Call The Doctor!
Anyone who raises animals long enough is bound to have one of their little babies get sick. Don't panic! You don't always have to call the Doctor. Most of the time, an animal will be sick and you won't even know it. If they have been well cared for, their immune systems should be able to fight off what they have, but you will need to spend enough time with your animals to recognize any change in behavior and appetite.
Have you ever heard the saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? This is so true when it comes to animals. Most animals get sick, because of poor living conditions, improper or inconsistent food and water, or a change in the weather. The most important thing you can do for your animals is make sure they get their proper vaccinations during development, and then make sure they get their minerals and supplements. These preventions will help you avoid costly cures in the future.
When you don't know what's wrong, or what to do, call the doctor. Your local vet clinic has highly trained veterinarians with years of experience. Don't hesitate to call and ask for advice, or ask your vet to come over and do a little doctoring. Another wealth of information and advice would be your local feed or animal medical supply store. The experts behind the counter can usually steer you in the right direction if you can describe the condition of your animals or poultry.
Call A Farmer!
One of the best sources of advice you can get will be from your local farmers. Build relationships with the farmers you purchase your livestock and poultry from so you can call and ask them for medical advice without hesitations. Farmers doctor farm animals every day and you might be able to save on veterinarian expenses by consulting with the in the trenches experts. Most farmers specialize in a particular type of farm animals, and so keep a list of the horse, cow, chicken, turkey, duck, goat, pig and any other kind of farmer in the area who you can ask for advice and counsel.
Do It Yourself!
It's not a matter of when, but a matter of how long. If you Miniature Farm long enough, you can know that you won't be able save all of your babies. Spend enough time with your farm animals to know when they aren't feeling good. Notice their noses, eyes and stool. If they have really runny poop, then they probably have the runs. This is especially a problem in babies, because of dehydration. They will need an electrolyte to boost their energy. If they have runny nose, they might have a cold and will need to be kept warm and dry. If their cold goes into their lungs, they could get pneumonia. If their eyes start running they might have an eye infection which can lead to blindness and should be treated with an antibiotic.
If you plan on doing the doctoring yourself, you will want to invest in a few medical supplies. Most medications need to be kept in a cool dry place and some even need refrigeration. A dusting bag hung up in a corral can help control parasites such as flies, lice, fleas, ticks, and such. A few things to begin building your medical bag today are disposable syringes, needles, gauze, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, dewormer, scissors, tape, penicillin, neomycin, bag balm, and the list goes on and on depending upon the types of animals and poultry your raising.
Have Patience!
When animals get sick, it takes time to heal and get better. Don't get discouraged if your animals get sick and you don't know what to do. The internet is an excellent source for information with blogs, forums, and entire websites dedicated to providing Miniature Farmers with the answers they need to care for their flocks and herds. Experience will come with time and effort and a whole lot of practice. You won't be able to save all of your little critters, but by educating yourself, you will be able to save most of them. Don't ever forget that it's your responsibility to provide for your animals every need, especially when they depend on you for food, water, shelter and medical attention.
Many people are in love with the idea of Miniature Farming, and then give up when they realize how time and resource demanding a Miniature Farm can be, but finding solutions to the problems is half the fun. Don't be afraid to admit you bit off more than you could chew and instead of giving up all together, just cut back on the size and variety of your farm. Start with one species of animal or poultry at a time and once you feel you have a really good handle on raising and caring for that variety, add another one to your Miniature Farm. Never over-populate your farm and your babies will be happy, healthy and provide you with lots of consumables.
