One Acre - What can I have?

[tressa27884]

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

 

[autumnprairie]

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/

 

[tressa27884]

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

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

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

 

[Kojack]

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.

 

[tressa27884]

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?

 

[autumnprairie]

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

 

[Kojack]

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.

 

[tressa27884]

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

 

[greybeard]

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.