odd ? What animals should we buy first?

[Crystal H]

New to our little piece of heaven. Northwest Oregon dairy country.. We have about 7 flat acres. We would love to have a milk cow, chickens, a pig, a few ducks ,turkeys, and we plan to eventually raise alpaca for fiber.

We have a 3 stall barn and a fenced pasture next to the barn about 2 acres. The rest has perimeter fence but not cross fenced

Where should we start? We have 2 dogs already.

We need something to graze all the grass. and it grows fast!!

Would love to know what you all think.

[Paranoid]

a milk cow, chickens, a pig, a few ducks ,turkeys, and an alpaca for fiber.

[wy_white_wolf]

As long as you get what you want, does the order you get them really matter?

[bob clark]

opt for the cow .look into milking shorthorn.

[spam4einstein]

I would say ducks and chickens without a doubt. There shelter is the easiest to construct. They are inexpensive to buy and are endless fun. My coop where my ducks and chickens live took a day 1/2 to build. 4 ducks and 27 chickens cost me $70 delivered to my door. All they needed for the first 7 weeks was a large box, a 100w light bulb and a ice cube tray for food and water. I wish I had gotten more ducks as they are more entertaining than the chickens. Skip the alpaca for several years. It would be foolish to spend $$ on one, if you dont know why...do a search on this site. One you get your feet wet with them, then whatever you want. Goats seem cheep, hardy and fun, but I dont have any yet.

[Cygnet]

Finding quality animals is difficult -- buy them as you find them. Educate yourself on what constitutes a quality animal, and have cash on hand to buy them as the opportunity presents. For example -- I got a purebred nigie doe from a CL/CAE free herd, pregnant, 3 years old, excellent conformation, for $60 because I happened upon a dispersal sale. The doe later had triplets and has proven to be a fantastic mom and milk doe -- but you've got to know what you're looking for. I knew AFTER I looked this doe over carefully AND the other animals for sale that it was a good deal -- they were all healthy and well taken care of.

Also, consider the time involved in getting anything OUT of the animals.

If you want chickens for meat -- well, that's 6-8 weeks worth of time. You can put that off until you're ready to have meat, then buy babies and have meat for the freezer six weeks later. All you need is a pen suitable to the season of the year, and the time to deal with them. OTOH, laying hens take six months to start laying good.

If you're wanting to have a cow for milk -- if you buy a young heifer, factor in the time to raise the heifer and for the heifer to carry HER calf before you have milk. Steers take a long time to reach market size ... If you start with a day old, you might not have meat until the next year, or a calf for longer than that! Plan accordingly -- might want to be one of your first purchases. OTOH, you may stumble across the perfect milch cow unexpectedly & want to snap

Leva

[ladycat]

IMO, start with ONE thing at a time or it will get very overwhelming very fast.

Decide which one type of animal you want the most and start with that. And even then don't get too many too fast. If you want chickens, get a dozen (for now), if you want alpacas, get one or two.

Later, as you get experience and settle into a routine, start adding to your livestock collection a little at a time.

[seedspreader]

Originally Posted by ladycat

IMO, start with ONE thing at a time or it will get very overwhelming very fast.

Decide which one type of animal you want the most and start with that. And even then don't get too many too fast. If you want chickens, get a dozen (for now), if you want alpacas, get one or two.

Later, as you get experience and settle into a routine, start adding to your livestock collection a little at a time.

Ditto, seen many people burned out on animals because they didn't take the time to learn one at a time...

Of course maybe you know all about them, you didn't say what your experience was???

[mpillow]

Make the pasture nice and tight first to save a lot of headaches, locate a feed source (hay grain), visit some actual farms and do the work before you get the animal....and find a vet beforehand that will come to your house, have an open mind ( goats are not bovines and not horses but same products can be used on them) and have experience with your kind of critters....

[MichelleB]

I second the word of caution about alpacas. There are a lot of people (including here in NW Oregon) who have been burned on the venture.

[coventry49]

One thing I might mention is that animals need care, 7 days a week, 52 weeks per year, regardless of weather or how you are feeling.

Start small with the chickens and/or ducks. Inexpensive to purchase, housing is pretty simple, easy to raise, quick to produce; just 2 months or so for meat or six months for eggs. Don't worry about the pastures just now; just get a local farmer to hay them for you while you aren't ready to use them for yourself.

As you get accustomed to the joys and challenges of maintaining your flock, then you might want to venture into larger stock. Purchase your livestock based on what your needs will be and your abilities will accomodate. You may or may not want to deal with a 1000 lb cow who might not wish to be handled. OTOH, milking a few cute little dairy goats twice a day for months on end, might just become a little old. Or you may fall in love with the routine.

Hogs, I understand, can be a fairly short-term project, if a bit intense. But I believe they produce lots of good garden fertilizer!

Don't forget to put in a garden! I believe that it will give you the best return on any food investment!

-Barb in Montana

[gilberte]

As someone else said, you didn't mention what your experience with livestock is. If you're new, I would say start with a pig. Learn all you can from books such as Balenger's 'Raising the Homestead Hog'. Prepare by making sure you have the facilities set up, and then get yourself a piglet in the spring. Raise it for five or six months and slaughter.

By doing this you will get a taste of caring for livestock and if at the end of six months you decide it's not your cup of tea, you'll at least have a freezer full of inexpensive pork. If you take to the life I would suggest chickens next, maybe along with some rabbits.

Are you sure you want a milk cow? Do you want to milk twice a day, every day? How large is your family, can you use all the milk a cow is going to provide? The cow will also have to be freshened every year and you'll have the calf to deal with. Maybe a milk goat would be a better alternative.

Good luck!

[Mutti]

Start small. Are your dogs fenced in or do they run? Nothing will make your new neighbors hate you more than dogs running free...unless it is your uncorraled horse,cow,goat,pig,whatever. Good fences make good neighbors. And seven acres of grass is not much when it comes to getting a milk cow...everywhere a cow leaves a patty leaves a big area they won't graze in; pretty soon it all looks green to you but your animals won't eat it. So you'll need a way to mow it. Purchased feed adds up and there is always a mountain of manure to contend with. Goats probably a better choice for milk but require excellent fences. Horses are a luxary unless you grew up working 'em! Chickens are a good place to start...never get the animal before the pen/stall/house is ready or you will always be dealing with makeshift conditions as the other work keeps piling on . Been there,done that!! Back to start small. DEE

[Gary in ohio]

Chickens, llama's both require minimal knowledge and housing.

[Terri]

I would go with whatever you are set up for.

If you buy a cow, you will need a good fence and a dry place to milk and store feed. That takes a bit of work. Get the shelters up first, then buy the critters.

[Pat]

I go along with getting some birds to start out with.

I also might suggest 2 feeder pigs. You can pen them in a "pig tractor" (4 by 16 luggable pen) that you can move over your new garden spot. They will till it for you, and leave fertilizer behind. At first, it maybe a week or even 2 before they need to be moved, as they get bigger the time they need to work the ground will decrease. You could slaughter them from there or finish them off in a regular hog pen. (pigs are a quick harvest, and they will do wonders for you new garden... even though I do agree with doing one thing first... they aren't real demanding and you get the double benefit - actually triple as they won't eat as much feed because they are eating the grass roots etc. in the garden for you)

I also agree with start small (one or two things), and as you learn and gain confidence you can either expand, or stop something and try something else. If something doesn't feel right for you, why push yourself doing it?

Pat

[Crystal H]

I do have some experience with raising chickens and that is what we'll start with first. We do plan to start slow.

As for the Alpacas, yes they are pricey... but there are reasonably priced geldings fiber/pet animals sometimes FREE. We don't plan to strike it rich with this venture. Its just means to provide me with some thing for my spinning and knitting passion....

We are in the center of the dairy industry here in town. So lots of resources around and I will volunteer to work at a friends Dairy before we get a cow for ourselves. I love to make my own cheese, butter, and with 2 growing sons almost teens (yikes) I will need the milk.

Can I say you are all a great source of inspiration and a fountain of knowledge? and I thank God for you and this forum.

Anymore advice is always welcome. Thanks again!

Crystal

[Marilyn in CO]

Chickens, ducks and geese are low maintanence, easy keepers. Cows are definitely harder as well as alpacas as far as more maintanence. Well for the most part any larger animal will be harder to shelter, move around and keep fed & healthy. I would just start with the small ones and work up to the big ones......I'll be happy to supply you with two free pygmy goats.

[Mama C]

Originally Posted by ladycat

IMO, start with ONE thing at a time or it will get very overwhelming very fast.

Decide which one type of animal you want the most and start with that. And even then don't get too many too fast. If you want chickens, get a dozen (for now), if you want alpacas, get one or two.

Later, as you get experience and settle into a routine, start adding to your livestock collection a little at a time.

VERY true.
We started with a cow. then her and her calf, then chickens. Each animal has its own pros and cons. You will really learn so much so fast if you just focus on one animal.
If you really want a couple of things a small chicken run can be built really easy and cheap. our first chickens were 1 hen 1 rooster in a doghouse sized hut with a 2x4 frame run with chicken wire over the top and sides. The hen had chicks the next spring and I have been grinnin` ever since!
The cow was a calf when we got her and we loved her like a pet.
I wouldnt get a milk cow right away as they are a very large responsibility and if you are not used to that way of life you may not like it, and she may suffer.
live the life for a couple of years, then see if you can stand being tied to your farm 2x EVERY day.
You will love it!!

[elgordo]

Congrats on getting your place! (Welcome to Oregon!)
What have you had experience with? I would counsel not to jump in to alot of animals too fast. Rabbits or chickens are a good start. We found pigs for meat easy also. I would then add (hair) sheep and goats (if your fence is very good!) Cows next, or to keep the grass down consider renting your pasture to someone with steers. Don't forget bees for honey!
What are the neighbors like and importantly, do they let their dogs run loose?
You could use electric fence for preditor discouragement.
Best wishes and enjoy!