What BYH animal(s) is getting most of your attention and why?

[Sumi]

Most of us here have some farm animals, or bees in some cases, and know how time consuming taking care of them all can be!

Just out of curiosity, I would like to know which of your animals, cows, sheep, pigs, horses, etc, take the most of your time and attention and why do they?

 

[promiseacres]

Horses take the most time here because I feel like they need regularly work or exercise vs just feeding them or keeping their pens cleaned. We handle our rabbits also but most of them just get feed daily and cage trays cleaned once a week.

 

[D and L Meadows]

I would say the goats take up most of our chore time because we have 97 of them and currently milking 32.

 

[Baymule]

That’s a good question. We have chickens, horses, Sheep and dogs. Soon we’ll have a few feeder pigs to raise for slaughter and I’ll order 50 Cornish Cross chicks to raise for meat.

Pigs-twice a day. My set up is farmer friendly, there is a water barrel on the outside of the pen with a hog nipple that extends into their pen. I can fill it from the outside. Feed-I have a “window” whereby I can stand on the outside and pour pellets into a bin feeder, and a barrel feeder for wet feeds, soured corn.

Their pen is large and roomy, mostly shaded and I water them a wet hole in the shade for their comfort.

Horses- fed once a day, they have free access to a round bale of hay. Working on pasture for them and sheep. I love time spent with them, brushing, grooming and just hanging out. I don’t get to ride much, my knees hurt so darn much. Looking forward to my 65th birthday and Medicare, then the whole round of knee surgery/replacement and I’ll see where that takes me.

Sheep-twice a day. We’ve been in drought since early last spring and I had no graze for them. They have a round bale in the barn in a cow panel square. When they have eaten all they can reach, I have to pull hay from the bale for them. Plus any sheep in another pen that have no access to the bale, I have to carry hay to a feeder for them. When I get a new bale, I clean out all the reject and dropped hay and we spread it to add fertility and humus to the soil. For grazing I call them to a pasture and call them back to the barn at night.

Dogs-a pure joy that we interact with at various times during the day. Our sidekicks, guardians of our farm and animals. They are fed once a day, my husband mixes their kibble with meat (offal) that I can for them.

Which one gets the most attention? The most time? Probably the sheep due to the lack of pasture and time spent making sure there is plenty of hay and fresh water. I like to just sit with them and enjoy their company.

Then the dogs, followed by the horses, chickens and pigs bring up the rear.

 

[Beekissed]

Mine all take equal time, as the chores for all are very similar in nature and they are all in the same general area. I tend to streamline my animal systems so that none take too much time at all and anyone could do them easily when I'm not available.

Since taking the dogs for a daily walk is the most time consuming, I'd have to say the dogs take the most time of all. But, I'd be walking anyway, so taking the dogs along isn't exactly any more or less time....but I do spend more time WITH them.

 

[Bruce]

Since I have relatively few animals, none take all that much time.
23 Chickens and 2 alpacas are done at the same time since they all live in the lower part of the barn.

Stupid alpacas have been pooping inside of late so I have to clean that out in the morning and give them water, hay in their wall feeders and maintenance pellets. Pellets and hay again in the late afternoon.

Chickens get morning water, BOSS snack and whatever kitchen scraps, toss some layer feed in the barn alley (their indoor run) and fill the feeder in the coop. Rake the coop, check for eggs. When it is below freezing I'll go out a few times during the day to check for eggs. Scratch in the late afternoon and final egg check.

 

[JHP Homestead]

Rabbits get the most attention here, especially in the winter. The large livestock (cows and horse) get checked on once a day but otherwise have their water with de-icers and round bales of hay, so they only need feed and water refilled once a week.

Chickens, feeder pig, and rabbits are all 2x a day, but the chickens and pig are quick. The rabbits take much longer to clear the ice from their water bowls and give fresh water 2x a day, then give feed and hay in the mornings as well. Add in breeding, weaning, butchering, nesting boxes as needed, and they take up the majority of the chore time.

During the summer, all the animals get handled a lot more, so I’m not sure who gets the most time during the summer. It probably depends on day.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Goats at my house....always the goats, lol.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Well, we now have a pretty big farm..I mean, not near as big as most of yours..but big for me, since I do all the care. I think the rabbits probably take the most time, because I have so many and they need individual attention...not like putting out hay or feed for many animals to eat from. But, I wish I had more time for my goats, because they are fast becoming my favorite here on the farm...their quirky personalities, and sweet nature...but....the research, fo their care....that takes a lot of beside the scenes time...which is not my preference..I want to be outside with my animals!!

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I am always reading about pigs are BYH although I don't have any yet.