what's a good farm animal besides chicks??

[lurky]

1 acre really isn't much. I would get more chickens. there are so many different breeds.

 

[hsm5grls]

I have been told that one acre is enough for 2 Pygmy or Nigerian dwarf goats. That's what I have been told I'm not sure it's true. I have 1 1/4 acre and will be getting 3 Nigerian goats in the spring so of course I vote goat LOL But do a lot of research on line first and make sure that's what you want. I have been looking at all the different poultry in the Murray mcmurray catalog. There are so many beautiful options, maybe that's something to look into. I like the guennie fowl and ducks. Well really the peacocks but I think they are more than I could handle. LOL Just look around and ask lots of questions find someone who actually owns the animal you are interested in and ask them about there care and maintenance. Good luck

 

[chickengirlnm]

Well I dont have any but I vote goat - the neighbor behind me has two in his backyard just like a having a dog - they dont have anymore room than the average backyard has and they are perfectly fine I am thinking about borrowing them to eat the weeds in the lot next to mine so I can fence it in and add to our furry family-maybe a goat of our own.

Julie

 

[GloriaH]

Hey! I vote for DUCKS!

I would go with a couple of Dwarf Wethers. Wethers are male goats that have been gelded. I had one named Billy. (Original name) He had his own dog house and would walk on a leash. Please do study up on goats they can have sensative tummies.

 

[picklespickles]

ducks are great!

 

[sloper74]

We have goats and ducks. With only an acre, I would vote ducks. You have to think expense as well. With goats, you want the strongest fence available, they are escape artists. Plus, if you are going to milk them, they need high quality feed and hay (expensive). If you're just having them for weed control, that's different, but with only an acre, they could eat your weeds out in a few days and be hungry for more.
If you have $ to fence and for grain/hay, goats would work. We have Nigerians and love them.
Ducks are great because you don't have to feed them, they will eat weeds. Our ducks are outlaying our chickens ALL YEAR! Plus they are very entertaining. All you need is a shelter (racoons killed 2 of ours when my hubby forgot to lock them in at night) and a bucket of water deep enough to get their whole head in.

 

[V Chic Chick]

I don't have any non-chicken animals, BUT I work on a city farm . . .

I vote goats. Pigs are nasty creatures. I never would have thought that one sow could produce that much poo, smell that much, destroy that much ground or be that greedy. They are very strong, even the females, and could happily knock a grown man to the ground.

Goats, on the other hand, can be charming. There are two adult nannies at the farm, and we have just got 4x 5 day old wethers. They came from a dairy farm (they would have been killed at day old otherwise) and we are bottle raising them.

Although the nannies can (occaisionally) be a little bolshy, they are lovely really, and are generally quite sweet. The goat kids are the sweetest thing, and are getting to be really friendly.

And if it wasn't goats, then sheep would be the next best thing, as they are similarly sweet, if a little bolshy!

 

[1acrefarm]

I have no problem with my two goats on 1 acre. I have a boar billy and boer/kiko nanny. Those are not small by any means. They have plenty to eat even in winter they are very fat and have no parasites. I let them graze most of the day then they get sweetfeed when I nightpen them. I spend about 12 bucks or less a month in supplemental feed. I also have several neighbors who ask me to let the goats graze their land although my yard supports their needs and could easily support 3 more. I still have to mow year round. The amount of land per goat is a very subjective thing. An acre with plenty of good browse could support quite a few goats. 50 barren acres might not support any. My yard is alot better than average though. I have a very diverse lawn. It includes bermuda wheat clover and alfalfa plus some intentional weeds to make the goats and chickens happy.

 

[hsm5grls]

I have a very diverse lawn. It includes bermuda wheat clover and alfalfa plus some intentional weeds to make the goats and chickens happy.

Did you plant your lawn? I was just wondering because i was hoping to plant a pasture area for my goats and chickens and would like to know how you do it.​

 

[1acrefarm]

I had a little help because the city tore half my lawn up running a sewer line. They planted rye in the place of the bermuda they killed. Thats one grass I forgot to mention. The rye did not take up everywhere because of the drought and me not letting them use chemical fertilizer. Where the rye did not take up I planted a small bag of biologix alfaclover and a 50 pound bag of another deer plot mix which contains oats and wheat among other items. Both plot mixes cost me a little under 30 bucks. I fertilize the lawn with my animal manure. I have not got it fully established in places but I will have a well pump soon then I will reseed.