Can Pheasants and Chickens Mate?

chickens pheasants inbreeding featured image

If you’ve spent any amount of time looking into chickens, you probably already know there are a huge variety of domestic breeds out there. Over 400, in fact! But when you see all the different sizes, colors, body types, and behaviors it really makes for a remarkable variety among these common birds. But what you … Read more

Barn Cats for Pest Control On Your Homestead

cat in front of garden rows protected by plastic forks

Rats and mice are everywhere. That’s just a fact of life. But if you live out in the country on a homestead with other animals, both are going to be a constant part of your ongoing struggles. They will poach eggs from your chickens and ducks, contaminate feed, scare animals, tear up insulation, and spread … Read more

Ram vs. Goat: What Are The Differences?

ram vs goat

When it comes to domestic animals, most species look quite different but not all. It’s common to confuse a donkey with a horse, and sometimes ducks and geese can be mixed up. But other times the differences can be very minimal indeed. Let’s compare rams and goats, for instance. They’re about the same size, both … Read more

Goat vs. Lamb: What are the differences?

goat vs lamb collage

When it comes to domestic animals, we really don’t have a hard time telling different species apart. Different breeds, sure, sometimes, but not different species! For instance you’ll never get your cows mixed up with pigs or your chickens mixed up with horses. Even chickens and ducks look highly distinct. But there are a few … Read more

So, Are Sheep and Goats Related?

sheep and goat collage

It’s often asked if sheep and goats are related, given their physical similarities. About the same build, the same freaky rectangular pupils, similar diets, and so on. You’d be forgiven for thinking that sheep are just wooly goats, honestly! But sometimes even the most similar things can be different at a basic level. So, what’s … Read more

So, Do Donkeys Really Laugh?

a donkey

Donkeys are known for many things. Stubbornness, endurance, and of course that iconic laugh. This unique “laughing” sound, which is often seen as a sign of happiness or bemusement, is the stock sound that we associate with donkeys! However, this sound might just be misunderstood by humans who interpret it in the context of their … Read more

Free-Ranging Goats and Chickens the Right Way

four pygoras and two other goats free-ranging

For livestock keepers, the gold standard of care and compassion for our animals is letting them truly free-range. And I don’t mean that corporate doublespeak definition that we see slapped on egg cartons, either. I’m talking about letting our animals get out and wander, explore, frolic, and exercise the way nature intended – or at … Read more

12 Exotic Farm Animals to Consider

exotic animals to raise collage

The most fundamental question when it comes to farming livestock is what kind of animal you are going to raise. Cows, chickens, goats, sheep, and pigs: all have advantages and disadvantages, requiring differing amounts of room, care, food, and room. In return, they can offer you equally diverse products in the form of meat, milk, … Read more

Are Bison Dangerous? What to do if You Are Attacked

European bison

Bison is one of the largest and most impressive mammals in North America. Iconic, majestic, and traveling the countryside in immense herds, these shaggy bovines are making a big comeback since their numbers were depleted to near extinction by overhunting. In fact, the American bison is one of several reasons why many tourists throng to … Read more

So, Does Irish Spring Soap Repel Cats?

Cats are cute, clever, and very adventurous. They also happen to be apex predators in their size category wherever they are found, and feral cats or indoor cats that are allowed to roam without any restrictions are single-handedly responsible for decimating entire populations of birds, rodents, and insects. Naturally, you would want to keep unknown … Read more

Do Emus Lay Eggs? If so, How Many?

emu

I’m going to let you in on a little secret, I’ve got a serious phobia of sorts revolving around birds. I can handle little ones – parrots, for example – but larger birds make me nervous. This makes emus a bit of a weird wild card. Yes, their sheer size makes me nervous, but the … Read more

22 Profitable Animals You Should Raise

ducks, goat and pig near pond

Looking for profitable farming animals you can raise? You’ve stumbled upon the perfect resource… Mention raising animals for profit to anyone, and I’m sure that the first animal that they suggest will be chickens. This is because chickens are perhaps the easiest livestock to care for and make money from – and with so many … Read more