So I plan to be back on the coast and looking for a place to call home this fall. In the meantime, I am planning my dream farm in my head. Animal husbandry is one of my passions. I just love raising animals. I'm curious, for those of you who already have animals, or plan to get some, what your criteria is. I know that some types of animals just attract some of us more than others, but past that... What are you looking for? Something that tastes good, something that produces quickly, something you can make a profit from? Of the different types of animals, which do you prefer, and why? And among those animals, are there certain breeds that you prefer?
I really like the idea of raising rare heritage breeds, because I like knowing that I'm helping to preserve something that is disappearing, and cannot be replaced. I like to have a hand in continuing traditions. People at some point put a lot of time and effort into creating those breeds, and I just think that the cause is a worthy one.
I also really like to have fun with colors and genetics, so I like a variety. For instance - why have Toggenburg goats when you can have Alpines, which are almost identical type-wise, but come in every color of the rainbow (including the standard Toggenburg pattern)? For this reason, I really enjoy creating mutt chickens (their colors are ALWAYS a surprise!), and creating new colors of rabbits in my breeds of choice.
I like oddities. I don't like the same old boring thing that everyone else has. In a world full of Holsteins, I'll take the Belted Dutch. In a world full of Californian rabbits, I'll take the Rex. In a world full of enormous, homogeneous pink pigs, I'll take some Kune Kunes, or maybe even a GOS.
I like animals that do well without a lot of human intervention. I have no interest in sheep that require help to lamb. I don't want animals that require a ton of supplementing and grain to survive, etc.
I like animals that stay relatively small. That works well for me, since I do like a variety, and the smaller they are, the more you can fit in less space.
One of the main things for me is that an animal be good for more than one thing. If you can only make a profit off a critter a single way, it loses some of its appeal for me. For instance, I really enjoy showing rabbits, and know that I can make good money from selling papered rabbits in the show world, but what do I do with sub-standard rabbits, rabbits that are just not show quality? They either have to be standard-sized that can be butchered out, or dwarf-sized that I can sell easily to the pet trade. Chickens need to be rare breeds that I can sell day-old chicks from, or mutts to raise for my own enjoyment. Eggs can also be sold, and roos can be butchered out.
Anyway... Tell me what you prefer, and why! I'm interesting in getting to know you all, and knowing what critters you have or fancy is a good place to start.