Backyard Livestock

I. Introduction: About Food not Lawns and what we offer. II. Recommended reading: Small-Scale poultry Keeping by Ray Feltwell III. Understanding the commitment involved: a. Dependency: the animals are fully dependent on you rain, snow, wind, shine, they need fresh food and water. b. Money: Weather for eggs or meat, raising animals will most likely not save you money. If you are very dedicated, you can manage to break even, but most likely it will cost you money. c. Reasons for raising backyard livestock: i. Rewarding and fun ii. Develop a relationship with your food iii. Know that your produce is coming from the very best conditions- from animals that were fed good food, drank clean water, and were raised with love. iv. Excellent barter item trading eggs or meat with fellow homesteaders is always in demand. v. Benefits for the garden fertilize and de-bug Chickens: 1. Relatively low maintenance bird. a. Put themselves away at night, b. Can forage for much of their food. c. Live symbiotically with the compost area. 2. For eggs: a. Can expect 3-6 eggs per week, b. Dependent on the skill of the owner, but also influenced by the weather, feed, outside conditions. c. Most breeds are hybrids for egg laying. 3. Meat: a. Attempt to raise animals that cannot be raised by large-scale production. Do not try to compete with large-scale production, instead try to raise animals that are not commonly raised by producers. 4. In the Garden a. Chicken manure is an excellent, high-nitrogen fertilizer (and costly to buy) b. Can help with insect management by eating dormant bugs, etc Requirements: 1. Where to purchase: a. Craigslist: i. pullets that are already laying. Usually cost 10-20 dollars a pullet for hens that are already laying. Quick way to get hens

that are laying already and not having to wait. ii. Chicks: many on craigslist purchase more chicks than they need in order to keep chicks warm in transit or in case some do not survive b. Local Hatchery: Metzer farms is reputable duck and goose hatchery c. Online: you will have to do some research, and though it may seem strange, hatcheries have gotten very good at sending birds through the mail with a very low mortality rate. d. Yearlings: yearlings are year old birds that have laid around 300 eggs. Many egg producers only keep hens for their first year and then sell them at a low cost second year hens will produce 20% less eggs, but they will also be much larger eggs. 2. Housing: a. Space: When birds have access to enough range space and are let out everyday, 2sq ft. per bird is enough for housing. b. Neighbors: Consider the location of the coop to your house and to neighbors. c. Design: we wont go much into design here, as more designs can be read in the book. Suffice to say that they need to kept dry, but are hardy in Santa Cruz cold and do not need any external heat. d. Next boxes: chickens need nest boxes in which to lay. i. 1sq ft. ii. shared: can be shared among several books, but preferable for each to have their own box. iii. Birds should be be able to perch above the nests. e. Roosts: i. Safety helps them get out of harms way, helps them avoid crowding in a corner if they are frightened. ii. Cleaning: mesh underneath of another method of cleaning. f. Ducks: i. Do not require nest boxes or roosts ii. Space requirements roughly equal to those of chickens 3. Feeding: a. Requirements vary greatly depending a number of factors, including temperature, egg production, and bird size. Observation and experimentation is required to get it right. b. Types of Feed: i. Ready made: geek pellets from General Seed and Feed ii. Mash: chickens can eat a lot of scraps from our waste products c. storage: be sure to store food securely from rats and mice, as well as dry to keep it from going bad. 4. Water: a. Requirements: chickens always need fresh water available

b. Our favorite method: chicken nipple waterer that we purchased from farm-tek. Very simple and effective method of providing water and they learn very quickly. c. Beware chickens can drown easily in buckets, etc. d. Ducks: i. Require water deep enough to dip their beaks (up to nostrils) ii. Swimming water is very nice but not necessary. Theyre messy! 1. Pond ecosystem is ideal, in larger space 2. Tub or kiddy-pool will work, necessary to change water every 2-3 days depending on size. Rabbits 1. Why raise rabbits? a. Sustainable meat source; ultra-local, organic, efficient, and well-cared for. b. Very efficient ratio of feed to meat produced c. Easy to care for, and adorable. 2. Where to find them a. Local breeders b. Craigslist sometimes 3. Housing needs a. Hutch with mesh bottom and house or box to hide in b. As much space as you care to give them- .75 sq ft per 1 lb rabbit 4. Nutrition/Food a. Balanced diet includes fresh and dry foods. Rabbits have delicate digestive systemsinattention to their diets can kill them fast. b. Be observant- watch what they eat, their poop pellets, etc for changes. c. Fresh timothy grass/orchard hay/oat straw should always be available. Essential fiber and tooth-cutting. Alfalfa is higher in calories and calciumnot recommended in high quantities d. Fresh veggies and fruits; at least 3 different types/day i. Fresh greens (not lots of lettuce) and root-veg tops are best. ii. ~2 cups fresh veg/5 lbs rabbit iii. Vitamin A is important; beet tops, carrot tops, broccoli, parsley. iv. Avoid excessive cabbage, Brussels, kale, spinach, mustard greens because of high levels of indigestible oxalates. v. Avoid lots of fruittoo much sugar. vi. Fresh herbs are great; mint, basil, cilantro, parsley. e. Pellets; i. Rabbit feed from General Feed and Seed provides all necessary nutrients, costs ~ $8 for 25 lb bag. ii. Provide ~ 1/8 cup for every 5 lbs rabbit per day. (Unlimited for young up to 6 months of age) iii. Avoid fancy sweet foods with lots of dried fruits, seeds, etc. Dont give them grains, nuts, or legumes.

5. Overall health considerations a. Teeth continually grow. Wooden or natural-fiber chew toys help. Also, young fruit-wood twigs are nice b. Provide salt lick to encourage hydration during cold months. 6. Raising new bunnies a. Breeding i. Most med-size rabbits can breed at 6-8 months old ii. Breed only healthy, fit bunnies. Male buck/sire, Female doe/dam. iii. Bring female to male domain. Observe coitus or leave them overnight. If you observe it, put them together again in 1-12 hours. iv. Do NOT breed bunzos again withing 36 hours. Doe has 2 uterine horns that can be impregnated with poor results. b. Kindling/ Birth i. Note exact date of breeding. Gestation is 31 days. At 28 or 29 days from conception, place hay-lined nest box in hutch for momma to kindle in. ii. Check babies after birth for deformities. Remove deformed babies. You may handle the young, but dont frighten the momma. iii. If doe births babies out of nest, you must move litter to nest immediately. She will not move them, and they will die outside the nest, but once you have placed them in a fur-lined straw nest box, she should care for them. c. Growing babies and weaning i. Remove nest box at 16-20 days after birth to avoid messiness. ii. Between 14 days- 2 months, mortality rate is high due to enteritis. Terramycin in drinking water can help prevent this. iii. Remove babies from mothers cage at 6-8 weeks old. One kit may be removed 1 week later than the rest. iv. Sex babies, separate by sex until rabbits are about 4 months old, at which time each should have their own cage. d. Harvesting and breeding again i. Harvest fryers at 8-10 weeks old. Roasters at 10-12 weeks. ii. Allow doe to rest however long you like, but at least 6-8 weeks after kindling is recommended.