It's no secret that roosters can make quite a bit of noise when they're sounding the daily wake-up call. In fact, they often raise the alarm all day long, even if it's only to let the hens know they've found a bug. But did you know that hens can be as noisy, if not noisier? Many hens will start cackling when they're getting ready to lay an egg. … [Read more...]
Train Your Milk Cow to Love You
Having a milk cow is a wonderful thing. You can get fresh delicious milk and use it to make butter, cheese, yogurt, and other delicious foods. The problem is, getting milk from your cow won't be easy if she doesn't like you. When my father bought himself an old Holstein cow (back when I was in college), he had a heck of a time milking her. She … [Read more...]
How I Feed 30 Chickens For Only $1.25 a Day
One common concern people have when thinking about raising backyard chickens is the cost. Of course, you can feed your chickens table scraps, but you're going to have to buy lots of chicken feed. Chicken feed typically sells for $1 or more per pound, and since chickens eat 1/3 of a pound a day or more, that means it costs at least 33 cents a day … [Read more...]
5 Birds (Besides Chickens) That Are Worth Raising (& 3 Not To Raise)
Though chickens are the best-known type of backyard poultry, there are many other breeds worth considering. A mixed flock has many advantages, as each type of bird will eat different forage rather than directly competing, meaning you can keep more birds in a single space without depleting resources. If provided with ample forage and outdoor … [Read more...]
9 Questions to Ask Before You Start Beekeeping
Beekeeping can be incredibly rewarding both to the beekeeper and the entire community as the bees go to work pollinating crops, regardless of fence line boundaries. Though bees are one of the few homestead animals that largely feed themselves, tending them can require a huge investment of time and money, especially if you're not prepared before you … [Read more...]
5 Deadly Mistakes To Avoid When Raising Chickens
Raising chickens has become very popular in recent years. Not just among homesteaders, but among suburbanites. Anywhere raising chickens is allowed, you can be sure that at least a few people are doing it. But with all these new chicken owners, lots of people are making deadly mistakes. In this episode of Becky's Homestead, Becky talks about … [Read more...]
7 Practical Reasons Your Homestead Needs Goats
With the abundance of cute goat videos and photos on the internet, it is no wonder that more and more people are getting into goat keeping. Aside from the undeniable cuteness and the fact that your family is pleading for some kids of their own, here are seven practical reasons your homestead needs goats. 1. Weed Control Many people first … [Read more...]
Startup Guide to Keeping Meat Rabbits in Your Backyard
There is no getting around two very important issues with rabbits. They are terribly cute and soft. They are also delicious and their pelts make great hats, gloves and other types of clothes for the winter. Of course, you must slaughter each cute little creature that you wish to eat or skin. That poses problems to some and makes them a bit … [Read more...]
How to Install Packaged Bees
With all that is happening with the bee population declining, I expect there will be a sizable bump in the number of beekeepers in America. Last time I checked, the government was even paying a stipend for beekeepers. Why can’t we have a chicken shortage? I wouldn’t mind a nice stipend for my mean old hens out back. That said, this is an … [Read more...]
7 Reasons You Should Start Raising Rabbits
Rabbits are quickly becoming one of the most popular animals to raise on the homestead. They are low maintenance, provide a healthy source of meat, can thrive on a small amount of space, have a short turnaround time from birth to butcher, and are very feed-efficient. Not to mention, they’re just fun to have around! Although it may be hard to … [Read more...]
5 Mistakes That New Chicken Keepers Make
The first chickens I ever took care of were my parents' chickens. They bought a couple dozen Plymouth Rock chickens, and for a few months, everything was great. We had fresh eggs every day, and the chickens seemed very content in their large chicken yard. Then one day, we found one of the chickens dead. Its body was covered with bite marks and … [Read more...]
First Aid Treatment For Your Farm Animal’s Eyes
This week's curated article is very specific but important to learn if you have any animals. As anyone with eyeballs knows, eyes are very sensitive and can cause a lot of pain if you get something stuck in them. Worse, if a piece of contaminated dirt gets stuck under the eyelid, it can cause an infection and even blindness if left untreated. … [Read more...]
7 Reasons You Should Raise Backyard Chickens
Thinking of raising chickens in your own backyard but not sure if they’re right for you? Well, I can tell you firsthand that there is nothing better than eating scrambled eggs that were laid that morning. The freshness just can’t be beaten when all you have to do is walk out to your backyard and collect them. Beyond that, having a source of … [Read more...]
DIY Chicken Coop for Less Than $15
If you've ever thought about getting chickens so you can have fresh eggs every day (thus saving any money you spend on eggs), then you probably already know that you will need a chicken coop. The problem is, most prebuilt coops cost several hundred dollars, thus erasing any money you'll save on eggs. Plus, not everyone has hundreds of dollars lying … [Read more...]
5 Best Farm Animals To Raise On Your Homestead
There is a seemingly endless array of livestock options. To decide which animals are right for your homestead, you'll need to consider several factors, among which are the size of your homestead, your end goal with livestock, and the time you'll have to spend taking care of them each day. Maybe being available to milk a dairy cow twice a day … [Read more...]
