What images come to mind when someone mentions animals on the homestead? Chickens, right? Maybe goats? Not many people consider the benefit that ducks can provide. In fact, they can usually be an easier starter animal for beginners. I've been raising both Pekin and...
Many people don’t consider ducks when they decide to raise backyard poultry. Their experience with them is limited, so they don’t realize how personable and healthy they can be. Ducks can best be described as comical as they waddle around the yard, eating bugs out of...
Eggs at the grocery store have a limited color selection. Your choices are white or brown. All of the eggs are completely uniform, same shade, same size, and same shape. So farm fresh can come as a bit of a surprise to someone who has only had eggs from the grocery...
Pigs tend to be very hardy animals; however, they aren't completely immune to all ailments, especially as babies. Baby pigs, or piglets, are much more susceptible to disease and injury than mature pigs. So how do we prevent illness in piglets and how do we care for...
Ducks are growing in popularity as the latest additions to backyard homesteads; however, there is still some apprehension when it comes to eating duck eggs. For those who have dared to venture outside of their comfort zones, many have found they prefer the rich flavor...
I'll admit, I had my reservations about raising pigs for meat. Being a country girl from rural Ohio, I've grown up around hog farms. My uncle was a hog farmer for most of my life. My brother even raised a couple hogs for 4-H one year. The only things I really cared to...
We started our foray into ducks two years ago. At that time, I was sold four ducklings which I was told were Buff ducks. However, as they grew, I came to realize that they did not match the breed description for Buffs. Instead, they more closely...
When it came time to butcher our two Berkshire-cross pigs recently, we had a lot of decisions to make. Did we want to sell any of the meat? How much of it were we willing to sell? Would we butcher it ourselves? How would we butcher it?...
We have a couple of new additions here on the farm. Tractor Supply Company is currently having their "Chick Days." I've been on the lookout for ducklings for months and this was my chance. Tractor Supply allows you to get a minimum of two ducklings....
In this new feeding series, I'll be discussing the diets and feeding options of animals typically found on the farm. I'll give you the various feed options and let you decide what works best for you, your animals and your farm. This week we're discussing horses, an...
I've wanted to raise turkeys for the last couple years, but I decided to wait until we had a barn. There are just too many predators around our farm and I need a way to lock them up at night. Obviously, they are too big to go in and out of the hen house....