Want to raise animals on your homestead for eggs, meat, profit, or companionship? This is your ultimate resource for raising homestead animals; chickens, ducks, horses, cattle – we love them all.
Raising small chickens is one of our favorite homesteading activities. We love having fresh eggs every day. Besides the eggs, the best part about raising small chickens is that we can manage effectively with a smaller amount of space. Another…
While the Northern Hemisphere is in the grips of winter, here in South Africa, we’re quietly sweltering. The temperature doesn’t drop much at night either, and as I’m a natural worrier (not warrior), these warm nights have me tossing and…
Very few natural phenomena cause as much disgust in humans as a clump of tiny, wiggly maggots. However, your chickens have a completely different perspective. To an average chicken, maggots are equivalent to French fries. They don’t care if they’re…
Now, we know that cows do not look like the most athletic of animals, and they do seem to prefer to spend their days lazing around. But if you’ve ever seen a cow hightailing across the paddock, you can’t fail…
Despite the common myth circulated about pigs being dirty, unsanitary animals, they’re some of the cleanest around! They don’t like to lay in filthy beds of their own making. So it’s critical to choose the best pig bedding that is…
New to farming? Or maybe you’re thinking about getting a dairy cow to provide your family with all the milk it needs? Smart choice! With the proper care and nutrition, your cows can provide your family with fresh, wholesome milk…
Anyone who keeps chickens will know that they can be very individual characters. What works for one of your girls won’t necessarily work for another. Trying to break a broody hen is one of those occasions when their quirks and…
When I first considered raising hens on my backyard hobby farm, one benefit rose quickly to the forefront – no more wasting food! Two of my three kids are champion food wasters. Well, the chickens will eat it, soon became a…
As a homesteader or small farm owner, you have many good reasons to purchase a cow. Not only can you save money by producing your milk and beef, but the quality of both of these will likely be much better…
A few years ago, after many failed attempts, one of our hens finally managed to hatch a clutch of six chicks. Soon afterward, my delight turned to despair – four of the six were roosters! As our cute fluffy chicks matured into…
If someone asked you, what do cows eat? Your reaction would probably be to sneer and say, well, grass, of course! Everyone knows cows eat grass, but farmers and homesteaders raising cattle for meat, milk, or both know that a cow’s diet is more…
Many new chicken owners take on a small flock of hens, thinking that chicken-keeping is a doddle. But then realize that their newly-introduced poultry is much pickier than they thought! That’s because chickens need a few home comforts to keep…
For many years, I only fed my chickens whole or cracked corn. I hoped they were getting all the nutrients needed from the bugs, seeds, fruit, and the surrounding pasture. After a while, however, I noticed my chickens were hardly…
Chicken meat is a healthy and classic family (and farm) staple! But rooster meat has a reputation for being inedible, chewy, bland, and not worth eating. Is that true? Can you eat a rooster? Or not? The confusion between chicken…
Are you thinking about raising a feeder pig (or two – or twelve!) on your farm? If so, you’ll need to know a few feeder pig tips to maximize your luck. And no, a feeder pig isn’t just a pig…