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animal husbandry – Page 4 – Homesteader Depot

Homesteader Depot

Tag: animal husbandry

  • All About Alpacas

    All About Alpacas

    Finances can be a determining factor in the success or failure of your homestead.  Finding a way to make a living on your homestead, or better yet, through your homestead, can have you go from scraping by to rolling in money.  That may sound like an exaggeration, but it’s been done before.  One way is to raise alpacas.

     

    What is an Alpaca?

    Alpacas are basically a half size llama.  But unlike llamas alpacas are not bred to be pack animals, they are bred for their fiber (it is similar to sheep’s wool but softer and contains no lanolin), or for their meat.

    Benefits

    Unlike their larger relatives the llama, alpacas do not have a bad temperament, alpacas are gentle and curious, but do not like to handled excessively.

    They have a rather unique behavior of not leaving manure where they eat the way most grazers like cows or horses do.   This is one reason that they do not require as much area as other grazers, since they do not need to rotate their pasture as often.  This will also cut down on vet bills since they will come in contact with less parasites like intestinal-worms that can be present in feces.

    They can save money on your initial investment by not requiring the same fencing that other grazers like cows do, alpacas can be contained with minimal fencing and will learn their boundaries, and once learned they will not desire to stray from them.

    Unlike sheep, alpacas are highly territorial and will defend themselves and each other from predators like dogs and coyotes.

    Alpacas do not need to be killed to harvest their produce, their fiber is a renewable income earning resource.

     

    Aplacas will not fit into everyone’s life or onto everyone’s homestead.  But for those who do have a place for them, these animals have brought in a handsome profit.

     

     

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  • 3 Easy Ways to Keep Your Chickens Healthy

    3 Easy Ways to Keep Your Chickens Healthy

    Chickens are some of the most common animals to see on a homestead or farm.  One reason is that they are some of the easiest animals to care for.  But even chickens can develop health issues like tape worms, mites, and various intestinal infections.  As with everything else, taking care to prevent these issues will be easier than treating them retroactively and will ensure that you have a healthy supply of eggs and meat without interruption.  These are 3 easy ways to help your chickens stay healthy.

     

    Pasture

    Just like you, chickens are healthiest when they are eating well.  One of the easiest and cheapest ways of ensuring your chicken’s health is to provide them with access to pasture.  It’s not the bugs that the chickens are after when they are pecking at your lawn.  Pastured chickens will eat as much as 30% of their calories in grass alone.  This will dramatically cut down on the feed and supplements that you would need to provide your chickens if they were not given the opportunity to graze.

    Dust

    Chickens do not bath with water, but with dust.  Providing them with an area that remains dry even in wet weather, and has a thick layer of fine dust will help them keep off skin parasites like mites.  If the area your chickens are in doesn’t have fine dust, or if it doesn’t seem to be enough for them, you can supplement this with diatomaceous earth.  Diatomaceous earth can also be sprinkled over their feed to help treat intestinal parasites like worms.

    Water

    Clean water is a must for chickens, especially if you want to keep a constant supply of eggs.  If your chickens are allowed free range this might be harder than you think since your chickens will not be selective about the water that they drink.  They will just as soon drink out of a contaminated puddle as a clean water dish.  For this reason, you might want to add a small amount of chlorine bleach to the water dish that is in the coop they go in for the night, and make sure to change out their water dishes at least once a day, more if they show signs of illness.

     

    Chickens are fun animals to have around and are typically robust.  If you give them what they need, they will thrive, and in return you will high quality eggs and meat.

     

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  • One Way to Clean a Chicken

    One Way to Clean a Chicken

    As with the proverbial cat, I’m sure there is more than one way to clean a chicken.  This is just one way, you can tweak it however you feel the need to for your situation.

    Kill it first

    Starting with a live chicken that you have a hold of, grab its neck with your strong hand down, so that your thumb is closer to its wings and your pinky is closer to its head.  Now spin your hand in a tight circle fast so that the chicken’s body spins in a larger circle.  This will kill the chicken for sure.

    Chop chop

    After you have wrung the chicken’s neck it will still probably move a little.  That’s ok, just hold it down with its wings in tight with your weak hand, and lay its neck on a piece of wood that you can drive a sharp edge (like a machete) into.  Chop off the head.  Then hold it up by the feet letting the blood drip out until it has stopped.  Then lay the chicken down again and chop off its feet just below the feathers.

    Pluck it

    At this point, most people would dunk it hot water.  But wet chickens smell worse than wet dogs and you really don’t need to do this to get the feathers out, though it will speed up the process.  Just hold the chicken down with your weak hand, and close to your weak hand, so as not to allow the skin to stretch and tear, grab some feathers and pull.  Repeat until the chicken is bare.  You shouldn’t have much trouble except with the tips of the wings, where you might want to use the hot water.

    Gut it

    Make a cut around the neck, going low towards the collar bones, but trying not to go too deep so that you don’t hit the gizzard.  Reach in and remove the neck innards and the gizzard (which can be eaten if desired, just make sure to separate from the intestines).  Then flip it over and cut around the anus while keeping in mind that you do not want to puncture the intestines. However, if you do puncture them, there is no reason to throw out the chicken, just wash it well afterwards).  Once you have a complete circle around the anus, remove it, with the intestines attached, then pull out the rest of the guts.  If the chicken is a smaller breed you may need to enlarge the hole, but get the intestines out first.

    Wash it

    Wash it off, and wash it out.  Just water and vinegar should do the trick.  This is more important if you are going to freeze it or marinate it instead of cooking it right away, but might as well play it safe, it will only take a second.

     

    Now it’s ready to cook and eat.  If you have not cleaned an animal before and are considering raising other animals like rabbits or pigs for meat, chickens are a great animal to train on.  They aren’t as large as a pig or as cute as a rabbit, but they taste just as good. Who doesn’t love chicken?

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  • How to Safely Handle Raw Milk

    How to Safely Handle Raw Milk

    Probably the primary appeal of having a family cow is the delicious, nutritious and plentiful milk you can get from her. Raw milk, meaning fresh, unpasteurized milk, has many more beneficial enzymes and bacteria than store-bought milk.

    But it is important to handle it safely to maintain optimum freshness and sanitation. This is particularly important if you plan on selling your raw milk. If you want to sell your milk, make sure to check your local laws. In some states, it is highly illegal to sell raw milk. In other places, there may be certain restrictions. But even if you just want to share with friends and family or just keep it yourself, it’s always best to use safe, clean practices to maintain the quality, nutritional content, and longevity of the milk.

    Here is a simple guide to safe raw milk practices:

    1. Prepare your milking area

    You will want to have a proper set-up for milking. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy, but a dry, covered area, with a place to tie up your cow and feed her as well as space to comfortably sit by her, is probably all you need. You will also want a place that will either have a sink or be in close proximity to the area where you will clean your milking equipment.

    2. Have the right Equipment

    Again you won’t need anything fancy, but a good, stainless steel bucket for milking is ideal, especially with a top to keep the milk protected. Stainless steel is easier to clean than plastic and will withstand possible kicks from a grumpy or restless cow. You may also want some soft, cotton rags to wipe the teat while milking.

    3. Sanitize

    Before milking, you will want to make sure you have properly washed your bucket, hands, and cow’s teat thoroughly. Some people use a small amount of bleach, but hot water and soap should be sufficient.

    4. Practice

    When you first start milking, it might take some practice to keep the milk clean. You are ultimately trying to keep the milk from getting any debris like manure or dirt in it, so if that happens, you won’t want to drink that milk. You can give it to your other animals.

    5. Strain the milk

    You can use a coffee filter, fine mesh strainer, or strainer made specifically for milk, but the idea is to get out as much debris as you can.

    6. Cool the milk

    As soon as you are done milking, you will want to cool your milk as quickly as possible. Some people even keep reusable ice packs at the bottom of their bucket. When your milk is strained into the bottles or jars you want to use (which should be properly cleaned and sanitized first as well), put them in the freezer for an hour-set the timer so you don’t forget about them! And then transfer to the fridge. You can now use as you would any other milk, although because it is raw it might not last as long, but it’s so delicious that might not be a problem for your family!

     

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  • Tips to Keep Your Chickens Safe from Predators

    Tips to Keep Your Chickens Safe from Predators

    Most homesteaders have chickens. The chickens are essential for providing eggs, so you don’t want anything to happen to them. Of course, we all know chickens are delicious. And quite a few predators know the same exact thing. Therefore, you need to take steps to keep your chickens safe from all manner of predators. Here are some tips to make it easier on you.

    What Predators Are in Your Area?

    The first thing you need to do is take some time to research what types of predators are in your area that are likely to prey on chickens. You may have coyotes, foxes, weasels, and more that are quite common. Think about some of the other animals as well. These can include rats, some snakes that eat eggs, and predatory birds. You need to devise defenses that are able to withstand all of the different types of predators in your location.

    Use Chicken Wire Wisely

    You need to use the chicken wire for more than just building a fence around the coop. Yes, you need a fence, but you also need to make sure that the wire is placed into the ground at least 12 to 15 inches. This will help stop predators that try to dig their way inside.

    In addition, you should add the wire to the top of your chicken run. Make sure the “chicken wire ceiling” is about seven feet high – you need to make sure you can still walk around under it. This will give your chickens plenty of light, but it will help to keep out pesky birds of prey that might otherwise swoop down on your poor chickens.

    Look for Holes in the Ground and Plug Them

    Take the time each day to walk around the grounds of the chicken run and around the coop to look for holes in the ground. These holes could be from a variety of different types of predators including foxes, skunks, and weasels. If you find any of these holes, plug them right away. You might also want to set out some traps – outside of the coop of course.

    Do the Same With the Coop

    In addition, you should look at the chicken coop for any holes. Even a very small hole no more than half an inch or so in diameter is enough to allow in certain predators. You never want to let predators get right into the coop. This is especially true when it comes to weasels – they seem to like killing and will often kill all of the chickens in a coop even though they might not eat much at all.

    Remove the Brush

    A final tip to help reduce the number of predators who are looking at your chickens as food is to remove the brush in the area around the coop. If a predator has to move across a large amount of empty space in order to get to the chickens, they are less likely to do so, as they do not want to be seen or caught.

    These simple tips should help to keep your chickens much safer and much happier.

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  • 3 Reasons Why Ducks Are Better Than Chickens

    3 Reasons Why Ducks Are Better Than Chickens

    When most people think of animals for their back yard they quickly think of chickens.  And while there is good reason so many people think to raise chickens, there are also reasons why ducks may be the preferable livestock for your backyard farm.

    Ducks don’t crow

    Not everyone starting their homestead has 15 acres in the country.  Some may have less than an acre with neighbors right next to them that don’t share their passion for raising animals and growing food.  Keeping this in mind, it is not hard to think of how a rooster could degrade the relationship one has with the neighbors.  Ducks, on the other hand, don’t crow, and don’t cackle loudly after laying an egg, or when in preparation to lay an egg.

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    Ducks don’t destroy everything

    It’s true that ducks will eat all the grass available if they are confined, just as chickens will.  But they can be allowed into an established garden without causing total devastation.  Ducks do not kick and scratch the way chickens do which will destroy the roots of plants and ruin mulch.  Plants will recover from losing some leaves a lot faster than they will if they are uprooted and kicked into the path.

    Ducks are better at egg laying

    Ducks do not decrease egg production in the winter the way chickens do.  The eggs they do lay are more nutritious and have a taste that is often preferred over chicken eggs.  With a thicker shell and membrane, they also last longer than chicken eggs do.

    You may already have a flock of chickens in your yard now and may be skeptical of replacing birds that you have come to appreciate.  But as your chickens become chicken dinner you might want to make some room in your flock for some different birds and give ducks a try too, if it doesn’t work out you can always have roast duck instead of fried chicken.

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  • The Cost-Effectiveness of Homestead Pigs

    The Cost-Effectiveness of Homestead Pigs

    A lot of people don’t like pigs because they’re stinky, dirty and loud. But most people won’t object to bacon, ribs or pork chops. And this is a pretty good reason to have pigs, and why most people raise them!

    Not only are pigs delicious, however, they are also very cost-effective sources of meat, especially if you are looking to be more or totally self-sufficient. Larger meat animals like cows need a lot of space, and smaller meat animals don’t yield anywhere near as much meat.

    But pigs are just perfect! Here are some reasons why they are economical choices for the homestead:

    Space

    As opposed to cows or even goats, pigs need much less space to live. Of course, the bigger the space, the less offensive the smell, but you can keep your pigs in a pen with a minimum of 20 square feet per fully-grown hog. Given how large pigs can get, this is a great use of small space on a homestead for a big meat yield.

    Quick Growth

    It takes about 12 to 18 months until you can butcher a cow. However, if you buy a weaned piglet and give it 24/7 access to food, you can butcher it and fill your freezer up in as little as four months! Buying a piglet every six months will more than exceed your yearly bacon quota.

    Waste Not, Want Not

    One really fantastic advantage of pigs is that you can feed them your slop! Homesteads often produce lots of scraps from the garden or food processing, so you will have to spend very little on pig food if you regularly feed them scraps from your kitchen and garden. Plus it adds variety to their diet!

    Multiple Babies

    Cows only have one or maybe two calfs at a time, but pigs have whole litters! To breed them you will of course need a male and a female, but you can quickly turn your two pigs into nine or ten, which means more pork than you will know what to do with.

    Overall Cost

    Piglets are very affordable, especially compared to weaned calfs that can cost hundreds of dollars. Your average weaned piglet can cost about $50-$100 (depending on your area). And given how much meat you can get in such a short period of time, this is a steal! Add that to the small amount of space they need, how much you can supplement their diet with scraps and how easily you can multiply your herd, this makes pigs a very economical choice for the homestead.

  • Are Quail a Good Choice for Your Homestead?

    Are Quail a Good Choice for Your Homestead?

    Quail have been growing in popularity in recent years, but they’ve been favorites of north American farmers and hunters alike for centuries.

    Theses small birds offer delicious meat, but it’s their incredibly nutritious eggs that most people are after. Despite being smaller than chicken eggs, quail eggs have three to five times the amount of essential nutrients and minerals like vitamin b1, iron and potassium. Also, while chicken eggs are 11% protein, quail eggs are 13% protein.

    Quails may or may not be a good choice for your homestead, depending on a few factors:

    Feed

    Quails are much smaller birds than chickens, hence, they eat considerably less. And, unlike chickens, all they eat are seeds and grain, so their feed is cheaper as well. You can feed them things wild bird seed mix, oats, and flax seeds.

    Space

    Despite having been domesticated for centuries, quail are still not reliable to stick in one place like a flock of free range chickens, so they will have to be enclosed. This is perhaps the biggest challenge of raising quail. As with any animal, you don’t want to box them in too much, so having enough space for them to move around yet remain contained is important. But again, they are smaller than chickens,  so you don’t need anything bigger than the average mid-sized chicken coop. They will also need a sizable roof to keep themselves dry and lay their eggs safely, many people repurpose old dog houses for this.

    Safety

    Quail offer both delicious meat and eggs to humans-and predators alike. So make sure you keep your enclosure secure, and as close to your house as possible. If you have a trusty guard dog, make sure the enclosure is somewhere he or she can keep an eye on it and that you’ll hear barking or confrontation with any critters that may take a shot at stealing some quail.

    Nesting

    Your quail will need plenty of dry bedding, as they are ground nesters and of course you want to give them plenty of material to build their nests and lay in them. Their enclosures will need to be at least superficially cleaned weekly, their droppings raked out and fresh bedding provided. So, if your homestead already produces wood chips or hay, for example, these are great options for bedding.

     

    Cost

    One final factor that might convince you to raise quail is the price of their eggs! For how nutritious, and delicious, quail eggs are, they are very pricey at the supermarket as well as difficult to find. The average quail hen produces one pound of eggs for two pounds of feed, which is really quite cheap.

     

    Hopefully this has given you some idea as to whether or not quail are a good choice for your homestead. They’re delightful little creatures with delicious eggs and meat, and easy to raise as well, so if you do decide to raise them they will be a great addition to your homestead.

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