Sheep
Raising Sheep
How to get started raising sheep
Getting started with sheep as a business
Raising sheep for profit: Let’s look at some numbers
9 things you need to raise sheep
Pros and cons of raising sheep
Looking after sheep: 9 things you need to know
Sheep or goats: which one should you raise?
Sheep or goats: Which is more profitable for a small farm?
Sheep or cattle: Which one is more profitable?
How much does it cost to feed a sheep?
Is raising your own lambs for meat worth it?
How much will my lambs sell for? (reading market reports)
What does it cost to maintain a sheep?
Is keeping sheep easy? Answers from a full time shepherd
7 big disadvantages of raising sheep
Best breeds of sheep for wool (fine, medium, long & specialty)
8 friendliest breeds of sheep (great for beginners)
6 easy sheep breeds perfect for beginners & some breeds to avoid
How to find the right sheep breed for you
11 breeds of sheep with black faces: How many do you know?
Sheep breeds for handspinning (breed fleece suggestions)
Breeding Stock
When is a ewe too old to breed?
How much do sheep cost? (rams and ewes)
How to select for a grass fed flock of sheep
Buying Sheep: Where to look and what you’ll pay
Can you keep rams with ewes year round?
How do you keep sheep from inbreeding?
When should you put a ram in with the ewes?
Sheep reproduction: beginner basics (charts and definitions)
Shepherding
8 things you should not do around sheep
Introducing new sheep to the flock: 6 keys to success
Herding sheep on foot: Guidance for the first time flock owner
How do sheep defend themselves?
How to tell if your sheep are stressed
8 ways to tell that your sheep are happy
Why rams headbutt each other (and you!)
Sheep Management
New to shearing sheep? How to set combs and cutters
Sheep shearing equipment for beginners: clippers and blades
When to shear sheep: Some things to consider
Why do sheep need shearing? A beginners overview
How to keep your sheep safe from predation
5 reasons to not keep bottle lambs for breeding stock
Bottle lamb problems: slow gains and weaning
What’s the best bedding for your sheep?
Are sheep easy keepers? 4 things you have to get right!
12 ways sheep benefit farmers, the land and the community
Benefits of sheep bells for your small farm flock
Complete guide to raising sheep from a sheep farmer
Is your lamb ready to butcher? 3 things to check
Feeds and Feeding
Lamb creep feeder: What is it and why use one?
How old do lambs need to be to wean?
Need your lambs to gain more weight? 3 things to check
Should you give sheep hay or grass?
The best way to feed round bales to sheep
Hay for sheep: which hay is the best choice for your flock?
How many bales of hay do sheep need?
Do sheep need to be fed twice a day?
What do sheep eat in the winter?
What to feed your sheep & what not to feed them!
What is the best food for sheep? (with alternatives)
What can sheep eat other than grass?
Do sheep ruin pastures? Keeping sheep and pastures healthy
What is the best animal to eat extra grass?
Facilities and Equipment
Electronet 9/35/12 for sheep: Should you buy it?
Sheep fencing: Pros and cons of electric vs woven wire
Is it okay for sheep to be out in the rain?
How many sheep can you have per acre?
How much space do you need to raise sheep?
Small acreage or backyard sheep: Will it work for you?
How much land do I need to raise sheep?
Lambing
7 reasons why lambs are rejected or orphaned
Are lambs born only in the spring?
What to do if a sheep rejects or disowns her lamb
8 signs your sheep is about to give birth
Lambing time supply list: What you really need and what you don’t
Lambing season: What to expect and how to be ready
Sheep Products
Fiber festival: What it is and why you should go
Eating lamb: Why isn’t lamb more popular?
Why do people eat lamb and not sheep?
What can you make out of sheep wool?
Where to sell your wool: Options for new sheep owners
Why is lamb meat so expensive?
100+ breeds of sheep wool: A chart for handspinners
About Sheep
Why don’t sheep naturally shed?
How do you know if a sheep is sick?
Why do sheep have paint on them?
Are all sheep white? Insights from a shepherd
Why do farmers have lambs in the winter?
Do sheep naturally have long tails?
5 reasons why sheep follow each other
Can sheep get up if they fall down? Questions for a shepherd
Where do sheep sleep at night?
What are the differences between sheep and lambs?
15 reasons why people have sheep
111 facts about sheep: Beginner friendly basics
How much is a sheep worth for slaughter?
Pigs
Raising Pigs
Is Raising Pigs For Meat Worth It?
How to naturally raise happy, healthy pigs
Raising pigs for meat? 9 things you need to know
Is it hard to raise pigs for meat?
Want your pigs to grow faster? 5 things that will help!
5 reasons pigs are easy to raise
Pig basics: Stats for raising your own pigs
12 simple tips for raising your own pigs
How fast do pigs grow? 5 keys for success
Can you raise pigs with chickens, ducks, guineas or geese?
How do you raise a backyard pig?
How long does it take to raise a pig for slaughter?
What’s the cost to buy a pig? (with examples and prices)
Pig not eating? 5 ideas that will help
How to take care of pastured pigs
How much does it cost to raise pigs?
Feeder pigs
Raise feeder pigs or buy them? The best option
When is the best time to get feeder pigs?
Raising feeder pigs: How long does it take?
7 tips to keep feeder pigs in the fence
Buying feeder pigs? Where to get the pigs you’ll love
How much do piglets cost? (Including buying tips)
Can feeder pigs live on grass alone?
Facilities and equipment
7 Tips for moving pigs easily (with 3 things to avoid)
Equipment you need for raising pigs: 4 must have items
Are pigs a good fit for your farm? 6 questions to think about
How many pigs on 5 acres? (With pasture rotation plan)
Pigs don’t need to stink! Raise your pigs without the smell
What is the best bedding to use for pigs?
How much space to I need to raise pigs?
What is a pig sorting board? (+how to use it!)
Pigs for meat
Home raised pork: What are your butchering costs?
How much freezer space do you need for your pig? (Whole, 1/2 or 1/4)
When is your pig ready to butcher? 5 ways to figure it out
Raising pigs as a business
Can you make money raising pigs?
How many pigs do you need to make a profit?
When should you sell your pigs? (From feeders up to breeders)
How much can you sell a pig for?
Cost of raising pigs born on your own farm
Feeding Pigs
How much does a pig eat in 6 months?
Best feed for raising pigs (Including a handy chart)
Cheapest way to feed pigs for butchering
What’s the best thing to feed pigs?
What can you feed pigs to make them taste better?
How often do pigs need to be fed?
Natural feeds for your pigs (including handy chart)
Pigs and salt: Do they really need it?
Do pigs eat hay? (Is it good for them?)
Overfeeding pigs: A common problem or not?
Pig raising basics: What do you feed your pigs?
Pigs: What are your feed options?
What is a good pig feed mix? A few options
Pounds of feed needed to raise a pig for meat
How much do you feed bred sows and bred gilts?
Pig Breeds
Choosing the best pig breed for meat
Best pig breed for beginners raising their own pork
Best pig breed for bacon lovers
Which breed of pig grows the fastest?
How to tell the differences in pig breeds
Best pigs for beginners (chart included)
Best pig breeds for homesteaders that are new to pigs
What is heritage breed pork? Sorting out the confusion
Breeding pigs
Best pigs for breeding stock: A beginner’s guide
Breeding pigs: How often, when, which pigs to use and why
At what age are pigs ready to breed?
How much does it cost to A.I. a pig?
Pig reproduction: Beginner basics
Ready for piglets? What to expect when your sow (or gilt) is expecting!
Expecting piglets? How to care for the sow and her babies
About Pigs
Pigs rooting: What are they trying to find?
How much do pigs cost per pound?
Is it okay to have just one pig?
Family Cow
Choosing a family cow
Need a family cow? 12 breeds you should know
A family cow: How to choose and take care of her
A family milk cow: How much will she cost?
Family milk cow: The 5 best breeds for beginners
Getting a family cow: Buy a cow or raise a heifer?
Milking cow vs milking goat: Which one should you choose?
Care and management
How to hand milk a cow: 8 easy steps to having your own milk!
A family cow: How much will she milk?
Your family cow’s milk production: What to expect
Keeping a family milk cow: Daily routine and what to expect
Is having a family cow affordable? (Budget included)
Feeding plan for your family cow (List included)
Family milk cow daily care: The 5 essentials for success
Your family cow: Amount of manure and what to do with it!
Your family cow: When and how to get her bred back
Raising bottle calves: How to get started (Costs included)
Zero grazing: What is it and will it work for you?
About dairy cows
Does a cow need to be milked? Sorting out myth from reality
How can a dairy cow milk if she is not pregnant?
Life of a dairy cow: What does she do all day?
Milking cow vs milking goat: Which one should you choose?
91 facts about dairy cattle and milking dairy cattle: Beginner basics
Cattle reproduction: The basics for beginners!
Why does a cow need to be milked? Sorting out myth from reality
Beef cattle
Getting started
Buying beef cattle: Starter herd cost
Beginning with beef cattle: How to care for your new herd
Getting started with beef cattle: Buying your starter herd
Getting started with cattle: The basics you need to know
14 docile beef cattle breeds: Good choices for a beginner
Should you raise cattle? 7 things to consider
Raising cattle
Beef cattle and manure: Amount to expect and what to do with it!
Reading a cattle market report: The basics you need to know
Cattle guards: How do they work and should you use them?
Cattle reproduction: The basics for beginners!
Wondering about A.I. for your cattle? What you need to know
Raising cattle on small acreages: 5 ways to make it happen!
Cattle for beef
Is raising your own beef worth it?
Raising your own beef: When is your steer ready to butcher?
Raising your own beef: Is it worth the time and effort?
Organic beef: What does it mean and how are the cattle raised?
You don’t have to be a rancher! Raise a dairy steer
Cattle implants: What are they and should you use them?
Beef: Grass fed vs grain fed, differences for the cattle and the eaters
How much beef will fit in my freezer?
Beef quality: What makes the most flavorful results
Feeding beef cattle
Feeding your small herd of cattle: Feedlot or pasture?
Beef cattle: Beginner’s guide to feed costs
Grazing cattle: Using grass to feed your herd
Why do farmers feed cows corn instead of grass?
About cattle
How do farmers and ranchers breed cows?
Are cattle herbivores? An easy way to tell (applies to all animals)
Cattle rustling: Not just in the movies!
Are cattle sustainable? Some thoughts to consider
Why do cattle: eat dirt, stampede, bellow and more
Why does a cow eat grass? Beginner basics
Do cows have horns? Answers to common questions about horns
Goats
Getting started
Best breed of meat goat for beginners
Buying your first goats? Where to get them (& where not to)
Thinking of getting into meat goats? Costs of getting started
Raising goats: How to care for your new herd
Raising goats
How much time do you need to raise goats for meat?
7 Best things about raising goats
Raising goats: How much space do you need?
Will my goats run away? Concerns of new goat owners
Growing your goat herd: 8 things you need to know
Raising goats: How do you know when to butcher a goat?
Goats as a business
Raising goats: Cost to keep and raise goats
Are meat goats a profitable small farm business?
When is the best time to sell meat goats?
What is the current selling price for goats? (Reading market reports)
Feeding goats
Goat feeding and nutrition: How best to feed your goats
Raising goats: Can a goat eat too much hay?
Feeding goats for beginners: What to give them and how much they need
About goats
14 common goat breeds in America
How often does a goat need to be milked?
Goats and ducks: Can they live together?
Nigerian Dwarf: A wonderful goat in a small package
Can you milk any breed of goat?
Why is goat meat so expensive?
Rabbits
Raising rabbits
What do you need to raise rabbits?
Can you raise rabbits in your backyard?
Raising rabbits: How hard is it?
5 ways to help your rabbits grow faster
Costs of raising rabbits
How much are rabbits and cost to raise them
How much does it cost to raise rabbits for meat?
Rabbits for meat
How to start raising rabbits for meat
Is raising your own meat rabbits worth it?
16 breeds of rabbits to raise for meat
How many meat rabbits for a family of four?
Amount of meat from a pair of rabbits per year
How long does it take to raise a rabbit for meat?
Why is rabbit meat so expensive?
Livestock
Raising your own meat
Your family’s meat for a year: What to raise?
Raise your own meat: How long does it take?
Cheapest meat animal to raise (Chart and cost per pound of meat included)
Multispecies
Easy livestock to raise for total beginners
Raising farm animals together: What works and what doesn’t!
5 Best farm animals to raise for profit
5 farm animals that can be raised with cattle
4 Low maintenance farm animals
All stock
Livestock watering needs: Plus extreme weather watering tips
Tags vs tattoos: Which is better for animal identification
Composting: The best way to dispose of dead stock
What happens to farm animals when they die?
Buying at livestock auction: 7 things to know before you go
How do livestock auctions work: An overview for sellers
What to look for when purchasing livestock
Animal husbandry vs livestock farming: What’s the difference?
Hay
How do you make hay? The basics
Is making your own hay worth it?
1st or 2nd cutting hay? Differences all hay buyers need to know
7 tips to help you choose high quality hay
3 reasons to use hay as bedding instead of straw
Livestock basics: The differences between hay and straw
Making haylage: 6 common mistakes to avoid
Haylage: What is it and why you would want to use it
Haylage: What is it and how it’s made
Oatlage: What is it and why we grow and feed it!
Fence and fencing
How far can you run an electric fence?
Does an electric fence need to make a complete loop?
Why is the electric fence not working?
How do you power an electric fence for livestock?
Can grass ground out your electric fence?
Ducks
Facilities and equipment
Do you have enough room to raise ducks?
Can you let your ducks roam free?
Do ducks need a coop to live in?
Breeds
Duck breeding stock: How to choose your breed and individual ducks
16 duck breeds for eggs and meat
Raising ducks
How cold is too cold for ducks?
Backyard eggs: An easy start to being more self sufficient
Are ducks friendlier than chickens?
Are ducks quieter than chickens?
Ducks eating dirt, meat, chicken feed? What’s ok and what’s not
What is in duck feed? Basic duck feeding rations
6 animals that can be raised with ducks and chickens
Raising ducks: How many ducks should you start with?
Meat ducks
Is raising your own ducks for meat worth it?
Easiest duck to raise for meat: What to feed your ducklings and how fast they will grow
Ducks: How fast they grow and when will they be ready to eat?
Cost of raising Pekin ducks: From duckling to 2 months, feed costs included
Ducklings
Do ducklings need food and water at night?
What is the best bedding to use for ducklings
How much feed do ducklings need?
How much water do ducklings need?
Do ducklings need a heat lamp?
Brooding ducklings: Tips for beginners
Chickens
Raising chickens
Space needed to raise chickens: Broilers and layers
Can you keep chickens in your backyard?
5 Birds that can live with chickens!
How to successfully use a still air egg incubator
Do your hens need a rooster to lay eggs?
How to choose a chicken hatchery: A guide for first time chick buyers
Are chickens mammals? 5 easy things to check
Feeding
How much do you feed egg strain pullets?
6 tips to naturally fatten up your chickens
Make your own layer feed (Pullet feed included)
Why do chickens eat rocks? What “rocks” to feed your birds and why
Make your own broiler feed (2 options)
Is Raising chickens for eggs worth it?
What is laying mash and do your chickens need it?
Meat chickens
Easiest chicken to raise for meat: With tips (and mistakes to avoid)
Raising 25 broilers: Beginner’s guide to area needed and options
Cost to butcher meat chickens (with examples)
Is raising meat chickens worth it?
How long does it take to process a meat chicken?
How to pluck a chicken without a plucker
Chicken breeds
Cornish cross vs red ranger broilers: Which is better to raise?
Best chicken breed: Dual purpose, hardy & colorful
12 crested chicken breeds: Fun birds for your backyard
20 of the calmest chicken breeds: Family friendly choices
Turkeys
Raising turkeys
What is the best bedding to use for turkeys?
Is raising your own meat turkey worth it?
What is the best age to butcher a turkey?
10 turkey breeds for raising your own meat
What is the best feed for turkeys?
How to tell the difference between male and female turkeys
Which bird makes more noise: Turkeys or chickens?
How much feed does it take to raise a turkey?
Turkey poults
Space to raise turkeys, brooder and grow out areas
Hatching your own turkey poults? 6 things you need to know
When is it safe to let turkey poults outside?
How to raise turkey poults (Including brooder set up)
Are turkey poults easy to raise?
4 easy ways to get turkey poults to eat and drink
Geese
What are the best geese for eating?
How much space do you need to raise geese?
Is raising your own geese worth it?