Basic Animals

Our Barnyard Friends

Before buying animals, learn as much as you can about them, but don’t expect to become an expert just by reading. When you get your animals you will need to also listen to them, watch them and notice their behaviors because they can tell you a lot.

Note: Do not give growth-stimulating hormones and medicated feed, because this may have long-term side effects that are as yet unknown. If medicine needs to be given for some reason do not eat, or drink anything from that animal for at lest two weeks.

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1. Chickens

Chickens are possible the most common animal seen on small ranches and farms. They are easy to raise and produce large quantities of meat and eggs. A family of four will use about 30 chickens at a time: 10 laying hens, 15 fryers and broilers, and 5 larger capons.

Some good all-purpose choices include Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn, and California White. Our favorite is Rhode Island Red, as we have found them to be great egg layer. Egg production from egg layers lasts about 16-18 months. When your hens are no longer productive, they should be removed and used as a stewing hen. Meat varieties like Cornish and Cornish Cross are bread for large breasts and rapid growth.

You can purchase laying and meat chickens at all stages of development, from eggs to mature birds.

Starting fertile eggs in an incubator is fun, but not especially practical for starting out. It takes approximately 21 days for a fertile egg to hatch, and each egg must be turned 2 to 4 times per day.

Day-old and very young laying chicks can be purchased from any farm outlet. They will need a brooder box with controlled temperature. You will need to keep the chicks in the brooder box for 4 to 5 weeks, and count on a 20% mortality rate from hatching to the start of laying at 20-24 weeks.

Pullets, young hens approximately 20 weeks of age provide a practical alternative to eggs and chicks. They are usually healthy and ready to start laying. Pullets are a little more expensive but they are ready to put into a hen house.

Chickens are easy to care for. They need feed, water, and a coop or house to live in. You will want to build a protective fence of chicken wire around the enclosure or you can plan on having chickens in your garden and roosting in crazy places. It is wise to have laying hens in one coop, fryers and capons in another.

The hen house needs feed and water containers and nesting boxes. Make feed and water containers from available materials around your house, (wood, old plastic containers, old 5-gallon cans). Make roosting benches along 2 walls, 3 feet above ground and 18 inches wide. Use 1”x2” boards for the top and separate each board with a 2-inch space for droppings and cleaning. On the roosting bench add a few nesting boxes, 1 for every 3 laying hens. You can make nesting boxes from cardboard boxes or permanent wood structures. The only necessity is that each box be about 14 inches wide, 20 inches long, and 20 inches high with a cover and easy-to-clean floor. A little hay or straw makes good nesting material.

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    * How to build a self enclosed mid-size chicken coop for up to 4 chickens using for just a small fraction of the price of buying a new one
    * How to build a small portable chicken coop ark that makes cleaning simple and provides nutritious fertilizer for your garden
    * Simple tips on how to set-up your building site and select your materials that will make building quick and easy
    * How to easily extend your coop into a free-range style enclosure
    * How to pick the right breed of chicken for your climate, space and egg production
    * How to easily breed chickens yourself and take care of the baby chicks so you have a self sustaining flock
    * How to design a coop that keeps your chickens warm in even the coldest of climates
    * The 9 daily, monthly and yearly chores you must perform to keep your chickens healthy, happy and laying eggs

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2. Ducks

Ducks are extremely hardy and will forage for most of their food they need. You can supplement with the same food as chickens if needed. We buy young birds-ducks about 4 weeks old to start with. Two males and six females is a good number to start with. I think the Peking ducks are the best breed for meat, they are fast growing and taste the best, bigger then most other breeds and do not need any care. They lay 1 egg every other day and their eggs are great for baking cookies, cakes, pastry’s.

Duck eggs are larger then chicken eggs and have a stronger taste but can be treated and used the same way. Peking ducks are ready to butcher at about 8 to 10 pounds live weight.

3. Rabbits Beginners Guide on Raising Rabbits Click Here!

They are excellent animals to raise for meat. Not only are they delicious and hardy but they are also inexpensive to feed.

Rabbit pellets do provide the best diet, but food can be supplemented with hay, fresh grass, vegetables, fruits, and leaves.

My favorite breed is the New Zealand white. They have a good weight of about 5 pounds and when the rabbits are about 12 weeks old, they can be butchered as fryers.

If breading; a small box with a hole should be in the cage and you will need to put a male into your females cage for breading but after about two weeks or so he should be removed.

Note: Rabbits will need plenty of clean water and a small salt lick in the summer heat should be used.

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4. Dairy Goats

Goats make ideal dairy animals for a small farm or homestead. They are easy-to-handle, and excellent foraging ability’s. Their milk if fully comparable in flavor and in some ways it is superior. It is naturally homogenized-the fat particles are so small, they do not separate from the milk and this makes it easier to digest. The breed I like are Nubians.

Goats will forage for most of there food but you should include well-cured hay at times and additional mixed-grain in their diet. Do not overfeed them with grain, since this can lead to bloat. To prevent overeating, feed grain only after they have eaten plenty of grass or hay and only enough for that moment. Make sure your goat area is free of buttercups. If ingested they will get sick and lethargic and will require you to inject them with a shot of vitamin B complex.

Note: You must have 2 goats minimum, if not they will get lonely and become to stressed.

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