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livestock – Page 2 – Homesteader Depot

Homesteader Depot

Tag: livestock

  • Are You Ready for Livestock?

    Are You Ready for Livestock?

    Raising livestock is one of the great appeals of homesteading. If you’ve just bought your own land or have plans to, or have considered raising goats or chickens in your backyard, you should be careful not to get too far ahead of yourself.

    The prospect of raising livestock is so appealing, the decision to dive into serious animal husbandry is no small consideration. Here are some important factors of making this big decision:

    Space

    Do you really have the room? A lot of animals need much more space than you’d think. Most animals simply won’t thrive if kept in a small cage for their entire lifetime, and that would defeat the whole purpose of raising them yourself. Whatever animal you are considering raising, make sure to look into how much space they need, and take into account whether or not you will want to expand your herd or flock one day.

    Cost

    Obviously, this is a big factor. Animals cost more than simply the initial set-up cost and feed. You never know when you might need to repair their dwelling, or have a surprise medical cost, unexpected babies, etc. You need to factor in not only the costs of their basic needs, but unexpected costs too. If you’re living paycheck to paycheck and have no spare income, you might not want to take on any livestock.

    Local Laws

    Another restriction on your animal husbandry dreams might be your local laws. You will want to look into laws pertaining to the animals you want to raise, as well as zoning laws that might restrict where you can raise them. If you plan on selling them or their products, or breeding, there are laws that might pertain to this too, so do your homework.

    Unwanted Guests 

    Something else a lot of people don’t realize about raising animals is that they sometimes invited unwanted critters. Animals attract both pests and predators, such as fleas and vermin, as well as foxes, coyotes, wolves, possums, skunks, etc.

    Free Time

    Of course, probably what any seasoned farmer will tell you about livestock is they make travel, even day trips, very difficult. They require constant care, feeding, milking, egg collection, being let out to pasture, etc. They don’t have holidays or weekends off! You will need to arrange reliable, knowledgeable care for your animals if you go out of town.

    When successfully raising animals, it’s important to simply be around your animals a lot. You need to be able to observe them frequently, so you know if they are knocking over their water dish, or getting caught in fencing, trying to get out, possibly feeling sick, etc.

     

    Raising animals is a big responsibility, but don’t let this info scare you off! Proper planning and management can take you far, and if you’re up for the task, it can be incredibly rewarding. Just make sure to have your bases covered before you commit!

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  • Can Your Livestock Make Money for You?

    Can Your Livestock Make Money for You?

    What type of livestock do you have on your homestead? You probably have some great animals that are working to provide well for you and your family. However, have you ever stopped to think that you might be able to get even more out of the animals? In some cases, your livestock will can make money, providing you with some extra income. Let’s check out a few of the ways that your animals could make money for you.

    Selling Excess Eggs

    If you have some chickens, they are going to keep laying eggs each day in most cases. This means you will have more eggs than you know what to do with. Consider selling or bartering with the excess eggs. For example, if you have some neighbors who make soap or honey, trade the eggs for what you need.

    Selling Wool

    If you have sheep, you can only use so much wool, too. You can always sell some of the excess wool, or you can use it to make products that you can sell.

    A Petting Zoo

    Here’s an idea you might want to consider. If you have some animals such as goats, sheep, pigs, and the like, you may want to set up a petting zoo. For a few dollars, parents and their kids can come out to the farm and see the animals up close and learn more about life as a homesteader. The animals can be a real draw, especially when there are babies. Pony rides and horse rides are yet another option.

    These are just a few of the different ways that you can make money from your livestock. Consider the animals that you have and just how you might be able to profit from them, and then reinvest that money back into the homestead. There are tons of options.

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  • Clipping Chicken’s Wings, The Easy, Painless Way (Video)

    Clipping Chicken’s Wings, The Easy, Painless Way (Video)

    It’s a common myth that chickens can’t fly, in reality, they certainly can. In the wild, chickens are able to fly short distances, enough to get them over fences or up into trees.

    If you’ve got free range chickens or chickens contained by a fence, you probably don’t want them to be practicing their hereditary skill of flying. So how can you keep them grounded, without hurting them or causing you both stress?

    This video from Raising Happy Chickens shares a simple, painless way to clip chickens wings to keep them around. Enjoy!

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  • 6 Things You Should Do Before Getting Piglets

    6 Things You Should Do Before Getting Piglets

    I’ve raved quite a  bit in the past about how great pigs are. You can buy them as piglets for a very affordable price, and within a season have a hog big enough to fill your freezer with meat. For the initial start-up cost, space they need, food they eat, and meat they yield, they’re incredibly efficient animals to raise for meat. And, as someone who hates waste, I just love how much you can feed them!

    It’s also relatively easy to feed them virtually for free, which is another big plus. When you buy pork at the supermarket, you have no idea what the animals have been eating, and since pigs virtually retain everything they eat, conventionally-raised pork can be literally quite toxic. But if you raise them yourself, and can control what they consume, there’s no better source of clean, green, delicious pork!

    However, you should definitely know what you’re getting into before you run out and buy a small herd of piglets.

    Here are five things every aspiring pig farmer should know before bringing home piglets:

    1. Find a butcher

    No, seriously. If you live in an area where it’s quite common for local farmers to bring their animals to a butcher after slaughtering, they can be booked up months in advance. If you don’t plan on butchering the animal yourself, which is wise for your first season of pig farming, find yourself someone to butcher it for you before you invest in pigs so you’re sure when the time comes, you’ll be able to bring it in.

    2. Secure housing 

     .

    There are a couple of different options for a secure pigpen, and whatever you choose, make sure it is secure. Pigs are diggers, and many amateur pig farmers can attest to how easily they can plow through improvised fencing. An electric fence is a great option if you can afford it. Do some research into what pig farmers in your area do, as depending on the soil and the amount of rain you get, you might have to bury your fence pretty deep.

    Your pigs will also need adequate shelter to live comfortably, and for both shelter and fencing, you’ll have to bear in mind how big your pigs will get. They’re quite small as piglets, so make sure to think ahead and anticipate how much room they’ll need as they grow.

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    3. Make a meal plan

    Ok, so it’s not going to be nearly as complicated as making a plan to feed your family, but before you bring piglets home, you’ll want to do some research into what you can feed them and where you’ll get it. You can feed pigs scraps from your kitchen and garden for sure, but they will most likely want more than that–a lot more. I already mentioned the many ways you can feed a pig for free, so check those suggestions out and see what you can find for free in your area before you get piglets so you’ve already got a game plan.

    4. Secure their water 

    Pigs aren’t the most delicate of creatures, and especially for little ones, you’ll want to make sure you can get them regular fresh water in a container they can’t tip over…or play with. You’re probably very familiar with the cliche of pigs rolling in the mud and well, it’s true, pigs love to play in the mud, and if you don’t secure their water trough, they’ll be playing in that as well. A heavy, metal trough that can’t be tipped over or easily accessed by the pigs will be your best bet to keep them hydrated and safe.

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    5. Arrange transportation 

    Another aspect of #1 is to make sure you can get them to the butcher when it time comes! Transporting piglets is easy, but transporting a full-sized hog is a totally different story. If you have a truck and trailer, make sure you have a means of herding the pig into the trailer. But don’t just expect them to saunter on up a ramp and into the back of a trailer, pigs won’t be naturally inclined to do that. If that’s your plan, make sure you start training them to do that right away, by doing practice runs starting at a young age. Kind of morbid to train a pig to virtually walk to his own death, I know, but just comfort yourself with the thought of all that delicious meat that will fill your freezer.

    6. Know your breed

    When you buy the piglets, make sure to ask the farmer who sells them to you all about the breed, and jots down their answers if necessary. You’ll want to know how big these porkers will get, what their personality is like, what cuts are the best on them, how tenacious they are at trying to escape, etc. Not all pigs are the same, and fortunately, if you buy your piglets right from the farmer, you can talk directly to the person who raised their parents so they can give you a good idea of what to expect from your own herd.

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  • Raising Quail (Video)

    Raising Quail (Video)

    I think one of the greatest things about the internet is that we can get an inside look into what other homesteaders are doing and how they set up their gardens and animal raising operations.

    This is a very informative look at Big Bear Homestead’s quail raising set up, with a detailed tour of the coop. I have always been very interested in raising quail, particularly because their eggs are supposed to be highly nutritious, and they’re just as productive as chickens.

    This video really motivated me to explore the idea of raising quail more, so if you’ve been wondering about it, you’ll appreciate this inside look into a successful quail coop.

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  • 4 Things to Know About Goats Before You Get Them

    4 Things to Know About Goats Before You Get Them

    Goats are fantastic homestead animals, and we write about that all the time on this site. They can produce excellent milk, help you clear brush, grass, and shrubs, and can even been great companions.

    But you might have some misconceptions about goats you’re not aware of, so we thought we’d share four things you might not realize about goats. Before you purchase any, you should definitely be aware of these things, so you are not surprised when it’s not exactly like you thought!

    1. Cream doesn’t separate

    While the cream in cow’s milk naturally separates, providing you with more than enough rich cream to use and to make butter and buttermilk with, goat’s milk does not separate. You can still use it for lots of things, but it’s just not naturally separated. It takes quite a bit of effort to extract the cream, so you’re better off using it for something else.

    2. You will be up to your knees in milk

    Once goats start producing milk, you’ll have quite a lot. Definitely have a plan for how to use it, or you might find your fridge full of milk and yogurt! You can certainly make milk kefir, yogurt, and even ice cream with your goat’s milk, but that’s a lot of work and either way you might want to consider buying a second fridge or a mini-fridge to store the milk. You can always sell it too, but make sure you consider this first…

    3. It’s not always legal to sell

    Not every state allows the sale of raw milk for human consumption, so before you count on this, make sure to check local regulations regarding goat’s milk. It’s a great way to make some extra money, but just be sure it’s legal!

    4. They are stinky

    There are many ways to reduce their smell, of course, like lots of fresh bedding, well-ventilated shelter, and cleaning out their enclosure regularly. But in general, goats do just naturally smell rather strongly. Consider this when you’re planning out where to keep your goats!

     

    Consider these four points before buying goats so you can be well-prepared to care for and utilize them properly.

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  • How to Feed a Pig for Free

    How to Feed a Pig for Free

    The expression “eating like pigs” is a very apt comparison, pigs eat a lot of food! They happen to be one of the most cost-efficient animals you can raise if you’re trying to fill your freezer up with meat for the year, so you’ll want to feed them well, and efficiently.

    Unfortunately, pig feed itself is not only expensive, typically full of GMO corn and soy which is not great for pigs or the humans who eat them, it’s also not everything a pig needs. It’s the pig equivalent of public school cafeteria food daily, so you’ll want to give your hog something more, without breaking the bank.

    Here are some ideas for feeding your pig cheaply, or even entirely for free!

    Pasture 

    If you are able to pasture your pig, do it. This will require adequate fencing, of course, but if you give them a space to root around in, they’ll tear it up for you. You’ll probably still want to supplement their diet, but any opportunity you can get to feed an animal by letting them roam, take it.

    Bakeries

    Ask around local bakeries to see if they will give you discarded bread that is too stale to sell. They’re often happy to give it away, and your pig will be happy to munch on these bakery leftovers.

    Grocery Stores

    Grocery stores also might be willing to give away the produce they can no longer sell, and your pig will love it! Pigs are very undiscerning when it comes to freshness, and many grocery stores might be thrilled to put their produce waste to good use.

    Kitchen scraps

    Of course, you can feed your pigs virtually any leftovers from your kitchen you don’t want! They’ll love everything from vegetable trimmings to leftover casserole no one wants. This is a great way to feed a pig, and reduce waste around the house as well!

     

    Pigs are great homestead animals to raise, and there are so many ways to make doing so healthier and more affordable. If we haven’t convinced you to start raising pigs at this point, I don’t know what will!

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  • A Simple Guide to Raising Turkeys

    A Simple Guide to Raising Turkeys

    A lot of Americans only think about turkeys once a year around Thanksgiving, but turkeys are a great homestead animal to raise and breed. They’re a lot like chickens, really, only bigger.

    If you’re considering raising turkeys yourself, here is a basic guide to what you need to know.

    Starting out

    You’ll first have to decide if you want to start with mature turkeys, or with baby turkeys, which are called poults. You can buy poults as you can baby chickens, and raise them up from infancy. Or, you can buy already mature turkeys and let them breed.

    There are distinct pros and cons to each. If you buy mature turkeys, if you get at least one male, you’ll be able to breed your own pretty quickly, and also most likely be able to harvest meat sooner. But if you start with poults, while it will take much longer to harvest eggs or meat from them, it is definitely easier to start out and get used to.

    Set up

    Turkeys, like chickens, will need a habitat. They can wander, like chickens, but beware that they’re known for being mean, so you’ll probably want to keep them in a sizable coop if you’re just getting started. Turkey coops are just like chicken coops, only bigger. Each turkey will need at least 6′ of space.  The hens will want brooding boxes, just like a chicken, only since they’re larger you’ll have to take that into account.

    The hens will want brooding boxes, just like a chicken, only since they’re larger you’ll have to take that into account as well.

    You can also give them a fenced in area attached to their coop, if you’d like to give them space but don’t want them interfering with the rest of your homestead. Some people also give them electric fences.

    Food

    You will most likely want to feed your turkeys store-bought feed, unless you are able to give them a considerable amount of space in which to forage, and in that case you’ll probably still want to supplement their diet with some feed anyway.

    You can purchase feed specifically for turkeys, or general game feed. You can also feed them scraps from your garden and kitchen, as you would chickens.

     

    Turkeys are a great addition to the homestead, and I hope this simple guide gives you a basic idea of what’s involved with starting them out.

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