Who needs a gym membership when you’ve got animals! You’ll definitely get your steps in on a farm! Here are some tips to make chores easier- no matter if you have a few hens, our a whole menegarie of critters!
- Have everything in one location.
Have you ever seen an old farmhouse painting with the white cottage, big red barn, and chicken coop all peacefully nestled together on a green piece of land? One thing you’ll notice is, all the animals buildings are near the house! Try to plan your outbuildings all within walking distance. The closer together your buildings, the better. That means less walking and less carrying heavy buckets of water and feed back and forth. (especailly if it is raining!)
- Proper feed storage keeps mice out and feed fresh.
A garden shed or room in a barn solely dedicated to storing feed is a big must! Not only is it important to have a place to put the feed, you need large containers to put it in. Large plastic bins and trashcans with a lid are a huge help! Simply leaving feed bags upright on the ground isn’t enough. (I have definitely learned this from experience!) Mice will chew through the bag and will always find a way in!
- Use a watering bin for holding extra water.
There’s few things I hate more than having to drag the hose across the yard. It takes a very long time, and rolling the hose back up through the wet grass makes chore time miserable. Try re purposing a large square storage container (best if it held food material, or is very clean). These white, square bins often have a metal cage around them. This adds extra support and makes it easier to move with a tractor. Filling up your water tank once a month, versus watering every single day, will make farm life much more enjoyable!
- Buckets! You’ll need lots of buckets if you have lots of animals.
Few things are more valuable than a good bucket. So simple, yet such a necessity! We have big, heavy duty buckets all the way down to stolen house tupperware containers. I also suggest getting a feed scoop for each feed container. The more buckets the better! Each animal eats a different type of food, and not to mention they all will need water. One of my favorite buckets is a was bucket from the Dollar General. It holds three gallons, but has a very comfortable handle. It’s the little things! Haha!
5.Make a schedule.
No matter what time you go out, having a regular schedule helps you and your animals! If I’m not outside by 8:00 am, my horses are at the gate, the goats are screaming, the ducks are hissing at me, and the chickens are standing around the garden shed planning a revolt! To avoid being overthrown by your animals, keep a consistent schedule!
Chores are a necessary evil of farm life! The less time and effort you have to put into daily chores, the more time you’ll have to relax and actually enjoy your animals. Fresh air, a little sweat, dirt on your hands, and mud on your boots, will make you healthier, happier, and life more fulfilling! I hope you’ll try some of these tips to make chore time a breeze!