Livestock

[redman2006]

In this genre book, I see a discussion of livestock in terms of necessity, but not practicality. Whether a rabbit, chicken, horse, or cow, how are people going to feed them after the stored feed runs out? Grazing and foraging requires land and runs the risk of loss as well as discovery by others. Waste and growing only goes so far on a small lot or farmette.

So, for those with stock, what are your plans?

[hsehntr98]

I have tried to stock up on feed for chickens and pigs, dogs and cats to last at least 6 months, if not longer. Fortunately my pigs are grass eaters and if need be I will turn them out into our wooded area of our property that is fenced. Once my chickens and guineas are old enough I will let them free range during the day and close them up at night. I will decrease their feed intake to make their food last longer and as a last resort the pigs and chickens become freezer food.

[southernmom]

chickens can eat just about any dang protein-even roadkill. Maggot buckets are an option, any scrap you have-a chicken can eat it. I'm not worried about feeding the chickens-only protecting them.
Rabbits? scraps. and I grow enough extra garden to feed them on scraps as well. (I have had rabbits before and will be raising them again, soon)
There is a fabulous book by John Jeavons called 'How to Grow more Vegetables than you ever thought possible on less land than you can imagine'. The author does not add animals in his mix-but the book is amazing.

Let me rant:

A lot of people are so caught up in the idea of monocropping and rows of neat and tidy veggies and a massive orchard-and assume that their 1 acre or 2 acres can't possibly grow enough food to sustain them or their animals when that is actually quite a falsehood. One needs to learn about aspects of permaculture, of vertical growing, of growing their soil so that a person doesn't have to rely on pesticides or any form of chemical fertilizer. We need to look towards perennials and companion planting in succession and for those up north-cold frames and succession planting in order to maximize and extend the growing season.

This is not directed at anyone here necessarily-but a prepper who sees the world differently and knows they must prepare...if they have any interest at all in sustainability then they have a responsibility to get out of the mindset that a farm or garden must be tilled rows of lined up cabbages and beets....there is so much more, there are so many more ways to grow food almost easily beyond what monocropping has taught us.

It can be done differently and create a higher yield.

I do not till, I broadfork or I lay down weedbarriers such as cardboard, etc, and cover with mulch. I compost like it is going out of style. I mean I compost dang near everything. I encourage strong soil-and I start multiple beds. I cram veggies and climbers all over the place near fruit trees, fencing etc. I could go on and on but I am sure ya'll are sick of my garden rants. If you have any direct questions I will answer.

[DMH]

SM What edition of Jeavons book do you recommend? I see there have been several over the years. I am leaning towards the latest.

[southernmom]

SM What edition of Jeavons book do you recommend? I see there have been several over the years. I am leaning towards the latest.

I like the latest. I am also a fan of Carol Deppe's book 'The resilient Gardener' cause she gets into sort of developing crops for your area. She has developed neat strains of corn for different purposes-like for flour, parching, storing, etc.

[AK74]

We grew chickens and goats. They tended to provide multiple forms of protein and were easy to feed. Yes you need some land of course, but one thing we didn't do is cut down some of the invasive weeds such as blackberry and grapes and the goats and chickens enjoyed them tremendously. Plus if you're having a bad day, go play with the baby goats. Nobody can have a bad day after that.

[nichevo]

I plan on using sprouted fodder from wheat or other grains to feed chickens and goats

[Sacajawea]

I'd like to see this thread take off a little more. Except for horses, and a general familiarity with livestock, I realize I'm clueless about raising animals to eat. I do know they tie you down - they like to eat at specific times, they need water & shelter, and looking after and even companionship with humans, as well as their own kind.

Being the very new owner of 10 acres that's poised to be developed this way I'm open to ideas and your all's experiences. I will say, that I tend to like to really settle into a place and look at it a long time, before I commit to projects or changes to a place. But given that time may be shorter than any of us know, necessity & practicality may alter that preference.

On the gardening side of things, I have a lot more experience and back up what Southernmom said -- diversity of food crops, building up the soil with the natural nutrients it needs and perennials/orchards all help to insure that you eat all year round. One more puzzle piece there that strikes me as being necessary as time ticks along, is growing under cover. Whether a partly underground greenhouse, high tunnel or large cold frames... and a root cellar... you can extend your growing season and control the conditions (somewhat) enough to grow food most of the year round.

I'm planning to mix up really old techniques with some modern tech/ag science to get the biggest bang for my buck and time. There is a lot of wisdom in the old ways, when there was no choice but to practice "sustainable" farming - and it was a complete, holistic system. The weak points in that system remain with us today - so if modern practices can bridge those gaps - we owe it to our futures to explore the benefits of those too.

[redman2006]

So for me, my horse is the biggest issue. She needs hay or grass and does not browse. We raise rabbits already in a colony setting now. They are much easier to care for. Kudzu is our friend all summer long here. I can feed goats, pigs to a point, rabbits and chickens on it. My guineas are free ranging but roost close to the barn. They will raise a clutch here and there. They also keep the bugs down in the garden.

The pigs get commercial feed, scraps and kudzu as well as bushels of acorns in the fall.

The goats love the briar and brambles, but to keep up milk, they get pellets. They probably don't need them. Cheese, milk and meat come from them at a very efficient rate.

The rabbits are by far the most efficient. A few pellets and weeds and kudzu raise plenty of kits for us to eat..

The chickens need scratch or pellets. I also need a rooster and a couple of setting hens to make them more sustainable rather than my layer only flock.

So really, right now, I go through a sack of all stock every week, one layer pellet every week, a sack of scratch every 2 weeks and a rabbit pellet every 2 weeks. When I finish the hogs, I need a sack of feed and one of cracked corn every week. I go through a round bale of grass hay every 2 to 3 weeks.

This is a lot to lay in for any length of time. That is why I was curious what others do.

[kickstand]

Dang Redman , when do you have time to go to work?

[redman2006]

Well, the horse is a lawn ornament right now. No real effort there. Colony raised rabbits are easy. Food, water, done. We are using a hoop coop for them anchor chickens at the new house. These are sure cheap and easy. 16x8 with 2x4 material as a base. Stock panels bowed between the frame makes about a 6.5 ft high pen. Lined with chicken wire or hardware cloth depending on critter. Gravel bottom over a 2x4 welded wire to prevent escape and predators. A 16x12 tarp at one end to enclose a sheltered area for nesting etc.

The chickens are easy too. Layers take 10 minutes a day.
The goats take 30 minutes to milk each twice daily.
The guineas are maintenance free.
The hog pen is empty for the moment, but those are super easy too. Feed and water. Change the bedding if it gets wet, but hogs actually keep it clean. I think we are going to try pasture g one with the horse and goats next time. Hogs will recycle some undigested food that way and maybe gather their own acorns.

Gathering kudzu or acorns takes a few minutes.

Over all, even with milking, M and I can knock out chores in 30 to 45 minutes twice daily. If we reduce the milking to once a day, we cut it back significantly. I think we will do that for a while on the next freshening. We will let the babies nurse once a day and bottle feed once a day.

The cheese making takes a while, but we don't do that too often, so the hogs and chickens get left over milk.

The garden takes far more time than the animals. I despise weeding! And putting it up is an all day afair on a regular basis. This year, our garden has not amounted to much.

[hsehntr98]

Redman do you have any pictures of your hoop coop and other pens? I would like to see it and see if it might work for me in the future. Thanks

[redman2006]

I don't but this one is very similar350x700px-LL-6297b073_hoop.jpeg

[redman2006]

I used more bracing on the ends. I also used the combo panels on the ends as well. Mine is 4 panels long so 16 feet. In the back, I used old 5 gallon buckets on their sides as nests. The lids have about half of the area cut away. I did the same for nesting boxes and a colony pen for my rabbits.

In the winter, I will stack straw bales for insulation.

I have about 125 or 150 in each coop/pen.

[nichevo]

That looks just like our turkey coop!!!!!