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17 Feb ’12
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What animals would you suggest to a beginner? I'm thinking chickens but I dont know how much work they would be compared to some others. I would definitely enjoy having the eggs. I live on 1.5 acres on Cape Cod and my next door neighbor has a coop but I'm wonderingif maybe there is something a little easier I could start with?
15 Feb ’12
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chickens, they are easier then heck. Rabbits would be a good choice to if you like them.
17 Feb ’12
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Chickens and rabbits could use the same setup, right? I could use the same heat lamp in the winter? How much meat do you get off of one rabbit?
15 Feb ’12
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Rabbits have less of a footprint then a chicken. I gave away several copies of this dvd last year on the SG, it covers their rabbit set up pretty well, I'll see if I can find just that part somewhere.
this prepper has quite the setup but it would be more than enough for the average size family. But for return on investment, IMO you can't beat the chicken for protein given daily
15 Feb ’12
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I would recommend at least a half dozen egg layers for chickens to start with. You will get a sense of how to raise them and still get something out of them.
Raising meat birds was a whole new thing. They get big really fast and they eat a shit ton. Its messy to kill them and it just sucks. One chicken is one meal for a family of three or four, maybe some leftovers depending on how big it is. Just didnt seem worth it.
Rabbits would be cool. I would love to get some. I just dont know where to find a good breeder around here. You can throw their poop right into your garden.
15 Feb ’12
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Our egg layers just free range btw
21 Feb ’12
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you should be getting more than just one meal out of that chicken, B, one good chicken should be contributing a good percentage of the daily protein for that family of 3 or 4, stock for soup, some people (butcher, neighbors, workers etc) will eat the organs, gizzard, neck etc.
any offal that isn't eaten sold or traded should be going right back into the compost pile to start the cycle all over again. i guess i'm lucky that i live in a developing nation, they see my chickens and their heads explode. all of the neighbors will joke about what will happen to my chickens if they get out. never have a problem trading a chicken for something else. meanwhile my job is dealing with multi millionaires every day. fucking weird man.
21 Feb ’12
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I am thinking of chickens as well.
What are the down sides of raising chickens?
Also, what kind of chicken is best for a beginner that is a good combination of eggs and meat?
I assume some breeds are better for eggs and others for meat? Lastly, will I need a rooster if I only want eggs?
chickens are not easy to control, they can make a lot of noise, they startle very easily, chicken shit is messy, their feathers can house a lot of different insects that you may not want kids to be around, etc.
personally i don't like having a chicken for both egg and meat. to me that's like asking what's the best workout routine for bulking up while running a triathlon. have enough good layers to meet your family needs ++ and have the others focused on bulking up for the table.
i also think it is better for the health dynamics for most any of the homestead animals to have both male and female. helps to keep them all stable and in check. roosters are bad ass, the only downside is the wake up call but i only ever hear it when i have company and they comment on it and remind me about it.
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