>Thread 05This season's newly matured livestock editionTalk gardening, farming, livestock, beekeeping, building, electricity and plumbing, earthworks, waterworks, permaculture, raising children, market gardening, selling produce, barter, home economics, composting, mulching, pest control, diet, health.Anything relevant to living on site, making a home out of the land.Old Thread >>2613025
>>2640881I turned this horse stall into a chicken coop
I bred four rabbits last week. Gonna be flooded with bunnies soon. Got two new bucks.
>>2640892Very cool anon >>2640927As pets or for food? Heard that rabbits are not popular in the USA because they are less efficient than chicken.
>>2641080Theyre cheaper to feed on the level Im at. Pellets are cheap and hays even cheaper. I feed them whatever I weed out of the garden too. They can be ready to butcher as quick as a chicken but I let them get a few weeks bigger. They dont handle factory farm conditions as well . So they havent been inserted into the industrial agricultural system.
I don't know if this is the correct thread but, my parents house has a very rural type of garden (full of apple trees, a brace for wine vine, benches, logs etc.). I want to cut the grass but the lawnmower they have is very annoying to use, it's one of those bigger ones to mow flat lawns, but this garden is full of little hills, small passages, you gotta zig zag through the trees. Is there any small, light, quick lawnmower that fits for this type of terrain?
>>2640881Is anyone here growing an edible landscape?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WGmd8xHXTchttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foodscaping
>>2641130I would imagine that chickens are far easier than rabbits because they're peaceful and communal animals that can be free-ranged 24/7 outside. Rabbits will all murder each other, destroy gardens and can't be free-rangedMy chickens breed like rats outside and sleep in trees. I do almost nothing for them and they give me a ton of eggs and meat>they clean my entire land of bugs, constantly>rake all of my soil, constantly>dramatically improve the soul quality>they eat my poop and turn it into delicious eggs
>>2641237I dunno about you but Ive lost more garden plants to chickens than anything else. But I raise both. Rabbit manure makes a great mid season dressing for the garden no composting needed. I free range ducks but the chickens are stuck in a large run /my compost pile. As they do to much damage on my small property
>>2641239>I free range ducks but the chickens are stuck in a large run /my compost pile. As they do to much damage on my small propertyYou're missing out on the true worth of chickens then- they can survive outside without human micromanagementI have zero doubt in my mind that if all humans vanished from the face of the Earth right now, my chickens would still be living here in 10,000 years>I dunno about you but Ive lost more garden plants to chickens than anything elseMy very first planting season I grew annuals. Never again. I refuse to root in the ground like a pig, breaking my back for paltry caloriesPermaculture is easy and requires very little effort by comparisonGod willing, one day my entire homestead will be a self-sustaining ecosystem of feral chickens and fruit orchards
>>2641243Where did you learn about permaculture? I've read Permaculture: A Designer's Manual, and I've been forcing my way through Edible Forest Gardens (interesting, but a slog), but I feel like I'm overstuffing my head with things I can't use yet or drowning in details.
>>2641243I like my kale, tomatoes, large bulb onions, peppers, etc. Not a lot of work just throw last years chicken bedding on top and mulching to whatever degree I feel like that year. Transplanting two to four times a year depending on how much Im trying to squeeze out that season .My whole property is zone 1. Ive been guerrilla gardening perennials in the farther away spots. As I said Ive replaced my free roaming birds with ducks. They cover almost all the same functions as chickens etc for digging. But I agree with you self seeding or perennials are preferred. Been a challenge with greens but between the lambs quarters and mountain spinach Im getting close.
>>2641275>zone 1What do you get, like 3 months to grow between freezes?
>>2641345He has one month to scrape up enough lichen from the rocks before the snows return
>>2641345Sorry I meant zone one in the permaculture sense.Im in usda growing zone 5. All though with the way spring and fall have been for the past five years I might be edging on si
>>2641130>rabbit optimized Very interesting, anon. How exactly are rabbits cheaper than chickens? Do you live in a place with no natural grub for chickens to range?
>>2641237How do you get your chickens to eat your poop? Do you give them night soil or have something like an open septic tank / septic field?
>>2641237Can you describe your free range chicken infrastructure? How do chickens who live in trees and who are not fenced in protect themselves from predators? How do you collect eggs that are in trees? If you're not feeding them yourself, how do you garner chicken loyalty?
>>2641426>How do chickens who live in trees and who are not fenced in protect themselves from predators?They have wings and can fly. Whenever a chicken is attacked during roosting here it just flies to another tree. I've had zero adult fatalities in over a year now despite having ~100 that live outsideFlight is their main method of protecting themselves and it worked for the red junglefowl for millions of years. They only have a clutch survival rate of around 32% in the wild>Can you describe your free range chicken infrastructure?Perimeter fence around my entire property. Egg drop boxes at convenient locations for egg dumping and brooding. I have a coop also but the door always stays open, and it's just a glorified egg dump location nowMy fat chickens hang out next to the house all day waiting for scraps, but most athletic chickens explore the forest all day inside and outside of my fence>How do you collect eggs that are in trees?They lay in the drop boxes or nests they make themselves on the ground>If you're not feeding them yourself, how do you garner chicken loyalty?I still feed them a scoop in the morning and evening. One day I'll produce enough calories that this is unnecessary, but even now they get the majority of their calories from the land themselves>>2641425When I started working on this land a couple of years ago I first shit into a hole on the ground. One day I looked into the hole and saw that the entire thing was filled with thousands of huge mealworms. A foot across and deep of 10,000 wormsThis is high quality protein that people purchase in the store and when people just poop into septic tanks or holes it's a complete waste of resources and unsanitaryWestern culture around waste is retarded. Anything we don't like is just buried in the earth so it can be a problem for future generations>>2641263I'm mostly self taught I suppose. Growing plants doesn't seem particularly complicated to me
>>2641462> chicken and pooping explanations Thanks anon. This is a fascinating setup. Last questions - how high are your fences? Do you maintain a distance between your fence and the treeline so that chickens don't hop over? Or do you just let them escape and they end up making their way back (or not)?
>>2641754>how high are your fences?It's quite a lot of fencing to create a perimeter fence so I just used cheap 3' garden fencing. It's a sufficient barrier to keep wild dogs out>Do you maintain a distance between your fence and the treeline so that chickens don't hop over?Forests protect chickens. Fields kill them. The red junglefowl is primarily a forest dwelling animal. My land is very heavily forested and I just ran the fence directly through the trees and water>Or do you just let them escape and they end up making their way back (or not)?My chickens are free, so there's nothing to escape from. My domestic production breeds are lazy and sit around my house all day, but most of my flock is composed of gamefowl and junglefowl, and they hop the fence every single day to explore the wilderness beyondI've seen my chickens 200 feet beyond my land before but they always return home to lay eggs and raise their young. It's a safe place and there's easy food, so they'll never leave me
>>2641462>septic tanks or holes it's a complete waste of resources and unsanitaryThat's the definition of sanitation though.All throughout human history, including today in more than half the world, the leading cause of death is infection and disease from unclean living conditions.Open sewers have killed more people than any other cause.Diarrhea has killed more people than war.
>>2640892Sweet. I have one I'm going to convert too. let me go take some pictures. I was going to originally tear the thing down.
What's your guys opinion on the best state to homestead in? I've always heard that it's Alabama and Tennessee.
>>2641876I wonder if I can. The ground is kind of shit there. I think I should be able to let them out with some poultry netting during the day though. I'm going to build some crazy stuff back here though. Already buying materials for a water tower with a roof and gutter that fills itself.
>>2641820Thanks for the comprehensive breakdown, anon. This is great. Very informative.
>>2641878Depends on what you're looking for and who you are as a man (or wife)
>>2641878If I had to start over again I would aim for either extreme southern or northern AlabamaDo careful research on the area you're looking at though. In Alabama it suddenly goes from looking like paradise to a desolate hellhole>driving through Alabama>ancient forests>waterfalls>fields and mountains>old towns and nice people>suddenly the road is jagged and torn up>see a cheap SUV parked on the side of the road>it has huge rims that take up 90% of the wheels and probably cost significantly more than the SUV itself>next several miles are filled with destroyed buildings, litter, prostitutesIt felt like a goblin banner marking territory
>>2642085Wild
>>2641878>>2642085>>2642486I grew up in North Alabama and now live and homestead in South Tennessee. Fuck off we're full. Just kidding, this countryside is incredibly beautiful and the growing is great but you gotta be able to tough out 1000% humidity and heat in the summer. Even a lot of people born here complain about it but they are mostly inside types, those of us who grew up working outside have gotten used to it and its not so bothersome. Like anon said you'll smack into niggertown (black or white) eventually.
>>2642504Is your current area gentrifying yet? Every rural area in the Northeast is rapidly getting single family developments filled with illegals.
>>2642961No, I live in a very rural valley in the Appalachian foothills, this will be one of the last areas to gentrify and hopefully not in my lifetime and if I can keep this land in my family then hopefully never. The place where I grew up in North Alabama (pretty close to TN border) still has no suburbs but New Market got some on its southern side recently, it is creeping closer and closer to where I grew up. There's a few pieces of farmland for sale there and I fear they may put their first developed suburb there soon. Will be very sad. Spent my youth bicycling down scenic country roads with creeks and cow pasture. I know of some old women (talking near 100) who live in a house near there and they sit on several hundred acres of farmland they inherited from their father who worked the land. They are nearing death and their good-for-nothing kids (now in their 40s) have flocked to them to show face and inherit the land. I know they are looking to split it and sell it all off to different developers and make a lot of money. I absolutely hate it. That land is so precious and a lot of cattle still graze it. The industrial revolution and its consequences
I just acquired a rural property and I need a tool to clear some brush, process wood, and help me make some forest trails as I make space for my eventual chicken coop and planters. Is picrel useful for that, or maybe a billhook is better?
>>2642974Thanks for sharing anonThere truly is no country for old men
>>2641890Yeah, throw some straw or wood chips in there and it will be fine. Build them a little fenced in area and clip their wings. I've got 50 birds in a fenced-in field right now. Chickens will do good free-ranging even on a small amount of land too. Just keep their food and water in the coop and they'll stick around.
>>2643096Good luck anon
>>2640892Looks like a fun project
>>2641080>>2644179Thanks negros it was a fun project. I hatched a ton of eggs looking to sell the chickens at flea market... well now it is about fall and chickens are selling low so I'm torn what to do with them. The roosters have been at maturity for a month or two for some of them so idk if it is too late to slaughter them and still get tender meat. There are about 70 birds. I'm considering just keeping them to sell them high next spring and stocking eggs to sell but that will get expensive feeding them in the winter. Whatever I do I've got to get rid of a dozen or more roosters before they start getting really violent. Maybe I'll just kill them even if they aren't tender and use them all for stew meat.
>>2644526Consider slaughtering and gifting the meat to your church community
>>2644580>churchHow can people still put up with this shit
>>2640881thats a big white cock if ive ever seen one
>>2644580I wish I had something like a church community. I'll give the meat from the roosters to my relatives. >>2644582I understand it but I'm not worshiping the Jewish God. I'm not an atheist though. My ancestors were not demon worshipers. Would be cool to have an actual community besides just a few neighbors I talk to here and there.
my silkie is broodingim going to not disturb her this time, i hope to get some fall chicks
What sort of crops/animals can you raise in the far North? (If any crops at all). Its always been my dream to move to interior Alaska/far North Canada or somewhere like that.
>>2645194If you can build underground, you can raise a lot
>>2640881A rain/sunshine shelter I'm building for my chickens to keep their food and water under during the day... will have a loft area where they can chill and lay eggs plus a few platforms to climb around on and maybe a swingset
>>2641221How do you protect this from pests?
>>2645154Cute >>2646051Pest proof?
>>2641145look for a hover mower. they're specifically designed for hilly terrain. they can be pricey, try calling golf courses and seeing if they have any old ones they want to get rid of if you want to save some money.
>>2646211Oh wow that looks neat. I'll see if I can find one where I live. Thanks anon
>>2646115I'm not looking for them to roost in it but if I have nests in the loft I'm sure this will probably happen, in which case I'll put a latched door to it and fill gaps with wire.
>>2641462How exactly do you prevent hawks from predating during the day?
>>2646333Where would they roost instead?
>>2644526Butcher and fill a chest freezer. The trick with older chickens is just to use a pressure cooker. Meat tastes great.
Visiting from /g/. I was told the homesteading thread is where you guys discuss buying a plot of land and a trailer? I'm tired of being a rentoid.
>>2646494They roost in this coop I made for them >>2640892, its a double stall and they both look like that>>2646626 good idea, I had heard over-mature cockerels are good for stew meat and pressure canning would make sense to tenderize it. >>2646668Sorry /g/ bro, this is a slow board but hopefully it is because we are all outside. Land acquisition isn't in the best place it has ever been because the world keeps getting worse and worse and major financial conglomerates are trying to buy up land, build rental units, and turn everyone into serfs. But do not be demoralized, there is still time and ability to acquire land especially if you're willing to go really rural. Are you in the USA? What do you want to know? I've been homesteading for a few years since buying this land and moving out here and I'm still learning a lot, I've been living in a trailer and am looking to break ground and start building a cabin by the end of the year.
>>2646778Didn't realize you were coop anon. Good luck with your project
Some people talk about nigger fatigue, well, I've got retard fatigue, and I'm just about at my limit. Looking, now, to buy some land somewhere and fuck off away from all the fucking retards.
>>2643096Hedge trimmers my man, machetes work on small scale or bushwhacking ; but for large areas it’s just masochism.Processing wood: splitting axe and a chain saw.
>>2646998Preciate it feller, I did a bunch of work putting up welded wire on the stalls to secure them from coons because they both have welded wire gates like those used for hoses still, but I recently realized I'm going to have to winterize it so they don't freeze at night. I'm either going to stack straw bales to block the wind at night or really future-proof it and go ahead and take the gates down and build a fourth wall and doors for the stalls.
>>2647141I've got retarded nigger fatigue
Is there any free site with John Deere technical manuals / information on how to tell what the actual error is when the transmission indicator light comes on? All my operator's manual says is "contact your John Deere dealer".
>>2647216If memory serves, John Deere came under political pressure and changed their policy on home repair earlier this year. You may be able to call and ask them
>>2647197One thing I saw recently that may be of interest come spring is building a longterm chicken home made of stone on your property. Theoretically lasts forever, can be made very pest proof, and the stone is already at your spot, just need concrete.
>>2646051Nice chickens
Accidentally but it upside down. But it still works. Total cost 20ish$
>>2647879Nice setup rabbit anon
>>2647355Is this true? Thought JD were being ducks
>>2647879Cute rabbits
>>2648676Ducks?
I need to build a shelter for sheepsAny advice?
>>2649929Is this a primary shelter for them to sleep in or a day shelter from rain/sun? If primary, consider something like a miniature barn with some stalls and a birthing and sheering room. Or if you need something less complex a sort of lean-to style building with a few separate stalls would work too.
>>2649932For protection during birthing mostly, and maybe after shearingI thought of doing like a long hall with "birthers" along the walls and a feeder in the middle
>>2649929temp regulation and feet protection
