Does anyone here own farm animals

↑ small bean ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 1:48 pm

amother Yarrow wrote:

We have lots of chickens, goats, dog.
But what on earth do you do with a bull? Do you enjoy him?

It's not exactly a bull yet. Every summer we buy some baby calfs and bottle feed them. We eventually sell them. We have one left now. Last summers we kept until pesach time. It was a bull by then and my kids were really sad when it was time to sell him. The one we currently have is still not huge, bigger than a large goat though and very gentle.

↑ small bean ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 1:50 pm

#BestBubby wrote:

Are the animals expensive to upkeep?

Or do they contribute food or income,?

They are expensive and they do contribute. We just started keeping track of cost vs gain. Ask me in a couple of months...

↑ small bean ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 1:51 pm

amother Nasturtium wrote:

where do you live? and why do you want so many animals?

(I’m a city girl through and through and not an animal person so I find this question fascinating)

I'm in Lakewood. My husband really likes animals so that's how it started as a hobby. Now my kids gain from it so I appreciate that part.

amother

↑ Yarrow

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 1:54 pm

small bean wrote:

Sounds like fun!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 2:00 pm

small bean wrote:

You'll have to ask questions because I don't know what to share.

We started off about 14 years ago with just 2 goats. And a tiny property. Then we moved to a larger property and kept some by us and some by another property my husband owned. Then we moved again, and are able to have it all by us.

If someone is looking to start out with farm animals, what are the most important tips you would give them?

What kind of worming do you do for your sheep? Do you do lab samples or just treat anyways?

When you rotate your sheep do you have other animals graze the pasture to help with parasites and other items?

What are the hardest and best things about the animals?

↑ small bean ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 2:01 pm

My husband just bought new sheep. Spent $1000 because he really likes sheep's milk. These sheep have much better milk than the ones we had. The amount of milk he gets a day, let me tell you, it's quite expensive milk.

↑ small bean ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 2:10 pm

amother OP wrote:

My question would be what is the goal of the farm? My best tip is get your animals from someone who can become a friend.

So my husband and daughter take care of the animals, and I have very little to do with it, unless they come inside and they do. We have newborn animals or sick animals that need more care... I will ask them to respond to how we treat (I know we do spend lots of money on that) and the method they use for rotating. It's set up that different parts ar used at different times and we definitely let them roam free sometimes, not in any cage.

It's a lot of physical energy and you can hardly go away as a family. Someone always needs to be around. It's also time consuming and in addition to regular life.

It's amazing for kids in so many ways. Responsibility. Calming. Empathy etc. If not for my kids we wouldn't have it anymore.

amother

Coral

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 2:12 pm

We have had chickens - which is really the only farm animal that you can have on a hobby level that pays for its self. My kids have grown, so we don't anymore, but it was fun for them to take care of the chickens as kids, but they have moved on in interests. When we did they covered the cost of feed with what we made from selling organic, free range eggs, so it was free eggs ( the ones we kept).

But the start up costs for our set up was expensive ( we had a whole fancy chicken run). I think the biggest value was actually in the compost they created, I had an amazing garden and never needed to pay for compost, so my costs where very low.

One year we tried getting dual breed and took the chickens to a shochet, but two out of the chickens where trief and then the amount of work involved in kashering was to much for me to go thru with the raising meat birds.

I think when you keep kosher, raising meat is a really expensive proposition because of the chance of getting a triefa, plus the work in kashering needs to be factored in, and you need to pay a shochet.

And raising an animal for milk - is a lot of feed for not a very good return, its cheaper to by milk directly from a farmer. Unless you have a huge property and you can graze them and have enough space to raise feed for the winter months.

amother

Salmon

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 2:14 pm

small bean wrote:

Omg I would cry my eyes out. So heartbreaking to give an animal away who you're emotionally attached to. Especially bottle fed 😭😭 I would want to keep them all
I love cows and sheep, I would love to have a farm. Dh is a city person and always makes fun of me. We are not a good match in that sense, he always says I should have married a farmer

↑ small bean ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 2:18 pm

amother Salmon wrote:

I never would have imagined that I'd have animals. My husband sort of surprised me with it and I just adapted. You never know what will happen.

Now I'm thinking it could've been an imamother post. Like my husband came home with goats, without discussing with me. BH no shalom basis issue over it. I'm the type that just rolls with things...

amother

Lightgreen

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 2:33 pm

I grew up on a farm. I went to Bais yaakov. Most people would know who I am. We had horses, chickens , some smaller animals and my mother showed champion dogs. It was my moms dream to have a farm so we got one. We were in a regular city and the farm house was on a busy street (it was from the 1800’s and the property was never split and subdivided). It was an amazing house - I always keep an eye out if it were to become for sale again. I don’t live in that city anymore but it would be tempting.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 3:17 pm

small bean wrote:

Do a lot of people ask to see your animals? How do you balance that with normal life?

amother

Mint

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 3:50 pm

small bean wrote:

I do.

Currently have sheep, goats, a male cow, a sheep dog, bunnies, chickens, hamsters, birds.

What do you want to know?

Are there people in Lakewood that you/your kids keep this atypical hobby a secret because of how it would go over? Did it have any affect on getting your boys or girls into school?

amother

Impatiens

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 3:56 pm

amother Mint wrote:

Are there people in Lakewood that you/your kids keep this atypical hobby a secret because of how it would go over? Did it have any affect on getting your boys or girls into school?

There are many frum farms and families with farm animals in the greater Lakewood area. Jackson/ Howell etc.. my family member has chickens no issues with school or anything and it’s not a secret. People handle it better than dogs and cats as indoor pets.

↑ small bean ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 3:59 pm

amother OP wrote:

Do a lot of people ask to see your animals? How do you balance that with normal life?

Yes. So we get calls all the time. At this point we charge a very small amount because it helps balance things. I try to send a kid out when people are there but don't always.

We also get a lot of calls to hire people's kids to work, which we don't.

↑ small bean ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 4:05 pm

amother Mint wrote:

Are there people in Lakewood that you/your kids keep this atypical hobby a secret because of how it would go over? Did it have any affect on getting your boys or girls into school?

Secret, no. Not all my kids shout it at the roof tops but everyone knows type.

I actually think it helped pass on a value I have to my kids of not needing to be like everyone else and proud of who you are and your family.

So elementary school, we didn't really have much at the time, it wasn't known what we did and then siblings. But we didn't get in anywhere anyway.

Boys high school got in to first place, so I guess not.

Girls high school my daughter didn't get in but it's a long story and there's a thread somewhere on it. We know for a fact it had nothing to do because school A said they wetr taking my dd and changed plans right before acceptances. At that point my dd wanted to go to school B. School B called School A and asked if thr animals were the reason and school A, said we have students with pet dogs. Farm animals have nothing on that.