

Once you’ve decided which animals you want to raise, you need to make sure you’re ready to hit the ground running as soon as your new creature co-workers arrive. What do you intend to use the animal for (consumption, companionship, work, etc…)?.What kind of time commitment does the animal require?.Can your facility support the animal’s needs?.Some important things to explore before you choose to take on any animal: Sure, we may all want a fresh steak on our table every night, but does your setup have the space and resources necessary to raise a herd of beef cattle? Fly control is super important, whether you use a chemical solution or a natural one.Īlthough each animal has its own requirements, there are some basic aspects of husbandry that apply to them all.įood, water, shelter, cleanliness, and medical care are going to be inevitable and should be considered carefully. To keep the peace with your neighbors, good fencing is incredibly important.įly control is just as important – we’re about to get 2 gorgeous Lowline cows and no way will I have them walk around with 10,000 flies on their bodies, infecting their eyes and causing oozing sores. I mean, these cows are wild – they have had no human handling whatsoever so they run straight through gates that are, obviously, not up to the task of keeping them in. This is why we did a whole article on the best fencing for cattle (and the best fencing pliers to get it done!) We’ve decided that it’s easier to fence them out of our property rather than start a fight over him keeping them in. And they’re forever getting out, onto the neighboring property. He runs what feels like a million head of cattle (click here to find out how many cattle per acre you can run in your state!). We need to identify the specific needs of our animals, as well as our ability to ethically care for them.

One of the most dreaded, yet very necessary, jobs on a homesteadīefore diving headfirst into the world of raising animals, we have some preparation to do.

Check out 58 practical homesteading skills you can start learning today!Īh yes.
#Best hobby farm animals free#
Your girls (and boys should you choose to raise a rooster) will keep your crops free from many damaging insects. Chickens are fantastic at pest control.Click here for the best chickens for beginners. Egg production is the obvious perk to raising your own flock.Because of their smaller size, goats require less feed than other dairy and meat producers, such as cattle, which means less of a financial and land-use burden on you.Goat’s milk is a wonderful addition to homemade soaps.Their manure, with some time for composting, makes an excellent fertilizer for your crops.Goats can add meat and dairy products to your operation.We’re going to look at goats, chickens, and bees.
