Domesticated small animals, from the cow to the rabbit, have been enjoyed by human owners around the world since the dawn of civilization, nearly 12,000 years ago. From pets to beasts of burden and even just a friendly face in the barn, animals like these produce thousands of products you use around the house every. This book was written for anyone considering purchasing and raising domesticated animals for family pets, producers of eggs and milk, or a friendly creature in the backyard. You will learn everything you need to know to raise a wide variety of small animals. You will learn how to care for chickens, and how to handle geese and ducks, choosing the correct breeds, feeding, housing, breeding, and more. You will also learn about egg incubation, maintaining poultry health, and how to raise them for meat. Other animals you will learn how to care for include rabbits, goats, sheep, dairy cows, and beef cattle. Small farmers and animal experts have been interviewed in detail and their responses added to this book to provide additional insight into every aspect of raising farm animals. This includes details about how to purchase, house, feed, breed, record, as well as how to gather milk, and even keeping records of births and selling babies. Everything you might need to know about raising small animals for your farm is included in this guide to provide you the first steps to raising domesticated poultry and livestock.
