Did you know that Imitation Vanilla is made from Beaver Bum Secretions? And that this disgusting food additive is the magic ticket for adding birds to a new flock?

National Geographic journalist, Mollie Bloudoff-Indelicato reports that:

Castoreum is a chemical compound that mostly comes from a beaver’s castor sacs, which are located between the pelvis and the base of the tail. Because of its close proximity to the anal glands, castoreum is often a combination of castor gland secretions, anal gland secretions, and urine.

The fragrant, brown slime is about the consistency of molasses, though not quite as thick, Crawford said.

While most anal secretions stink—due to odor-producing bacteria in the gut—this chemical compound is a product of the beaver’s unique diet of leaves and bark, Crawford added.

Instead of smelling icky, castoreum has a musky, vanilla scent, which is why food scientists like to incorporate it in recipes (National Geographic, October 1, 2013).

Prior to adding newbies, be they new flock-mates or hatchlings being tucked under a broody hen, we dab Beaver Bum extract underneath the wing pits and on the beaks of the older birds. Then we do the same to the newbies. If they are not being tucked under a hen, we follow the procedure outlined here: How to add Teenagers to the Big Girl Flock and if they are hatchlings going under a hen we follow these steps: How to Sneak Hatchlings under a Broody Hen.

Because it is such a fragrant goo, it muddles up a flock’s ability to identify one another by scent. The Bigs encounter the Littles or the Newbies and think, “You smell like me, we must be friends.”

Side note: You probably won’t find Castoreum listed on the label. It’s hidden in the “Natural Flavorings” category.

Here’s a link to the Real Vanilla Extract for your Food Pantry, just in case.