[Onlooker]

Hello, I have a 6 acre private island on fresh water in a Maine like climate Mostly spruce growing 10-12ft high, green nearly to the ground.

What animals might thrive/survive on such a place, least likely to swim/fly away; and be harvest-able by winter (8-9 months before lake freezes). Predators would mostly be owls/hawks I would expect; depending on the willingness of others to swim(Bears, lynx, coyote, foxes,everything) that distance(feels pretty far).

My first thoughts are Pigs(~2), goats(~2), chickens.. I hear some pigs swim quite well; how likely is that in those distances; those with experience; are there particular breeds(pigs/sheep/goat/chickens) with aversion to open water. Other tasty or profitable suggestions? Idea is minimal feed/treats, raw or filtered lake water(clean as it comes; minimal human use)

 

[fireweed farm]

It looks like much of the forage is coniferous. If that’s the case this will narrow your search. What livestock eats spruce trees?

 

[Paddydd]

deer?

 

[househunter]

deer?

goats, chickens, pigs, pheasants, guina fowl, geese, etc. these all are critters that will stay there but will not necessarily clear/clean the land. All are low maintenance and yummy. Not deer as there is not enough room for them.

 

[Forcast]

I stocked a private island in Maryland with guineas, for a tick reduction study. Big problem is predators. Eagles and fox. Second keeping water and feeders stocked because all the wildlife likes easy food.
Deer fox bear even bobcats swim really well for free range birds.
If this is a drop off and come to check on them a few times a year You'll probly get to meet animal control or dnr with animal abandonment papers. How would you keep them from walking across the frozen river to greener pasture?

 

[househunter]

I stocked a private island in Maryland with guineas, for a tick reduction study. Big problem is predators. Eagles and fox. Second keeping water and feeders stocked because all the wildlife likes easy food.
Deer fox bear even bobcats swim really well for free range birds.
If this is a drop off and come to check on them a few times a year You'll probly get to meet animal control or dnr with animal abandonment papers. How would you keep them from walking across the frozen river to greener pasture?

How big was your island? I am from there and looked at a single family on Smith Island last year. I love life there, so warm and sunny. Hated the humidity and bugs...

 

[Alice In TX/MO]

Most goats won’t swim. Don’t know if they can survive on MOSTLY conifers.

 

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

deer swim just find seen them a mile out between islands in lake Michigan in 4 foot swells

pigs swim , if they want off there is little that will stay without fencing and regular feeding

figure anything you put out there will either just be the next invasive for the area or die to predators if you aren't there. they call it husbandry for a reason , your married to it .

 

[Fishindude]

I don't think it's a good idea to populate an uninhabited island with a domestic species.
Might lead to some environmental problems, disease, etc.

Predation would likely be a problem as well.

 

[Paumon]

You forgot to mention whether or not you're going to be living there or at least spending time working there every day. You also never mentioned what kind of safe shelter, proper food and health care you plan to be providing the animals with.

Nothing can survive on just spruce alone, it's too acidic and they'll quickly become malnourished and susceptible to organ diseases and digestive diseases like scours and both internal and external parasites. The fact that there are so many coniferous trees on the island means the soil is highly acidic and the only other plants that will grow there are also acidic plants and other toxic or non-nourishing plants. That's not good for pigs or goats. The pigs won't thrive and will injure then kill and eat any other animals stuck on the island and competing with them for food. Yes, even the goats will be at risk from being hunted and eaten by the pigs.

If you're going to be living there or at least working there every day and giving them healthy supplemental food besides spruce then the chances of domestic animals surviving might work. But you have to be there.

If your plan is to abandon them there alone with no safe, sound shelter, no healthy daily food supplements and no health care or daily attention from you they won't be safe and they'll likely be gone inside of a couple of months at the most. They'll be gone from attrition and malnutrition or poaching or theft by the most dangerous predator of all.

As soon as word gets around (and it will, you can count on it that it won't take long) that somebody has stranded some domestic animals on an island and left them there all alone and running loose then other people will come and take them.

.

 

[Onlooker]

Thanks for the replies, I continue to be interested in this *idea if anyone has any experience with specific breeds/animals and related considerations: Water as barrier, LARGE predator/livestock proof auto-feeder would seem to be necessary.

I know of more remote salt water islands(few hours away) grazing livestock until harvest.

Disease is usually introduced is it not? I would think uninhabited island would potentially be healthier.
I'm considering the quality of life in industrial farming vs 2-3 animals on 6 whole acres; predator risk or not, I would argue it gives them a better(if sufficient food) life quality for whatever time they do have.

I am only going by web searches so far, goats, pigs, rabbits would seem to eat spruce needles/bark; what percentage of diet that could make up, I wonder... I suspect it is also breed specific; have heard about 'pasture pigs' being developed to not be supplemented with any* grain...

A couple of pigs are at top of the list so far, they seem to be most predator/disease resistant, mostly (250lb) grown in < 8 months; super tasty. Depends on tendency to swim... Or maybe see how long 6-12 chickens fair; I expect not long with the predator birds.

I do plan to build a little cabin/cottage there, but at first, realistically I'm thinking visit every few weeks.

 

[haypoint]

40 years ago, a farmer was summer pasturing his beef cattle on Sugar Island. This area has numerous pastures, hay fields and Maple trees. Near Sault Ste. Marie, MI. The cattle broke the fence, traveled 5 miles on the island roads. They then swam across a big river, into Canada. The herd split up and came to visit three different cattle farms. The cattle were gone for a couple weeks before they were missed. Took a bit of work to discover where they had gone and a lot of international paperwork getting them back home.

Hunt clubs provide an opportunity for a hunter to shoot a trophy deer. But that's costly. A more affordable wild boar hunt became popular alternative. So, farmers began importing and raising wild hogs. One farmer fenced a 40 acre area of swamp and brush and imported 250 wild hogs. When he checked on them 90 days later they had all escaped, posing a hazard to crop land, ponds, streams and commercial hog facilities.

Isle Royal, in Lake Superior, has both moose and wolves. It has been the wish of environmentalists that if left unattended, they would work out some degree of balance. That hasn't worked out well.

Deer will eat white cedar to avoid starvation. Not much eats White Spruce.

 

[Alice In TX/MO]

Six acres is small for livestock.

 

[househunter]

Sounds like something out of Orwell's book "1984"

 

[Forcast]

6 acres for a industrial pig farm on an island? So you boat the pens pigs food out? What do you do with the pig****t? Dump it in the lake? Don't think DNR will like this idea. How would you control breeding litters. Do you have electric or solar power? How would you set up waters for pig farm, fans or timed feeders. Even living on site would be a stinking nightmare. Sure large auto feeders are available expensive. But man you got to boat the ton of feed out there. stock wild pheasants?

 

[oregon woodsmok]

Grouse eat spruce needles and you can eat grouse. I cant think of anything else that will live on conifers. Lots of things besides people like to eat grouse, so I don't know how long your flock would last. They wouldn't have any problems flying the 750 feet to the mainland.

 

[Onlooker]

6 acres for a industrial pig farm on an island? So you boat the pens pigs food out? What do you do with the pig****t? Dump it in the lake? Don't think DNR will like this idea. How would you control breeding litters. Do you have electric or solar power? How would you set up waters for pig farm, fans or timed feeders. Even living on site would be a stinking nightmare. Sure large auto feeders are available expensive. But man you got to boat the ton of feed out there. stock wild pheasants?

I would never do that, I was comparing the quality life to a pig in an industrial operation to that of 2 or 3 having their own 6 acre island to call their 'pen'. I was trying to imply Animal Control/DNR should have no reasonable issue by comparison... Taking the 1000+lb of feed over to raise a couple of pigs(presuming they could forage some) might still be worth it.

 

[Forcast]

I would never do that, I was comparing the quality life to a pig in an industrial operation to that of 2 or 3 having their own 6 acre island to call their 'pen'. I was trying to imply Animal Control/DNR should have no reasonable issue by comparison... Taking the 1000+lb of feed over to raise a couple of pigs(presuming they could forage some) might still be worth it.

Sorry must have read your post wrong. Thinking you were sitting in up to look like the photo.

 

[muleskinner2]

Goats, and they will trim those trees up as far as they an reach. You will have to feed hay as well. I wouldn't leave them out there during the winter.

 

[fireweed farm]

Just wait until you move there. If if the cabin you plan is just a weekender, again- it just isn’t going to work as well as you envision.

Glad to see you are researching before doing. You’ve been given heaps of good points above but all of them get either you or the animals into trouble.