Would love to keep animals

[baileyann3]

But I'm nervous. What if its too much work for me to handle? What if I dont like the work? The animals?

I guess you can't really help with those questions. But maybe, what would you say is a great "starter" animal. One that takes work but isn't completely time consuming. One that is relatively cheap and wouldn't take much structural things, like a barn?

I was thinking chickens, or rabbits.

Was the work and life as you expected? Were there things that you didn't expect that you really love/hated?

Thanks in advance

[Alyantavid]

Personally, I'd start with chickens. They will need some kind of structure though. I don't think there's much beyond feeding, cleaning and gathering eggs. I haven't had chickens in quite awhile though so hopefully someone else will have some better advice on them.

For me, I love pigs. They're sweet, easy to raise, but they do require some sturdy fencing.

[baileyann3]

Pigs huh? But do you slaughter them? I would love to have an animal that would yield a product, but I don't think I could slaughter, or have sent to slaughter- at least not for a long time.

I would like animals as pet, too. But in addition, you know? I have cats now. Maybe I should get a dog, because they are more work.. our house is just so small... (sorry thinking out loud)

I know someone who has a pig as a pet. He lives in the house and everything. He thought it was going to stay little and tiny, but its like 100lbs now or something. He loves that pig

[karne]

Did you think you would get an answer that DIDN"T include chickens on this board?

Seriously, if you have the space, chickens are great started animals. They are easy to raise, easy to keep healthy, cute as babies, and give you a bonus of nourishing food! This is a fun time of year to get catalogs and start thinking about breeds.

[Tizzy]

Bonus with chickens is that you grow to like them (if you start small!) and they are not considered "work".
It's amazing how much "work" we do but since we enjoy it, it's just part of our everyday life. It's not a burden.

[Triciabn]

I have plenty of animals on our little property.
Plenty of chickens and rabbits too.

Chickens....
need a safe structure
need nestboxes
They give tons of eggs for a time
They give next to an annoying tiny quantity at other times.
Keep the tics down.
Eat almost all kitchen scraps.
If you can let them roam mostly outside they need very little cleaning.
If you are not going to breed your own (which would mean having a rooster that could or could not be nice) then you will need to replenish reguarly.

Rabbits....
Offer TONS of great poop that can help your garden. The poop is the best poop out there unless you count elephants.
Need cages , water bottle, and feeders.
If you get a wool breed you will be up to your ears in yarn.
Breeding will replenish you "herd" quick enough.
The meat breeds are often pretty easy to hand.

I think both animals are easy enough. I think chickens are great while they are laying...and they aren't this time of year...and well, then, they aren't that great...they are just consumers.
As far as unloading them... We unload ours at the local Amish small animal auction. I bet you have one in your area.

It really wouldn't matter which one you get...both are pretty mindlessly easy. However if you don't like a lot of eggs...and eggs sit in your fridge for a long time... BUT you want a fabulous garden I would go rabbits at first. But if you are a big egg eater and don't really garden...go chickens.

Tricia

[MamaMonica]

I agree, chickens are a great starter animal. Have fun! It's getting near Spring an chicks will be available in a few months.

[baileyann3]

I had thought chicken too. A few months back I ordered a book, and after reading it, I still feel like I would enjoy it. Besides the being home every night at dusk- I mean its dark at 5 around here right now! I guess I'm lucky because MIL lives really close and I could just ask her to pop over right?

So tell me about these catalogs. Do you have a website to share? I just assumed I would find the breed I want out of my book/online then buy of craigslists. Their were tons of ads last spring. Are these catalogs the best way to go?

PS we eat eggs daily

[MamaMonica]

You usually have to order 25 from catalogs, so I have bought from the local feed store when they get chicks in, or off Craigslist if I couldn't find what I wanted at the farm store. I got some adult hens off CL as well- because the kids wanted bantams and didn't want to deal with roosters. (Bantam chicks are sold straight run- which means you could get a hens or roosters...we've always gotten all or almost all roosters with straight run).

Which breeds are you thinking of getting?

[karne]

Murray McMurray has a great website and beautiful catalog. But, your local feedstore is a good place for your basic chick breeds. They will often have a tub of them in the early spring. You can check about pre-ordering.

[JamieCatheryn]

Also http://mypetchicken.com offers less chicks by mail, they include a heater in the package so they don't need 25 together to ship. I asked my local store and they told me I could only buy 25 at once from them in person oddly enough, no less.

[Shahbazin]

Check out http://feathersite.com/ for all sorts of chicken info & useful links.

Chickens aren't much fuss, but you do have to take care of their needs, & in a regular fashion (ie daily feed/water, collect eggs, regular cleaning, treatment to prevent parasites), protect them from predators, & be able to deal with occasional losses for whatever reason. I love chickens, their variety, interesting behaviors, personalities; once you get enough livestock, you have to factor this in, & it becomes difficult to just pick up & go somewhere (I did have over 200, mind you ).

I don't know about expectations - I got my 1st chickens when I was 10, was totally in charge of them henceforth, & with only 1 year off, have kept them for over 30 years. I love them!