So you have read the title and now you are just dieing to know! What is the best starter animal for the new homesteader?!
Can I get a DRUM ROLL please?
The best starter animal for a new homesteader is a CHICKEN! It is also known in the homesteader community as the gateway animal.
Now their may be some homesteaders out there that may not agree with this call. But hear me out. Let me tell you three reasons why I think the chicken is the best starter animal.
Chickens are a smaller animal. They can be raised anywhere from the biggest farm to the smallest back yards.
They are so easy to raise. You can’t really mess up when you raise chickens. All they really need is a chicken coop, feed, and water. Other than that they pretty much take care of them self’s. Now with that being said… You can kill them very easily when they are young. They like to run right under the water and the feed pan when you are trying to set them down. Sometimes when you have a lot of them you may accidentally set the water or feed on top of one with out knowing it. Then you will find them crushed the next day when you go to refill the water and feed. Another way you may kill them is by not putting the heat lamp in the right spot. If it is to close you can over heat them and they will die. Or you can have it to far away this will cause them to huddle up and they sometimes will crush one another.
Chickens offer you many different things when you have them. The most obvious things are meat and eggs. But a lot of people use their feathers to make jewelry and some even make fly fishing lures. But one of the most important thing that they will offer you is HAPPINESS.
Now like I said earlier chickens are a gateway animal. Once you get your hands on some you will want to try out all the different types of chickens. They can even lead you to wanting to try different animals.
So please go out their and try them for your self!
I agree with them being easy to raise after 3 weeks or so. The first few weeks of keeping the temp right can be a challenge. I accidentally overheated a batch once. Everything around here likes to eat chicken too and since I free range it can be a problem. Hawks, eagles, coyotes, raccoons, possum, and neighbors dogs have tried getting at my chickens. Something actually broke out of my live trap last night which I keep next to the coop for predators.
I agree 100%. They are by far one of the easiest pets I have ever had. Also you can have them do a little work for you in a chicken tractor. They will clear out a spot of land and fertilize it for spring.
Yes great starter animal. Great job on this.
Cookies'n'Cream and spike look beautiful. Which red is that, thats the little one isn't it?
Great choice! I agree!