eliminating bills - homesteading

[abigalerose]

Whoa.. that conversation has about convinced me to get some! I might look into it in the spring. Not sure if I already asked this/if it's been answered, but how many sheep per acre would you say? (Without them ruining the ground or needing a ton of feed)

 

[baymule]

We bought 4 bred Katahdin/Dorper cross ewes last fall. They had their lambs in the first 2 weeks of January. We took 3 to slaughter and had 2 1/2 of them sold for $6 a pound, hanging weight plus cut and wrap which was $85. Two of the lambs were small when born and never really grew off. One was a ewe and I didn't want to breed smallness into the flock, so off to slaughter she went. We are keeping 2 of the ewe to join the flock. We kept 1/2 of a lamb, can't wait to try it!

Start out small with just a few. Don't overload yourself. If you get a few customers, then they tell their friends and your customer base grows with your flock. You can't just turn them out in a pasture either, you have to cross fence and rotate them so they don't eat the grass down to the dirt.

I love my sheep!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh man - that sucks! I can only imagine how awful he must've felt. Hope he's well on the road to recovery!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Ugh so sorry for your husband @baymule ! Hope he's feeling better now. How miserable

 

[baymule]

I just bought all the needed ingredients for a mineral lick, as recommended by Pat Coleby's Natural Sheep Care. I'll let you know how they do.

http://www.acresusa.com/natural-sheep-care

 

[NH Homesteader]

Thanks for all the information! I'll have more to comment on once I'm able to really look through it.

I was referring to rotational grazing and other prevention but also the recommendation I usually see on BYH of fecals before deworming. I don't deworm on a schedule. Out of all the goats I have had, my two most expensive and "well bred" pure Nigerians are the WORST for parasite resistance. They're killing me! Long term is to move away from them, but man I can't afford to just ditch them! I have a plan to get a pygmy buckling in the spring and raise some of the kids for meat.

Anyway, tomorrow I'll check all that info out! Thanks!

 

[Beekissed]

I just bought all the needed ingredients for a mineral lick, as recommended by Pat Coleby's Natural Sheep Care. I'll let you know how they do.

http://www.acresusa.com/natural-sheep-care

Looks like that would be a good read, Bay. Back when I had sheep one couldn't find anything like that on the market and when I mentioned I wanted to do that on BYH, I was roundly attacked. Back then folks didn't tolerate talk about natural methods of raising animals much...even now it can get a bit touchy.

I used kelp meal and coarse salt for my livestock then...sheep, cows, even the chickens and dogs sampled it when they could. LOVE that stuff!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yeah.... There are times I walk away from conversations over there...

So to be certified organic can you use chemical dewormers? I'm not planning on it... Just curious... I prefer natural whenever possible but everything I read over there has made me afraid of parasites and feel like I'm killing my goats if I don't use chemicals.

Sorry rant over. Not trying to be negative. Just has been bothering me a while. I'm done now.

 

[Beekissed]

You may get into bees more cheaply than imagined too. There are people out there who have built whole apiaries from luring in swarms and doing bee removals, scrapping together unconventional hives, etc.

 

[Mini Horses]

Honey can be sold for a good price, $8 a pint here. Just have to have that market for it. They do pay for themselves in the pollination aspect. Some effort by you but primarily bees are self supporting for food and good work ethic, LOL.

Think about growing things that may sell well -- certain veggies, flowers, mushrooms (convert part of the dairy barn), garlic, herbs, etc. Again, all depends on the "market" for sales where YOU are.

It's also VERY important that it is something you like and like to do. Otherwise, it is just "a job". Check out the "right to farm" and "cottage" laws in your area. It will offer some consideration, maybe ideas, for what you would/could do. This seems to be a point in your life where you are trying to make choices. Just remember things can change & that's ok.
Good to research it all. Then slowly try it.