# If you could raise your own meat...



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

What would it be? 

I am thinking about the future for when we buy a house here. I want to at least have a little land to keep some meat. I am thinking pork or goat, maybe if we have more room, we could keep a steer. Goats are so cute though, I don't think I could kill one 

Chickens are a definite yes because I want the eggs  

Anyway, what would you raise? All blood and guts aside...in a perfect world, what would you do?


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## Huginn (Nov 21, 2011)

I have always wanted to do chickens after my parents started doing them. I have also wanted to raise ducks too. I have been thinking lately if I rent a little house with a yard over here that I may raise quail, or rabbit. 
When I am a real adult I want sheep and maybe a goat or two, but those would probably be milkers. . . I have been thinking about this a lot in the last couple of years. I want to live off of stuff I raise and grow as best as I can.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I hear a lot about raw feeders raising rabbits. I could never do that. I can't stand rabbits, they just bug me for some reason.

I like the idea of living off your own produce. I'd like to do that as well.


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## Huginn (Nov 21, 2011)

I love rabbits, so I think it might be hard for me. . . Which is why I have been leaning more towards quail, since they are fairly easy to acquire up here. 

I would love to be able to have the space to grow my own veggies and fruit. I just have to wait until I am a real adult with a real adult job and no school lol.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

chicken and ducks, for sure. I'm still working on doing a chicken coop like you. Well, not working on it but thinking about working on it.

And no goats - they get out too much. Although I would love to have some I've had enough chasing down animals that got out of the fence.

If I got a milk cow, I could get an ag exemption on my property. What I'd really like is for someone else to put animals on my farm and take care of them and give me meat for payment.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

xellil said:


> chicken and ducks, for sure. I'm still working on doing a chicken coop like you. Well, not working on it but thinking about working on it.
> 
> And no goats - they get out too much. Although I would love to have some I've had enough chasing down animals that got out of the fence.
> 
> If I got a milk cow, I could get an ag exemption on my property. What I'd really like is for* someone else to put animals on my farm and take care of them and give me meat for payment*.


Thats a good idea! Why don't you do it?

I think we will be going with pigs because they are the most amount of meat. I'd have to have a couple goats for just one pig. I could get a sow, breed her, sell the extras, raise a couple and then slaughter them. It would be a renewable source.

Drew raised pigs in FFA. He says its relatively easy.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Oh sure, for meat I'd raise cows, goats, chickens, ducks, llama's, sheep, turkeys, rabbits and pigs.
And, I'd end up with pet goats, chickens, ducks, llama's, sheep, turkeys, rabbits and pigs.

If they could be raised somewhere else where I didn't get to know them or their personalities at all, then that'd be a different story.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

We already have chickens...that MAY be used for meat. Already planning on doing rabbits at some point. I don't think I could do large animals because we just don't have the space/time/energy/$$$ for it. Livestock tends to really wreck some havoc on your land. Plus our well is NOT that deep so its prone to contamination so we don't want to add a bunch of animal poop to the yard LOL


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## monkeys23 (Dec 8, 2010)

Pigs and goats creep me out. I like bacon, but no way in hell am I living with a pig. Any poultry or bunnies would be a horrid idea... the husky would figure out how to use 2 seconds of human distraction to her advantage. Even if they were in a secure compound. 
They catch their own birds and rodents when we're out in the pasture anyway and the dang cats are always leaving parts of dead stuff everywhere.

I don't mind the sheep, but jeebus they are high maintenance. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. I like the cows a lot better. Except Pie, she's a biotch... she needs to go.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

We would have cows and pigs. We have had meat chickens in the past, and they were a pain to pluck, gut and all that. We still have egg layers now, so we will stick to them. Wayne dosn't have a problem with slaughtering and cutting up large animals. He'll skin a deer like its nothing. We are actually looking into getting a pig or two as we speak, and wayne is ready. It'll be totally for the dogs and he has already been talking about getting the heart, liver and kidneys.


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## ciaBrysh (Dec 16, 2011)

Honestly..I would love to have a deer farm lol There is one in KY apparently. Add to that some Alpaca, goat (I don't mind, I had them as a kid) Maybe a pig or two for breeding and then meat purposes and of course chickens. I hate cows, back when I would spend my summers upstate, we had one...it was so annoying and EVIL I just wanted to kill it myself lol (It must have been the future raw feeder in me ha ha)


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

Chickens and rabbits.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

ciaBrysh said:


> Honestly..I would love to have a deer farm lol There is one in KY apparently. Add to that some Alpaca, goat (I don't mind, I had them as a kid) Maybe a pig or two for breeding and then meat purposes and of course chickens. I hate cows, back when I would spend my summers upstate, we had one...it was so annoying and EVIL I just wanted to kill it myself lol (It must have been the future raw feeder in me ha ha)



Ooh a deer farm would be so fun!!!!

Our friends would never leave!


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## Elliehanna (Jan 16, 2012)

if it would cost less than a dollar a pound after slaughter (as in total cost of upkeep and everything without adding in cost of houseing since that is a 1 big bang cost) turkey and rabbit, I would love to have land and do goats because I want to try the meat, and lamb as well since I love lamb meat

but yea I actually have been thinking a lot about raising rabbits, I just donno if it would really be cost effective and be able to make it a staple in the diet, like 1 rabbit day a week or something at extremely low cost


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i'd have my estate manager raise:

beef
pork
chicken
rabbit
llama
goat
chickens
ducks

my fishing manager would be dispatched to get mackerel, herring, sardines and anchovies for the dogs and to alaska to get me copper river and bristol bay king salmon.

my gardening expert would grow every vegetable under the sun including the orchard where my fruit trees would be maintained.

i would be on 20 acres, where deer roamed free and the property would be surrounded by a 20 foot 2 foot thick stone wall.

i would have a gameskeeper, too, to manage the wild game.

there would be horses and dogs, cats for the micing, and chickens for the eggs and ducks for, well, ducks. and geese for the personal chef who does the cooking.

a girl can dream.


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## Kbug (Oct 23, 2011)

Well, on my ranch I plan to have chickens, turkeys, rabbit, sheep/goat, and beef. I probably won't do swine because they really tear up th pastures. Hopefully I can get started on this by the end of the year. 

Kbug


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## BoxerParty (Nov 9, 2011)

I would consider having chickens, turkeys, ducks, rabbits, and maybe goats. Farmed deer would be AWESOME. 

Alas, I live downtown. :noidea:


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## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

I would love to supply my own eggs, rabbit and ducks. Of course, I would also be in the position to have someone take care of the day to day mundane stuff like cleaning, butchering and husbandry.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Kbug said:


> Well, on my ranch I plan to have chickens, turkeys, rabbit, sheep/goat, and beef. I probably won't do swine because they really tear up th pastures. Hopefully I can get started on this by the end of the year.
> 
> Kbug


If and when we get pigs they will probably be kept in pens not in a pasture!  

I will definitely add some turkeys and ducks to the mix. I really love a steer as well.


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## catahoulamom (Sep 23, 2010)

MollyWoppy said:


> Oh sure, for meat I'd raise cows, goats, chickens, ducks, llama's, sheep, turkeys, rabbits and pigs.
> And, I'd end up with pet goats, chickens, ducks, llama's, sheep, turkeys, rabbits and pigs.
> 
> If they could be raised somewhere else where I didn't get to know them or their personalities at all, then that'd be a different story.


You took the words right out of my mouth, Penny! LOL

I'd love to be able to provide my dogs with grass-fed red meats such as goat, llama, sheep, etc... but there is NO WAY I'd ever be able to pick them out and butcher them (or have someone else butcher them). NO.WAY. I wouldn't even be able to kill a chicken (or watch a chicken get killed). I'm a big weenie that started hyperventilating and had to go out to the car when the guy at the snake store asked if we wanted our feeder mice "dead or alive". I'd feel like a murderer and it would consume me with guilt. 

But, in a perfect world... if I could have a farm with enough resources to have "meat" animals, I'd have llama, ducks, lamb, maybe a moo cow or two, some chickens and definitely a bunch of quail.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

I'd do rabbits chickens, we have 2 acres of un-fenced "pasture" but like i said, un-fenced so it's no use to have anything larger in it since it will just wander off  I'd like to have a goat and some lambs at some point, in a perfect world i'd have a farm... i'm just a ******* at heart :thumb: I'd do my own slaughtering etc, nothing would go to waste, leafy's would eat the leftover plant matter that went bad or wasn't needed for human consumption, we'd breed stock, and kill and eat what we weren't going to keep feeding.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

What is it with everyone and Rabbits? Rabbits are probably the only animal that I would NEVER raise.


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## liquid (Dec 28, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> What is it with everyone and Rabbits? Rabbits are probably the only animal that I would NEVER raise.


Why wouldnt you raise rabbits?


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

liquid said:


> Why wouldnt you raise rabbits?


Just can't stand them. Everything about them is just so...yuck.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

I am building a chicken coop this spring and have already placed my order for 25 Barred Plymouth Rock chicks  I also just got my Organic seeds delivered the other day for our raised veggie gardens that I never plant but look out!!! This year we are going to live off the land! I am super excited  

We only live on one acre but am trying to make the most of it! I would love a small barn with a few milking goats and maybe 3 cows but we just dont have enough room.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

twoisplenty said:


> I am building a chicken coop this spring and have already placed my order for 25 Barred Plymouth Rock chicks  I also just got my Organic seeds delivered the other day for our raised veggie gardens that I never plant but look out!!! This year we are going to live off the land! I am super excited
> 
> We only live on one acre but am trying to make the most of it! I would love a small barn with a few milking goats and maybe 3 cows but we just dont have enough room.


Ooh I love barred rocks! One of my favorite breeds


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

I talked to my dad today, since we will be living in an uptown apartment, we def. cant have farm animals! So my dad lives with my uncle, and as soon as they get their barn fixed up this spring, I'm allowed to get chickens/ducks/geese, as many as I want. My dad is going to build pens for my birds and I will buy the food. He will feed them, clean them and care for them cuz he has to tend to his birds anyway, then I can slaughter them there and have all the meat and repeat!

Rabbits are a pain in the but, ate too much, didnt reproduce well, and had a hard time keeping babies. So I gave up on that. 

I've considered rats, because I now have a huge cage and could breed easily and they have got to bee the most rapidly producing animal I've ever seen. They are also very easy to care for. And ya can't get much more "whole prey" than a whole rat!

Goats, sheep and pigs are in the works as soon as the second barn is built


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Makovach said:


> I talked to my dad today, since we will be living in an uptown apartment, we def. cant have farm animals! So my dad lives with my uncle, and as soon as they get their barn fixed up this spring, I'm allowed to get chickens/ducks/geese, as many as I want. My dad is going to build pens for my birds and I will buy the food. He will feed them, clean them and care for them cuz he has to tend to his birds anyway, then I can slaughter them there and have all the meat and repeat!
> 
> Rabbits are a pain in the but, ate too much, didnt reproduce well, and had a hard time keeping babies. So I gave up on that.
> 
> ...


Have you ever slaughtered chickens? Its quite the task! Definitely a lot of hard work but worth it


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

Sprocket said:


> Have you ever slaughtered chickens? Its quite the task! Definitely a lot of hard work but worth it


I've slaugtered rabbits, chickens, quail, phesant, ducks, geese, deer and goat. I find it fun (after they are already killed). I just don't do well with killing them . Luckily thats what I have a daddy for!

I love biology and find "disecting" and dismanteling very interesting and it also helps me learn where everything is and whats what and how it all works.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Makovach said:


> I've slaugtered rabbits, chickens, quail, phesant, ducks, geese, deer and goat. I find it fun (after they are already killed). I just don't do well with killing them . Luckily thats what I have a daddy for!
> 
> I love *biology and find "disecting" and dismanteling very interesting* and it also helps me learn where everything is and whats what and how it all works.


I feel the same way when we process them. Its facinating! 

My boyfriend does the dirty work and I process them. Its a fair trade I think!


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

Sprocket said:


> What is it with everyone and Rabbits? Rabbits are probably the only animal that I would NEVER raise.


They taste good for us AND them. Easy to raise, easy to slaughter,their dropping make incredible fertilizer , and very little ,if any is wasted .( thats a lot of coma's)


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

Sprocket said:


> I feel the same way when we process them. Its facinating!
> 
> My boyfriend does the dirty work and I process them. Its a fair trade I think!


Sounds fair to me! My dad has no problem putting them down. I think i'll be able to do it eventually, but if hes willing to, he can go for it. I'll stand back for that part!


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

bully4life said:


> They taste good for us AND them. Easy to raise, easy to slaughter,their dropping make incredible fertilizer , and very little ,if any is wasted .( thats a lot of coma's)


eh, I'd rather have pigs. I hate even thinking about rabbits. I imagine dark hutches, mean rabbits hopping about, kicking at you, wiggling their creepy noses and all their poop piled underneath. I think I may have an irrational dislike for them. :tongue:

Good thing there are plenty of other animals to raise and slaughter. I like my idea of pigs and a menagerie of fowl.


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

Pigs are smart,very social with emotions. Rabbits = dog food .


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> eh, I'd rather have pigs. I hate even thinking about rabbits. I imagine dark hutches, mean rabbits hopping about, kicking at you, wiggling their creepy noses and all their poop piled underneath. I think I may have an irrational dislike for them. :tongue:


Gee. I am getting the feeling you are not crazy about rabbits  just a hunch.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

bully4life said:


> Pigs are smart,very social with emotions. Rabbits = dog food .


Pigs are also delicious and filled with a lot of meat


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

xellil said:


> Gee. I am getting the feeling you are not crazy about rabbits  just a hunch.


no siree bob. My sister use to have rabbits and I stayed away from them. I love all animals, except rabbits.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

xellil said:


> Gee. I am getting the feeling you are not crazy about rabbits  just a hunch.



Doncha mean "just a hutch"?


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

BoxerParty said:


> I would consider having chickens, turkeys, ducks, rabbits, and maybe goats. Farmed deer would be AWESOME.
> 
> Alas, I live downtown. :noidea:


if you want, we can go in on this together...i'm sure my personal chef will cook us some mighty fine victuals...from the estate....


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Sprocket said:


> What is it with everyone and Rabbits? Rabbits are probably the only animal that I would NEVER raise.


what is it with you and rabbits....i think you were damaged as a child and never had a properly cooked rabbit stew.


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## Kbug (Oct 23, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> I feel the same way when we process them. Its facinating!
> 
> My boyfriend does the dirty work and I process them. Its a fair trade I think!


Gee, your lucky. My husband says I'm going to be on my own.

Kbug


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Kbug said:


> Gee, your lucky. My husband says I'm going to be on my own.
> 
> Kbug


I asked my husband last night if the thought he could kill a chicken for me and he looked at me and said "Are you CRAZY??" 

Of course I should have known better - he carries moths and spiders outside rather than kill them.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

magicre said:


> what is it with you and rabbits....i think you were damaged as a child and never had a properly cooked rabbit stew.


Oh I'll eat them! I just don't want to look at them or raise them.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

xellil said:


> I asked my husband last night if the thought he could kill a chicken for me and he looked at me and said "Are you CRAZY??"
> 
> Of course I should have known better - he carries moths and spiders outside rather than kill them.


I love your husband.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I get too emotionally attached to all my animals, so I'd just keep chickens and ducks for eggs and goats for milk


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

Oooh, my kind of thread.

Ok well I plan to start chickens and rabbits fairly soon. The chickens will be for eggs for now. An easy way to kill a chicken is to put them in an upside down cone (like an orange cone you see on the road. They also make chicken cones specifically for slaughtering chickens). Once they are upside down, the chickens stop resisting. Then you cut their necks. This allows them to bleed out and go to sleep. If you just cut their whole head off the blood does not drain out. I have never done this, just research. Seems fairly simple once you get the hang of it. hahahah...hang.....I am sick. 

Anyways, I am looking forward to raising rabbits. Pound for pound they are cheaper than beef and other livestock. They eat less than larger animals, are prolific breeders, and are lean. They are leaner than chicken and pretty healthy. I plan to try eating rabbit. You can cook rabbit the same ways as you cook chicken (but keep in mind they have less fat!). Knowing my animals will be hormone free and all that should make them healthier and tastier. They do not take up very much room at all (you can stack their cages!) and they are not considered livestock so even if you live in the city you can have rabbits. I do think they are cute but do not see them as pets personally. Me and the rabbit species do not get along....which is fine as I will be killing them.

To each your own though. I hope to see pics from all you prospective farmers that are serious about doing this. If only my dogs knew! Nothing will go to waste. I might even try my hand at tanning hides....we shall see. 

They have never eaten rabbit heads before. I am not too worried though. I just brought Dozer in and you should see his deer head he has been working on! I think a rabbit head would go like this : *crunch crunch crunch gulp*


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I'll post pictures but don't you post any rabbit photos! Haha :tongue: 

I told Drew about my sow idea and he said NO. Apparently at his high school farm, the sows did nothing but holler all day. 

I'm getting a sow. I can sell some babies and then raise a couple for meat


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

But didn't you just say Drew said no? LOL

Ohhh, I'm posting rabbit pics! LOL. Can you look at pictures of the kits at least?


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

wolfsnaps88 said:


> But didn't you just say Drew said no? LOL
> 
> Ohhh, I'm posting rabbit pics! LOL. Can you look at pictures of the kits at least?


Who cares what Drew says! All he has to do it shoot them when they are ready. I'll handle the rest  and I'll buy him some ear plugs for their hollering.

I'd rather look at the rabbit meat than the babies but if you must then I guess I have no choice  Hahaha


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## ciaBrysh (Dec 16, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> Oh I'll eat them! I just don't want to look at them or raise them.


You could skip to about 30 seconds in...I just had to share this for you 
I got a theory: Bunnies - YouTube


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## BoxerParty (Nov 9, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> I feel the same way when we process them. Its facinating!



I said something similar to my friend this evening...she called me a "serial killer at heart." :lol: 


...I wonder what she'd think if she ever stumbled upon this forum.


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## BoxerParty (Nov 9, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> eh, I'd rather have pigs. I hate even thinking about rabbits. I imagine dark hutches, mean rabbits hopping about, kicking at you, wiggling their creepy noses and all their poop piled underneath. I think I may have an irrational dislike for them. :tongue:
> 
> Good thing there are plenty of other animals to raise and slaughter. I like my idea of pigs and a menagerie of fowl.


:music:

_...bunnies aren't just cute like everybody supposes!
They've got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses!
And what's with all the carrots? What to they need such good eyesight for anyway?
Bunnies! Bunnies, it must be bunnies!!!!!!!
(...or maybe midgets)_


(For the uninitiated, this is the reference - skip to ~40s: I got a theory: Bunnies - YouTube)


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## BoxerParty (Nov 9, 2011)

ciaBrysh said:


> You could skip to about 30 seconds in...I just had to share this for you
> I got a theory: Bunnies - YouTube


Oh good, someone out there is as deranged as I am :tongue:


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## ciaBrysh (Dec 16, 2011)

LOL yeah you aren't alone!


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

HAHAHAHA my iPhone won't connect to YouTube  no bunnies in my nightmares tonight!


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

BoxerParty said:


> I said something similar to my friend this evening...she called me a "serial killer at heart." :lol:
> 
> 
> ...I wonder what she'd think if she ever stumbled upon this forum.


then she'd know you were in like minded company.

i don't get how you couldn't process thumper.


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