What Livestock Are You Currently Raising?

[BYH Project Manager]

One of the best parts of homesteading is the wide variety of animals people keep—whether it’s a flock of chickens for fresh eggs, goats for milk and brush control, cattle for beef, or even rabbits and ducks. Each animal brings its own set of rewards (and challenges!) to the homestead.

We’d love to know more about your setup:

• What livestock are you currently raising?
• Are you keeping them for food, fiber, companionship, or something else?
• Do you have plans to add any new animals in the future?

Share your herd or flock with us—we all enjoy hearing about the different ways people are building their homesteads!

 

[Baymule]

I raise Katahdin hair sheep. I’m slowly building a registered flock. They are for meat and breeding stock. I have 2 Anatolian Shepherds to guard them.

In the spring I raise Cornish Cross chickens. I have a few customers and that pays for what I eat and I provide my daughter and family with chicken.

 

[SageHill]

Sheep here. Two for wool (a friend likes to weave) and the rest for meat. Lambing now - 3 of the current lambs so far (all dorper crosses) the woolie butt is a California Red Dorset cross (one of the two woolies).

 

[drstratton]

We're currently raising a mixed flock of chickens, for eggs. We've had chickens on and off for around 35 years. We have also ventured into beekeeping this year.

Free eggs and free honey...lol, it's a win win!

We lost our rooster this year. Trying to decide if we will get another. We currently have 22 hens.

Our Apiary.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

We're currently raising a mixed flock of chickens, for eggs. We've had chickens on and off for around 35 years. We have also ventured into beekeeping this year.

Free eggs and free honey...lol, it's a win win!

We lost our rooster this year. Trying to decide if we will get another. We currently have 22 hens.
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Our Apiary.
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Wow! Stunning.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

In the future I would like to have cattle, swine, possibly even sheep. I am inspired by all the animals shown at my 4-H fair every year, lol! But for now, I have a flock of 15 chickens. 1 barred rock, 1 white rock, 1 olive egger, 1 easter egger, 2 sapphire gems (my fav breed of all time), 1 black sexlink, 1 black Australorp, 1 light brahma, and 2 mutts for the older babies, and 1 ISA brown, 1 barred rock, 1 mutt (GOT SCAMMED), and 1 silver laced wyandotte for the pullets...So yeah we have quite a mixed flock for sure! I have a huge passion for chickens, they're my whole world.

Here's a few pics of some of my chooks.

 

[Baymule]

All the different breeds and colors of chickens are like a bouquet of flowers!

 

[fuzzi]

I currently have two small flocks, all bantam breeds. I love them for their personalities, and their offerings of organic breakfast food. They're too small to eat, wouldn't want to butcher them, anyway.

Silas' flock. He's a gorgeous but "unsuitable for breeding" Speckled Sussex. His hens are Naomi and Abigail (Dominiques), Esther (also Sussex), and three OEGB pullets that were a present (as day old chicks) to a broody Naomi.

Zaccheus' flock, all Speckled Sussex, and my breeding flock. I just want to leave the breed a little better than when I started. Rahab is successfully raising another generation. The pullets will stay, the cockerels will too until they get obnoxious. The one who is best tolerated by Zaccheus can stay as a back up roo.

Zaccheus prior to his current molt:

Zack is a good roo.