Farm chatter

[FuzzyCritters]

The ones at the farm are really quiet, but maybe I haven't been there long enough. It does seem like roosters would be louder, though. Fantasy farm first, then realistic farm. Fantasy farm:
basically everything.
Livestock:
Chickens, of course! Seperated into a main coop, bachelor pad, bantam coop, and breeding coop/breeding pens. I'd love to breed cochins, focusing on blue, black, and splash, and maybe lavender.
Ducks-not that many. Probably runners and pekins, nothing fancy.
Pigeons-in an aviary. No racing pigeons because that is STRESSFUL!
Quail-in said aviary with pigeons. Quail are ADORABLE
peacocks- lower priority than everything else, but I'd LOVE to have a few. Only a couple.
sheep-they are FLOOF, and I can spin their floof into yarn, which I can then crochet with.
goats-they're GOATS. no more explanation needed.
horses- realistically I probably couldn't care for one on my own, but I can't help dreaming!! I'd love a black horse, or one of those pretty ones- I think that they're called paints?
Pets:
1 dog to serve as livestock guardian dog. no idea on breed, or what breeds are good.
1 dog to be pet doggo. I love bernese mountain dogs, labs, and golden retrievers.
cat. Maine coon cats are AMAZING, but I'd probably end up with a shelter cat.
fish- large fish tanks with lots of fishes.
rabbit. no explanation, i'd just like a rabbit.
Basically i just want to surround myself with animals of every variety.
Realistic:
Chickens-probably a smaller coop than I'd like, maybe with a bachelor pad. Probably no separate bantam coop.
pigeons: smaller aviary than I'd like, and probably fewer birds.
quail: see above ^
sheep or goats: probably only 3. Don't think I could handle both, just one or the other.

dog- same as fantasy, but instead of an LGS I'd probably just have a dog that's trained not to eat my animals.
cat: same as fantasy.
fish: probably a betta fish tank (10 gallons) and a tank with neon tetras (probably 20 gallons). probably nothing else, and no larger tanks.
rabbit: maybe. Probably not.

You'd be surprised at how doable all of that is! With 2 acres of cleared land, you could have everything on your realistic list. With 3 acres of cleared land, you could have almost everything on your fantasy list! (You would have to choose between goats, sheep or a horse. You could probably have small goats along with sheep or a horse if you wanted).

On three acres, I have 5 chicken coops (2 LF tractors, one bachelor pad, one bantam coop, and a broiler tractor---I was hit with a severe case of chicken math, and have 59 chickens, plus 13 broilers), ducks, turkeys, 4 sheep with lambs coming, and barn cats. For pets, 2 pet cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs. It's definitely possible to have a lot of animals in a small-medium space!

It's cool that you are volunteering on a farm, you will get a lot of experience for when you can start your own homestead! Sorry if I am just jumping into your thread.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Great pyrenees are AMAZING LGD. I'll dig up some pics in a bit. They work best in pairs and are great for cold winters. Ours live outside full time with the sheep.

Can they guard chickens? I'm considering a LGD to protect my chickens from eagles, and am looking at Pyrs as an option. I read on some other threads and websites that they like to wander from home, do yours do that?

 

[MGG]

Okay.
View attachment 2413976View attachment 2413977

Wow.... They're stunning. That little cockerel is definitely going to be a looker. The pullet too. Such nice barring. ❤
Where did you get them, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Can they guard chickens? I'm considering a LGD to protect my chickens from eagles, and am looking at Pyrs as an option. I read on some other threads and websites that they like to wander from home, do yours do that?

We have not had them in with the chickens, but know other farmers who have them with their chickens, and had it gone my way, they would be in with the chickens XD. Our female, Willa, has escaped a couple of times, but has always come back. We got her spayed a couple of months back (she's three, and had two litters of puppies - one of which Inigo came from - before we spayed her.) and I've heard that them being spayed/nuetered helps. Inigo hasn't run at all, any of the times he's gotten out, he's hung out by his mom because he's a big baby and barks anytime he away from his mom XD

ETA: Our pyrs are contained inside an electric fence or welded wire fence with the sheep that they watch over. They don't get to roam the property.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Wow.... They're stunning. That little cockerel is definitely going to be a looker. The pullet too. Such nice barring. ❤
Where did you get them, if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks.
I got them from Meyer Hatchery. They have the regular Hatchery Barred Rocks separate from the Heritage.

 

[HappyDuckie]

Can they guard chickens? I'm considering a LGD to protect my chickens from eagles, and am looking at Pyrs as an option. I read on some other threads and websites that they like to wander from home, do yours do that?

I also have a GP. Mine wanders, though not off the property. My property is large though, which may be the cause. He is also good with the chickens, but he doesn't really guard them. He does watch out for our calves, though.

 

[MGG]

Thanks.
I got them from Meyer Hatchery. They have the regular Hatchery Barred Rocks separate from the Heritage.

Really?!?! Dang. I almost bought some of the heritage from them last year, but I wasn't sure how good quality would be. Yours are awesome. Good to know! If I order from them again I'm definitely getting some.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

We have not had them in with the chickens, but know other farmers who have them with their chickens, and had it gone my way, they would be in with the chickens XD. Our female, Willa, has escaped a couple of times, but has always come back. We got her spayed a couple of months back (she's three, and had two litters of puppies - one of which Inigo came from - before we spayed her.) and I've heard that them being spayed/nuetered helps. Inigo hasn't run at all, any of the times he's gotten out, he's hung out by his mom because he's a big baby and barks anytime he away from his mom XD

Thanks for the info! I would get them spayed/neutered, because I do not want to breed dogs or have them run off in search for a mate. I like the idea of a bonded pair, so if one does wander, it will hopefully come back so it doesn't leave the other.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Really?!?! Dang. I almost bought some of the heritage from them last year, but I wasn't sure how good quality would be. Yours are awesome. Good to know! If I order from them again I'm definitely getting some.

You should give them a try. These are replacements from my first order of which 4 of my chicks died over night after arrival. I have 2 Sumatras, both are supposed to be pullets, but one is a cockerel.

 

[MysteryChicken]

If you'd like to see my Sumatras I'll take some pictures.