact, of all of the nutrients, water is most critical.

Now that the hot weather has arrived, the flies have moved in. Fly infestation reduces performance and the economic loss from each horn fly biting an animal 30 times/day can also be substantial.