What animals on 1 acre?

[itsasmallfarm]

the biggest thing i suggest is to think are you planning to keep all year, if so how is your hay situation? your from PEI, whats the hay like out there for buying it? is it available in the fall/winter/early spring? out west here (SK here) in a drought year it can be very tough to get hay some times(we have goats and horses). i have no idea what its like out east besides i saw on the news you guys where flooding out there.

next how is the land for grazing? we have about 6 acres of pasture and its tough some years in a drought for our two horses, but word of the wise start small and work up to your carrying capacity and i would try to stay under it. (i was told out here you can get 6 in an acre of pasture with off spring per summer not sure how true that is)

 

[itsasmallfarm]

now for animals you could keep?
first make sure what you are zoned/ are allowed to have.
for 1 acre? i would consider
rabbits- meat, pelts and fiber
sheep-meat,fiber and milk
goats- meat milk and fiber
bees-honey
ducks, geese, turkeys, quail?
even a small aquaculure system could be used.

 

[Rysktal]

Thank you so much everyone! I have lots to consider

 

[Amer]

If you have any questions, come to moi. I keep dozens of chickens and ducks ans three turkeys quite comfortably on my one acre.
I also have three cats.

 

[Amer]

I don't own goats or sheep. I've thought about it, but life is busy enough constantly hatching and running to poultry shows to be milking goats or shearing sheep. I don't know much about sheep, but I've always wanted to get this one: http://www.babydollsheepregistry.org/members.htm

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Hi @Rysktal, What I do when considering adding animals to my property is how much shoveling do I want to do to reach the barn after a 3 foot snowfall. It's enough for me to make it to the chicken coop. Then there's icing which can make hauling bags of feed a little treacherous. Not trying to be all gloom and doom, but caring for your livestock during winter is a lot of work. Best wishes on your new property.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

Hi @Rysktal, What I do when considering adding animals to my property is how much shoveling do I want to do to reach the barn after a 3 foot snowfall. It's enough for me to make it to the chicken coop. Then there's icing which can make hauling bags of feed a little treacherous. Not trying to be all gloom and doom, but caring for your livestock during winter is a lot of work. Best wishes on your new property.

Good point to consider.
Adding, consider your layout of the property carefully. Don't do anything Willy nilly. On a space as small as an acre, one should plan strategically. It can absolutely hold multiple types of animals and gardens, and I've seen many a book or video dedicated to "homesteading on one acre", etc.
In strategics, think about heat sources if needed. Water! Electric. Flooding or water retention areas. Poor soils. Predator defense. Easy maneuvering with large or heavy objects (even just a wheelbarrow, they can be cumbersome but necessary.)

I like to think of harmonious strategies to my property. For example, if I were to go forth and get rabbits: choose a breed that's multipurpose, meat, fiber, pet temperament, etc. Creative housing, like a tractor, will allow rabbits to graze naturally reducing feed cost and stress as well as mowing of the meadow. Manure from the cage is excellent fertilizer and does not need "cooking" like most fertilizer does, which will increase my garden yield and potentially fertilize weaker areas of the grass into a more sustainable meadow.. The meat will significantly decrease what we need to purchase for us and our dog, as well as being able to profit from furs and sales of excess bunny offspring. Bunnies will more reliably eat our veggie scraps than the chickens do, continuing a natural cycle.

 

[Barbs Girls]

Hi @Rysktal, What I do when considering adding animals to my property is how much shoveling do I want to do to reach the barn after a 3 foot snowfall. It's enough for me to make it to the chicken coop. Then there's icing which can make hauling bags of feed a little treacherous. Not trying to be all gloom and doom, but caring for your livestock during winter is a lot of work. Best wishes on your new property.

So true!!! I have animal math problems because I love them sooo much but hauling feed/water in winter is tough...snow that turns to ice from tracking all over that turns into boot sucking mud during a thaw....gah!!! Start small... go through a winter/summer then add to your menagerie. Get to know your limits. Helps to prepare you for the joy of more animals and the work involved. All worth it but start small!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have kept goats on a smaller dry lot. They were actually more healthy than being on pasture because worms can get out of hand on a pasture if not managed correctly. On the dry lot I would rake up the berries on a regular basis. They were fed mostly hay, and grass clippings in the summer.

A pair of pygmies or Nigerian dwarf are suited to being kept that way.

 

[texsuze]

As someone else mentioned, I'd suggest holding off a bit until you, 12 chickens, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and the other family members have had a chance to adjust to the new digs and work out some logistics without new critters in the mix right away. They can always come later.

Carrying capacity, i.e. what your acre can handle in terms of being chewed on, walked on, pooped/peed on, rained on, and scorched and still be resilient month after month after year after year is important. Again, you might want to see a few seasons pass to assess how the land responds. If you plan on having an acre dry lot, that would be different.

Also, how close are your neighbors? What critters or issues do they have? Will you be affected by what takes place on their property? Will your critter managment potentially affect them?

Re: sheep & goats, if you get to that point you might want to consider heritage breeds. I think the Livestock Conservancy has information on breeds that would do well in your part of the world.

Take it one step at a time and enjoy!