Backyard backyard animals

Overview of Raising Backyard Animals for Milk, Cheese, Meat, and More

Raising backyard animals like chickens, goats, rabbits, or even small pigs can be a rewarding way to achieve greater self-sufficiency and enjoy fresh, high-quality food products including eggs, milk, cheese, and meat. Beyond edible products, these animals can provide valuable manure for gardens, contribute to pest control (especially chickens), and offer educational experiences for families.

Investment

• Initial Costs: Purchasing animals, constructing or buying appropriate housing (coops, hutches, pens, shelters), installing secure fencing, buying feeders and waterers, initial feed stock, and potentially milking or processing equipment.
• Ongoing Costs: Regular feed purchases, bedding materials (straw, shavings), veterinary check-ups and potential treatments, supplements, electricity for heating/lighting if needed, and supplies for processing milk or meat.

General Requirements

• Space: Sufficient area for housing, exercise, and grazing/foraging suitable for the chosen species and number of animals.
• Legal Compliance: Thoroughly check and adhere to local zoning ordinances, city/county regulations, and potentially Homeowners Association (HOA) rules regarding keeping livestock, including animal type limits, setbacks, and waste management.
• Time Commitment: Daily care is non-negotiable, including feeding, providing fresh water, cleaning living areas, health monitoring, and milking if applicable.
• Knowledge: Understanding basic animal husbandry, nutritional needs, health signs, and predator awareness for your chosen species.
• Shelter & Fencing: Secure, predator-proof housing and fencing appropriate for the animal type.

How to Raise Backyard Animals

Successful raising starts with choosing the right animal for your situation. Research the specific needs regarding diet, social structure (some animals need companions), common health issues, and lifespan. Provide a clean, safe environment with constant access to fresh water and appropriate feed. Regular observation is key to catching health problems early.

How to Feed and Care

• Feeding: Diets are species-specific. Chickens require formulated feeds (starter, grower, layer) supplemented with greens and insects. Goats need quality hay, browse (leafy greens, shrubs), and often supplemental grain, especially if milking. Rabbits primarily eat hay and pelleted feed. Always ensure clean, fresh water is available.
• Care: Daily tasks include feeding, watering, and quick visual health checks. Weekly or bi-weekly tasks involve thorough cleaning of enclosures to prevent disease and control odors. Seasonal tasks may include adjusting shelter for weather (insulation, ventilation) and parasite control.

Benefits of Having Backyard Animals

• Fresh Food: Access to fresh eggs, milk (which can be made into cheese, yogurt), and meat with known origins.
• Waste Management: Manure is an excellent fertilizer for gardens (needs composting).
• Pest Control: Chickens forage for insects and grubs.
• Education: Great learning opportunity for children about life cycles, responsibility, and food production.
• Self-Sufficiency: Reduces reliance on commercial food systems.

Climate Requirements

Most common backyard livestock are adaptable but require protection. * Heat: Provide ample shade, good ventilation, and extra fresh, cool water. Misters can help cool areas. Production (eggs, milk) can decrease in extreme heat. * Cold: Ensure draft-free but ventilated shelter. Provide adequate bedding (straw) for insulation. Ensure water doesn't freeze (heated waterers may be needed). Some breeds are more cold-hardy than others.

How Much Space Do Backyard Animals Need?

Space needs vary significantly: * Chickens: Minimum 2-4 sq ft per bird inside the coop and 8-10 sq ft per bird in an outdoor run. * Dwarf Goats: Minimum 15-20 sq ft per goat in sleeping area, plus ~200-250 sq ft per goat of outdoor exercise/Browse space. * Rabbits: Depends on breed size, but a guideline is 1 sq ft per pound of body weight for enclosure size. Always research specific breed and species requirements.

Can Backyard Animals Be Kept Indoors?

Generally, no. Livestock like goats, pigs, and chickens require outdoor space for natural behaviors, exercise, and waste management. Odor and sanitation make indoor keeping impractical and often unsanitary for these animals. Rabbits can potentially be kept indoors as house pets with large enclosures and litter training, but this is different from raising them primarily for meat/fiber in a backyard setting.

Can Backyard Animals Be Fenced?

Yes, fencing is essential for: * Containment: Keeping animals within your property. * Protection: Keeping predators (dogs, coyotes, raccoons, hawks) out. Fence type depends on the animal: woven wire or cattle panels for goats, poultry netting or hardware cloth (buried slightly) for chickens, and sturdy wire mesh for rabbits. Electric fencing can supplement other fence types for added security or containment.

Guide to Selecting the Right Backyard Animals

1. Define Your Goals: What do you want? Fresh eggs daily? Milk for drinking and cheese? Meat for the freezer? Manure for the garden? A combination?
2. Assess Your Resources:
   • Space: Measure your usable backyard area. Consider noise and proximity to neighbors.
   • Time: Be realistic about the daily time commitment (15-30+ minutes per day, plus more for cleaning/milking).
   • Budget: Factor in initial setup costs and ongoing feed/care costs.
   • Climate: Choose breeds suited to your local weather extremes.
3. Check Regulations: This is CRITICAL. Contact your city/county planning or animal control department. Understand limits on animal numbers, species allowed, coop/shelter placement (setbacks), manure management, and any slaughter regulations.
4. Research Animal Needs:
   • Chickens: Relatively easy start for eggs. Need secure coop/run. Can be noisy.
   • Ducks: Similar to chickens, often better foragers, need water access. Quieter than some chicken breeds.
   • Goats (Dwarf/Miniature): Good for milk (Nigerian Dwarf, Pygmy) and companionship. Need very secure fencing (they are escape artists), require companions, need hoof trimming.
   • Rabbits: Excellent meat source, reproduce quickly. Need secure hutches, susceptible to heat.
   • Quail: Small space requirement, fast maturity for eggs/meat. Less common, specific care needs.
5. Consider Temperament & Handling: Some breeds are more docile than others. Consider ease of handling, especially if children are involved or if you need to milk.
6. Start Small: Don't overestimate your capacity. Begin with a small number (e.g., 3-4 chickens, 2 rabbits, 2 mini goats) and scale up if desired and feasible.
7. Source Healthy Animals: Buy from reputable breeders or sources to avoid starting with sick animals.