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kristenmarie_gw

unusual farm critters

kristenmarie
17 years ago

Hi there, I'm wondering what kinds of unusual farm animals you guys have? Does anyone here raise alpacas, or ostriches, or lamas, or anything else unusual?

Kristen

Comments (27)

  • pamghatten
    17 years ago

    Not that unusual anymore really ... I have 3 miniature donkeys. But when I tell city/suburban people I have mini donks they can't believe it.

    Pam

  • snycal
    17 years ago

    My ex boss had those cows with HUGE horns that were 5+ feet long each and the size of tree trunks.... he also has zebras, one camel, buffalo, one water buffalo.... and can't think of what else at the moment. I just have goats, chickens, dog, rabbits, birds (chuckar and pheasant)... boring

  • GennyM
    17 years ago

    We don't have any unusual animals. I would love to have an alpaca someday, but right now we only have ducks, 1 goat, 1 rabbit, dogs,3 birds, and a farm cat that just had 5 babies!

  • Ninapearl
    17 years ago

    not that they're that unusual any more, but we have a couple of llamas. one horse, one goat and 2 pembroke welsh corgis. the llamas, like the rest of our critters, are pets. easy keepers, sweet natured and fun to play with. :)

  • acorn
    17 years ago

    I work at the local feed store so I see people with all types of animals. The most unusal is a herd of yaks that are being used for milk and fur for spinning they are starting to train them as pack animals. With the price of gas it may not be a bad idea.

  • socks
    17 years ago

    I saw miniature cows at the county fair.

  • tejas_pacas
    17 years ago

    I raise alpacas and also have a couple of horses, along with the dog and 6 cats. Soon will be getting some chickens, too. Love my alpacas. I currently have 8. Each has their own personality and so fun to watch. Very easy to care for. Several of the local alpaca breeders have mini-donkeys to help scare off coyotes. They are very popular and there are 2 local breeders. Also a breeder nearby with the mini Dexter cattle. There are a couple of places nearby with wild game - gazelles, antelope, too.

    If you plan on getting an alpaca, plan on two. They are herd animals and need another of their own kind.

  • bulldinkie
    17 years ago

    I have 2 miniature donkeys.We raise registered Texas Longhorn cattle,swans.

  • brendan_of_bonsai
    15 years ago

    I figured this thread has been down for a while and I would bring it back up, at the moment I have no farm animals (a whole bunch of corals and inverts and a few fish in my tanks, and a whole bunch of lab mice in cages) anyone have anything really cool to share?

  • runningtrails
    15 years ago

    I have nothing unusual now, but plan on raising worms, Koi and possibly bees in the near future, in addition to the more common animals.

  • fancifowl
    15 years ago

    Whats unusual these days!! We have had Highland cattle, Murray gray cattle, Hackneys, Haflingsrs and Welsh mountain ponies. fallow deer for a few years lived with the peafowl and Call & Indie ducks. We only keep some pheasants and peafowl now. My brother came close to dragging a elephant here one time but I drew the line on that. I used to attend exotic auctions and have come close to fetching home some real oddities, then my brain kicked in just in time.

  • runningtrails
    15 years ago

    Wow! How much feed would you have to buy for an elephant? On the plus side, with a little training and a plow, an elephant could replace the tractor and easily pull the vehicles out of the ditch in the winter. You've got me thinking here... A livestock guard elephant, a property guard elephant, rides for a price, gas free transportation even through the wilderness (Parked in front of the grocery store? lol!), hauling logs and manure, clearing trees for building and planting, hmmmmmm, interesting. How are they with sub zero temps and snow?

  • seramas
    15 years ago

    Ask Hannibal, he cross the Alps mountain range. Started with many and completed the journey with very few (Don't know why).

    I've seen an Elephant playing in snow near St Paul, Minn a few years back--quite the sight to see!

    If the poor thing had a tooth ache it would cost a fortune to get one of three Vets that specialize in that to make a house call-Elephants don't travel well-imagine the car carrier you would need!!

  • runningtrails
    15 years ago

    Oh, I guess the vet bills would be high, if you needed a vet for an elephant. It would be too costly to maintain and feed, anyway.

    Would love some deer. Fencing for jumpers like deer would be a problem. We don't even have goat proof fencing now, although I've heard there's not such a thing.

    I would like a couple of llamas, as livestock guards and pack animals. Mules would be good livestock guards too and could be hitched to pull a plow or logs. A great pyranees is another choice for a livestock guard - not too good at pulling a plow, though! lol!

    Bees are becoming exotic these days.

  • kristenmarie
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Is there any way for me to STOP getting the responses to this post in my e-mail inbox??? My goodness. THere are sometimes posts I started literally 4 or 5 years ago that come around again... I haven't seen the one on "your favorite plant catalogues" in a while... maybe someone should revive it!!

    An elephant isn't a bad idea, though.

    There are some folks near my parents who have several camels, and a couple of water buffalo. Boy do those water buffalo make noise.

  • kristenmarie
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    OK, my apologies, the "your favorite plant catalogues" thread is over on the Garden Sources forum... I bumped it back up if you are interested. I get like 20 plant catalogues these days, it's winter-time Garden Porn for those of us who have to wait until (sob) April to start planting.

    Also, bees are not exotic. I have seven hives now, and they're just fine! Anyone interested in beekeeping should look into natural cell size, small cells, top bar hives. And, I have a friend -- whose opinion I really trust-- a beekeeper of nearly 50 years who is absolutely 100 percent convinced the source of the bee disappearance is related to overuse of miticides. Organic is the way to go.

  • runningtrails
    15 years ago

    I plan on building my own top bar hives this winter and will definately go organic. Everything I do is organic. The bee dissappearance is so bad in China that their farmers are mostly pollinating by hand now. I know my squash was not very well pollinated this past year and I will be doing it by hand next year, bees or not. The bee dissappearance is real and is becoming a big problem in a lot of areas. I'm glad you have been so successful with it. I think top bar hives are a much more natural and healthier way to go too. I wish more people would use them.

  • brendan_of_bonsai
    15 years ago

    Half of all behives die every year thanks to CCD (I was raised catholic, and even though I got over it CCD still means Confraternity of Christian Doctrine to me).

  • kristenmarie
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I know I almost died from CCD when I was 5 years old!! :)

    In China, most of the bees died before CCD even showed up-- because China uses crazy amounts of really toxic pesticides. Still, China must have plenty of bees left somewhere, because I've been reading about a big concern with local supermarkets getting huge shipments of honey from China, which local honey producers can't compete with ... and god only knows what is in that Chinese honey!!

  • fancifowl
    15 years ago

    hey, what sort of noises do thos water buffs make?? I saw lots of them in SE Asia but never heard any make a peep !

    Chinese honey has been a concern for quite a few years now. Its had a depressing effect on our native honey markets. I sold my hives a couple years ago but we still have some wild colonies, not as strong as in years past tho. I do see mostly bumble bees and mason bees in the berry patches and on garden produce now. More honey bees this past year than in the past 2 years so hope things are improving. Local bee keepers report better success in winter survival .

    fencing for the Fallow deer was 8 feet and they never tried it, they are nearly a domestic animal. White Tail need 10 feet.

  • brendan_of_bonsai
    15 years ago

    I think most of the honey we import comes from india rather than China, thats what they told me when I frequented the beekeeping forum.

    Moose can clear 8" fences too, its astonishing to see.

  • fancifowl
    15 years ago

    Hmm, interesting. Well, if it isnt from our local beekeepers, I dont want it.

    I never imagined a moose could jump that high!! But I have been amazed at what I have seen animals do; sometimes one really has to see something to believe it.

  • kristenmarie
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    There's a link here to an article from last month in the Seattle P-I newspaper about the issue of foreign honey

    Here is a link that might be useful: Honey Laundering

  • goodhors
    15 years ago

    A local beekeeper plants some kind of mint plants at the entrance of his hives. The bees land on the mint, then cruise on into the hive. Mint seems to kill the mites. He has had no bee colony problems with his hives. He has a fair number, with his orchard and extensive gardens.

    Just an idea for present beekeepers, worth trying.

    Moose are huge, often 6ft or more at the shoulder. I would not think an 8ft fence would be much barrier for them to jump. They weigh a lot, have that to help smash thru barriers. Along with that is the strong rut of males and protective instinct of the cow with calf. Out in Manitoba and Saskatchewan Canada, moose cows are considered predators because they attack! Anything within a mile or two of the calf, is chased or attacked. The cattle are scarred with strikes from the hooves, if they live thru the attack. Moose can pace over 30mph, for long distances, very frightening if you can't get up a tree or outrun her on a good horse. Horse probably won't out run her on the flat ground when she gets striding along, have to run thru the trees if possible. Moose can easily chase several miles. We heard this interesting information from the seller of our horse. Horse we bought had saved the man, by totally ignoring the directions of heading for the low, plains ground. Horse went uphill, thru the trees, got them safely away, though the cow chased them almost 5 miles, she could not get into full stride on the broken ground. Guy lost his shirt to branches, glasses and hat were gone too. But they both got out with no damage. Sure glad there are no moose around here!

    I thought it might be fun to have a llama or alpacas, but have to come up with uses for the wool first. Always thought spinning might be fun, along with weaving. However I have enough sitting type hobbies, not enough time to sit.

    Really have never had an interest in keeping the odd and unique animals. Hard enough to keep regular farm animals healthy, vaccinated, cleaned up after.

  • brendan_of_bonsai
    15 years ago

    I'm told the mint thing is just wishful thinking, While thymol does stop Varroa mites bees landing on a plant are not going to get near the active dose.

    As for moose you are better off in a field than a forest when running from a moose, moose are not open field animals they live in forests and swamps. I'm used to big city moose which are used to people, I once accidentally walked within arms reach of a moose, it was cold dark and I didn't see him because it was early in the morning.

    As for Cameloids a Vicuña or Guanaco would be way cooler.

  • msjay2u
    15 years ago

    well people never believe I have goats and chickens first because I am from NYC and second because I dress professionally at work. LOL people always expect that when people have animals they look like country folk. I don't have nails though. can't seem to keep nails.

  • runningtrails
    15 years ago

    Msjay2u, same for me. I dress professionally at work, in suits and heels. People are always surprised that I keep chickens and live in the country, too. lol! They are always shocked at my age, as well. I have lots of fun with that! Can't keep nails, either. I'm lucky if I can keep them clean.

    I have often thought of keeping an animal, like alpacas, for the wool and spinning. It's something I've given thought to from time to time and may do when I retire, hopefully soon. Working full time sure is inconvenient. It seriously interfers with my life!

    As for the bees, I have almost decided to do that this summer, if I get the Top bar hives built this winter. I can easily surround them with mint. I'd actually have to work at keeping the mint away. I am putting in an herb garden, already have 12 thyme plants. I could put the bees in the middle of the herb garden...

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