Pallets are a frugal homesteader’s best friend! When we first moved to our farmhouse, we used pallets for our pigs for years. Just a year ago, we switched to hog fencing, and it seems like it’s shifting worse than the pallets. I love rotating my sheep and goats in smaller pastures because we have a …
If you own goats or are thinking about adding goats to your homestead, trimming their nails is something you will need to keep up with. The good news is that you can do it easily with a goat stand. If you don’t have a goat stand, there are other options. I’ve been raising Nigerian Dwarf …
Four eggs again—I couldn’t believe this. I knew some of our hens were slowing down as they approached five years old and were not laying as consistently, but FOUR eggs out of 15 chickens didn’t seem right. I do have eight young hens now mixed in with my older hens because I really didn’t want …
Let’s go back to 2018 when I searched for my first goats to bring to the homestead. I’m still in awe that I’m living my dream out in the country and sharing my home with my kids and a baby mini pig at this point. We had 25 chickens, a dog, barn cats, and kittens, …
Breeding season is around the corner, and if you’re a livestock farmer or homesteader, it’s time to get your goats ready. I’ve been breeding my goats for the past five years, and I feel confident sharing with you ways to prepare your goats for breeding season. Maybe you are thinking about getting a buck to …
We’ve raised meat birds on our homestead for six years. Last year, our kids raised meat birds for the first time in their local 4-H program. We were not correctly set up to handle the amount of birds and had to make due. This year, we wanted to keep costs low and use what we …
Oh boy, grab your fans and ice packs, folks, because we’re discussing the hot topic of keeping your chickens cool when the mercury rises. Yes, you guessed it—we’re talking about chickens in the scorching summer heat. Is that even a thing here in Western NY?! Before we get into it, here is a quick word …
It doesn’t take long for your chickens to start digging holes to find themselves the perfect place for a spa day. All chickens need and love a good dust bath. If you aren’t pasture-raising your chickens and have a confined space, you may want to create the perfect chicken dust bath. The Importance of Dust …
A few years ago, Kune Kune pigs were the hottest pig around. As someone who has owned potbellied pigs as pets for almost ten years, I was interested in getting into KuneKunes, making money, and having piglets! Does anyone else look back to COVID-19 times and think, if there is ever a pandemic again, I …
Potbelly pigs, often dubbed as the perfect little porkers and the darlings of homesteads, can be incredibly endearing pets. They are charming and intelligent animals with soulful eyes, making them irresistible to animal lovers. If you’ve been mulling over adding a potbelly pig to your family, you’ve probably wondered about the costs of this unusual …
You’ve probably heard that saying: chicken math, goat math, fill in the blank, any livestock animal math. It’s true. Before you know it, you have a barn full of animals. Maybe it’s only true for us animal lovers. I grew up wanting to have a hobby farm, and at the beginning of my middle school …
Are you tired of the dirt under your nails, early morning rooster calls, and feeling like you will never catch up? Yet, no matter all of the ups and downs with homesteading, you know it’s right where you are meant to be. I’ve been where you are – starry-eyed, full of ambition, and ready to …
I’m relieved I didn’t have Tiktok six years ago because the pull to get our homestead would have been so strong. I would have rushed for something I wasn’t ready for because of comparison. It’s so easy to get caught up in social media posts seeing the success of others, and wondering if that desire …
As a fellow homesteader and goat owner, I know firsthand the importance of finding the right animal feed, especially during the harsh winter months. Not only do you want something that will keep your goats healthy and happy, but you also want to keep your feed costs down without sacrificing quality. I’m excited to share …
Oh, my goodness, writing this post has pulled on my heartstrings! My goats were not only kids, but my kids were so little! It’s all worth it, from the babies to the milk to watching them run and jump around. If you are thinking about goats as your first farm animal, I recommend checking this …
Where are my pig lovers? I’ve loved pigs since I was a girl, when I was in college and the whole teacup pigs ( not a real thing, hence the reason for this post) was taking off, I was hooked. I knew that one of my dreams in life was to have a potbelly pig. …
Let me tell you, trying to figure out the best way to feed our cute goats can be quite the challenge, am I right? Like us, they need their greens for good health, and hay is a massive part of their leafy buffet. But, oh boy, finding the perfect hay feeder feels like looking for …
I’ve always wanted a farm, and never had my heart set on goats, but now that I’ve had goats for over five years, I couldn’t image the homestead without them. Raising goats is fun and rewarding and comes with a little bit more skill than starting with chickens. I love the personality of some of …
As much as I don’t want to get ready for winter, I don’t want to try to clean out my chicken coop when temps are below freezing, and my hands are killing me from the cold. Winterizing your chicken coop in the fall is the best time. It doesn’t take much time, and you and …
One of the benefits of living out in the country is being able to use what you have. Even though I’m over the long winters, I appreciate the changing seasons and the different things each brings. Well, really, what does winter bring? It brings much more work and stress to a homesteader’s life- that’s what …
Raising Ducks or chickens? Which is better for you? I recently had a friend bring home ducklings. It was their first experience with any livestock as a pet. I wish I could have told them a few things that I’m going to tell you if you are wondering if you should start with ducks or …
I’m seeing it all over my social media feeds; the price of eggs is insane, so you’re thinking of raising chickens. I get it, it’s the perfect push to get started with your own chickens. You want to be able to walk out to the backyard, collect some fresh eggs, and have fresh omelets every …
Did your cute little chicken hen from Tractor Supply turn out to be a Rooster? I know the disappointing feeling. You try to tell yourself, “Some hens can crow right?” This time I tried to believe my kids were playing a trick on me and it was their tablets making the Rooster sound. Nope, BOTH …
You can get a rabbit hutch for sale on a ton of sites online but have you checked out the cost of getting it shipped to your house? Talk about expensive! Some of the shipping costs are almost as much as the price of the hutch. With the economy going on the way it’s been …
