So, wife and I are slowly getting more and more self sufficient at our home. Gardens are getting bigger, chicken flock is getting larger, solar panels are up and running, well is in good shape and we have 20 acres with good neighbors on both sides.
Our next step, once I finish the updated chicken coop for our new flock of birds, is going to be a livestock animal of some type. We have narrowed it down to either goats or rabbits. Each gives us red meat that we have had and like. We also feel each has advantages and disadvantages.
Rabbits, we have raised before and worked with them. We had (at one point) 4 breading does and 2 bucks. Unfortunately, we had them in a confined area (inside a detached garage) and the smell really started to get rough no matter what we did. It was also alot of work and they seemed to enjoy spraying the walls. Also, cleaning the rabbits was relatively simple and I could just do it in the kitchen or something, doesn't take any real special area / setup to do it, and that is a real concern at the moment. But cleaning up after the rabbits was a bit rough...they are real pooping / peeing machines...
Goats we have no real experience with and would be the largest livestock animal we've worked with. The previous owners of our house had a small cattle pen and would raise one or two to slaughter. We were thinking of using that as a goat pen (it is about 1.5 acres in size) to start with, and expanding to a separate pen that would attach to the previous that would probably give us close to 4 acres of penned in space. The only real advantage we have is that as well as that our neighbor does have a few goats (4 or 5 i think) so I can pick his brain occasionally. I'm thinking harvesting a goat would be really similar to harvesting a deer, and while I've field dressed and quartered deer, i've always just taken them to a processor after that.
I guess part of this goes in that with the chickens we've been spoiled, they are so little maintenance that I guess we think we can find another livestock animal that will be like that, but I am thinking that won't be the case. Anyone here that has thoughts along these lines? Advice?
Our next step, once I finish the updated chicken coop for our new flock of birds, is going to be a livestock animal of some type. We have narrowed it down to either goats or rabbits. Each gives us red meat that we have had and like. We also feel each has advantages and disadvantages.
Rabbits, we have raised before and worked with them. We had (at one point) 4 breading does and 2 bucks. Unfortunately, we had them in a confined area (inside a detached garage) and the smell really started to get rough no matter what we did. It was also alot of work and they seemed to enjoy spraying the walls. Also, cleaning the rabbits was relatively simple and I could just do it in the kitchen or something, doesn't take any real special area / setup to do it, and that is a real concern at the moment. But cleaning up after the rabbits was a bit rough...they are real pooping / peeing machines...
Goats we have no real experience with and would be the largest livestock animal we've worked with. The previous owners of our house had a small cattle pen and would raise one or two to slaughter. We were thinking of using that as a goat pen (it is about 1.5 acres in size) to start with, and expanding to a separate pen that would attach to the previous that would probably give us close to 4 acres of penned in space. The only real advantage we have is that as well as that our neighbor does have a few goats (4 or 5 i think) so I can pick his brain occasionally. I'm thinking harvesting a goat would be really similar to harvesting a deer, and while I've field dressed and quartered deer, i've always just taken them to a processor after that.
I guess part of this goes in that with the chickens we've been spoiled, they are so little maintenance that I guess we think we can find another livestock animal that will be like that, but I am thinking that won't be the case. Anyone here that has thoughts along these lines? Advice?
