I’m a newby from Texas

[sumi]

Welcome to SS Are you planning to keep chickens for eggs, meat or both? They are fairly easy to keep and raise and really great around the homestead.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Welcome! Chickens are pretty easy, and a lot of chicken advice to be found here if you have questions or issues as you go along!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hi there, and welcome! Can't wait to hear more about your upcoming adventures!

 

[Hinotori]

Deer are all fine and dandy until they destroy your garden and eat your fruit trees. Plus eating any fruit before it's ripe. It's the elk that destroy trees when shedding velvet.

 

[baymule]

 

[NH Homesteader]

Goats, we can help with! Lots of goat people here. Do you want them for meat, dairy or a little of both?

 

[Britesea]

If you like venison, you will probably like goat meat- it tastes very similar. The milk is delicious, richer than store bought milk.

 

[NH Homesteader]

We haven't tried goat meat yet, we hope to have some extra males to butcher next year. But goat milk is delicious! Depending on breed, it can vary a lot in terms of richness/cream content, and how you manage them can change the taste a lot. People who think goat milk tastes bad, have usually had milk processed wrong or the goats have eaten something that passed a bad flavor to the milk. Having dairy goats is a huge commitment and a LOT of work, but if you enjoy it (like a lot of us do) then it's great!

If you just want them as pets/brush clearers, they're good for that too! If I just had goats as pets, I might have to go with pygmies. @frustratedearthmother has pygmies, they're too cute!

 

[Britesea]

About the milk... bad taste is not always a question of what they've eaten, or how the milk was processed. Some goats just simply have bad tasting milk. If you end up with one (like I did), you can either keep her to feed the kids, or just sell or cull her.

 

[Chic Rustler]

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 aboard. I'm 60 miles north of dallas