Ideas on how to make a little cash off of what I got on my farm...

[countrycakelady]

Man, I wish you lived close to me! I could supply your goat babies with all the roughage they would need! DO NOT LET ANYONE TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAN NOT DO! YOU can do ANYTHING you put your mind to.

 

[Spifflove]

Ever thought of a goat lawnmowing service?

 

[coffeychicks]

Man my yard is a roughage paradise. Wish you were closer. Lol I need some clearing out.

 

[Pinky57]

Try posting flyer at the feed store where you usually get your grain and hay. Other farmers and animal lovers tend to like to help each other out. Ask if anyone has some roughage for your goats. Do you have any electric fencing (portable). If so you could offer to "mow" some ones field. I had some goats for a while and I used a small dog pen to move them around my field. Every few hours I would just slide the pen over to new grass. They seemed to love it and I got the field mowed. Make sure your mom is aware of any contacts you get and don't go meeting strangers alone OK?

 

[Betsy G.]

I make angel food cakes and egg noodles with my excess eggs. I am planning to sell them at local farmers markets this summer. If you don't have time to set up at a farmers market, you might try advertising on Facebook or putting up flyers saying that you have homemade goods available for purchase.

Good luck to you!

 

[hausrx]

ya I know what you mean as to a start up chicken herd, being more costly , as for my Idea of building a inexspensive BROODER & small chicken coop on wheels, has gotten bigger & more costly than I thought, but Im 4 weeks into raising baby chicks (8 of them ) as I finish up finishing touches on thier CHICKEN TRACTOR !!

 

[mystery]

Moochie, I don't know how many birds you have now or even if you are still wondering, but you could go around putting up flyers for fertilizer from both your fowl and goats. A lot of people look for organic fertilizer for their flower and vegetable gardens. This would give you a little extra income. If that is truly a pic of your birds then you could also offer feathers to people that do crafts. You could also pet sit for people that go on vacation or have to be out of town for a while. You could also offer eggs to your friends, I sell mine to people I know at $3.00 a dozen and they love them ( I also bought my own unmarked cartons ), but since you seem to shy away from people I don't know if that would be any help as you may not have to many friends. Not trying to be mean in anyway just logical.

As far as greens and roughage for the goats, go to your local super market (not a big chain store, a locally owned store) and ask if it would be possible for them to save you the produce that they are going to throw away. Be sure to go on a regular basis or they will stop doing it for you. I do it. What our chickens, ducks, geese, guineas and turkeys won't eat we give to our goats, they especially like oranges and it helps keep them hydrated in hot weather. Some of the harder produce, like potatoes has to rot before the chickens eat it sometimes though, all our birds especially like mellons and cantalopes.

I also have a Rock Dove ( pigeon, I don't like that word to me somehow it is derogatory) that I raised from 4 days old squab, he is one of the best friends I have ever had! I could not stand shoving that tube down into his gullet like everybody said to do, I was afraid of hurting Baby, so I fed Baby from my mouth. He actually asked me to by rubbing his beak on my mouth. The reason this happened was, I was afraid I was going to lose him and I reached down to kiss him and tell him I was sry that I didn't know what else to do. At 4 days old he showed me how to save his life. That to me is amazing, I know people that aren't that smart! Today he is a healthy and handsome 1 year old, he goes and comes as he pleases in and out of our house, always sleeping in the house, Baby never leaves the property, although he can. He has never seen the inside of a cage and never will. He is free to do as he chooses and he chooses to stay with us. I have never seen a smarter animal, he has such a wonderful personality!

Well, that was way off the subject, I apologize. I wish you the best of luck and hope you find your niche Moochie!

 

[elizmartin]

Regarding potato's, if you microwave them til a bit soft then they will be easier for them to eat. Like everyones ideas ! Also if you are over run with eggs before you can use or sell, i hard boil them, crush and feed back....If crushed small enough they don't get the idea that all eggs are good to eat. VBG

 

[Lee Nelson]

Hi Moochie, my husband brought home some homemade soap that a man made from his goat's milk. I just love, love, love it. Is smells great without even added scent and sudses really well. Plus it just feels organic. You could try that and since it is only soap I would not think you would need a license to sell it. I maybe would try making organic lip balm from your goat products. There are really great tutorials on YouTube how to make it. People right now are sort of harking back to the homestead and sustainable mentality and going green. Right now I have a buyer for my eggs but he only comes if I have 15 dozen, and he pays me $3 a dozen! Believe me it is no huge profit but it gives me satisfaction because I love my hobby of raising chickens. I am also in the process of getting my first beehive and raising bees, but if you live in the desert, I don't know if that would be practical for you since they need a constant nectar source.