Keep in mind that it is possible to starve to death from eating rabbit. Used to be called rabbit fever , but that is something different. You might also read King Rat ...

Yup. Always check the CCR's before buying a home. Some will not even allow you to park your $50,000 P/U in your driveway...

Fish are a great idea. You could build a koi pond or similar and stock it with cat fish, they can't blame you if you happen to like ugly fish.

Also, no one's mentioned ducks. They've got plenty of fat and meat on them and they'll keep you're garden free of slugs and other pests. Noisier then chickens, but more like pets then livestock.

Goats and chickens. I'd say goat milk rivals cow milk and is even tolerable to those who are lactose intolerant. You can also use it to make really good cheese and yogurt. The meat is lean. They can prune your overgrown brush. (Around here they use goats to keep fire breaks clear.) And of course chickens are good for eggs and meat and you can feed them table scraps.

chickens..here in Minneapolis you are allowed to keep them in
your backyard..there is a group of "chicken keepers" that
has meetings and info swaps..

I've got to agree with Martin's opinion of homeowners' associations. There's always a Little Hitler in charge, and the rules are insane. I wouldn't live in a place like that.

Chickens are great. My 'girls' are very quiet except after they've laid an egg, then they cackle (odd, to announce the arrival to predators). They will eat practically anything, including roadkill, and they consider maggots a feast. The larger breeds don't fly much, and can usually be contained with short fences, esp if you move short fencing around for them to weed, debug and scratch up specific areas.

Keep in mind what natural feed you already have: if you have a lot of grass, consider a sheep. If you have a lot of brush, think goats.

If you can have a deepish pond or maybe even an above-ground swimming pool, think fish.

Sue

"...if you have a lot of grass, consider a sheep. If you have a lot of brush, think goats..."

Having never had such critters, I am wondering, since we are thinking of a goat for our stick home, why sheep instead of goats for grass (which we have a lot of)? I always assumed that a goat would eat anything...

Goats,like deer, are browsers, and prefer leafy vegetation, although, like deer, they will graze from time to time. Sheep are like elk. They like to graze, and are fairly particular about it, though occasionally, like elk, they will chew on brush and such. Goats are probably better backyard livestock because they will eat just about whatever is available, whereas sheep will not do without grass for long unless you give them pellets or hay. Goat milk is far more preferable than sheep milk, unless you have a Riccota fetish. Ducks and geese will take your grass right down to the roots, but are damned hard to milk. Duck eggs are much richer than chicken eggs. Ducks and geese almost always need a water source, like a pond, a pool, or at least a watering trough.

SUPPOSEDLY if you also eat the eyes, liver, kidneys, and bone marrow of a rabbit, you will not suffer these symptoms. No personal experience; just something I read once, so take it for what it's worth.

Frank2135

"...Ducks and geese will take your grass right down to the roots..."


Hmmm, that sounds like what we want! Water in the hot CA summers will require some plumbing tho, our creek goes dry...