I’m a newby from Texas

[Scott Henry]

Hey everyone, I am new here and new to the self sufficient lifestyle. I just purchased 20 acres to start on and want to learn as much as a can about everything that I can. I am going to start with animals and a garden first.

 

[CrealCritter]

Hey everyone, I am new here and new to the self sufficient lifestyle. I just purchased 20 acres to start on and want to learn as much as a can about everything that I can. I am going to start with animals and a garden first.

Welcome I can teach you what NOT to do.

 

[NH Homesteader]

We make a distinction here, breeding animals are keepers. My daughter is allowed to fall in love and fawn all over them. Everything else is food. She only falls for the goats though, they're awful loveable! We haven't butchered a goat yet but she watches my husband butcher chickens, turkeys, pigs and deer with no issues. So important for kids to know where their food comes from!

 

[Scott Henry]

Thank you to everyone for all of the usefull info and I definitely will be taking and posting pics. I’m happy that I joined here I feel like I will be picking everyone’s brain for ideas and help. As far as the land is now it is 20 acres of fairly dense woods. There are no fences, homes or any buildings of any kind out there now. I am starting with nothing at all out there but I am happy about that. There will be a lot of hard work coming to my life very very soon. Also a plus to this land is that there is a lot of Wild game on the land already so I’m very happy about that. Hopefully by next hunting season I will be able to sit on my back porch and watch the deer.

 

[baymule]

It would take a high wire fence to keep the deer out. Or you can get a big barky dog. We fenced our 8 acres with the 2"x4" non climb horse wire. Not even the chickens can get through it. Our dogs stay IN and everybody else's stay OUT. Coyotes stay out too. We have two Great Pyrenees to keep the varmits away. They keep the deer away too, although a couple of does figured out that the horse pasture was safe and they stashed their fawns in it. They walked mere feet away from the back yard fence, unafraid of the big white dog barking a frothing frenzy on the other side of the fence.

You do have a lot of work ahead of you. Is there any kind of fence at all? What kind of fence will you put up? Can I recommend fencing the outer parameter in sheep and goat fence, getting some goats to underbrush it and a LGD to keep them safe? You have a lot of FREE feed on your 20 acres. Get meat goats, sell the young ones for meat. They will also eat the trees that you cut in clearing for buildings. Why let it go to waste? As you transition to pasture for your cows, you can sell out the goats.

 

[sumi]

I'd suggest setting aside a decent area for the chickens and a build them a nice big sturdy coop (for predator protection as much as shelter). (There are loads of coop plans HERE to give you some ideas.) Size wise go big. Chickens can get addictive once you're into it and many a chicken owner like myself started with a few and ended up with a few hundred! For eggs and meat you have lots of options breed wise and so many wonderful breeds to choose from. Dual purpose birds, good egg layers, meat chickens… We do all sorts here. @Beekissed is a good one to ask about recommendations for breeds, as is @frustratedearthmother and @Hinotori and @NH Homesteader I'm probably forgetting someone now… Spring would be a good time to get started with them. Lots of chicks available and the weather is better then too.

 

[Mini Horses]

from VA. There are some really good cow people on here, also. Both beef & dairy. Goats abound on many farms...we are a diverse group of enablers. yep, you can just ask and receive info for most anything.

Enjoy your new adventure. Oh -- we are picture addicts. Anything from the wood pile to compost, to animals -- we are just thrilled.

 

[Beekissed]

I honestly haven’t thought of that. I was thinking more of being able to hunt oh my own land. I guess putting a fence up around the garden is the only way to keep it safe then. Or is there other options that are better?

It's pretty simple and effective to just run a single strand electric fence at about knee height to a man around your garden and orchard. No need to bait the string or put strings on it to increase visibility...it's best if it remains invisible to them until they blunder into it or sniff it out of curiosity. Keep that fence energized throughout your garden season and you'll not have a single deer in that plot.

We've been using that method for around 45 yrs with good results. Deer are curious by nature and will sniff a barrier before trying to cross over it. Once bit on the nose, they and their kin startle like they've been shot and will not return to investigate that "biting" place.

A basic fence charger costs around $30, so it's a real cheap and effective intervention. If you don't have electric nearby, they make chargers that can run off a car battery and also solar chargers.

 

[Britesea]

We had a game warden tell us the best way was similar to what Bee said, only he added a few pieces of foil spread with peanut butter to the strand. First time they lick the foil and get zapped- after that he claimed they will stay away from anything that smells like peanut butter, so you just run a bit along the wire, replacing as rain washes it away. I doubt that's very often considering how hard it is to wash out peanut butter jars, lol.

 

[Hinotori]

Welcome to the group!