If you had all the land you wanted, what animals would you have on your farm? | Two Barn Farm

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If you had all the land you wanted, what animals would you have on your farm?

March 11, 2012 by Soulsby Farm - A Very Small Farm

I want to hear all your thoughts. Please Leave comments. Happy Sunday everyone!

Posted in Farm, Farming, Gardening, Homesteading, Permaculture, Self Sufficient Living, Sustainable Farming, Sustainable Living | Tagged chickens, cows, ducks and geese, goats, horses, pigs, sheep | 67 Comments

67 Responses

on March 11, 2012 at 9:20 am | Reply Jim Z.

Polled Herefords, black Angus, and a couple of sound Appaloosa trail horses.
on March 11, 2012 at 9:20 am | Reply jeffevraets

I chose goats as the single most important one to me and my family. But I would also have chickens, and at least one cow. Maybe some geese and ducks as well.
- on March 11, 2012 at 10:13 am | Reply Ramblers Rest
  
  may I ask why geese and ducks, I have, in my own learning curve that they are not very useful, ducks, perhaps eggs and droppings, and geese are quite aggressive. Chickens serve a better purpose?
  - on March 11, 2012 at 7:02 pm jeffevraets
    
    Ducks and geese would be strictly meat birds. Actually, we make all of our hunted birds (waterfowl) into jerky so that is what they would become.
  - on March 11, 2012 at 8:09 pm narf77
    
    Geese are amazing watchdogs as well as keeping any areas of weeds and grass low. They also lay eggs that are great to eat that are worth 4 regular eggs in a cake. Apart from that they are delicious…Stuff them full of corn (if you are French and that way inclined) and eat their livers with a little chianti and some fava beans….
on March 11, 2012 at 9:29 am | Reply Steve kensinger

If I had the room, chickens would be first and I would add sheep, pigs, donkeys and horses. Would like to start a garden, will you be posting info on a “Gardening” blog? Thx !
- on March 11, 2012 at 9:45 am | Reply Soulsby Farm - A Very Small Farm
  
  Hey Steve! There’s all kinds of great articles on the blog here. Everything from water tomatoes to how to plant pumpkins. What vegetables were you thinking of growing this year?
on March 11, 2012 at 9:30 am | Reply nortie1964

I agree with the App’s but also a Clyde for the heavy work, a cpl Jersey cows,. Goats of course and chickens…and rabbits… easier to breed then hunt 🙂
on March 11, 2012 at 9:32 am | Reply Ramblers Rest

Hey Soulsby, lovely question and something I am looking into, being a new farmer and all. I am getting all the pro’s and cons of each animal. Currently only have 3 hectares so I am working with that in mind.

Chickens, chickens chickens.
Goats for milk and cleaning acacia trees
Pigs for eating scraps and cleaning fields
2 cows
2 donkeys as lawn mowers, they keep my grass like a putting green.
on March 11, 2012 at 9:36 am | Reply crystalwayward

What wouldn’t I have? I want it all! Our operation is uber small scale — we live in the city and turned our side yard into a big garden and planted a mini orchard last year. I wish we had space right now for chickens and goats.
on March 11, 2012 at 9:51 am | Reply The Goat Granny

GOATS GOATS and more GOATS! Chickens too oh and a pig or two 🙂
on March 11, 2012 at 9:55 am | Reply Ramblers Rest

Forgot to mention, dogs and a cat. Dogs forlove, laughs and security. A cat to keep the predators and rodents away.
- on March 11, 2012 at 8:11 pm | Reply narf77
  
  We have 5 feral cats (now almost tame as we feed them to stop them scoffing the robins and wrens)…Nice to see a fellow Aussie here :o) Small world isn’t it? You want some of our ferals? They are certainly well fed! :o)
on March 11, 2012 at 10:26 am | Reply koneillbrown

I would keep a couple of Alpaca because they are weirdly beautiful, a couple of goats, a Gloucester Old Spot pig, some chickens and ducks, a couple of Jacobs Sheep because I’d like to try my hand at spinning the wool and knitting with it. A little Jersey cow because they are definitely beautiful and the milk is delicious, and a lovely Scottish Highland Bull just to look handsome. I already have my dogs and cats and a husband with an ‘Ooh, me back!” So I had better have a strong young man to do all the heavy lifting and digging the vegetable patch 😉
on March 11, 2012 at 10:26 am | Reply agbooster

If land was no option….BUFFALO! I’d love to see them roam these grasslands like they once did. Alas, my half acre is not enough room. Fun to dream though. Great survey!
on March 11, 2012 at 10:58 am | Reply farmgal

No issues with the amount of land, I would stay with what I have now and add in a couple good quality ranch/trail horses.

Current count..
Chickens
Ducks
Turkeys
Geese
Quail
Rabbits
Sheep
Milking Cow
Large Black Pigs

Just don’t have the land or space to give to the horses at this time, training the milk cow to be the draft animal due to limited land..
on March 11, 2012 at 11:21 am | Reply grandparentsplus2

What a wonderful question. Heritage chickens so I could continue to have their delicious fresh eggs, an Angora rabbit for its fiber and easy personality, horses so I could enjoy the friendship only a horse provides, and a farm-type dog to keep me company while I do my chores and gardening. Now that would be living the dream.
on March 11, 2012 at 12:26 pm | Reply schmoozelfleugen

Hmmmm…Chickens, for the meat and the eggs. Pigs, for the meat, a cow or two for the dairy and, eventually, the meat and hides, alpacas for the wool, two horses for getting around on the farm, plowing (you can’t always use a vehicle) and dogs. At least two dogs.
on March 11, 2012 at 1:23 pm | Reply selfsufficientsimple

For us it’s more an issue of time than space, but if I had unlimited time I’d like to have a goat (for milk) and chickens (for eggs, doubt we’d eat them). Our land is primarily forest, and those two don’t need a whole lot of grazing space as well.
on March 11, 2012 at 2:13 pm | Reply northernhomesteader

How about elephants? Great manure, no worries about predators…and they are just cool! Other animals…chickens of course, plus ducks, pigs, sheep, and a few cows and goats. The kids of course would likely want a herd of horses. Hoping that all this land comes with unlimited cash and an army of farmhands ! Getting tired already just thinking about all if those chores!
on March 11, 2012 at 3:37 pm | Reply Megan

I would keep chickens, a milk cow, a gentle old workhorse, a few sheep, a Border Collie and a barn cat.
on March 11, 2012 at 3:53 pm | Reply oceannah

Hey gang, thanks for digging my post! I love what you’re doing w/ the garden share project. We don’t have anything even close to that organized, but we enjoy sharing our bounties/surpluses with a local homeless shelter that serves 3 meals/day. Love your blog and our shared philosophy on stewardship:)
*anna
on March 11, 2012 at 4:00 pm | Reply oceannah

ooops, my animal would be a Dexter or Brown Swiss with the caveat that we have reliable backup for those times when we are off the homestead. But for now, our smallness suits us very well.
*anna
on March 11, 2012 at 4:38 pm | Reply edgar62

If you had all the land you wanted I assume you would also have the financial wherewithal to be able to manage this land. On that basis I would have horses . I don’t know why, but I like horses and would prefer them to other animals – except my dogs, of course.
on March 11, 2012 at 4:46 pm | Reply elizabethanne

If I had all the land I wanted, I would want to have breeds of animals that are close to extinction. Every month, we lose another breed of domesticated livestock to extinction, and currently only consume 3% of the plants that our grand and great-parents had growing up (the rest have become extinct). Saving what we have left is of primary concern to me over “my favorites.”
on March 11, 2012 at 5:33 pm | Reply keepyourmemoriesinyourshoes

Oooh fun question! Heritage chickens and bourbon red turkeys, alpacas, sheep, goats, and a few barn cats and herding dogs. Ah,.. To dream!
on March 11, 2012 at 5:39 pm | Reply Kristin Shoolbraid

I would do it as it was done until recently, a lot of wildness, allowing all the natural species to live and bred as they should. I would not interfere with how water flowed through this land, helping the water species to move as they should. I would have some cleared land with the usual domesticated animals in sufficient numbers to feed my family and the community round about. There has to be balance in all things. No balance, no future. At least if the human population continues to become to large, and does not do its part to seek a balance, then the planet will have to make significant adjustment and it will not happen with a gentle hand. Kristin
on March 11, 2012 at 7:00 pm | Reply atomiclulu

Reblogged this on AtomicLuLu and commented:
I picked Chickens. While sheep obviously would be my first choice always, they are bigger and take more care. Right now I am scaling down the Animal Clan. Laying Hens. I want pretty blue and pink eggs.
on March 11, 2012 at 7:48 pm | Reply Christie

We’re about to get chickens – like, four baby chicks the week of the 19th! We would love bees, a goat or two… and someday, I would love a sheep farm.
on March 11, 2012 at 8:04 pm | Reply narf77

Hi there…we are in the process of trying to MINIMISE our herd of hens! They appear to like the conditions on our 4 acre property and are breeding exponentially. I would love to keep bees as an aid to pollination of an integrated veggie and herb garden and for the pollination of our food forest. I would have liked to have native bees but it is too cold down here in Tasmania for them to overwinter. I would love some goats but we are weighing up goats with our 2 American Staffordshire terriers and thinking about it…cows are too hard and too expensive if something goes wrong but goats are slathered all over the Greek countryside and if anyone has ever had anything to do with Greece (apart from feeling sorry for them for the hard situation that they are currently finding themselves in economically that is…) you will know that it is one of the most arid and inhospitable places on earth…a close second to Australia in fact! Goats can go anywhere, can live on an amazing array of foodstuffs and are resiliant and personable. I think definately goats :o). Maybe the odd Alpaca if we ever ran sheep which we most probably won’t as Steve doesn’t like lamb and I am vegetarian and they are more trouble than they are worth. Alpacas will keep wild dogs away from the herd so a few of them would be a good addition. I think geese for keeping any grass low and safe for fire season… turkeys to sit in the trees and drop on unsuspecting people in the night and make amusing noises to keep the dogs happy…how about guinea fowl? They apparently are great at keeping snake numbers down…and Aracauna hens for their lovely eggs. I have 2 ducks already (mutter…mutter…) but some of those ducks that DON’T eat your veggie garden would be nice (not sure what breed they are but I am assured they do exist…). PIGS! I love pigs…I don’t like my neighbour to the rear…might keep some pigs at the rear of the property (heh…heh…:o). If we were at ALL able to kill and eat what we raised we would have rabbits in a chook tractor to do work for us as well as provide meat but we can’t kill flies so that isn’t an option. How about setting up an aquaponics system (integrated closed cycle hydroponics and aquaculture working together)? We could grow fish (cold water like trout) AND veggies with very little water loss…hmmm now you have me really thinking! I guess I am going to have to ruminate about this a bit harder now…Cheers for the ideas and for giving my grey matter a chance to get some exercise :o)
Fran and Steve
Serendipity Farm
- on March 12, 2012 at 10:57 am | Reply Soulsby Farm - A Very Small Farm
  
  Why can’t you kill flies?
on March 11, 2012 at 8:27 pm | Reply LindseyJoy

BEES!! chickens, goats, sheep, rabbits & cows (although I would have no idea how to care for them – I’d have to do some research!) 😀
on March 11, 2012 at 10:13 pm | Reply locallygerminated

Heritage chickens, guinea hens (to eat squash bugs and cucumber beetles), rabbits (in a “tractor”), llamas and alpacas for their fleece, sheep, goats, pigs, bees, ducks, maybe some geese and other fowl (cornish hens, peacocks). I’d only have 2 or 3 each of the mammals (so they don’t get lonely) and only a small flock of fowl. Cows are too big and intimidating!
on March 11, 2012 at 11:37 pm | Reply paisleycarrot

I’ve given this more thought than I probably should have, but here goes…
In the chicken yard: chickens, peacocks and of course peahens, guinea fowl. Others: Sheep (Clun Forest and Old English South Downs) 1 horse, 2 ponies, 1 donkey, 5 dogs, various and sundry barn cats, possibly angora rabbits, and sometimes, when it’s humid, I want ducks. Thanks for asking!
on March 11, 2012 at 11:41 pm | Reply df

Chickens have to come first for us, as we eat a ridiculous number of eggs each week. Truly ridiculous. Now we just need to make the leap…
on March 12, 2012 at 1:04 am | Reply Jennifer Ward-Pelar

Matt says horses for transport. I say sheep. We both say goats. And I forgot about chicken and cows. At least 2 cows. Thanks for letting us dream. 😀
on March 12, 2012 at 7:48 am | Reply riderofchaos

It only lets you pick one, but I would go with
chickens, ducks, horses, sheep.
currently I lack on the ducks and sheet front.
But I might want more time to go with that land.
on March 12, 2012 at 12:34 pm | Reply lightlycrunchy

We already have horses and ponies, and my husband grew up raising beef, so I’d have chickens again, and some pigs and maybe finish a few steers. Just enough to sustain our family. Actually, sheep too. But just a few at a time.
on March 12, 2012 at 12:51 pm | Reply Paula B

Chickens for the eggs, but I’d like to also have some goats and a couple of horses.
on March 12, 2012 at 7:09 pm | Reply soilentgreens

Ooo, I wanted to vote for more than horses. Definitely chickens, goats, mini-cows, ducks and geese. In fact, our first Toulouse babies are on their way the 23rd! SO EXCITED!
on March 13, 2012 at 12:31 pm | Reply Lydia Street

Love this poll! Chickens of course and a milk cow (or maybe I’d start with goats). I want to make cheese and having the fresh milk and cream would be needed for that.
on March 13, 2012 at 7:51 pm | Reply techningeer

Great poll! Although it wasn’t multiple choice.
on March 13, 2012 at 8:25 pm | Reply weezmccarty

I’ll answer here ’cause your poll wouldn’t let me make more than one choice. Chickens, horses, sheep, goats, rabbits, maybe an alpaca or 2 (they make great guard animals against predators plus my wife is a knitter) and dogs… lots of dogs.
on March 14, 2012 at 8:52 am | Reply nortie1964

I forgot dogs… at least two dogs, and Donkey’s they are GREAT watch animals 🙂 not to mention have the power needed to do some heavy work around the homestead as well.
on March 14, 2012 at 10:42 am | Reply Covered In Roses

oh decisions – If we HAD land, then we’d have to have our horse. Then chickens, then gardening. And of course dogs!
on March 15, 2012 at 7:11 pm | Reply pixilated2

I currently have bees, chickens, geese and a rather large garden, but I would like to add some goats, steer or buffalo, and Muscovy ducks. No room on this little acre for the four-legged additions, but I do have plans for the ducks next year. ~ Lynda
on March 15, 2012 at 11:23 pm | Reply kathryningrid

What a fun post idea–and great comments down here! I fantasize about having a comfortable sustainable farm with *all* kinds of wonderful animals and growing things, but I’m a big fantasist and dream in terms of being so ridiculously rich that I can hire a nice staff to run and maintain the whole thing and I can just stroll around enjoying the heck out of it all and eat the bounty of the place–which, of course, the crew would also harvest and prepare except if I should happen to be in the mood to chip in. In other words, I would make the world’s worst farmer. But I deeply admire those who make a go of it, and those whose farming provides me with a lovely comfortable life. Thank you, if you’re reading this!!! 🙂
on March 16, 2012 at 8:25 pm | Reply Cory

I would want sheeps for the wool : ) I already have backyard chickens, but would move them with me, because THEY MAKE ME SO HAPPY!
on March 17, 2012 at 6:31 am | Reply Jenny

DAIRY goats…hands down! Fresh raw milk and all the wonderful products you can make with it. Goats are like puppy dogs – family friendly! Also, chickens – I can’t live without my fresh eggs (and a few sheep – just cuz I like to ‘play’ with their wonderful wooly fleece).
on March 22, 2012 at 8:29 pm | Reply evasantiago310

Is it hard to keep chickens? How much room do you need? I have around a 1/4 of an acre so would that be ok? Also, is it expensive? I enjoy your blog very much 🙂
- on March 23, 2012 at 8:52 pm | Reply Dena
  
  Eva,
  
  As I have just recently become interested in owning chickens, you’d be surprised by how many publications you could find at your local bookstore about the care and raising of chickens! I just visited my friend today whose husband acquired about half a dozen chicks. Also, there are so many varieties (from the “quieter” breeds that are more accepted in residential zones to the chickens that lay blue eggs. BLUE EGGS!). Good luck!
  - on March 23, 2012 at 11:45 pm evasantiago310
    
    Thanks! Seriously, blue eggs?? 🙂
- on May 14, 2012 at 6:45 pm | Reply kermofutah
  
  We live on 1/4 of an acre and we keep 4 chickens. Our city zoning allows 6 small “farm” animals and we already had pet rabbits. You can usually find your city zoning laws by looking on the building permit section of their website or by visiting the city/county building. It costs me about $5 a month to keep them (we spent a 1 time $300 on the chicks, coup, and other supplies, but we went overboard. We could’ve done all of it for about $50. Live and learn). They’re really easy to care for and a joy to watch.
on March 23, 2012 at 8:50 pm | Reply Dena

Oh, if only I had all the land and TIME in the world! I’m hoping to make a move to OKC this summer where my boyfriend lives and works. While Oklahoma is a very exciting place to be when it comes to local foods, CSAs, and supporting local farms and ranches, I am eagerly awaiting another round of Yay or Nay when it comes to allowing residents to own chickens on their properties that are smaller than one acre.

So, at this point, I’m starting with chickens! But, on my fantasy farm, I love miniature horses, goats, and my Wisconsin bloodline screams for cows (if only for the calves!). Ooooh! Who could forget pigs!?!
on March 24, 2012 at 12:06 am | Reply kostarchild

Westerners waste so much energy and land mass for that green grass. I bet if you plant fruit trees and vegetables on the green grass, you will be able to build a healthy food forest within a decade in your farm. That’s something.

Looking at all the empty, waste, artificially constructed parks I gotta ask to myself honestly why humans do that?

Nowadays Asians follow it. They do worst than westerners. A good example is Korean government destroyed the four great river covering with concrete, sidewalks, and lawn. Farmers used to farm along the river. The government kicked them out to build recreational parks on entire country. What a waste of money and resources.
on March 26, 2012 at 9:26 pm | Reply loverbean

We need to boost the pig popularity here! They are great composters and have such cute personalities…so appreciate of what you have to offer, right? Come on, people! Ba-ram-u!
on March 27, 2012 at 4:12 am | Reply forestfae

Why big furry llamas, and alpacas of course. I just adore them 🙂
on April 1, 2012 at 3:32 am | Reply mm

Just chose horses since I could only vote once, but if I could do more clicking I’d also go for chickens, ducks & geese. And if there were no limits I’d opt for dogs & rabbits too. All as pets though, wouldn’t want to eat any of them…
on April 1, 2012 at 8:47 am | Reply Mumma Bee

Ok, so here’s my interesting fact, for those asking about the purpose of ducks. Here in Australia there are some yicky icky spiders who’s bite is toxic to primates, however ducks seem to think they are a delicacy. So ducks would def be on my list. And Llamas, great fleece, and they’re just so odd
on April 2, 2012 at 3:56 pm | Reply Porter Pond Farm

All on your list plus bees and a donkey or two. Time is our problem right now, not land. We are just getting started with some pastured egg layers, broiler chickens and pigs. Hope to add a few cows next month. But to really grow, we’ll need to retire. Imagine that-retire to work twice as hard on a farm. But it would be a labor of love!
on April 5, 2012 at 8:33 pm | Reply goldeneggfarm

Chickens and sheep are the best as far as using the land well. They return fertilizer to the land and only take what they need. In return they give us meat and eggs that are the highest in quality. Sheep take care of the land and keep it beautiful while providing us with luxurious wool for warm sweaters, etc. I have fruit trees also that feed both me and the animals and love the hen poop. Everything works in a cyclical way on the farm when you just think about it.
Kate
on April 7, 2012 at 1:02 pm | Reply cedarpineword

Heritage chickens, cows, sheep or goats maybe, bees! Can’t do it now tho, I don’t have an agriculture lot, but I may get away with a couple of chickens, and some bees. Would be good to trade up with someone who has a little spot and a barn in Quebec somewhere. It’s disgusting to see how battered and bruised, bloodied, the chickens in the produce sections are, big bruising at the breast, like they have been kicked, sometimes bones broken. looking like while they were alive judging by the amount of blood. I eat them-I am grateful to them, but I wouldn’t treat them like that before they go to be sure. They would have a happy life.
on April 8, 2012 at 7:59 am | Reply Protecting your Chickens from Coyotes « The Soulsby Farm

[…] Next Post, I’m going to go over the Poll from a few weeks ago, If you haven’t voted yet, Please do so: If you had all the land you wanted, what livestock would you keep? […]
on April 8, 2012 at 4:21 pm | Reply The Verdant Home

Chickens, sheep (for their wool AND to make sheep cheese), goats (for the milk/cheese), and a jersey milk cow for the milk/butter/cheese and so once a year we could have our own organic meat. I would, of course, still have a nice fat garden!
on April 13, 2012 at 4:33 pm | Reply hi-d

I can only pick one? I want them all! 🙂
on April 17, 2012 at 1:36 pm | Reply Anonymous

A little outlandish but I would want an elephant herd. I think they are amazing animals and properly trained they can be put to work on the farm. Building fences, clearing timber, pulling equipment.

Plus they are endangered so an extra group allowed to go around on their own would be awesome.
on May 14, 2012 at 6:33 pm | Reply kermofutah

Did I already comment? I don’t remember:

For 5 – 10 acres

Chickens, Ducks, Rabbits
Sheep and goats
Alpaca and a Donkey
Fish and turtles

With more land I’d add cows and a couple of horses. Ah, it’s nice to dream.

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