5 Questions You Should Ask, BEFORE you Buy a single FARM ANIMAL!!

​© T.B. Cooper

I am in NO WAY an expert... Far from it.
In fact, I feel that I should add at least another 10-15 more questions to this list!

But, I made this list, from  first-hand experience. When we bought our patch of dirt in 2011, we had an extremely romantic idea of what farming would be like. I've wanted a farm since forever, I'm sure it's in my blood, and my husband and I came together in part, because of our mutual desire to 'Live off of the Land.'

Now, I've mentioned her article a couple of times, but dammit if I'm not going to mention it again because I couldn't have said it better myself: Read Quinn's article: 15 Reasons to Reconsider your Homestead Dream(From Reformation Acres). 

Then, if you still feel up to starting a farm, read the following 5 Questions VERY Carefully, and answer them HONESTLY! I mean it. Animals Lives Matter, and I hate when people recklessly pick up animals just to abandon them later. This is ONE of the REASONS we have such a menagerie! When an animal is unwanted and needs a loving home, it usually finds it way here!

​So please, do yourself and your future farm babies a favor...

Billy & Me (30+ lbs heavier than I am now!)

Do your Research. Be prepared. And always be ready for surprises... 

Yes-the Horse kicks.
Yes-the Llama spits.
Yes-Llamas will give you kisses, if you are their Alpha.
Yes-your Buck will try to hump you, and his friends will try to trip you. 
Yes-your Turkey will hatch and love a gosling & your Duck will take her baby chicken for a swim.
Yes-baby turkeys taste delicious to dogs, chickens, ducks, pigs, crows... you name it, they're not safe!
Yes-your Donkey knows when the Farrier is coming, two days in advance and will bust out of his pen--every time.
Yes-if you keep your Pyrenees puppies close to you and your home, instead of out in the Barn with the animals because you mistake their evening alarm/watch-call for "cries," then you have no room to 'cry' yourself because you've turned them into the World's Best Yard Guard Dogs, but the World's Worst Barn Dogs-- because now, it's too far from Mommy & Daddy (so now they WILL cry)PLUS, they like the way the birds taste--ALL of THEM... and your male goats can't decide if they want to fight the Polar Bears or Hump them... so then you're forced to find another pair of dogs for the back half & forever after have to keep the boys up front with you...
​Additionally, you should also know...
Yes-they can fit through there.
Yes-they can jump over that.
Yes-they can break that.
And YES, Roosters will gang-bang anything with feathers, until the feathers are gone.

Let's begin, shall we?
​......

Question #5 Have you studied/researched the animal you're thinking about getting? Do you know what the animal eats? What it needs to be happy and thrive? Okay, you have? Good, now find a farm in your area that currently has that animal and ask the farmer what they do. You'll find that the "recommended" book/online suggestions will far differ from what is in practice. It's the same difference as reading every parenting book versus seeing a parenting model in use, and duplicating it. Now, If you HAVEN'T read up on the animals you are interested in getting, I do recommend the following books...In the interest of saving time, I DID NOT include links to the below books, that have Non-Affiliated links. Instead, I've only included the Affiliate links, so-- just so you know. BTW, I do own most of these books, and recommend damn near the ENTIRE Storey-Publishing line of Guide books and all things Farm-related. Just Saying. (The Complete Alpaca Book, is NOT from Storey Publishing, but is INVALUABLE!)(Of course, the books further below, are not all from Storey Publishing either...)

ALSO​**Clicking ANY of the LINKS below might financially benefit me if your click becomes a purchase. Just FYI.

Question #4 How many animals have you had to doctor, yourself? Or do you always take them to the Vet? I'm not knocking those who do take their animals to vets, I'm just pointing out that there will be more times than not, when you'll have to treat them yourself- or watch them die. If your healing skills aren't up to par, you need to learn. It's also helpful, albeit-crucial- to connect with others (especially in your area)who have experience and can (and are willing to-- hence, in your area) rush over in the middle of the night to assist you. Now, again... I will point you towards the above books, as they do cover illnesses etc. that your animal might experience. But, let me also recommend...(NOTE: the Intro to Animal Science is oftentimes offered USED, so watch for it. I grabbed mine when a seller had it for less than $20.

Question #3 How financially comfortable are you? Can you afford to feed the animals, house the animal, and be able to pay for unseen expenses (besides Vet bills)up to $500? Okay, five may sound like an exaggeration, and we certainly, don't roll like that. But we also don't show our animals, we just have them and keep them fat & happy. So the $500 is really a minimum "cushion" for say, 4-H Goats and Show Rabbits, as an example. Or, if your animals bust out of their pen, or eat the bumper of your sister's mustang, or kill a 40 year old tree that you-yourself cannot cut down and remove-- do you have the money to remedy the situation in a timely manner? Just something to think about. Of course, a bored animal is a destructive animal, so is a horny one. Breeding season/Heat cycles are the worst, especially when talking about Pigs & Goats--they wants it, they'll gets it... BE WARNED, and be smarter than the average rutting, bristling boar!! Here's a couple of suggestions for Barn/Coop ideas, although you can easily find plans online, as well(and also some neat distractions for your livestock, like goats,     pigs,     and chickens)... Just keep in mind any Building Codes that might apply, before you BUILD ANYTHING. It would suck having to tear something down, after your hard work! This includes ANY CONCRETE WORK--EVEN for posts!

Question #2 If you're considering getting – goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits – Do you have a pen that is secure? Now, let me tell you Why you don't have a pen that is secure… For starters, our pigs, they are the only ones who will not eat baling rope/twine, which we wrap around the rails of their (once beautiful) Post/Rail wood pen... that they IMMEDIATELY began eating and chewing through. BUT, wood pens WILL NOT WORK for any other animal, even with the wrapped rails... why? Because ALL of the other farm animals (excepting any poultry, of course), EAT the BALING rope/twine!!... Next, pigs, goats, and sheep, squeeze through/bust through, any type of fencing the typical homesteader would have, including chain-link. And rabbits, full grown fat rabbits, can fit through--easily-- the typical 2" x 4" field fencing many people use--which goats and sheep destroy in less than a week... and they'll dig out of ANY pen, if there isn't a barrier (Like concrete or Rocks--or both) surrounding the perimeter, at least a FOOT down, 2' is better, but costly(we'll discuss another option next month, when I showcase my Mother's Great Wall she built)... I recommend chain-link, but the chain link that is secured by bars/polls(Schedule 40-Steel Pipe), not tension wire, that is ALSO CONCRETED IN THE GROUND, a FOOT DEEP. Anything else, besides steel corral panels – forget it. And yes, this is what we have, chainklink for (some of) our pens, with Schedule 40 steel pipes on top and bottom, instead of tension wire, secured into a foot deep trench of concrete.... Also, goats, pigs, and sheep, they ALL escape corral panels – or get stuck in them… If it's the square kind(See below Picture of our Boy, Dakota--the Horse, for an example of the kind of Corral Panels I am talking about)... Our pigs have locked their jaws open on them, our goats (with horns, even small nubs) have had their heads stuck in them... And as far as the larger corral panels, the kind you see used for Horse pens, the animals will all walk right through them, or under... Except of course, the Horses and/or Donkey... but the pigs, sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas... they're Unstoppable... Trust me, you'd be surprised what your animals can get their heads stuck in or can make themselves fit through. We've had to run out in the middle of the night because one of our larger Boer goats had her head stuck in an opening, no bigger than 6 square inches, numerous times.... Of course, I've seen neighbors and folks in town, keep their animals penned by just barb wire or pallets! But we are NOT so lucky!! Our animals are VERY curious, and way too smart! Be warned... and may your animals be less bright.... I mean that in the best way possible!

Question #1 Do you-- Know your laws, know your local predators, know your weather?
First, Laws = pretty simple – can you have them? How many etc.? Noise/smell ordinances? Look into it.
Second, Local Predators = coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, wolves, birds of prey, etc… What are your plans to protect your animals from them? Fencing, electric fencing, alarms, guard animals like: dogs, llamas, alpacas (yes–alpacas… ours at least, are excellent guard animals, although you will read that Alpacas are too recently bred/created as a domesticated animal, to be able to do this), donkeys etc. –again– know your laws, and if you can have/keep any of these Guard Animals, or employ any of the protection methods you might be considering.

Llamas, Alpacas, & Dogs on patrol... watching Nuni and her litter approach the fence between they're turf and hers... no, she's not in the picture!

Third, the Weather= Seriously, know your weather. Know when it changes, keep track of it in a journal(More of this in an article-Next Month). Know what to expect. We moved from Northern California, where the winters ARE rainy. But here, in So. Nevada, not so much! So learn your climate!This is important when it comes to where you'll pen your animals up, what kind of pens they'll be in/what's suitable, what kind of shelter they require... Keep in mind, that in mild climates, most farm animals will do just fine without a shelter, as long as they have food and water. You'll read plenty of books and sources online, that say otherwise, but trust me, even with an offered shelter most animals will just sit happily chewing their cud-- while the rain bathes them. Which incidentally--is infuriating because you can't help but think they (your livestock babies) are mocking you and your efforts! You might feel guilty – but as long as you have a shelter available, even if it is just a simple tarp(or other options-coming NEXT WEEK) to keep them dry(which they won't use), don't sweat it... By the way, trees are nice for shade, but do yourself a favor and build a fence or a type of guard around the trunk. I've seen a few people in town use three pallets lashed together to make a triangle around the base. We have used bamboo sticks, Hardware Cloth, and chicken wire... Why? Because--Bark is super yummy to horses, donkeys, pigs, sheep, and goats!… and your trees die as a result! :(

Also, a wind block is a great idea, but masks are better at protecting your baby's eyes from sun damage and windblown dust... ​​I've included a couple more links for some patterns for Flymasks and Protective Blankets that you can purchase on Amazon.

And if you have alpacas or llamas that missed their haircut appointment, or even if they didn't – alpacas and llamas love showers – from May until October! ​

Well, I hope these Questions got your juices flowing and gears-grinding!
If it is your dream to own & run a Homestead, don't let anyone talk you out of it!
Do your research, Plan Accordingly, Keep an Open Mind, and GO FOR IT!
And If you have any questions, I'm here to help with what I can! If I don't know the answer, I can help you find it!

To see more of Our Babies, Visit Our Pictures Page
Good Luck! 
& 'til Next Time!