useful farm animals

[greyfields]

None of my livestock smell... except maybe for the broilers on a hot day. If anyone tells you pigs or goats stink, they were probably exposed to animals which were just penned up all the time and not allowed a pasture rotation. Goats smell rather sweet to me. And the pigs just usually smell like wet ground as they're often wallowing about.

Then again, maybe they all smell horrendously and I just don't notice it anymore. I'm surrounded by animals after all.

And to them, I'm the one who probably smells with my shampoo, doederant, laundry detergent, etc.

 

[KingsCalls]

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Have you been around "fainting goats"? Mine have no smell, one reason I decided on this breed.

 

[amysue2012]

We have 4 goats now. Just added 2 baby Sonans last week. (Knee high) I've never really notice a bad smell just keep the barn area clean. They all stay in an electric five string fence. I havent had problems with them getting out yet. They have an acre to graze on and get treats a couple times a day.

I've been told as long as they have pasture and weeds to eat they'll stay in the fence.

 

[wynedot55]

dont beleive everything you hear.goats can an will get out.all 3 of mine decided to get out.an i had to find them an get help to catch them.then i put 2 on chains for a week or some.an worked on where they got out.an the billy still jumps/climbs the fence when he wants out.put he stays close to the nannies.

 

[hazelton farms]

We have two acres. We have chickens, turkeys, pheasants, peafowl, ducks, guineas, rabbits, goats, one lamb waiting to be butchered, two steers and a heifer. Oh and three toy poodles. The only thing we haven't had yet (that I want) is a pig and I've got just enough room left that I could have one. So you can do a LOT with a whole five acres if you just manage it right and aren't minding buying hay to feed year round. We also plan to build a small shed for my husband to butcher all of our own meat in. I milk in a portable area with the goats and the milking area for the cow is yet to be built as she's only now about two months pregnant, but we've already got the stall, just need a roof over the area and a stanchion to milk in. Oh we've also got a garden that's about 60'x50' for veggies and fruit trees and blueberry bushes out front as well as fresh herbs growing on the front porch.

I would recommend the cow!!! YUMMY milk. You can also get a couple of goats to keep them company if you want to for milk more often and sooner! They go well together and goats will not compete for the exact same kinds of foods as the cow.

Stacy

 

[ksacres]

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Having raised goats for many years, I can tell you to take what you have heard with a healthy dose of salt

Goats are inquisitive by nature and will stop at nothing to get to the other side of any fence they think they can, if for no other reason than to sniff the ground. It's in their genetic makeup, they can be VERY aggravating if your fencing isn't adequate.

Please be sure you have good fencing before you consider goats, many bad things can befall them if they are allowed to roam at will.

We use welded wire cattle panels, but the high field fencing strung tight enough can hold them in as well. The main thing with big goats is that they like to stand on their fencing to say hello, which breaks down the fencing.

 

[Promiselandfarm]

I think that the goats smell during mating season and it is the male who smells!!! It makes them come into heat. They do love to roam~! But eat everything you don't want down. We don't eat or milk ours but do love for them to have babies to sell. We have horses and our chickens love to dig in the things they leave. Dung bettles and the like make homes in old poop a true treat for a chicken.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

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Ughh, I've never been to the farmhouse, because they moved in the 60s, but the part that scares me about it, is that my grandfather is like derranged, but I can't imagine walking into a bathroom and seeing a dead rabbit draining over the tub!

 

[Chick_a_dee]

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You can do a lot, I can't

Haha.. where I live, we have EPIC rules on what you can and cannot have on an acerage. For instance, we're HOPEFULLY buying almost 9 acres (if the bank doesn't screw us over this week), and we're only allowed as many animals as we can fit in the barn, with the current fittings...which is about 6 horse stalls, a tackroom, and like 20 stantions in the middle which are going to be taken out, plus the coop, even though chickens don't count, so I can have as many chickens as I want

 

[menageriemama]

Hmmmm, I am with you about wanting to "broaden" your animal horizons. If I can work it all out, hubby is willing but money is not quite so willing, I will have in the next three years: meat rabbits, and milk goats. Ohhhhh I want them both so badly!!! I have decided on goats for milk instead of a cow because we live in the north woods and have zero pasture, and I know that goats will fare much better here. If I were to add any critters to the above list it would be Guinea fowl. They are very good at eating lots and lots of ticks, and at least up here, that talent is VERY helpful I have my first batch in the coop now!!!