Lucille

Check with your Local Government before bringing farm animals onto your property. Rules, approvals and permits for keeping livestock of any type, breed or number may apply.

These rules and regulations may differ between Local Governments and the size of your property.

You are required to register as a biosecurity entity with Biosecurity Queensland if you own or keep:

• 1 or more: cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, bison, buffalo, deer
• 1 or more: alpacas, llamas or other animals from the Camelidae family
• 1 or more: horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, zebras, or other animals from the Equidae family
• 100 or more birds e.g. poultry, pigeons

Registering farm yard animals

Horses require daily exercise. This does not mean you have to ride them every day (or even at all), but you need to provide the right environment so that they can move enough to stay healthy or provide structured exercise (or both).

Horses are naturally active animals. A lack of proper exercise leads to behavioural problems, obesity, circulation problems etc. One of the best ways for a horse to get their core exercise is by grazing - because horses walk continuously while they graze, especially if the pasture is biodiverse. Occasional bursts of speed are also good for horses. A healthy horse does this regularly because it is part of normal behaviour.

Horses have evolved to eat a very high fibre diet so this should be the main component of any feeding regime. Any extra nutrients or higher energy feeds the horse may need can be added by supplementary feeding if the hay or grass is deficient or the horse is working hard/producing a foal etc.

Horses require feed that takes a long time to collect and chew – slow feeding. They evolved to eat low energy (low calorie) fibrous food for many hours of the day and night. They have not evolved to eat ‘meals’ as we do. If you do not take this fact into consideration when feeding your horse, you risk behavioural problems (such as ‘cribbing’) and gastrointestinal problems (such as colic/gastric ulcers/laminitis – laminitis starts in the gut and results in a serious problem of the feet).

Whenever possible allow your horse to graze and aim for this to be the bulk of your horse’s diet. Well managed pasture with a diversity of species, is the best feed for horses and will save you money because you then do not have to buy as much (or any) supplementary feed. If there is not enough pasture aim to feed lots of hay. If you do decide to start feeding your horse concentrates (because he/she is working very hard and is not maintaining condition on hay/grass alone) then get some expert advice about what to feed.

Pigs are intelligent, inquisitive, social animals. If you are thinking of getting a pig as a pet, there are several things you should consider first.

Many local councils in Australia will not grant permits for a pig to be kept in a backyard, even in some rural areas. The first step is therefore to check with your local council on any requirements it might have.

You also need to check with your state or territory agriculture (or primary industries) department about the laws that apply to keeping pigs. The same laws that apply to commercial piggeries also apply to pet pigs. For example, it is illegal to feed anything containing meat to pigs. Many of these regulations exist to protect the Australian livestock industry from exotic diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease.

Pigs to be kept as pets should be bought from reputable breeders of pet pigs. Ask to view the parents, as this will give a good indication of the size the pig will grow (although some pigs will outgrow their parents).

More information about keeping pigs as pets

Chicken enclosures generally consist of a coop (a solid structure that houses the chickens at night) and an external run.

The coops for nighttime housing of the chickens can be:

• Permanent, with the chickens housed on deep litter – usually on a concrete slab covered with a deep layer (10-15cms) of litter (sawdust, shavings, or hay) that is changed regularly.
• Permanent, with the chickens housed in enclosures inside a shed. This kind of set up is often used for show poultry or breeding birds.
• Portable/moveable coops – often an A-frame coop and enclosure with wheels at one end that can be moved around the garden or lawn every few days. This minimises damage to the grass, while also minimising the build-up of pathogens such as intestinal parasite ova.

Current recommendations are for a minimum floor/run area of 3 m2 for housing up to six bantams or three large birds. Additional birds will require an increase in enclosure size of at least 0.4 m2 for every large bird and 0.3 m2 for every small bird. Note that these recommendations are for a minimum-sized coop and run – if you can go larger, the birds will appreciate it.

Chickens instinctively seek high roosts to avoid predators while they sleep. Roosting perches made of 75mm x 50mm dressed timber placed at least 50cm from the floor are usually appreciated by chickens. Plastic perches are not recommended as they can become brittle with age and, more importantly, they are not good for the chickens’ feet. At least 15cm of roost space per bird should be provided.

Nest boxes are used by the hens to lay their eggs. As chickens lay their eggs at different times of the day, it is not unusual for them to time share a box. At least one box should be provided for every 2-4 hens. Nest boxes that are 30cm x 30cm are typically suitable for most chickens, however if you have larger birds, provide a box to suit the largest hens. The boxes should be sheltered within the coop for the comfort of egg-laying hens and be mounted on the cool side of the coop preferably 60cm to 90cm off the ground, not too high from the roosting regions.

Domestic poultry are omnivores; they cannot rely on a total grain diet, and their digestive system is not developed for handling leafy material such as grasses. Whole grain wheat is deficient for poultry in protein, calcium, and vitamins, especially vitamin A, and the phosphorus content can vary widely.

Therefore, the basis of a poultry diet should be a good quality commercial feed. Modern commercial poultry feeds in Australia are pelleted (compressed into thin cylinders and cut to appropriate lengths and shapes). They are usually wheat/sorghum-based, with a significant component of ruminant derived meat and bone meal (unless for vegetarian egg production) and some plant derived protein rich materials (soy-bean meal, canola meal etc.), supplemented with vitamins and minerals.

There are different types of feed sold for poultry:

• Mash: a nutritionally complete feed in a ground form. It is often used as a starter ration.
• Pellet: a mash that has been pelletised; that is, compressed and molded into pellets in a pellet mill. Unlike mash, where the ingredients can separate in shipment and the poultry can pick and choose among the ingredients, the ingredients in a single pellet stay together, and the poultry eat the pellets whole. Pellets are often too large for newly hatched poultry.
• Crumble: pellets that have been sent through rollers to break them into granules. This is often used for chick feed.
• Scratch: one or more varieties of whole, cracked, or rolled grains. Unlike other feeds, which are fed in troughs, hoppers, or tube feeders, scratch grains are often scattered on the ground. Hence, a large particle size is desired. Because they consist only of grains, scratch grains are not a complete ration, and are used to supplement the balanced ration.
• Medicated feeds: Many commercial starter diets are medicated (see above). Care must be taken to ensure that these feeds are not fed to species other than chickens, as these drugs can be toxic to turkeys and peafowl.

Ducks live in pairs or in a flock where they can socialise and help each other find food and stay protected from predators. When in a flock, ducks maintain a strict social hierarchy and will form close connections and bonds with specific other ducks in the flock. When keeping ducks as pets it is therefore best to always have more than one duck or at least other poultry species, such as chickens, so that they can keep each other company.

It is important that pet ducks are introduced to each other slowly and safely to ensure they have time to get to know one another and form social bonds.

Pet ducks can be kept in a variety of housing types in your backyard.

There are legal restrictions on the keeping of backyard poultry, including ducks. It is important to check with your local council regulations whether there are any restrictions on the number and types of ducks that can be kept and the size and location of backyard poultry housing.

Some of the common housing types used are a fixed shed with an enclosed or open run area with deep litter, or a mobile house that is moved around the garden. The indoor shed area for ducks can be a permanent house structure with deep litter covering the floor or moveable house, such as an A-frame coop with wheels, which is moved around the garden every few days. Ducks should always also have access to an outdoor run area and be able to access to water that they can submerge themselves in during the day.

As a guideline, the minimum indoor floor space for ducks should be 1m2 per 1-2 ducks. Indoor housing areas should be well-ventilated and made of appropriate materials to make sure it doesn’t get too hot or cold inside. Ducks tend to prefer colder temperatures and have a thermoneutral zone which ranges from 7 to 23°C.

As waterfowl, ducks are semi-aquatic, so they should have access to a clean water source in which they can fully submerge to perform all their water-related behaviours. They will typically spend several hours each day performing water-related behaviours, such as preening, bathing, floating in the water, and resting near water. Being able to preen and bathe in water is very important for ducks to keep their eyes, nostrils, and feathers clean and good condition.

The water ducks use for bathing and swimming needs to be kept clean to prevent algae and bacteria overgrowing, which can make ducks sick. The types of water sources in backyards that can be used include deep troughs, showers, pools, and baths. Ideally, ducks should have access to shallow water (10-20 cm) where they can dabble and submerge their heads, as well as deeper water (>20 cm) to swim and float on.

Ducks should always have constant access to a separate clean drinking water, such as bell or nipple drinkers, because the water ducks use of bathing and swimming tend to get dirty very quickly.

Ducks should not be fed chicken feed, or feed made for other kinds of poultry because they have species specific nutritional needs to maintain their health at different life stages. The nutritional needs of your ducks will be affected by many factors, including breed, age, sex, reproductive status, health status, and general level of activity.

Ducks are omnivores, which mean they eat a mix of grasses, grains, small insects, and aquatic animals. Feeding your ducks with a good quality commercial duck feed that is age appropriate is a great way to ensure their nutritional needs are met. Modern commercial poultry feeds in Australia are pelleted (compressed into thin cylinders and cut to appropriate lengths and shapes). You may choose to feed your ducks some vegetables (e.g., cooked or raw leafy greens and pumpkins), fruit (e.g., melons and berries), and non-toxic garden plants. These types of treats should not exceed 10% of ducks’ daily feed consumption, or there is a risk of creating a nutritional imbalance.

Check with your local council on any requirements it might have for keeping goats. Biosecurity Queensland also has specific requirements and registration for the keeping of goats.

All goats, particularly young goats (kids), are playful and curious by nature, so they require an environment that will encourage activity to satisfy these natural instincts.

Goats need an area with sufficient space for them to run around and play. You can provide them with an enriched environment by giving them things like balls and haystacks to play with. Goats also like to climb, so providing them with sturdy crates or non-slip tables will help them to express this natural behaviour and keep them entertained for hours.

Keeping goats in a group is ideal, but if there are no other goats around, other animals like horses, cows and sheep will do. You will need to keep in mind the competition for food and resources between the species and may need to separate them at feeding time to ensure everyone is getting their fair share.

Apart from having interesting space to explore, goats also need an enclosure that will keep them safely contained.

For the average sized goat, a fence around four-feet high will do. Depending on your budget and resources, installing ‘no-climb’ fencing may be an option.

This can be done by securing a panel of wood to the top of the fence. You can also loop wire around a regular fence to create a thicker structure.

Goats also tend to munch on everything, so make sure that whatever fence materials you choose are durable!

It is not in a goat’s nature to compete for food. When feeding them, make sure they are separated from other animals, so they aren’t forced to fight for resources.

Goats love to graze, whether on pasture or hay. Just make sure they do not have access to any toxic plants, because goats are like lawnmowers – they will munch through whatever is in their path!

Goats will do fine eating your compost, for the most part. Egg shells can be problematic, but most other basic kitchen and garden compost is fine for goats as long as they're used to it.

Of course, your goats need access to fresh, clean water at all times. You may want to raise your water bucket off the ground onto a platform or in an old tire, so it's less likely to get kicked over.

Please check with your local council, Queensland Government, and Biosecurity Queensland for requirements and permission to keep sheep as companion animals in Queensland.

Read more on keeping sheep