The Best Farm Animals to Keep As Pets

Many of us will remember the classic farm-animal duo from Friends: the Chick and the Duck. Far from what you might expect to see as inner-city pets, the poultry pair gave new meaning to “plucky comic relief.” Near and dear to our hearts as these birds were, it may surprise you that certain farm animals (including chicks and ducks) can make great pets.

The Poultry Pair, Revisited

It’s important for me to preface this by saying that while the Chick and the Duck made a nice living in Joey and Chandler’s New York City apartment, real-life chickens and ducks are best kept outside once they grow.

Ducks: Ducks are surprisingly smart and can basically amount to small-dogs-with-wings that poop a lot. They can learn tricks, will play with toys, and will even give kisses and cuddles once they learn how.

Ducks are, however, also highly social. They need a fellow duck as a companion. Luckily, having two males or two females (so you don’t have to worry about unexpected little baby duckies) is completely fine. Ducks just need buddies to be happy.

Chickens: Chickens, like ducks, are social creatures, so it is best to have more than one so that they can keep each other company. It is best to keep other animals and pets such as dogs and cats away from them, but, interestingly, they actually can form bonds with ducks!

Chickens generally do not mind being picked up, snuggled, and hugged, but be wary of having your eyes too close to their beaks because they might peck at you.

Lastly, – adopt, don’t buy. Many chickens end up in shelters and just need homes, and Humane Society recommends adopting if possible.

Note: Before welcoming some feathery friends into your family, be sure to research how and when to keep them outside, how to protect them from predators, and how to keep them from flying away.

Bunny Rabbit

I don’t generally know why bunnies are considered farm animals (that’s not true – I do, I just don’t want to think about it) but they are among my favorite house pets. They have so much personality and oh. My. God. They. Are. So. Damn. Cute.

Bunnies are both curious and persistent, so if you’re keeping your little-adorable-ball-of-floof-with-ears inside, you’ll have to bunny-proof your home. Think of it like child-proofing, only for something that’s smaller, cuter, quieter, and poops less. Also, like children, bunnies will find ways to make trouble if they’re bored. They like to chew, and they will chew most anything that can get their cute little jaws of destruction on. It can be helpful to give your rabbit a place in the house filled with things they can tear apart – things like cardboard boxes, newspapers, and old phone books (let’s be real, all phone books are old at this point).

Finally, personalities vary from bunny to bunny. Some love being snuggled and held, others are more aloof. It is important to be patient and learn what makes your bunny happy, and your bunny will appreciate you in return!

Greatest Of All Time

Goats can be awesome pets. They are social, affectionate, smart, and independent. They take a lot of work, but the reward is worth it. If raised around people, they can enjoy lovings and pettings, will hang out with their humans (and, y’know, do yoga with them), and can even learn to eat from human hands.

And the rewards for owning goats are more than just having a cute and furry yoga-buddy. Goats are the scat masters, masters of all scat. And by “scat,” I don’t mean the cool thing vocal jazz musicians do. I mean poop. Goats poop a lot. But that poop is a fantastic fertilizer. Additionally, goats can maintain your landscaping. Something I like to call goatscaping! They do like to eat so be sure to fence off any area like your garden. Goats are very smart animals and make wonderful pets and if they are the mini goats you won’t need a large space for them. Make sure you have two if you plan on goats because they are herd animals and need a companion.

Farm animals, if raised right and properly cared for, can be wonderful pets to have around. Just remember to do your research before making any commitments, and if you just want to have a fun, relaxing time with some of those farm animals, be sure to visit us here at Goat Yoga!

Tags: Farm Animals, Farm Animals As Pets, Pets