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AgricultureLesson 1 of 8

Which animals first

Basic Plan About 12 min readNew to you

What you’ll learn

  • What has to be in place before any animal arrives
  • How chickens, rabbits, pigs, goats, sheep, cattle and bees compare
  • A suggested order for adding animals over three years
  • What to know about each species before you start
  • The safety and legal basics: zoning, processing and germs

The short version

  1. Start with one or two species and a few animals. ATTRA: start with a few inexpensive, healthy "trainer" animals, because "you will make mistakes but they won't be as devastating." NC State: "Don't add multiple types of animals all at once".

  2. Build before you buy. Have fencing, shelter, water and feed storage in place, check zoning, and find a vet and a processor first.

  3. Chickens are the most-recommended first animal. Salatin: "Poultry is a more forgiving product for novices". Meat rabbits are the quiet alternative.

  4. Next, a short meat project: a batch of broilers (6–8 weeks) or two feeder pigs (May to November). Nothing has to be overwintered.

  5. Goats or sheep come after you have tight fencing, a large-animal vet and a parasite plan.

  6. Cattle and dairy come last. Cattle need the most land and strong fence. Dairy animals tie you to milking twice a day, every day, and it's the most common regret among people who started too early.

  7. Bees fit almost anytime once you take a class. But don't expect honey the first year, and backyard colonies die often: 54.8% were lost in 2025–26.

Before any animal arrives

Do this firstWhy
Check zoning, HOA and city rulesSuburban rules may allow, for example, 20 hens but no roosters. Some cities ban backyard slaughter. Some require bee permits or registration
Build infrastructureFencing, housing, water and feed storage go in first. For sheep and goats, fencing is often the biggest single cost. Start with temporary fence, then go permanent once the design works
Find a livestock vetNot all vets treat livestock, and large-animal vets are scarce, especially for sheep and goats
Find a processorATTRA calls it "the single largest stumbling block" in many areas. Book several months to a year or more ahead
Line up feed and hayFencing is the biggest upfront cost; feed is the biggest ongoing cost. Plan for hauling and storing hay, and lock up grain
Arrange chore coverSomeone must care for the animals whenever you're away more than a day. Write instructions and pay them well
Plan for predators"Everything eats chicken." Plan secure night housing, roofed runs, and hardware cloth buried about 12 in. Hawks and owls are federally protected
Talk to your insurance agentA homeowner policy may not cover a farm operation, especially once you sell anything
Plan for manureCompost it. Use deep litter in coops and barns
Diagram coming soonBefore-you-buy checklist board
Figure 1. Everything to check off before you buy.
Sources: ATTRA (NCAT), University of Minnesota Extension and 8 more

The animals compared

Costs carry the year of the source; prices have moved since, especially for cattle.

AnimalSpaceStartup cost (year)Daily timeFirst foodBeginner notes
Laying hens (10)3–4 sq ft each inside, 10 outsideAbout $675 in equipment + $6 per chick; eggs about $3.37/dozen before labor (2026)About 20 min/dayEggs at about 5 monthsMost-recommended starter; heat-sensitive above 80–85°F
Broilers (Cornish Cross)1 sq ft each at 6–10 weeksNo current Tier 1 figureWater twice dailyMeat at 6–8 weeks (4–6 lb carcass)Short project; book the processor first
Meat rabbits (4 does + 1 buck)30×30×18 in cage per doeAbout $139/doe + $195/doe/year (2014)Under 15 min/dayFryers at 8–10 weeks; about 2 a weekQuiet; heat above 85°F hurts bucks; watch for RHDV2
Ducks3–5 sq ft each inside"Low cost"Daily litter cleanupEggs (Khaki Campbell 230–300+/yr) or meat at 7 weeksWet, muddy, noisy; few processors take waterfowl
Turkeys6 sq ft inside, 20 outsideNot found"Little daily time," but timelyMeat at 14–20+ weeksBrooding losses; keep apart from chickens (blackhead)
QuailVery small cagesNot foundNot statedEggs at about 7 weeks; ~200 first yearFragile when handled
Bees (1 hive)BackyardAbout $1,070 first-year setup + $325 harvest tools (2025)Seasonal; frequent spring–summer checksHoney usually year 2+ (50–100 lb surplus once established)Varroa mites; high losses; boxes over 70 lb
Feeder pigs (2)8 sq ft each penned; shelterAbout $100/piglet (Vermont, ~2018, Tier 2)At least 30 min/day130–194 lb pork each at about 6 monthsShort project; strong fence; mud
Goats (2+)About 6 per acre on good pasture; 9–12 sq ft shelterDoes $150–400 each (2021–22); fencing $1–3+/ft (2021)Daily; twice-daily milking for dairyKids or milk after the first kiddingEscape artists; parasites are the big challenge
Sheep (small flock)About 6 per acre on good pastureEwes $180–400 (2021); about $242/ewe/year (~2018)Daily; lambing and shearing seasonsLambs in year 1–2"Ideal" for beginners per CSU, but predator and parasite losses
Beef steer (1–2)About 2 acres per cow (Illinois); far more on dry rangeAbout $1,200 per 750-lb steer; $2,658 all-in for 500 lb of beef (2018–19)Twice-daily feedingBeef in about 8 months (bought in fall, finished in June)Big, strong animal; not guaranteed cheaper than store beef
Family milk cowAbout 2–5 acres (Tier 2)$900–3,000 (2014, Tier 2)Milking twice daily3–4 gal milk/dayHardest to leave; bred every year (use AI, not a bull)
Diagram coming soonSpace per animal at a glance
Figure 2. Space per animal at a glance.
Sources: Cooperative Extension (eXtension), University of Maryland Extension and 17 more

A suggested path

This is our suggested sequence, built from the verified principles above. No Tier 1 source prescribes one fixed species order. Adjust it to your goals, land and climate.

Stage 0 — Prepare (the season before)

  • Check zoning; build the coop, fencing and water; find a vet and a processor; plant a garden.

  • Why this comes first: sources agree infrastructure and support come before animals.

Stage 1 — Laying hens (year 1, spring)

  • Start with about 6–10 hens.

  • Why: NC State calls chickens "a great starter livestock". Feed is simple ("buy a feed labeled for the animal and follow the directions"). About 20 minutes a day covers 10 hens.

  • When: spring chicks start laying around July–August.

  • Alternative: if roosters are banned and space is tight, or you want quiet meat, start with meat rabbits, which "often go unnoticed by neighbors".

Stage 2 — A short meat project (year 1 summer, or year 2)

  • Option A, one batch of broilers. Cornish Cross reach a 4–6 lb carcass in 6–8 weeks. Salatin's case for starting here is the short turnaround, cheap portable housing, and "chickens can't hurt you easily".

  • Option B, two feeder pigs. Buy 50-lb pigs in May and they reach 250–280 lb by November, with nothing to overwinter. Each pig gives about 130–194 lb of pork.

  • Before either: book the processor.

Stage 3 — Bees, ducks or turkeys (year 2, optional)

  • Bees: take a class first, order in late fall or winter, start 2–5 hives and learn mite counts. Expect honey in year 2 or later.

  • Ducks if you want rich eggs and can handle wet runs.

  • Turkeys for a holiday bird, kept away from chickens.

Stage 4 — Goats or sheep (year 2–3)

  • When you're ready: you have tight fencing, a vet who treats small ruminants, FAMACHA training and a parasite plan.

  • How many: start with 2–3, because they're herd animals.

  • Sheep: CSU calls them "ideal" for small acreage and beginners, but they need guardian animals against predators.

  • Goats: good for brush, meat or milk. They are escape artists.

  • Hot, humid areas: hair sheep and Nubian goats.

Stage 5 — Cattle, then dairy (year 3+)

  • A feeder steer or two: only with enough pasture or hay, strong fence and reliable water.

  • Dairy (a goat or a cow) comes last. Milking twice a day is the commitment new homesteaders most often say they took on too early.

  • Never keep a bull on a small place. Use artificial insemination.

Diagram coming soonThe starter staircase
Figure 3. The starter staircase.
Sources: ATTRA (NCAT), NC State Extension and 20 more

Species notes worth knowing

Laying hens

  • Breeds by eggs per year: Leghorn 250–300; Rhode Island Red 250–280; Barred Rock, Australorp and Buff Orpington 200–280; Easter Egger 180–200; Cochin 100–160.

  • Laying over time: 10 hens lay about 9 eggs a day at first, easing to 6–7 after 13 months. Laying stops for about 6 weeks during the fall molt unless you add light.

  • Feed: a complete layer ration (16–18% protein, 4% calcium). Don't load them up on cracked corn.

  • Water: they drink 25% more above 80°F. In winter, keep water from freezing.

  • Winter: damp air hurts more than cold. Choose cold-hardy, small-comb breeds in the North.

Broilers

  • Brooding: chicks need 90–95°F the first week, then 5°F less each week.

  • Overeating: remove feed at night in weeks 2–4 to prevent "flip" (heart failure).

  • Heat: pull feed during the hottest part of the day once it's over 85–90°F in the final weeks.

  • Yield: dressed weight is 70–75% of live weight.

Meat rabbits

  • Stock: use commercial meat does such as New Zealand White or Californian crosses, not pet-store rabbits.

  • Litters: about 4–6 litters a year of 7–10 kits.

  • Fryers: 4+ lb at 8–10 weeks.

  • Heat: keep housing at least 10°F cooler than outside. Bucks can go temporarily sterile after several days above 85°F.

Pigs

  • Feed and water: 24-hour access, using automatic waterers, not buckets.

  • Growth: about 2.5–3 lb of feed per lb of gain.

  • Fencing: run one electric strand at ground level inside the pen, but not across the gate.

  • Heat: pigs over 150 lb need cooling above 70°F.

Goats and sheep

  • Fencing: goats need 5–6 strand high-tensile electric (1st, 3rd and top wires hot) or woven wire with an electric strand inside. Barbed wire "will not hold sheep."

  • Dairy goats give about 2,000–2,700 lb of milk per lactation; Nigerian Dwarfs about 795 lb, with very high butterfat.

  • Copper: sheep are poisoned by copper levels goats need. Never feed goat minerals to sheep.

  • Vaccination: most advisers recommend the CDT vaccine (enterotoxemia and tetanus) for sheep and goats. Work out timing with your vet.

  • Bucks and rams can turn aggressive. A bottle-raised ram lamb can grow into a dangerous ram.

Cattle

  • Steer timeline: buy a 750-lb steer in fall, feed hay over winter plus about 90 days of grain, and harvest around 1,100 lb in early summer for about 500 lb of beef.

  • Grass-finishing usually takes more than one growing season.

  • Heat stress starts around a temperature-humidity index of 75 for beef cattle.

  • Bulls caused 48% of cattle-related deaths in the University of Minnesota's data while being about 2% of cattle.

Bees

  • Mites: sample about 300 bees at least four times a year. Keep Varroa below about 2–3 mites per 100 bees.

  • Winter food: leave 40–80 lb of honey per colony, at least 80 lb in cold climates.

  • Neighbors: screen hives with a fence or shrubs so bees fly up and over people.

  • Southwest: colonies become Africanized unless you keep requeening with European stock.

Sources: University of New Hampshire Extension, Ohio State University Extension and 7 more

Safety and the law

Diagram coming soonSalmonella safety poster
Figure 4. Salmonella from backyard poultry.
Sources: CDC, USDA APHIS and 12 more

What you'll need for 10 laying hens

From the University of Maryland 2026 budget:

ItemCost (2026)
Housing (coop)$500
Infrared brooding heater$50
Feeder and waterer$75
Feed storage containers$50
10 chicks$60
Chick starter (50 lb) + grower (100 lb)$49
Layer feed (about 47 bags over 3 years)$705
Bedding, cartons, electricity (3 years)$270

Also needed: nest boxes (1 per 4 hens), roosts (1 ft per bird), a roofed run or secure fencing, and a winter water heater in cold zones.

Sources: University of Maryland Extension, University of New Hampshire Extension

Common mistakes

  1. Getting several species at once.

  2. Buying animals before fences, shelter and water are ready.

  3. No processor lined up, then waiting months with grown animals eating feed.

  4. No vet who treats livestock when something goes wrong.

  5. Dairy too early, before you're ready for twice-daily milking.

  6. Feeding goat minerals to sheep (copper poisoning).

  7. Barbed wire for sheep or goats.

  8. Raising turkeys with chickens, or on old chicken ground.

  9. Pet-store rabbits for meat breeding.

  10. Skipping quarantine for new animals.

  11. Expecting homegrown meat to be cheaper. It often isn't.

  12. Expecting honey in year one, or skipping mite checks.

  13. Choosing breeds that don't fit the climate, such as large-comb chickens in the North or wool sheep in the humid South.

Sources: NC State Extension, Permies forum and 12 more

Troubleshooting

ProblemLikely causeFix
Hens stopped laying in fallShort days and moltNormal; about 6 weeks. Optional light to 14 hours
Fewer eggs in summer heatHeat stress above 80–85°FShade, airflow, cool water
Broilers dying suddenly in weeks 3–6Overeating / flipRemove feed at night in weeks 2–4
Rabbit does not getting pregnant in summerHeat-sterile bucks (above 85°F)Cool housing; young bucks; breed in cooler months
Pigs out of the penRooting under the fenceElectric strand at ground level inside
Goats escapingWeak fenceHigh-tensile electric or woven wire with a hot strand inside
Pale, weak goats or sheepBarber pole wormFAMACHA check; call the vet
Sheep suddenly sick after a new mineralCopper toxicityStop the mineral; call the vet
Bee colony dead in late winterStarvation or mitesLeave 40–80+ lb of honey; count and manage mites
No processing slotHigh demandBook months to a year ahead
Sources: University of New Hampshire Extension, Penn State Extension and 8 more

Resources

By zone

Climate changes which starter animals are easy. Here is what shifts by zone and region.

3–4
Favor animals you don't have to overwinter at first: summer broilers and spring feeder pigs. Use cold-hardy, small-comb hens and heated water. Bees need at least 80 lb of winter honey and mite control by early August.
5–6
Most flexible zone band: hens, broilers, rabbits, spring pigs, then small ruminants. Plan winter hay and water.
7–8
Heat is the main stress for poultry (above 80–85°F), rabbits (above 85°F) and cattle (THI 75). Barber pole worm peaks, so favor hair sheep and Nubian goats.
9–10
Same heat issues, more so. Cool rabbit housing at least 10°F below outside. In the Southwest and Florida, bees are likely Africanized unless you requeen. Dry land supports very few grazing animals without irrigation.
Northeast
hens, broilers, spring pigs and bees fit well. Long winters mean heated water, hay storage and cold-hardy breeds.
Southeast
hens with shade, Nubian goats and hair sheep. Barber pole worm, coyotes and heat stress are the main challenges.
Midwest
most small-stock options fit. Processor lead times can run a year or more.
Southwest
hens and quail with shade. Rabbits need serious cooling, bees are likely Africanized, and dry pasture can't feed ruminants.
Pacific Northwest
hens, rabbits and ducks if runs drain well. Watch for mud and hawks.
Mountain West
cold-hardy hens, rabbits and spring pigs. Small dry pastures can't feed ruminants without hay.

Where this comes from

Every fact in this lesson was checked against 71 published sources: 60 from extension services, the USDA and research journals, 7 from experienced growers and practitioners and 4 from grower forums, where several agreed. Each section lists its own at the bottom.

See all 71 sources
University of New Hampshire Extension
National Agricultural Law Center
NSW Department of Primary Industries
Ohio State University Extension
Oregon State University Extension
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of Georgia Extension
University of Illinois Extension
University of Wyoming Extension
USDA Climate Hubs
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

What to do first

  • Check your zoning and any HOA or deed rules for animals.
  • Find a vet who sees your species and, for meat animals, a processor.
  • Build fencing, shelter and water, and set up feed storage.
  • Start with a few laying hens in spring (or meat rabbits).
  • Add a short meat project (broilers or two feeder pigs) once the hens are routine.
  • Wait on goats, sheep, cattle and dairy until fencing, a vet and a parasite plan are in place.

Go deeper

Each Breakout Plan takes one part of agriculture further. Read them in order or pick the one you need.

  1. CattleA family cow or a small beef herd.Start
  2. Goats and sheepMilk, meat, fiber, and brush clearing.Start
  3. PigsPastured pork and rooting as tillage.Start
  4. Pasture rotationStocking rate, paddock math, rest periods, fencing, worms and flies.Start
  5. FencingWoven wire, electric, and what each animal needs.Start
  6. Hay and winter feedBuying, storing, and how much you need.Start
  7. Animal healthVaccines, hoof care, and when to call the vet.Start

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