- Sep 9, 2009
- 8
- 0
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Hello,
I am new to the whole homesteading world and have spent the last week or so lurkiing around this forum (Thank you Google), and a few other sites trying to get my bearings.
There is a real possibility that my employer, a local environmental nonprofit, will not have the funds to hire me next year. In this tight economy I thought I might give homesteading a go. I have always wanted to be self sufficient and I love animals.
But there is so much information that it is a bit overwhelming and I am hoping that some of you can help to focus me a bit, or at least tell me if I am on the right track.
I have a husband, German Shepherd, two cats (indoor/outdoor) and a ferret. My husband works second shift and I would like to stay on his schedule as much as possible. We go to bed around 5 in the morning and get up around 1 pm.
We have 2.5 acres with a decent sized river in the backyard (1.5 acres of this is wetland with about an acre that has our house and yard). The wetlands are loosely fenced in and the previous owner kept her two horses there.
Muscovy ducks are peaking my interest thus far and I plan on starting a garden next spring. Would I have to worry about the ducks swimming off with the river right there? Or is having the river a bonus? Am I better off getting chickens? One of the reasons I like the duck idea is because they are quiet and I dislike loud noises. I would want them to be free range (coming in at night) and to feed themselves on the copious amounts of insects we have all around us for most of the year (I would feed them in the winter and maybe to bribe them in at night). I am looking for both eggs and meat production.
I was thinking about building a coop in the garage and letting them in and out through the window so they will be safe from predators.
That is what I have so far. I would greatly appreciate your thoughts. Am I way off base or do you think it could work? Any advice is welcome (I will be picking up Storey's guide from the library on my next trip into town) and plan on doing lots of research before taking the plunge, but there is nothing like the voice of experience!
Thank you!
Cypress
I am new to the whole homesteading world and have spent the last week or so lurkiing around this forum (Thank you Google), and a few other sites trying to get my bearings.
There is a real possibility that my employer, a local environmental nonprofit, will not have the funds to hire me next year. In this tight economy I thought I might give homesteading a go. I have always wanted to be self sufficient and I love animals.
But there is so much information that it is a bit overwhelming and I am hoping that some of you can help to focus me a bit, or at least tell me if I am on the right track.
I have a husband, German Shepherd, two cats (indoor/outdoor) and a ferret. My husband works second shift and I would like to stay on his schedule as much as possible. We go to bed around 5 in the morning and get up around 1 pm.
We have 2.5 acres with a decent sized river in the backyard (1.5 acres of this is wetland with about an acre that has our house and yard). The wetlands are loosely fenced in and the previous owner kept her two horses there.
Muscovy ducks are peaking my interest thus far and I plan on starting a garden next spring. Would I have to worry about the ducks swimming off with the river right there? Or is having the river a bonus? Am I better off getting chickens? One of the reasons I like the duck idea is because they are quiet and I dislike loud noises. I would want them to be free range (coming in at night) and to feed themselves on the copious amounts of insects we have all around us for most of the year (I would feed them in the winter and maybe to bribe them in at night). I am looking for both eggs and meat production.
I was thinking about building a coop in the garage and letting them in and out through the window so they will be safe from predators.
That is what I have so far. I would greatly appreciate your thoughts. Am I way off base or do you think it could work? Any advice is welcome (I will be picking up Storey's guide from the library on my next trip into town) and plan on doing lots of research before taking the plunge, but there is nothing like the voice of experience!
Thank you!
Cypress
