Why we don't have animals

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

After reading the post about the 8 month old calf running loose inspite of everything, the goats with deer worms, horses with strangles, I again remember why we don't have animals except the dogs on our farm. Most people just can't understand why we live on a hundred acre farm and don't have animals. Unless you really enjoy them they are just too much trouble. Its now well below freezing and the dogs are in out of the cold and there is no animals that will need me outside tonight. Just my way of looking at the matter. Sorry for your problems but that is what decided us on our lack of animals.

-- David in Norht Ala. (bluewaterfarm@mindspring.com), January 15, 2002

Answers

Thats why I only have composting worms, a couple layers and three rabbits.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

Not all of us have the problems that you see on these Lists. I've had dogs all my life; only one has needed a vet for some slipped disks. Cats have never needed a vet, except once for a diagnosis. I've raised mules out of a large broodmare band, had goats, sheep, bovine, swine, other equine....the list goes on and on. I don't have vet bills. I've never had a sick chook, and I have a large flock.

I don't purchase critters from auctions, swap meets, shows, etc., so I don't bring the possibility of sickness back home.

I feed the feeds formulated for the critters, not left-overs from my kitchen. Feed is always available. Many of the large livestock are grazers, and have stomachs too small to eat two large meals/day.

Critters aren't penned/stalled in small quarters. They have acreage to move around on to stay healthy. Proper perimeter fencing is used.

I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea. Properly tended, you don't have problems. Works for me ~ and MANY others I know! :^)

I couldn't imagine life without the critters.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.


(The hotmail.com address is the correct addy.)

Not all of us have the problems that you see on these Lists. I've had dogs all my life; only one has needed a vet for some slipped disks. Cats have never needed a vet, except once for a diagnosis. I've raised mules out of a large broodmare band, had goats, sheep, bovine, swine, other equine....the list goes on and on. I don't have vet bills. I've never had a sick chook, and I have a large flock.

I don't purchase critters from auctions, swap meets, shows, etc., so I don't bring the possibility of sickness back home.

I feed the feeds formulated for the critters, not left-overs from my kitchen. Feed is always available. Many of the large livestock are grazers, and have stomachs too small to eat two large meals/day.

Critters aren't penned/stalled in small quarters. They have acreage to move around on to stay healthy. Proper perimeter fencing is used.

I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea. Properly tended, you don't have problems. Works for me ~ and MANY others I know! :^)

I couldn't imagine life without the critters.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), January 16, 2002.


As with humans animals that are given a decent diet,reasonable living quarters and plenty of fresh water and sunshine are usually pretty healthy.As with humans stress poor diet and the like will result in physical and mental ailments.

-- Gary (burnett_gary@msn.com), January 16, 2002.

Reckon the same reasons for not keeping animals would serve as well for not having children. If your interests don't lie that way then it's best not to go that way. With either there is a learning curve which must be scaled and some will do it more easily than others. If no one attempted either because they didn't want to deal with potential problems occurring we'd all be in a Hell of a fix.

To each their own.

.......Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), January 16, 2002.



Proper care and feeding isn't the entire answer either, it certainly cuts down on problems, but accidents happen and animals get sick, get out of the pasture etc. despite our best efforts.

If you take your animals off your farm for anything, a trail ride, to the Vet's office, etc. it can pick up a virus or bacteria. Some diseases come to you, and there's no way to prevent them, such as: EPM, EIA, and a bunch of goat, sheep, and cattle problems I know nothing about. Animals have to be acquired, either via purchase or breeding, and there is always the chance of bringing something to your farm, proper quarantine is the answer. If you go to someone else's farm, a clinic, a show, anywhere that there are other animals, you could bring something home.

I've had the Vet out twice in the three years we've lived here (except for shots and teeth floatings that I can't do.) The first time was for a horribly swollen eye it turns out that this gelding was allergic to something in that particular bale of hay. He never had it happen again. The second time was for diagnois and medication for my older gentleman, and that was COPD. Nothing could have prevented either visit--the problems just happened. In the COPD case, his prior living conditions brought about the problem.

I've lost two chickens, they were healthy and eating the night before and dead in the morning, nothing wrong with the body, but I never did a postmortem. None of the other chickens have gotten sick.

You do your best to care for your animals, but sometimes things just happen. Plus I just like to have them around...

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), January 16, 2002.


Well said Alan.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), January 16, 2002.

Sorry to here you don't have any livestock! Humans also get sick occasionally! Hope you have a big garden at least. Nothing like going out on a crisp morning to the neighing of the horses as they here you approach. Or the milk cow waiting at the door for you to let her in to be milked, and the younger heifers coming in behind to their assigned stanchons. And all our wonderful barn cats waiting, the list goes on. Oh, to have 100 acres would be wonderful...

-- Suzanne (weir@frontiernet.net), January 16, 2002.

With the bad { feeding in the cold, sickness , & death } also comes much joy .I could not go back to only the dogs and cats.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), January 16, 2002.

I like the sounds of animals on the property. When I go by neighbors' places that have horses or sheep or whatever (donkeys NOT included!), I feel like I'm in the country, which I am. We only have ducks so far, but they are SO easy --- let 'em out of their house, throw some food at 'em, make sure they have water, collect their eggs, while they wander all over snarfing slugs and dropping fertilizer. Then sometime after dark, do the same routine backwards. Easy. And if you don't get to them and they're out all night, the worst that can happen is a coyote gets a meal. I know what you're saying about all they problems that come with keeping animals, but I like the sounds and the smells (of course, we haven't got our pigs yet...) and the intellectual interest of them.

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), January 16, 2002.


As Alan said, "If your interests don't lie that way then it's best not to go that way". But-Some of us just enjoy raising our own meat. Think it tastes better than store bought and I'm pretty sure it's healthier than store bought. It's worth the effort! Best wishes!

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), January 16, 2002.

Believe me, a dog is much more trouble than a couple of beef cows on all that acreage. If your pasture is adequate and you have at least a 3 sided shelter, all you do is stick them out there. They don't need grain until you finish them and only need hay when there is no pasture available. If you have a pond or automatic waterer, you can almost forget you have them.

People with the "escapee" problems are those that don't have adequate fencing or who don't check thier fencing from time to time and repair the trouble spots. With adequate and well maintained fencing you will NEVER have an escapee (unless someone leaves the gate open...LOL).

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.


I feel a spiritual connectedness to my animals. They add a dimension to my life that I miss if it is not there. Some folks don't need as much of this as others do, and that is fine. I don't mind braving the elements or putting up with the difficult times in exchange for what the animals give back both in produce and companionship. I feel the same way about my husband, and children, put up with the colds, broken bones, or difficult times in exchange for the good times, the warmth and knowledge that there is another soul who cares that I am here. I know that I will never be without animals, if I have any say in the matter. But what is more important is knowing and caring enough to admit when having animals, children or even a homestead is not right for you and following through with your convictions, despite the popular opinion. That's strength. I admire that.

-- Sandie in Maine (peqbear@maine.rr.com), January 16, 2002.

Might should explain a little better. We love the neighbors cows and horses, friends have goats and we have had animals here. When I retired from a job on call 7/24 for over thirty years, (was off eleven holidays in 34 years), just didn't want tied to anything. We raise wild life. We plant crops just for the deer, turkeys, quail and every thing else. We watch the deer and all from our porches almost all the time. And yes we do hunt and eat them, don't shoot anything that we don't eat or is endangering the dogs.

-- David in Norht Ala (bluewaterfarm@mindspring.com), January 16, 2002.

That is funny, I have goats and ducks but no dogs because dogs are too much work and trouble! The ducks are absolutely no trouble at all. The goats require milking and regular care, but they give me something useable in return, and then the manure is a useful product. I don't mind going out to care for them, it's nice to breathe the fresh air and working with them is very soothing and therapeutic.

Life would be simpler without my children and without a husband, but would it be as full and as rich? My goats have forced me to develop character traits that I wouldn't have without them, they make me think, and listen. I wouldn't be the same without them. But if you wouldn't enjoy animals, you shouldn't have them. To each his own.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 16, 2002.



This is the real problem with boards like this. All we do is answer animal questions about disease, illness, problems. When in reality if you read the questions the common thread is folks buying stock without even knowing anything about them. They are purchased on a whim, no adequate housing, fencing, and fed all sorts of weird things. One book purchased before the sale would have started everything off on a better foot, and lets not even go that the majority pick out stock from auctions because they feel sorry for them. In 2001 I didn't open one bottle of antibiotic to use on my stock, I do prevention with sulfa. We did not loose one of the 36+ kids born at our farm last year. Though I assist at all deliveries, there wasn't one problem kidding. We had several groups of kids go from birth to weaning without one day of diarrhea. Only one doe in 15 years has had meneigeal worm and though she does have a hitch in her get-a-long she is fine. My 11 year old doe will be 12 in March, ultrasounded with triplets and is mean as ever! My donkeys were running the yearlings and kids out of the woods pen the other day, something that simply never happens, upon closer examination the donkeys had killed a dog out in the woods, and even though it was dead, wouldn't allow the goats out into the acreage until I had disposed of the dead animal. We have had all but a worm free season, though not enough freeze yet again.......................now how boring is this?? But do you at least get it? Lots of us who answer the animal questions have beautiful healthy productive stock, most of the questions don't deal with how can we make your stock happier, of course it is sickness, death and the like!! Certainly you have to already know this and have other reasons not to enjoy stock than forums like this. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 16, 2002.

When I drive home, there are always a bunch of sheep saying hello and a greeting from the horse. I lived on my farm a couple of years without critters, and do find that there is a nice feeling of "being connected" when these critters look to you for their welfare.

I recently got a border collie to help me with the sheep. But before that, I really preferred just having a cat as dogs need soooo much attention to make them happy.

-- Gary from Mn (Hpysheep@midwestinfo.com), January 16, 2002.


Too much trouble? Animals? You must be kidding! Now, if you had said CHILDREN I might agree with you . . . Yes, I'm kidding, but only barely. :)

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), January 16, 2002.

I remember reading in Scott & Helen Nearing's books that there were many reasons they didn't keep animals, including they wanted a life outside the "homestead" (ie. travel, speaking engagements, etc.)

-- hmm (h.m.metheny@att.net), January 16, 2002.

Sure would miss my sheep, draft horses, chickens and dogs. The colder the weather the more satisfaction I get from tending the animals. I believe like the others, you are just not meant to keep stock. It is'nt in you.

-- Cal (calvin@dwave.net), January 16, 2002.

AAAAAHHH, the country life. There is nothing like and no better place to raise your children. Going out on a cold morning and having the goats, sheep, dog, cats whatever nuzzle up to you. Glad to see you just cause. To watch the babies scamper and play to see God at work, when those Mama's have their babies, and He teaches them how to take care of them. I wouldn't trade it. I guess it is all how you look at it. Memories!!!!

-- Mike & Marci (TheBlubaughs@amazinggrazefarm.com), January 16, 2002.

husband hates animals.

i love them.

luckily, he loves me enough to know how miserable i would be without them so he tolerates them for me.

-- marcee (thathope@mwt.net), January 16, 2002.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ