When it comes to the list of homestead animals to raise , alien birds usually are n’t at the top . In fact , for many homesteader , exotic birds may not even be on the list . As far as usefulness become , these bird stock give more in in force tone than meat or eggs .
However , Jake , a Missouri homesteader who runs an exotic razzing menagerie and the YouTube channelWhite House on the Hill , has found that colorful birds such as Mandarin Ducks or White Peacocks actually have existent profitability that you might want to begin considering .
Though Jake now live and homesteads on his own land , he originally started his homesteading career on a rental farm in Missouri . As a farm tenant , he realized he had the luck to raise chickens , so he and his category started with a dozen chicks—10 of which turned out to be cock .
That batch of chicks did n’t pan out as he ’d hoped . But these chicks were the first step in Jake ’s homesteadingcareer .
shortly he became mindful of other homesteading families who had expand their homesteading efforts into self - sustainability . “ When we started to depend up how to take upkeep of chickens , it just kind of opened our eyes to a whole other humans , ” he says . “ There ’s growing your own food and raising your family out in the nation where you ’re doing it all together . ”
work with his landlord , Jake expand his homestead into gardening . But since he was on a rental attribute , he had to keep his main focus on birds . Unabashed , he turn over an old shed intoa chicken coop , built mobile Gallus gallus tractor to house his growing wimp flock and started hatching his own birds .
photo Courtesy White House on the Hill
“ That ’s where we got into some other type of alien birds , ” he says . “ We got some Red Golden Pheasants and Mandarin Ducks and peacock . ”
Once he mastered incubate birds , Jake was quick to set off and research the huge world of alien shuttle , ranging from White Peacocks and emus to midnight black Ayam Cemani chickens . And much to his benefit , the alien bird world held a promising niche market .
Read more : The rarefied Ayam Cemani poulet strain is a hearty dim beauty .
photo Courtesy White House on the Hill
The Exotic Bird Market
An exotic bird may not top everyone ’s Christmas list , but Jake has found the grocery amazingly vigorous . “ There ’s a good grocery for a passel of the birds , ” he say . “ Emus can get reasonably expensive the more mature they get . An ball can be about $ 50 , and a crosshatched emu chick can be a $ 150 and then a 6 - calendar month - old can be $ 300 . ”
Jake ’s rainbow - sheened Mandarin Ducks also do well on the market . Their sales offset many expenses on his homestead , make it easier for him to expand or start other homesteading labor .
However , though the exotic bird industry is a hopeful and growing industry , you need to be cognizant that the market has grifter lurking in it . Facebook is one of the places Jake recommend beginners face for exotic Bronx cheer strain , but he warn that alien shuttlecock scammers also weigh this platform prime hunting terra firma .
ccestep8/Adobe Stock
“ You have to be kind of cautious when you ’re on Facebook , ” he order , “ because there are a plenty of foreign scammers who are scamming people in the U.S. who will pay $ 200 for a razzing . You might endeavor to buy ducks , pay $ 200 and you never get the duck . ” Jake advises that the great unwashed purchase their exotic birds topically off of Facebook , or preferably , meet up with or have someone vouch for the seller .
Still , swindler online are n’t exactly a Modern phenomenon . And it should n’t be too difficult for homesteaders to pick up the difference and do well in the exotic bird marketplace . Jake has already noticed more alien fowl stock breeder entering the market , causing the market to blossom with need . This need is leading breeders to import and spawn more rare fowl , like Jake ’s White Peacocks , Red Golden Pheasants and the vast array of other rare snort he raises .
Jake has also note that postal deliveries have made raising and selling exotic fowl much simple and even provide guarantees for the safety of ship farm animal . The exotic bird marketplace demand and new legal transfer contrivance make it less of a risk for nester to try alien birds as an investment , at least enough to get their feet a bit wet before submit the full dip into raising alien birds.photo Courtesy White House on the Hill
Housing & Feeding
For those ready and set to institute alien birdie onto the homestead , the first step is constructing an enclosure . Jake houses his birds in stress - free Gallus gallus tractors or 6 - by-11 - foot henhouse that are 5 1/2 feet eminent . Concerning how many birds you’re able to keep in an enclosure like this , he keeps two peafowl in one , six pheasant in another and six duck in another .
“ I also commend a hallway pen ( 15 - by-15 foot ) state of affairs or larger for several shuttle to engender together , ” he say . “ For 10 - plus birds together , I would go a little larger and build a run and shelter that would be at least 30 - by-30 - feet with a netted top to give them quad to roam , space to get out of the elements and protection from predators . ”
And as with any survive brute you raise , you’llhave to consider feed for your birds . The feed Jake likes to expend includes bed pellets and game - bird provender which is a combination of corn , milo , whole oat groats , sunflower seeds , Canadian pea , maple pea plant and oyster shells .
However , he does occasionally utilize pigeon or chickenfeed . And so as to add some natural provender to his birdie ’ diet , he practice movable fencing and volaille coops to rotate his birds on pastureland .
Read more : Build a DIY transferable chicken coop with these design .
Tricks of the Trade
You may have already discovered the chance of jumping into a new project with blinders on . Somehow that picture in your mind ’s eye just does n’t trash out like it should have . Raising alien fowl is no different than any other home - base projection , which is why Jake accent : Have . A. Plan .
alien birds are n’t like regular barnyard chickens and often have dissimilar needs that should be well - researched before they are bring onto a homestead . For instance , while chickens might be well-chosen behind poulet telegram , a 6 - foot emu will kick right through such unconvincing fence . Jake recommend doing plentitude of research to ensure the right envelopment for an exotic bird .
When he started keeping Red Golden Pheasants , a stock known for capriciousness , one of his male pheasant instruct him that search an alien raspberry ’s need , like an inclosure , can save a lot of effort later . The bird inhabit in a structure not build for flighty birds and could easily vanish out when someone was entering the coop ’s room access — which it did .
“ We go after him around the belongings , and he could have very easily fly away , ” Jake says . Thankfully , Jake and his sept were able to get the bird back where he belong . But not everyone will be so fortunate . In the long rill , well - researching an alien bird ’s needs will keep both the bird and you felicitous .
The large step , and maybe the most exciting , is the exotic hoot ’s heavy comer on the homestead . At this point in time , Jake always considers what sort of container his birdie will arrive in and how he can safely and firmly move them to a quarantined area before adding them to his main heap .
Though many boo hail in boxes or are turn in to doorsteps , some birds , such as Jake ’s emus , make it in big trailer and have to be carefully transported to well - prepared pen . Also , since bird diseases are n’t anyone ’s cupful of tea , Jake aways makes architectural plan to see to it that new birds do n’t accidentally foul his other birds while they are on their way to their quarantine pens .
So far he has n’t had any problems . But when it total to expensive bird , he does n’t want to take any chances and always prepare when newfangled arrival come to his homestead . “ There ’s always that first time that wipes out other birds , and that ’s why we spend a few days observing them just to be indisputable , ” he articulate .
Like most livestock introduced on a homestead for the first time , the preparation for raise alien birds is the expensive part . You ’ll need some sort of plan to make back the money you put into the project . Otherwise , you ’re going to end up with a very pretty , but expensive and clock time - consuming , pet . Jake recommended that , for make back the finances put into raising exotic hiss , you should make a business plan for selling chicks , adult birds or egg .
“ When you ’re on a homestead , everything cost money , ” he suppose . “ You ’re growing your own food and elicit your own animals . Wherever you’re able to offset expenses or make money is a honest affair . ”
Of course , as with other livestock , homesteaders interested in exotic birdie must keep in mind that predators can still be a problem . Jake must contend with the usual suspects : bird of night , Fox , hawks , raccoons , etc . Fortunately , visitation and error have help him deal with his vulture issues .
“ Most of our dame are kept in coops and closed up , ” he says . “ We put fencing in the ground and electric outside the fencing so a raccoon ca n’t go up up the fence . We ’re strain to make it as protect as possible . Normally , we expend Gallus gallus tractors , and those are cheap . ”ccestep8 / Adobe Stock
Why Should I Do This?
course , you may marvel why you would get up exotic birds in the first blank space ? Homesteaders are opine to enhance things that give back in some way , right ? And Jake would 100 percent agree .
“ While alien birds ca n’t provide food for us , we can sell them to make money and offset feed costs , ” he says . “ Having something to provide a product of note value is a good thing on your homestead . ”
Jake added that homesteading , in addition to make income and solid food for the kinfolk , should be enjoyable . Though Jake always attempt to make back his money , he picks many of the breeds he levy just because they impinge on him as interesting or beautiful . And he enjoys his fowls ’ sweetheart each day as he and his family employment to care for the birds that help supplement their income .
“ We require to have peach everywhere we look , so we really enjoy having birds that are both fun and for lucre , ” Jake pronounce .
This article originally come out in the May / June 2023 issue ofChickensmagazine .
