15 Things Nobody Tells You About Raising Backyard Animals

[BYH Project Manager]

So, you’re thinking about raising backyard animals? Maybe a few chickens clucking around for fresh eggs, or a pair of goats to keep the grass down and add some charm to your homestead. Sounds peaceful, right? It can be! But let’s be honest, backyard animals are equal parts joy and chaos. There’s a lot people don’t tell you before you dive in. So, grab your coffee (or that mason jar of sweet tea) and let’s talk about the real deal: 15 things nobody tells you about raising backyard animals.

1. They Have Bigger Personalities Than You Think​

You might think animals are simple creatures, but nope. Chickens have drama. Goats are comedians. Ducks are chaotic toddlers with feathers. Every one of them has their own quirks, and before long, you’ll find yourself talking to them like they’re family. And honestly, they kind of are.

2. Your Morning Routine Will Never Be the Same​

Forget sleeping in. The sunrise becomes your alarm clock, and those animals expect breakfast right on time. You’ll find yourself out in your slippers, holding a feed bucket, wondering how life got this wild. But then you see those eager faces, and somehow, it’s all worth it.

3. Mud. Is. Everywhere.​

You’ll try to stay clean. You’ll wear boots. You’ll even build walkways. But the truth is, mud will find you. Especially after rain. It’s like nature’s way of saying, “Welcome to the farm life!” You’ll just learn to live with it, and maybe invest in extra pairs of socks.

4. You’ll Become a Detective​

When something goes wrong, you’ll have to figure it out fast. Why isn’t that hen eating? Why is the goat limping? Why does that duck keep quacking like it’s the end of the world? Suddenly, you’re part farmer, part vet, and part mystery solver. You’ll learn to read their behavior better than you read your own text messages.

5. You’ll Smell Things You Can’t Un-Smell​

Let’s be honest, animals don’t always smell like roses. There will be days when you wonder how something so small can produce such a powerful odor. But weirdly, over time, you stop noticing. It just becomes the scent of life outdoors.

6. Predator-Proofing Is an Ongoing Battle​

No one warns you how determined raccoons, dogs, and even snakes can be when they want a midnight snack. You’ll become an expert in locks, fences, and motion lights. Think of it as running a tiny fortress rather than a farm.

7. You’ll Get Weirdly Attached​

You tell yourself, “I won’t name them.” But then you do. And next thing you know, you’re sitting in the pen having heart-to-hearts with Buttercup the goat. It’s normal. These animals have a way of sneaking into your heart.

8. Eggs Don’t Always Look Like Store Eggs​

The first time you collect eggs, you might be surprised. They’re not all perfect or identical. Some are small, some huge, some oddly shaped. But once you crack them open and see that rich orange yolk, you’ll never look at grocery store eggs the same again.

9. Your Social Life Might Change​

You’ll start turning down outings because “the goats need feeding” or “the chickens are molting.” And honestly? You won’t mind. There’s something peaceful about watching your animals wind down at sunset. It’s the kind of calm no city event can match.

10. Feed Costs Add Up​

Even if you’re raising a few animals, feed bills can sneak up on you. Especially when you start spoiling them with treats (and you will). It’s like having kids who never move out, but at least these ones don’t talk back.

11. Your Tools Will Become Your Best Friends​

Buckets, scoops, brushes, feeders, you’ll collect them all. You’ll also discover that duct tape and baling wire can fix almost anything. It’s like your barn turns into a mini hardware store over time.

12. You’ll Learn to Worry Less About Perfection​

Your setup won’t look like the Pinterest homesteads, and that’s okay. The animals don’t care if their coop isn’t painted white or if their fence is a little crooked. What matters is that they’re safe, healthy, and loved. And trust me, they’ll remind you of that every day.

13. Vet Visits Happen​

Even if you’re careful, animals get sick or injured sometimes. It’s part of life. You’ll learn to keep a first-aid kit for small things and have your vet’s number handy for the big stuff. The good news? You get better at handling it each time.

14. They’ll Teach You Patience​

Animals don’t always do what you want when you want it. Goats escape, chickens hide their eggs, and rabbits chew through things they shouldn’t. But somehow, they teach you patience. You learn to breathe, laugh, and roll with the unexpected. Because on the farm, flexibility isn’t optional; it’s survival.

15. The Joy Is Unmatched​

Sure, it’s messy, unpredictable, and occasionally exhausting. But when you step outside in the morning, coffee in hand, and see your little herd or flock happy and thriving, it’s pure magic. That connection with nature, the rhythm of caring for living things, it fills your soul in a way nothing else does.

So...​

Raising backyard animals is one of those adventures that’s both humbling and heartwarming. It teaches you responsibility, compassion, and just how resourceful you can be. There will be moments when you wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into, and then there will be moments so sweet, so grounding, that you’ll never want to trade it for anything else.

So, if you’ve been thinking about starting your own little backyard herd or flock, go for it. Start small, learn as you go, and embrace the imperfections. Because at the end of the day, raising animals isn’t just about fresh eggs or milk, it’s about the joy of living a little closer to the earth.

What about you? Do you already have backyard animals, or are you thinking of starting soon? Share your experience or questions below, I’d love to hear what kind of characters fill your backyard!

 

[Baymule]

It is generally accepted that chickens are the gateway animal, the first illicit drug "fix" of total giving up city life and moving to the farm. Some are strong and can resist the urge to cover oneself in mud, dust, manure. sweat, hair, wool, slobber, soggy with rain, blood, birthing fluids, LGD's barking all night, and despair, and can content themselves with chickens and a garden. I tip my hay to their strength. The rest of us are weak, soon become servants to the animals that we were foolish enough to think we actually own them. No........ they own us.

As of right this minute, I think my sheep count is north of 45 with 28 or 30 bred and due in the worst weather in the coldest day of the year in pouring rain, ice and possible snow after a storm that knocked the power off for a week. Frozen water buckets, water cut off at the meter to keep my pipes from freezing and busting all their glory all over the place and further compounding the misery. I'll be wearing every article of warm clothing I have and my rubber boots will spring a leak and my feet will be wet, a runny nose with snot dripping that I wipe on my sleeve until it crystalizes and a stench that arises telling me that I need more than a pan of water heated on the stove and a washrag for a bath.

And because I have a big heart and small mental capacity, I am baby sitting 10 more sheep for a dear, dear friend while she and family relocate. They may, might be bred too. They will be taking notes from my own ewes on how to make their own shepherd convinced that she is an idiot, even more so than they already have. They have their own pen, round bale of hay and the biggest Pallet Palace on the place. I hear them mumbling at night with my sheep, conspiring against the both of us, exchanging looney ideas and methods of destruction. They think I don't know....... can't stop them, it is what it is.