Amber’s Recommendations

This page has affiliate links to all of my favorite products. Everything listed here is used on our farm, I will never list anything here that we have not tried ourselves. That being said, not everything that I do will work on your homestead! This is just a list of items to help new and seasoned homesteaders research some essentials and some extras! If I am missing something that you consider a “must-have” message me and tell me about it!

Birds

Feeders: This large feeder can hold a 50lb bag of feed. This feeder is an awesome option for larger flocks and for people who have smaller flocks and do not want to feed everyday. This option has also proven to be rat resistant when mounted on a wall. We have also noticed a reduction in grain waste since switching primarily to this feeder. A smaller feeder is a good option for smaller flocks, this can be hung up, and does reduce grain waste when compared to bowls or other options on the ground. The top of this feeder is open, so it should be kept under cover if possible, or brought in during inclement weather. This type of feeder also comes in larger sizes for larger flocks. A third option is to make your own feeder, this kit comes with the drill attachments necessary to make your own extra large feeder. This is AWESOME for large flock owners that want to be able to feed less frequently. We used this kit to make a feeder out of a 55 gallon, food-grade barrel that we bought on craigslist. We have emptied up to 5, 50 lb grain bags into this feeder, allowing us some freedom to leave the farm, assured that the birds have food available. The design of the feeding implement also helps to reduce waste and minimize pests.

Waterers: For chickens I prefer this hanging nipple water container, this reduces waste and keeps your water clean. You can use this for chicks at ground-level as well. If you need a larger option, you can buy the nipples separately and install them into whatever size container you want! These are also an awesome option for cold winters, as you can put a water heater to keep your water from icing over and avoiding having to carry water buckets out daily! This heater will heat anything from 5 to 50 gallons. For ducks you will need something that they can submerge their bills in, for duck hygiene purposes. I use rubber feed pans for this. I recommend never using anything hard sided if you have freezing temperatures, as it can be difficult to remove ice. With the rubber pans you flip it, stomp it, and refill it!

Incubators: For small batches I recommend the Nurture Right 360, this can hold 22 eggs and the clear exterior allows you to view hatching! For medium sized batches I recommend the GQF genesis 1588, this incubator can hold up to 42 chicken eggs and also has a viewing window. This particular kit comes with the automatic egg turner, for people like me who can never remember to turn their eggs! For large batches of eggs I cannot recommend the company Dickey’s Incubators enough. These incubators can hold 270 eggs and come with automatic turners. They can be customized to whatever your needs are. They are comparable to all of the major brands at a fraction of the price. (This one is not an affiliate link, I just genuinely love my Dickey’s cabinet incubator)

Brooding Supplies: For a simple brooder, we use a large storage tote. Make sure your tote is large enough to fit all of your supplies. Starting with a brooding plate. I never recommend using a heat lamp, as they are a huge fire risk. Brooding plates greatly reduce that risk and give the chicks a place to get out of sight as well. A simple feeder and waterer also do the trick for chicks. I recommend raising the waterer off of the ground by hanging it or propping it up, to reduce mess in your brooder. The last thing I recommend for brooding chicks is an electrolyte solution, this will give your chicks a boost in their early days, decreasing the chance of losses.

First-Aid Supplies: Pick-no-more will deter other chickens from continually pecking a wound. Vetericyn is a good option for cleaning out wounds to prevent infection. Triple antibiotic cream gives an extra layer of protection from infection. Basic first-aid supplies like gauze, tape, trauma shears, and vet wrap are important additions to your kit, for any animal. It is also a good idea to keep medication on hand or know somewhere local that it can be sourced quickly. Some medications I keep on hand are Tylan 200, Ivermectin, Corid, Penicillin, Vitamin B-12, and Permethrin. All of these can be found at an online pharmacy, like Valley Vet.

Other: An extra I enjoy are my nesting boxes. These particular boxes are especially good if you have any egg-eaters in your flock. The roll-away system keeps the eggs safe from any birds who may be looking for an easy snack! A great cleaning tool for your coop if you use sand is a sifting shovel. We have personally decided that sand is not the substrate for us, but when we did use it, this shovel made cleaning easier and lessened the need to replace sand. When it comes to treats, my birds LOVE black soldier fly larvae, fed in moderation of course!

Swine

Feeders: I am going to be honest here, I have not found a feeder for the pigs that works any better than the ground. Many pigs will just knock over whatever containment method you try. If you have found something that works, please let me know so I can try it!

Waterers: The best watering system I have found is these nipple drinkers, attached to a 55 gallon bucket or large water trough. To attach these you are going to want to grab these bulkheads as well. Then you just drill the holes, attach the nipples, and fill your container! This is also a good option for cold-weather climates, as you can easily use a water heater with these as well.

Fencing: For permanent fencing for pigs, I use 17 gauge wire, attached to a fence charger. I prefer a plug-in charger, but have used the solar chargers with success as well. I found that the solar charger worked for sows and young pigs, but adult boars can be a little more persistent. When setting up an electric fence, there are many reference videos available online to ensure you are setting up and grounding properly. If you plan on moving pigs often, the Premier1 pig electric netting is a good option. This stuff is super simple to move and my pigs have been respectful of it. You will need to purchase a charger to go with the netting.

Safety: Generally speaking, for my pigs, I have never felt threatened by any of them. This includes my large boar, Stanley. HOWEVER, I would encourage you to never trust an adult male animal that is larger than you. Hormones can make the sweetest boar act out, especially if being housed with females. I keep this stock prod on me if I am in the pig pen on my own. I have used it a couple times when I have asked Stanley for space and he has refused. It is an effective deterrent without causing any damage.

General Homestead Tools

Gardening:

Apparel:

Tools: