What is the most useful animal you raise?

[savingdogs]

What is your most useful livestock?

I mean, what gives you the most for your time and effort?

Just curious......


and I'm not counting the "fun" factor, I mean this in a serious way. Time/money/sweat vs. payoff.....

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

Geese. My 3 geese are awesome... and evil. I haven't lost any animals to predators since I got them. They're fenced at night, and protected from large predators (dogs, foxes etc.) but as far as things that can climb, hawks, weasels etc., the geese are the best watch dogs. Plus they run off solicitors and mothers in law.

 

[savingdogs]

Geese! I would not have thought of them first. The MIL action could be extremely useful!

 

[miss_thenorth]

I would have to say my chickens. Now, I raise chickens, for eggs and meat, quail also for eggs and meat, rabbit for meat, sheep, for meat, ducks for eggs and meat, a cow eventually for milk, and horses.

Sheep are easy to take care of and the meat is delicious. they wouldbe even more beneficial if I could use their wool, and I might some day.

My cow, still a baby, is and easy keeper, but not in milk yet.

RAbbits, easy, but more labour intensive.
Same with quail.

Chcikens and ducks, easy peasy, but the ducks only lay spring to fall, where my chooks lay all the time, so they get the prize.

I am thinking about getting out of the rabbits and quail, and just focus on the sheep, cow, chickens and ducks, becasue theya re not as labout intensive.

Horses, well, I cant eat em, nor milk them, but I can ride em

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I'd have to go with the chickens.
Eggs, meat, broth, fertilizer & some serious entertainment.

 

[savingdogs]

Now see to me the rabbits are so easy. Not that I've had them long, but they seem to be a cleaner animal. Why did you find them more labor intensive than chickens? Were they in hutches?

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

bock bocks for sure.

or The Insane Cat Posse.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I had them in cages in my barn. Right now, I only have one doe, and she is in a dog kennel, right now, so not alot of work. I hate the thought of them being in small cages, and then you have to deal with poo clean up, keeping their cages clean. It was more labour intensive than chickens. You had to make sure they always had water, so sometimes going out three + times a day in summer. And make sure they didn't over heat. Quail ar the same way. They are confined, so it is up to me to make sure they have food and water, or it's all on me if somethng happens. Since my ducks and chooks freerange, they can go down to the pond to get a drink of water, and forage for bugs. Sheepo and cow, and horses for that matter, just make sure they have hay in front of them and a big trough of water, and they are good to go. The way my life is evolving, I don't want anything in cages right now, I want to raise my critters as natural as possible, and cages do not fit in that picture. Since that is why I don't want grocery store meat.

Hubby and I , and the kids, have been brainstorming on how to tractor our rabbits so they actually have a life, and a bit of freedom, If we canfigure that out, we will keep them. the quail, same thing, but since I hatch out so many, and process/rotate every 8 weeks, that woul dbe alot more difficult to figure out.

 

[old fashioned]

I'd have to say probably the one I don't have since the chickens aren't laying, the dog hasn't been catching the rats and the cat doesn't do anything, except want more food

 

[savingdogs]

I'd have to say probably the one I don't have since the chickens aren't laying, the dog hasn't been catching the rats and the cat doesn't do anything, except want more food

My cats pull their weight, but I must admit the dogs around here seem to mostly sleep.