# One Acre - What can I have?



## tressa27884 (Jan 17, 2012)

I just rented a house with an acre of land, all fenced and ready for livestock.  I plan to move my chicken flock [12 hens - two roosters], what should I add?  I want to be a bit more self sustaining.  I appreciate all suggestions.

Thanks.
Tressa


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## autumnprairie (Jan 17, 2012)

tressa27884 said:
			
		

> I just rented a house with an acre of land, all fenced and ready for livestock.  I plan to move my chicken flock [12 hens - two roosters], what should I add?  I want to be a bit more self sustaining.  I appreciate all suggestions.
> 
> Thanks.
> Tressa


The possibilites are endless. I live on a 1/2 acre but have control of the whole acre so I can do what we want with it.

I have chickens, meat rabbits, meat goats and dairy goats. This summer I will have a huge garden and I plan on growing my goats food or at least supplementing it with Sunflower,  morning glory and mangel which is a fodder beet for live stock. 
I think the first thing I would do is ask what kinds of plants are being grown presently before you get something like goats. deadly plants would be azealas, wild cherry and such there is a link on here that will give you a list. 

How soon do you want your livestock and think about what you want to do with them before you buy.
THere are a lot of really knowledgeable people on here.
Good Luck, Congrats and have fun with building your homestead/


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## tressa27884 (Jan 17, 2012)

Right now it's all pretty much scrub. I think there may have been goats on it before.  It has a two stall barn and a huge hen house.  Can you tell me more about mangel? Morning Glory will grow like a weed here. I'm in California [Brentwood]. The research portion has just started for me; so I wanted to get lots of input before expanding from chickens.

Thanks for the response!

Tressa


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## SmallFarmGirl (Jan 17, 2012)

Goats,chickens,rabbits, maybe pigs....


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## Kojack (Jan 17, 2012)

Pigs! I'm only a couple of months into raising two, but I've been impressed by how low maintenance they are. They're also interesting and fun! Knowing what I do now, I wish that I had gotten four.


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## tressa27884 (Jan 17, 2012)

Kojack said:
			
		

> Pigs! I'm only a couple of months into raising two, but I've been impressed by how low maintenance they are. They're also interesting and fun! Knowing what I do now, I wish that I had gotten four.


What kind of fencing for pigs? What are their basic needs? What type? And, how easy is it to find somebody to slaughter and butcher?


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## autumnprairie (Jan 17, 2012)

tressa27884 said:
			
		

> Right now it's all pretty much scrub. I think there may have been goats on it before.  It has a two stall barn and a huge hen house.  Can you tell me more about mangel? Morning Glory will grow like a weed here. I'm in California [Brentwood]. The research portion has just started for me; so I wanted to get lots of input before expanding from chickens.
> 
> Thanks for the response!
> 
> Tressa


http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/2011/05/11/growing-mangel-beets-for-chickens/

and we have a thread on here too.
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15899

I hope this helps and good luck


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## Kojack (Jan 18, 2012)

I'm using three strands of electric (steel) wire, one each at 6", 12" and 18". I originally used aluminum wire, but it quickly stretched and sagged, so I replaced it with steel. In looking back I sort of wish that I used a strand of electric rope or tape. I wonder if these might have been easier for the pigs to see, especially at night. They respect the wire, but sometimes unintentionally bump into it when I feed at night, I assume b/c they can't see it. One got out once when I left a tempting bucket of sour corn within about 10 feet of the fence. It stayed in the area and near its buddy that stayed in the fence. I haven't left anything else tempting near them. It probably also helps that they are contained in a large area (about 100' x 30'), but I think two more would be just as content (based on space, not pig personality).

Regarding processing, I suggest just asking around. More and more in my area deer hunters are having their deer processed at the same places where livestock is processed. You might also drop into a country store and ask or talk to some of the older folks in the area.


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## tressa27884 (Jan 18, 2012)

What about cattle? Could I have say a Dexter with the chickens?


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## greybeard (Jan 19, 2012)

Pigs--in Brentwood Calif? Near posh and fancy Wilshire Blvd?? My goodness, that sounds "interesting" doesn't it?? But, I take it tressa lives in the Brentwood of Northern California, not the ritsy one down in LA. 
1 acre? Well according to the old USDA ag books, you can support a cow & 1/2 to that acre--dunno what you would do with the other 1/2 of that cow tho.


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## hannahbanana3 (Mar 26, 2012)

We have 2 mini horses, 4 pygmy goats, 15+ chickens and 4 rabbits and dogs and their all fine.


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## Kotori (May 25, 2012)

Well, I don't know how self sufficient you want to be, but here is a little compilation of small area things: Meat rabbits, aquaponics, chickens, BSF Composter, vertical gardening, goats, mini cow.

Meat rabbits can be in standing hutches or wire cages. I would suggest a worm bin underneath to make the manure plant-safe.
Aquaponics- the 'art' of raising fish under plants- plants turn the deadly ammonia into nitrogen.
Chickens- meat or layers need just a small tractor.
BSF composter: Black soldier fly. very efficient, the larvae are high protein, high calcium for the chickens. Liquid waste can fertilize water for aquaponics.
Vertical gardening- trellis or shelves. solid waste is good fertilizer
Goats- live on weeds. Just throw in any weeds, trimmings from safe trees, dried leaves from safe trees, etc.
Mini cow- you can have them 1 per acre on good land. I would suggest a Lowline steer- high dress rate, and it's angus 
Or if you want milk too, a Dexter milk cow, steer the offspring. < You would (probably) have to buy some hay. let the cow graze and use pure grass hay for the steer.

A dwarf fruit tree would also be feasable.

A water catching system would probably be useful.

Composting the animal manure can be done with 4 wood pallets or I suppose 2 broken pallets.


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## manybirds (May 25, 2012)

tressa27884 said:
			
		

> I just rented a house with an acre of land, all fenced and ready for livestock.  I plan to move my chicken flock [12 hens - two roosters], what should I add?  I want to be a bit more self sustaining.  I appreciate all suggestions.
> 
> Thanks.
> Tressa


 you can have EVERYTHING! you could have a small dairy slash meat goat herd on a 1/4 or 1/2 acre pasture, honey bee hives, small herd of meat/show rabbits, a horse and or pony, if you willing to fead it hay year round 1 or 2 cows (though you couldn't have the cows and the goats and i would recomend goats because there smaller and easier to handle), quail (superb meat), chickens, ducks, geese, pheasants and peacocks if you really wanted, turkeys dogs cats etc. you just have to know how to work your space right and where to put stuff.
o yey and a nice little vegatable garden


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 25, 2012)

*There was a REALLY cool article in Mother Earth news a while back about how to set up a 1 acre more self sustaining farm... I'll look for the link, but you can go to Mother Earth news online or try googling it. I remember thinking it was really cool for someone just starting out with 1 acre. It showed you a whole layout and explained each section and how to manage it. *


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## kfacres (May 25, 2012)

an acre isn't much- does this acre contain the house and yard as well?  Basically consider an acre 208 x 208.  

although you can have other animals... most often those with an acre-- have a mud lot.


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## Straw Hat Kikos (May 25, 2012)

I might seem like the bad guy here, but I wouldn't go crazy. You can defiantly have more animals than just your chickens, but if you have to many animals then you will have parasite issues and with goats you will have lots of worms. I encourage you to get some animals but I wouldn't go crazy. Whichever animals you get I hope they all do well. btw goats are a good choice because you can have 6 to the acre. Good luck!


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## Bedste (May 25, 2012)

I have ONE acre.....  

I have one dog

60 plus chickens

and 4 goats 

I free range a few chickens every day and I have 1/6 of the acre fenced off for the goats.....  I have 6 small coops and two sheds, a house and garden and a swing set and lots of room for grandkids to play


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## Bossroo (May 26, 2012)

It GREATLY depends WHERE that 1 acre is and the weather .  I have 20 arrid acres in Cal.  ...   6.5" of rain per year in the winter/ early spring. Grass  only grows to about 4-6" , is sparce and is brown about 8 months of the year. While weeds, such as tumbleweeds, star and bull  thisle, etc.  grow in abundance to 2-4+feet that I ahve to kill, maime and destroy every spring. I have ONE Valley oak tree that is over 100' tall.I planted redwood trees round the house  (that I have to irrigate) for shade. Late spring, summer and fall the temps are in the high 90s to way over 100's . I have a garden which I have to irrigate with well water, 20+/-  horses that are housed in 8- 12x 24 stalls and 3 5acre lots.  I have to buy 98% of their feed ( mares and their foals get to nibble some green grass in the early spring only)  I raise 25 Cornish X from 35 days of age for game hens and some lots to 8 weeks for friers,  5 times a year  confined in a horse stall ONLY as there are way too many 4 legged and winged PREDATORS . I have to buy ALL of their feed as the only bugs in abundance here are ants and stink bugs (which are not eaten) and a few grasshoppers in the spring, and they won't eat the brown grass eather.  One acre... drill a  100-400' well for water ( many folks around here get about 4 gals.of water per minute from their wells), build a Fort Knox for 24 hr. protection for any livestock from predators, and buy 98-100% of their feed.  The cost for the meat, eggs or milk or vegetables or fruit  one would glean will be many fold the price of store baught .


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## manybirds (May 26, 2012)

what i would do is have a small cattle pannel (4-6 pannels) pen with a calf hut for goats (will hold about 2-3, plus one temporary meat sheep or goat), i would have a similiar pen for a pair of geese and 1 or 2 pairs of ducks. i would a brooder or rabbit hutch type pen and have a few pairs of quail living in it, you could have about 3 meat pen sized rabbit cages. if you wanted you could have a small coop with either 4ish hens and one rooster (chickens) or keep game birds or turkeys in there. though spacing would get really tight if you did you could probably squeeze a small horse or pony in (i probably wouldn't because living quarters would get to tight). also you could keep a bee hive or 2 on the property. if you are willing ot give up your yard completly you could get a small garden and a few fruit trees


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## CochinBrahmaLover=) (Jun 20, 2012)

I have 1 acre

I have 2 goats

I (had) 30 chickens , the fox who lives nearby said no no and reduced it down to 7 chickens :/ . Well, actually 5, but we got 2 more. 

Are you like in a place where there is woods behind you? More pasture? We have ONE acre, but we also have a whole forest behind us that our chickens and goats can go through. Really depends where your at


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## bonbean01 (Jun 20, 2012)

We have 7 acres and one of those is a catfish pond...and then the house and yard, garden and only with rotational pastures are we able to keep 9 sheep if we want good grazing.  The chickens don't take much, and we feel we have reached our limit without killing the grazing areas.  Still learning and researching the best way to utilize the grazing areas with this small of a herd of sheep.  We don't want to feedlot our sheep, so are keeping our herd small.

Not sure if that helps, but it is what is working for us.

Good luck and wishing you well...enjoy


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## Symphony (Jun 21, 2012)

tressa27884 said:
			
		

> Right now it's all pretty much scrub. I think there may have been goats on it before.  It has a two stall barn and a huge hen house.  Can you tell me more about mangel? Morning Glory will grow like a weed here. I'm in California [Brentwood]. The research portion has just started for me; so I wanted to get lots of input before expanding from chickens.
> 
> Thanks for the response!
> 
> Tressa


You might want to first see if your city allows such animals.  Brentwood looks pretty high end, I don't know how urban it is but I doubt neighbors want a crowing rooster all day.


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## boykin2010 (Jun 21, 2012)

Pygmy or dwarf goats came to mind.  Dexter cows, mini horses, ducks, peacocks, turkeys, pigs

Just a few things that came to mind that could stay on an acre.  I am keeping 12 sheep and 40 or so chickens on 4 acres right now so you could easily keep some sheep if you wanted. However, if the grass is brushy then it would be better suited to goats. I actually have 20 acres but I only use 4-5 acres for the animals.


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## manybirds (Jun 21, 2012)

boykin2010 said:
			
		

> Pygmy or dwarf goats came to mind.  Dexter cows, mini horses, ducks, peacocks, turkeys, pigs
> 
> Just a few things that came to mind that could stay on an acre.  I am keeping 12 sheep and 40 or so chickens on 4 acres right now so you could easily keep some sheep if you wanted. However, if the grass is brushy then it would be better suited to goats. I actually have 20 acres but I only use 4-5 acres for the animals.


don't forget rabbits and quail, i myself would keep maybe a pair of kinder does and get them bred, they produce milk like a nubian and have a very respectable amount of meat for such a little goat, eat there boy babies and either sell the girls or keep them. you could keep a breeding trio of rabbits and butcher the babies, i would get some top quality welsh harliquin ducks, under the right fead they can produce more eggs a year than a good chicken plus there good for foraging and meat, i would recomend getting them from holdereads waterfowl not from a hatchery as hatchery quality's are oftem crossed and you wouldn't get the egg laying u wanted. you could have a pair of geese if you want, meat and the fat and down. have a ridable sized pony or a mini for cart pulling and kid rides. have a cage of quail as there meat is good and easy to butcher and clean. it wouldn't take up nearly as much room as you might initially think. 4 cattle pannels and a calf hut for goats, if you wanted the mini pony you could keep it with the goats or a ridable sized pony would require more a a lean-to sized shelter. 2 cages for rabbits (for meat buck a 24x24in cage and for the doe a 24x36in). you could get some courtnix quail in a rabbit cage or something like that , i have a friend who does that and puts all there eggs in the incubator as soon as there laid and hatches them and raises them for meat, she waits until there are 200 quail then butchers, i believe she only keeps 5 breeding quail. ad some hog pannels and a little barrel or somehting to lock up at night and a kitty pool for the ducks and geese. thats only a 16 ft x16ft encloser for 2 goats and maybe a mini, a 16ftx16ft cage for the ducks and geese and 2 little rabbit cages and 1 rabbit cage sized thing for the quail.


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## SheepGirl (Jun 21, 2012)

If the OP wants to be more self-sustaining on an acre, I wouldn't get a horse. You can't really do anything with them to be more self-sustaining. That is 900-1200 lbs worth of animal that I would rather trade for 6-8 sheep...where I could get milk, meat, and wool.


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## boykin2010 (Jun 21, 2012)

SheepGirl said:
			
		

> If the OP wants to be more self-sustaining on an acre, I wouldn't get a horse. You can't really do anything with them to be more self-sustaining. That is 900-1200 lbs worth of animal that I would rather trade for 6-8 sheep...where I could get milk, meat, and wool.


I agree.  I didn't think about that, but trading a horse for 6-8 sheep/goats sounds better.


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