COMPARING THE FIVE BEST BACKYARD ANIMALS

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by Randy Kidd

Raising small livestock—from babes to butchering age—is no more difficult than cultivating a garden . . . and many types can be reared even in areas as limited as a large back yard or urban lot. However, choosing the animals that'll best suit your needs is crucial to smallspace meat production.

And, although economy is obviously important, other factors are bound to influence your choices, as well. The chart that accompanies this article lists some basic aspects of livestock raising—such as initial cost of the animals, housing needs, feeding requirements, and expected harvest—that must be considered in selecting your stock . . . and I'll discuss some of the individual advantages and disadvantages of what I consider the five best backyard critters. These comparisons ought to help you make the final decision as to what you'd like to raise.

REGARDING REGULATIONS

First of all, I should say a few words about regulations . . . name ly, be sure to check local restrictions and laws regarding the types and number of animals that may be kept before you build any pens, butches, coops, or sties. In many well-populated areas such regulations are very specific, limiting the number of animals per household and requiring that shelters be placed a specified distance from adjacent property lines. So save yourself annoyance and extra work by checking the rules before you build or buy.

Of course, even if there are no detailed livestock laws where you live, you should strive to keep noise, odors, and flies from becoming nuisances to your neighbors. Indeed, if you live in an area where back yards tend to be small, you'll pretty much have to make your prospective project's effects on others a prime consideration when choosing your homestead critters.

NO "MOO"

As you read on, you'll soon notice that I've limited this analysis to rabbits, chickens, sheep, goats, and pigs . . . and left out the most popular mainstay of the American barnyard: the cow. The reason for that omission is the fact that although a beef or dairy cow could probably be kept in a very large back yard, Bossy poses many more problems than do other domestic animals for the limited-space meat producer.

For one thing, a cow's contribution to the manure pile can be pretty sizable. Bovine animals also require quite sturdy fencing, and butchering one of the critters demands a great deal of help and effort (while the 500 to 600 pounds of beef thus harvested will stuff a freezer so full that you'll have no room left for other foods). Last but not least, cows need considerable grazing room—at the least, an acre of lush pasture—which is more land than many homesteaders can spare.