{"id":1385,"date":"2025-04-17T12:00:05","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T16:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/?p=1385"},"modified":"2025-04-14T10:14:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T14:14:31","slug":"6-farm-animals-perfect-for-city-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/6-farm-animals-perfect-for-city-living\/","title":{"rendered":"City Farm Animals: 6 Best Choices"},"content":{"rendered":"
City farm animals don’t have to just include chickens and goats: Rabbits, ducks, quail and even cattle can fit on some lots.<\/p>\n
Perhaps nothing makes a farm feel more like a farm than animals. They set the pace of the day, and they provide rhythm, activity, manure and (hopefully) income. Animals, one could say, are the life. Of course, as an urban farmer, your animal options may be limited. Space is a factor, and in many areas, there are restrictions on what kinds and how many animals you can have. Here are six animals suited for city life: Maybe you\u2019ll find one that could provide you a little extra income, fertility and, let’s be honest, entertainment.<\/p>\n
No. 1 City Farm Animal: Chickens, of Course!<\/h2>\nGarrett Heath\/Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Chickens are the most obvious and most popular choice for the urban farmer. Relatively quiet animals (the hens are, at least), they produce highly sought-after products\u2014eggs, meat and more chickens\u2014and are becoming increasingly legal in many cities. To boot, chickens also create a nitrogen-heavy manure, which can make an excellent natural fertilizer when mixed into compost or soil. The Cornish Cross, the Red Ranger and the Freedom Ranger are the best backyard meat breeds, whereas there are countless excellent laying breeds: Black Australorp, Easter Egger, Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red, Buff Orpington \u2026 the list goes on.<\/p>\n
To make a profit from your backyard flock, you can raise them for meat or eggs, but also consider raising them for the chicks. Four- to 6-month-old pullets\u2013\u2013that is, hens that are not yet laying\u2013\u2013can often go for $10 to $20 each. An urban farmer could make a decent living just selling these young birds to other urban farmers.<\/p>\n
Why more urban farmers don’t consider rabbits city farm animals is a bit of a mystery to me. Although they can be used for fiber or breeding, their most profitable product is often meat and many people may feel intimidated by\u2014or simply not interested in\u2014raising such a cute creature then hauling it off to slaughter. That being said, a young rabbit can get to butcher weight in just 12 weeks, which rivals chickens in terms of speediness.<\/p>\n
Raising rabbits takes good organization, but their upkeep is relatively simple, and the upfront investment can be much more reasonable than larger animals: less fencing, smaller pens, less feed, cheaper breeding stocks. Moreover, many rabbits can be produced in a very small area\u2014hundreds of rabbits a year in your average backyard if planned accordingly.<\/p>\n
For meat breeds, consider raising Champagne d’Argent, New Zealand, California, Creme d’Argent or a combination. For pet breeding, the Lops, Dutch and Miniatures are very productive and very adorable. Then, of course, if meat and pet rabbits are not your thing, there are angora rabbits, whose hair can be harvested regularly and mixed with other fibers or sold in bulk for blending.<\/p>\n
Depending on your market, free-range duck eggs sell for upwards of $1 a piece right now. In Nashville, Tenn., in 2015, they were spotted for $1.50 each or $18 a dozen. Now, ducks don’t always produce quite as many eggs in a year as your average chicken, but their yields come close. In fact, some people argue that Indian Runner ducks can out-perform chickens in egg-laying.<\/p>\n
Ducks also make better garden companions than their poultry cousins, and even the laying varieties produce decent meat and duck fat. Some good, small-scale breeds include the aforementioned Indian Runners, Rouens, Khaki Campbells and Blue Swedish. The classic White Pekin is also an excellent dual-purpose breed. Purchase some decent feed along with a kiddie pool, and you\u2019ll raise happy ducks.<\/p>\n
Quail are rather underrated city farm animals. The most common breed, the Bobwhite, can mature in 16 weeks and start laying after 24. Quail can also live in a fairly small area, as long as it’s covered and kept clean. “A 2\u2019 x 2\u2019 x 8\u2019 pen could comfortably house 20 to 25 quail,” Carla Emery notes in her classic book, The Encyclopedia of Country Living (Sasquatch Books, 40th anniversary edition, 2012). Quail will not likely brood their own chicks in captivity, however, so it\u2019s a good idea to have an incubator if you plan to earn a profit from your endeavor. Some quail breeds, such as the Coturnix, can produce four to six eggs a week, which can sell for up to 50 cents an egg, suddenly making quail a profitable fowl for small spaces.<\/p>\n
![\"farm](\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/07171918\/farm-animals-urban-chickens-Garrett-Heath-Flickr.jpg\")
![\"farm](\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/07172048\/farm-animals-urban-rabbits-The-Bunny-Maker-Flickr.jpg\")
![\"farm](\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/07172116\/farm-animals-urban-ducks-Kelly-Weatherly-Flickr.jpg\")
![\"farm](\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/07172140\/farm-animals-urban-quail-Rachael-Brugger.jpg\")
![\"pygmy](\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/22181802\/pygmy-goat-flickr.jpg\")
![\"farm](\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/07172255\/farm-animals-urban-dexter-cattle-Atle-Grimsby-Flickr.jpg\")