Animals & livestock

Baby quail. | Photo by M Segrist If you choose to add quail to your farm or homestead, raising your own baby quail is a simple, cost-effective way to sustain your stock. Once you have successfully incubated and hatched quail eggs, the…
Read more...

Scott Huber, owner of Itty Bitty Farm in Columbia Falls, displaying differently patterned quail eggs. | Photo by Sam Schipani Quail eggs are eaten around the world, both as street food and in fine cuisine, but they can be used for more…
Read more...

Sheep are mostly valued for their wool and meat in the United States -- but what about their milk? More and more farmers throughout the country are experimenting with what to make with sheep milk, from creamy yogurt to delicious cheese. …
Read more...

Myke Russel and Kathryn Cody, owners of November’s Harvest Farm in Limington, preparing for a chicken processing workshop at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association’s eighth annual Farm and Homestead Day in Unity. | Photo by…
Read more...

Colt Knight, assistant professor of extension and state livestock specialist at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, constructing a GPS tracking collar for a cow. | Photo by Sam Schipani Farming has a bad reputation for being…
Read more...

On horse-powered farms and homesteads, draft horses are used for heavy work. But like any animal, these horses need to be treated well. Here's how to care for a draft horse. The large and sturdy draft horse can do much of the work on…
Read more...

Loaded with nutrients and vitamins, goats milk has been proven an excellent ingredient for personal cleaning products. When used in a consistent skincare regimen, goat milk benefits include moisturizing skin, reducing acne and…
Read more...

Does your chicken need some help with their nails? Here's how to give a chicken pedicure. Image by Pexels from Pixabay One of the best parts about having egg-laying chickens is the fact they are fairly low maintenance when it comes…
Read more...

Edith Kershner, a fourth-generation sheep shearer, demonstrates how to shear a sheep at the 2019 Farm & Homestead Day organized by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. | Photo by Aislinn Sarnacki Sheep shearing is…
Read more...

A healthy backyard hen can lay hundreds of eggs in her lifetime, resulting in a steady supply of nutritious and tasty egg meal options year-round. | Photo by Julia Bayly Whether you are adding chickens, ducks, quails or geese to your…
Read more...

Photo by Aislinn Sarnacki In the world of backyard poultry, ducks hold a special place in many people’s hearts. They produce rich, flavorful eggs and are — mostly — known for their charming personalities. Ducks are hardy by nature, and…
Read more...

BDN File Photo For many small farmers and homesteaders, cows are the white (or, perhaps, black and white) whale of livestock: always top of mind, but seemingly forever out of reach. Most cows are physically bigger than other…
Read more...