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