beginning livestock

as a raiser of animals, you have a duty to give them a good life full of health, love, joy, and safety

its not enough to reduce your footprint

the goal is

regeneration

how do we create abundance while fulfilling life needs

chickens

the gateway livestock

why chickens

• eggs
• processing compost / eating bugs
• meat
• feathers

ways to get chickens

• chicks via mail order
• chicks from your local feed store
• laying flock from craigslist
• make chicken friends

baby chick needs

• some kind of small enclosure
• heat lamp and bulb (red!)
• chick feeder
• chick waterer
• chick food
• bedding - straw / shavings

raising chicks

• start with the heat lamp about a foot away from where the chicks can get to
• as the chicks move away from the heat lamp, move the head lamp away from them
• once the chickens have feathers, they can deal with a 5° F per day drop
• aim toward ambient acclimation by ~6 weeks.

chick integration with the flock

• the "Pecking Order" is real... and fierce
• fence between flocks that they can see through until chicks are practically grown
• supervised visits that extend in length
• bullies / targets might be assessed for rehome / cull / flock division

chicken needs

• place to lay eggs (~12x12x12 box with shavings / straw)
• safe place to roost for the night
• safe place to spend the day
• scratch around and dust bathe
• food
• water
• no dry beans, avocado, green potatoes, green tomatoes, chocolate, moldy foods
• treats

chicken breeds

• prolific layers / large eggs
• raisers of chicks
• cold / heat hardy
• docility
• egg color
• styleeeee
• deliciousness

eggs

• eggs are laid every 25ish hours if they get 12 (14-16) hours of light
• can extend egg laying with artificial lights (or give your hens a "rest"?
• chickens start laying at ~6 months, can lay for 6-7 years

meat

• ~5 weeks "Cornish Game"
• ~7-9 weeks "boiler" or "fryer"
• ~12 weeks "roaster"

rabbits

stealth livestock

why rabbits

• companionship
• fiber animals / wool
• meat
• fur

how to get rabbits

• ARBA find a breeder
• Craigslist
• go to livestock shows / fiber shows
• make rabbit friends (esp impt if you are breeding...)

rabbit needs

• safe enclosure
• food and hay
• water
• poo and pee management system
• fun

outside buns

• keep them dry and sheltered
• cannot be in the sun, need cooling in extreme heat
• need to be absolutely safe from predators
• young buns need some acclimation for extreme temp changes
• everybody comes inside if there is extreme weather

rabbit breeds

• companion buns
• wool buns
• meat buns
• fur buns

breeding (hutch style)

• does and bucks are separated physically and visually
• does (depending on breed) need to be ~10 months old
• doe needs to be brought to buck

the awkward part

Successful breeding: 3 "falloffs"

friends, start your bun timers

• day 25: put out the nesting boxes
• day 28: start checking every morning, afternoon, and evening for babies
• day 31: most likely "Bun Eve"
• day 34: start thinking about rebreeding timetables
• day 40: def consider rebreeding

OMG baby bunnies

• first week: consider bringing in the nesting box
• weigh ins can help you triage underfed buns / litters
• some peeps (me) check them every day, some just wait for the buns to hop out of the nesting box
• regular handling is important to socialize for pets / less stressful dispatching

problems

• breeding 2 does at the same time means you have a backup momma
• having bun friends might mean they have a backup momma
• pregnancy toxemia seems to becoming more of a common problem (modern feed?)
• first time bun moms need a lot of support, the second litter will likely be smoother

baby bun calendar

• first week: weigh-ins / protect from temperatures
• first month: nursing / getting milk is crucial
• ~week 3 - cecotrope inoculation (momma will do it unless you have major probs)
• will start eating food around 3-4 weeks
• will start weaning naturally around 6 weeks (can rebreed doe at this time)
• can be on their own at 8 weeks
• re-bred doe will have the next litter when kits are ~10+weeks

wool buns

• fiber is completely shed ~2 times a year
• fiber can be "plucked" or sheared
• spinning on a tiny turkish drop is "easiest"

meat buns / dispatching

• "fryers" dispatched at 10 weeks, roasters older
• fur will be a better quality at an older age
• dry-aging optional at 10 weeks, we do 1-2 days
• should be absolutely stress free for the animals, and as stress free as possible for the people
• this is a sacred act and all participants need to be respectful of the animals and other participants

other livestock

a step beyond beginner

Bees, small pigs, small goats

all domesticated animals have jobs

• cats - guarding grains, striking fear in rodent hearts, bringing weird treasures to horrified humans
• dogs - watch, guard, shepherd, herders, hunters
• chickens - garden picking and tilling, feathers, eggs, meat
• rabbits - fertilizer, wool, meat, fur
• bees - pollination, wax, honey, pollen
• fish - aquaponics, meat
• goats - clearing brush, pack animal, milk, fiber, meat
• pigs - "rototilling" pastures, meat

BUT WHY DO WE DO

we are caretakers

gaining deeper intimacy with food cycles

closer connection with nature

glimpsing our wildness

connection to our ancestors

demystifying food production

reclaiming our knowledge / power as humans

sharing knowledge with others

Thanks!

Emily Platzer