Everyone that has a homestead should consider raising animals. Raising animals on the homestead greatly raises one’s self reliance. Chickens give you meat and eggs, goats can give you milk and meat. Sheep can give you wool, meat, and even milk.
If utilized properly, these creatures can actually improve the land that you keep them on. Manure is excellent for improving the soil. Chickens will help till the ground and eat bugs.
Just about any animal can be used on the homestead for more than one purpose. Permaculture principles can be used so we are good stewards to the land.
Proper grazing techniques are important as well for your livestock. If you allow your animals to move across the land without overgrazing, this will benefit the land greatly.
Raising animals on the homestead can even improve your garden. I use all types of manure around the farm to make our sandy soil better. And it’s all organic. No artificial fertilizers here!
We believe that everyone should grow their own food. Raising your own meat so you know what goes into the food you eat is especially important. There are so many antibiotics used in commercial farming, you never know what you’re getting in your meat.
We are big into raising animals here at Homegrown Self Reliance. I have always been a huge animal lover, and raising animals just fits with who I am. In this category I will share all the information that I have on successfully raising animals for greater self reliance.
So you’ve protected your family’s food security by planting a garden, raising some chickens, and maybe some animals for meat. What further steps can you take? Why not consider milk animals? Milk animals can bring a lot of value to the homestead. But where do you start? How do you choose what milk animal to …
It’s spring, and around here, that means it’s hatching season! As soon as the chickens start laying really well again, we go into a hatching frenzy. Our family loves to incubate eggs. We make sure we have enough for us to eat, some to sell to cover the feed bill, and ALL the others go …
If you have a homestead, or are building one, you probably think about if and when you should be adding livestock to your land. There are a lot of things to take into consideration, but I have some tips and tricks on how to make adding livestock a little easier. I have always been …
If you’re anything like me, in these cold, dreary months, you tend to think of ways that you can spruce up the outside…when it gets warmer, that is! For me, winter is all about outside DREAMING and inside DOING. One of the things I’m daydreaming about is whitewashing my chicken coop and barn. I have …
Backyard chickens are so fun to have! So many people now have them as pets, and stress about how to care for their chickens in the winter. I have talked to so many “chicken tenders” about what chickens need and what they don’t need, and today I want to share my best tips on winter …
Have you ever wanted to try raising ducks? They are a fun little addition to the homestead, and can be dual purpose (producing eggs and meat) if you get the right breeds. We have had ducks for quite some time, and we love watching them waddle around the farm. We’ve raised all kinds of birds …
There is a huge backyard chicken movement sweeping the country. It seems everyone now is raising chickens! And for good reason. Chickens are awesome! There is so much advice and differing opinions on how to best care for the little fluffy butts. Do you want to raise chickens but don’t know where to start? I …
Goats – horns or no horns? That is a very controversial question right now. Honestly, though, it’s an entirely personal decision. You have to do your own research and decide for yourself whether you want your goats to have horns or not. Goat disbudding is the most widely used method of removing horns from goats. …
Spring is on its way, and you may be considering raising chicks. Feed stores and hatcheries will be soon announcing the arrival of their new babies. It’s very tempting to bring home a few fluffy chicks, but do you know what to do after you bring them home? With all the information out there, it …
We butchered our meat chickens a few months ago, and it’s taken me a little while to write this. You can read part one and part two here. I absolutely LOVED putting nearly 50 chickens in the freezer, but there were a few issues. Here are some more mistakes that we made, so that you …
How NOT to get started with meat chickens (pt. 3)! Read More »
