One Simple Piece of Advice for Raising LivestockGaye Levy, Contributor So I continue to think about it and hope that some local farmer will take pity on me and allow me to share their chickens. And actually, truth be told, I do have one that periodically shares eggs with me. But back to Ron. He knows a little about a lot of things, raising livestock and chickens included.Since it is Saturday, and I feel the need for a some serious fun, I thought I would share his simple piece of advice for raising livestock. Here is what Ron had to say about raising livestock. Farming And so it was at a cocktail party that a man asked me, How can I learn about agriculture? It was a sincere question. Hes a business-manager type as well as a prepper. Hes concerned about the future. The next day I emailed him a list of books: Backyard Livestock by Steven Thomas And to the list I attached this note: These are the best books I own on small-scale farming. But I caution you that farming is like sex. Reading about it and doing it are two different things. Livestock Theres a survivalists adage: If you havent done it yourself, it doesnt work. That may apply more to raising livestock than any other endeavor I can think of. Rabbits sounded like a good idea. After a week I gave them back to the man I bought them from because I couldnt stand the smell. He then had both the money and the rabbits. 4H gave my son a sheep. Free. Pedigreed stock. The only stipulation was that the firstborn lambs had to be given back into the program. We gave the sheep back after a week. Couldnt stand the smell. If you havent done it yourself, it doesnt work. The keeping of livestock is bloody business. Birthing, butchering, castration, dehorning . . . these are facts of life. And whether its a chicken or a cow, the first time you cut into that body cavity youre gonna smell a smell you aint never gonna forget. The best single piece of advice I can give you on livestock any kind of livestock is this: Never bring a critter home until youre ready for it; until you have its home (a stall, stable, cage, coop, whatever it takes) prepared to receive it. Never ever. And even as we speak, I know you will. And you will regret it. I know that, too. Now it seems to me that Ron has a thing about smell. It also seems to me that after a time, you would get used to it. And further, that if your livestock was your only source of meat (for the meat-eaters out there), then perhaps the smell, or the thought of smell would not be so bad. Did you notice that there was no mention of chickens? I am wondering about that I think I will ask Ron about it in my next email. Enjoy your Saturday! linkwithin_text=Related Articles: 