The animals are some of the most entertaining, rewarding, and occasionally unpredictable parts of our homestead. From chickens scratching through the yard and quail calling from their pens to rabbits waiting for attention and bees quietly working around the hive, each one brings its own needs, habits, personality, and lessons into our days.
Caring for animals has taught us that homestead life rarely follows a perfect plan. There are coops and hutches to maintain, eggs to gather, feed and water to manage, health concerns to watch for, and plenty of unexpected situations to work through. Some seasons bring exciting progress, while others remind us how much there still is to learn—but the responsibility and connection that come from caring for living things make the work worthwhile.
Around The Critter Zone, I’ll share the animals we raise now, the experiences we have gathered over the years, and the plans we are making for the future. Wander out to the coop, check in on the rabbits, visit the beehive, and follow along as we continue learning how each new addition fits into the growing rhythm of our homestead.I love growing food, herbs, fruit, and flowers, but I also enjoy everything the garden continues to teach me. Some lessons come from a basket overflowing with a successful harvest, while others come from plants that struggled, experiments that did not work, or unexpected problems that sent me searching for a better solution. Gardening is always a mixture of planning, patience, observation, adaptation, and trying again.
The Critter Zone
Life on the homestead is always livelier with animals aorund.
Poultry & Eggs
Rabbits & Small Livestock
Bees & The Apiary
Fish, Aquaculture & Aquaponics
Our future greenhouse plans include a tank of tilapia and an aquaponic system that connects raising fish with growing food. This is where I’ll share the animal side of that journey—from planning and water quality to feeding, fish care, system balance, and everything we learn as the project takes shape.
Our chickens and quail bring plenty of personality to the homestead—not to mention a steady supply of eggs. Here I’ll share flock care, housing, feeding, breeds, incubation, seasonal challenges, egg handling, and the lessons we learn from raising poultry, with room for future turkeys and guinea hens too.
Rabbits have been part of our lives in more than one way, from the animals we care for now to my past experience raising meat rabbits. Here I’ll share housing, feeding, breeding, health, everyday care, and the practical lessons that can also carry forward if goats or other small livestock eventually join us.
A beehive is its own busy little world, and we are still learning how to help ours thrive. Follow along for hive care, seasonal management, pollination, honey-production goals, equipment, observations, successes, setbacks, and the things we discover as we work toward becoming more confident beekeepers.
Explore The Critter Zone
From Around The Critter Zone
Take a peek at the animals, eggs, hive projects, works in progress, new additions, and everyday moments happening around The Critter Zone.
Latest from The Critter Zone
Explore the newest animal-care guides, homestead stories, coop and hutch projects, beekeeping updates, aquaculture plans, and lessons learned from life with the critters.
From Our Homestead to Yours
Looking for something produced or inspired by the animals on our homestead? Explore fresh chicken and quail eggs when available, future honey products, and other seasonal goods from Rach’s Place.