Animals on the homestead..

Kygardengal · #1 07/16/05, 11:53 PM

As most of you know I live in town and have 18 acres 30 minutes away. It will be a long time (if ever) before I ever live on the property. At best, I have a 12X20 storage building in excellent condition that I hope to one day turn into a cabin. I then will spend some nights and days off on the property. Now, my problem.....I want animals. I would like to have a couple of calves, some hens and maybe a few sheep. With the proper fencing in place, is it a good idea to have animals and live off the property? I don't want to "not" take care of them. But I am not always there EVERY single day. I could make an attempt at it but in reality, I don't go out there everyday. I have this "idea" that if I had a real secure hen house with a real secure run, then they could be left for a 24 to 36 hour period. I have had hens before and I would be able to leave for a 24 hour period. My Dad says I shouldn't get animals, because I won't be there to really enjoy them anyway. I want them but I don't want to get them and not be able to take care of them. Am I being too unrealistic? Should I just "forget it"....and resolve that I will just have a garden out there?

QBVII · #2 07/17/05, 12:24 AM

I wouldn't get any animals ~ especially since you have no idea how long it will be (if ever) you get to live on the property! JMO

mulliganbush · #3 07/17/05, 12:54 AM

Forget the animals.

In May, you posted how tired and overwhelmed you felt. Do you think having animals relying on you will make it any easier?

You said you were hauling water for your garden because you weren't on the county line. Do you know how much water a cow drinks each day? How will you haul it? And, remember, since you aren't going to be there every day, you'll have to have capacity for at least a two-day supply for each cow and each sheep.

Have you calculated the cost of that secure chickenhouse? Are you going to build it or are you going to hire the labor? How will you dispense the feed? How will you keep their water from freezing during the winter when you don't come out every day?

Have you calculated the cost of fencing that will hold both sheep and cattle? Are you going to build the fence? Do you have shelter for the sheep and cattle if we have a bad winter? Do you have enough winter pasture to hold them? Will you have to have hay?

You might also consider: It won't take long for your neighbors, both human and animal, to realize that the animals are out there alone. Cattle rustling is still a going business and the sheep are virtually defenseless against coyotes and roaming dogs.

Ray

Kygardengal · #4 07/17/05, 01:38 AM

WOOOOHOOOOO ! ! ! ! I am back to earth now.....yes I do remember being very over whelmed....obviously things have gotten better for me and I no longer feel this way.....I know that I still have that "tinge" of wanting the whole picture.....you know the whole dream instead of just a part of it.....but I'll go on now....my garden is now enough...

I just needed a little reminding..

I just have my moments.....I guess I knew the answer before I asked it....Just thought I'd sort of "throw it out there"....Keep in mind it is 1:30 in the am and I can't sleep...my brain is not functioning properly.....Thanks Ray...I knew I could count on the board for my reality check....

Kygardengal · #5 07/17/05, 07:11 AM

By the way, my feelings of being "overwhelmed" are much better now. I was just so dog tired because my "job" (the income producer) was so physically demanding that I had little courage or strength for anything else. That also has been resolved with a talk to my boss. Now I have 2 guys that help with a lot of the physical labor. That makes my job so much more enjoyable. I try to get out to the property everyday, but not 100% of the time....probably 98% of the time.....I have been put on salary, so I have a lot more freedom as to how I come and go. I have had good luck with leaving feeders and waterers for my hens....but it was in the summer and I didn't have to worry about freezing water....I have brought out a water line from the county 2 weeks ago....I ran it myself and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was gonna be. I am in the process (if the wonderful rains let up) to put up 4 strands of high tensil wire fencing. I found it to be far more afordable than I expected especially since I had the blessing of enough free 4X4 post for the project. I have hired a college kid with a farm and fencing back-ground to help me put up the fencing. His family will loan us the tractor with auger and all other tools we will need. I planned on building the hen house my self, I was planning on something with a concrete block foundation....Including the run....Yes, I have priced it out, a little on the expensive side but do-able. I may have to ask a friend to help me with the roof, as that is the part I don't feel comfortable with.. Don't laugh but I was even wondering about a timer set to open the door to the run in the am and close it at pm. I definately planned on fencing the top of the run with some type of net or wire fencing , completely enclosed. My storage building is new (bought it) 12X20 and even looks like a small cabin. Many people assume it is a house. Since I am out there so often, I was thinking that it would be as though I live there but just not home a lot....When I mentioned calves, I am thinking 1 or 2 in the early spring, to send to the slaughter house in November. Sheep I would have kept there for wool as well as meat. My main concern was the 24 to sometimes 36 hours that I am not there. On my way out there, I pass many miles of pasture with cattle on them and no one for miles around???? But, guess I got my reality check...I still would like to hear the opinions of others so continue with the "yeh's and ne's"......I am looking for feed-back...Is anyone out there doing this or has done it and have it succeed or fail? Who has even "tried" this?

crystalniche · #6 07/17/05, 08:25 AM

My husband and I have been doing something similar by necessity and let me tell you----it is not easy! We live in the country and our work is a mile from our house. For the past 2 years we have been caring for DH's elderly father who lives 26 miles away. We have been going to our house in the morning, caring for our animals, going to work, back home after work and to do chores then going to FIL's at night to care for him. It is not easy and there are days when you wonder if it is all worth it. But FIL needs help right now, he is a few weeks from his 90th bd and still ok mentally. We have had to go thru the neighborhood dogs killing the greater number of our chickens and geese, people helping themselves to our rabbits, one neighbor dumping on our land and more just because we are not there very much right now. The other day we drove up our driveway and saw our neighbor with his pickup pulled up against the stone wall that separates our driveway from his yard and he had a hose running from his radiator into our yard! He was draining his radiator and dumping the fluids in our yard---no wonder all my plants I planted along the wall have died! We've found garbage piled up there too. He makes a habit of dumping his pool's backwash water in our yard too. This is part of our front yard not some area of backland. He also had his inground pool emptied and had the hose running down into our yard where it washed out the gravel part of our driveway. All this because we are not there enough to put a stop to it. When we can finally get back home DH says he will straighten things out but for now there isn't much that we can do as we aren't there to stop it.

moonwolf · #7 07/17/05, 11:01 AM

When I bought my first property, I lived in town. The property was 15 minute drive and had a small house with a couple of outbuildings. I put in a huge garden, set up duck and chicken pens, 2 beehives and didn't actually live there. Once in a while I would spend overnight in the house, but I would go there generally every day. It looked 'lived in'.
However.... A bear DID attack the bee hives to my incredulous amazement. Woodchuck DID eat the rows of green beans that sprouted, and the invasion of Tent Caterpillars DID eat every living live broadleaf plant in sight.....though those things might have happened whether I lived there full time, or not.

foxtrapper · #8 07/19/05, 10:00 AM

If you want animals to enjoy, you've got to be there to enjoy them. Taking an hours trip to go toss feed to them isn't enjoyment. Not to mention the very real likelyhood of livestock theft.

hollym · #9 07/19/05, 10:39 AM

Well, you could start working on the pens and runs anyway. That way when you got out there to live, they would be all ready and you could go on an animal binge!

I wouldn't completely say you couldn't have some chickens. I check on mine morning and evening, but don't have to refill food and water more than every couple of days, because I've been gradually buying bigger feeders and waterers for each bunch. So checking on them is more for entertainment and egg gathering, lol. But the only drawback is that if you had a predator get in, you wouldn't be there to hear them. I don't have many problems any more, my henpens are like Attica, sans the island thing, of course, but before I figured it out I made more than a few late night/early morning dashes out into my yard.

hollym

HeatherDriskill · #10 07/19/05, 10:54 AM

Well, I think it is better to be able to keep an eye on your animals, however, we have leased land 30 or so miles from home for the cattle before. You just have to accept the fact that cows WILL get out at some point. Hopefully, they will not go far when they get out. You may not have too much trouble if you only have two. Definitley have at least two, though. Cows get lonely by themselves. Our experience not having them at home has gone alright. It was a whole herd though, and we did check them at least every other day. If not, we would have someone ( a neighbor to the land the cattle were on) go check everything. I would NEVER keep sheep where I couldn't check them each day. They are much more susceptible to predators and they are not nearly as hardy as cattle. But, it sounds like you have decided against animals for now and it seems like a good decision until you get everything settled for sure.

Kygardengal · #11 07/19/05, 10:05 PM

Well I have decided AGAINST animals for now. You know how it is, when you get this homesteading "bug"....you just "want it".....I have been tossing this around in my head for 1 year now and I am no where closer to having them.
I am just hoping to figure some way to make it happen. My Dad always tells me I would get no enjoyment out of them at this time....I am just a little impatient I guess...Thanks to all of you for helping me stay "grounded"...

bgak47 · #12 07/20/05, 09:31 AM

I live & work in the city & have a country place that I go to on weekends & vacations, but my 17 acres are 3&1/2hrs away, so we don't keep animals there. We did have a few guineas for a while, & they seemed to do quite well on their own for a while,but predators eventually got all of them. I have a solar powered deer feeder that holds 100lbs of feed & it attracts lots of wildlife for when we are there to enjoy them. I don't really think it is a very good idea to try to keep domestic animals unless you are there to take care of them every day.I have mixed feelings about having animals when we retire to the country place in a couple of years. Domestic animals keep you firmly anchored at home to care for them. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that.

coventry49 · #13 07/20/05, 09:47 AM

This has probably been asked before, but is there no way you could keep a couple of hens where you are living now? They wouldn't take much room and would provide that animal interaction that you appear to be wanting. (and I can sure relate to that!)

Kygardengal · #14 07/20/05, 12:25 PM

I am in a new subdivision and no out door animals allowed,espeically of the barnyard variety....dogs only on a leash kind of place. I do have the "animal" bug....I have a friend who has a place I might be able to keep a few things on...Right now I raise butterflies for my job...that takes care of "some" of the nuturing thing I've got going now. They are fed and their cups are cleaned out twice a day....this keeps me busy....I'll be putting bees at the property next spring...so at least that is something....I have a neighbor at the property that has a dog that just comes running everytime I go out there...
and stays with me til I leave...that helps too......I'll just have to manage til I can get out there more often. I am hoping and praying that I can retire from public work next year...we should be almost completely debt free by then ....and can get by with just DH's salary..(he loves his job)...that way I can go out to the farm just as I would go out to work every day...That would put me out there like 10-12 hours every day...then come home to town at night. That is the plan anyway....

moonwolf · #15 07/20/05, 01:30 PM

This thread also has reminded me of a property up the side road where there are about 50 head of bison fenced in. Their owner lives in town about a half hour drive. One day I did see a baby buffalo standing on the other side of the fence and the mother buffalo a bit anxious on the pasture side where she belonged. The bison could easily have trampled across the fence if they wanted to.
Being a good neighbor while riding my bike seeing this first hand, I told the house next door to the bison pasture to call the owner and check on the baby that wasn't where it belonged near the road.
It would be quite common for cattle in pasture where the owner might live miles away. An elk farm here also is on a corner and with high proper fencing. The owner lives on the next road over and about a good 5 miles away. I assume he comes and checks on them every day.