Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
supply of eggs, or cheese that you plan to make. Consider your neighbors when you lay out
your pens and buildings so they will not be subject to runoff or things that are too unsightly.
Raising Small Animals as Pets
Raising animals as pets can be fun for you and for your entire family. You do not need to
make a large investment or buy a lot of animals. In most cases, you simply need a breeding
pair. In some cases, you only need a young female animal, and you can contract for stud ser-
vice. Rabbits, chickens, ducks, and even pigs and goats often are kept as pets. Pigs and goats
have pygmy varieties, if you are interested in keeping a smaller version of these animals.
You will need to care for animals as pets in much the same way that you would care for them
if they were being raised for consumption. They have the same requirements of shelter, con-
tainment, and feed. However, in some cases, people prefer to keep pets indoors at least part of
the time. Rabbits often are allowed free run of the home, or they are caged indoors. There are
diapers for chickens kept indoors. Pigs are highly intelligent and can be house trained as eas-
ily as dogs.
You will need to socialize your animals and teach them some manners animals kept for con-
sumption do not usually learn. “Manners” may mean some house training lessons and social
training that will result in them allowing you to pick them up and pet them, eating and drink-
ing from their own special dishes, sleeping in an area set aside for them in the house or yard,
and so on. They also will need to learn to get along with, or be protected from, other house-
hold pets, such as dogs and cats. Rabbits, chickens, and ducks will be at particular risk from
cats and dogs, so they should be raised with other pets starting when the other animals are
young so there is less chance of them being injured.
Many of these animals can be taught to walk on a leash and learn other commands. Even
chickens can be trained.
Raising Small Animals for Profit
Space and budget considerations are usually important if you are considering raising animals
for profit. You will need to know how much room you have so you can know how many an-
imals you can keep. This will affect all of the other decisions you make, such as what breed
you get and how you raise the animals. Will you buy young animals and raise them to matur-
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