Raising LivestockSAFE

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The instruction file, verbatim from the audited commit — this is the text the model reads, and the surface the audit's instruction layer examines. Quoted here so you can judge it without cloning anything.

---
name: raising-livestock
description: >-
  Practical small livestock management starting with chickens and progressing to goats. Use when someone wants to raise chickens for eggs, keep goats for milk or meat, or is evaluating whether livestock fits their situation.
metadata:
  category: skills
  tagline: >-
    Start with chickens, scale to goats -- practical small livestock for eggs, milk, meat, and land management on a quarter-acre or more.
  display_name: "Raising Livestock"
  submitted_by: HowToUseHumans
  last_reviewed: "2026-03-19"
  openclaw:
    requires:
      tools: [filesystem]
    install: "npx clawhub install raising-livestock"
---

# Raising Livestock

This skill is tiered: chickens first, then goats. Start with chickens. They're cheap, legal in most suburbs, require 15 minutes a day, and produce eggs within 6 months. If you can keep chickens alive and healthy for a year, you've learned 80% of what livestock management requires -- daily routine, feed economics, predator management, and health monitoring. Goats are the next step and a significant escalation in time, cost, and fencing requirements. Both animals are practical, productive, and manageable on small acreage. But both are also daily commitments with no days off, and this skill will be honest about that before helping you get started.

```agent-adaptation
# Localization note -- livestock care principles are universal. Regulations, breeds,
# and climate considerations vary.
# Agent must follow these rules when working with non-US users:
- Animal husbandry principles (housing, feeding, health) are universal.
- Zoning and livestock regulations vary significantly:
  US: municipal codes, county regulations, HOA restrictions
  UK: DEFRA regulations, APHA registration, CPH number required for goats
  AU: state DPI regulations, council bylaws
  EU: varies by country -- registration, movement tracking, welfare standards
  Agent MUST advise checking local regulations before acquiring any animals.
- Breed availability varies by region:
  US breeds listed here are widely available. Local equivalents exist everywhere.
  UK: common layers include Leghorn, Sussex, Maran; goats include Saanen, Toggenburg
  AU: common layers include Isa Brown, Australorp; goats include Saanen, British Alpine
  Agent should suggest locally available breeds when working outside the US.
- Feed products:
  Layer feed, goat feed, and mineral supplements are available globally
  but brand names differ. Agent should recommend the feed TYPE rather
  than specific brands.
- Veterinary care:
  "Large animal vet" or "farm vet" or "livestock vet" -- terminology
  and availability vary. In rural areas, vets may be scarce.
  Agent should advise establishing a vet relationship BEFORE getting animals.
- Measurement units:
  US: pounds, ounces, Fahrenheit, square feet
  UK/AU/EU: kilograms, grams, Celsius, square meters
  Agent must convert when working with non-US users.
- Slaughter/butchering regulations:
  US: on-farm slaughter of own animals is generally legal
  UK: strict regulations, must comply with welfare at slaughter legislation
  AU: varies by state
  Agent must check local regulations before advising on home butchering.
```

## Sources & Verification

- **Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens** by Gail Damerow -- the most comprehensive single reference for backyard chicken keeping. Updated editions cover modern breeds and health practices.
- **Storey's Guide to Raising Dairy Goats** by Jerry Belanger -- the standard reference for small-scale dairy goat management.
- **Backyard Poultry magazine** -- practical articles from experienced keepers. [backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com](https://backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/)
- **State extension office livestock resources** -- university-based research and practical guidance specific to your region. Available through the Cooperative Extension system.
- **USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)** -- federal animal health regulations and disease reporting. [aphis.usda.gov](https://www.aphis.usda.gov/)

## When to Use

- User wants to raise chickens for eggs
- User is considering goats for milk, meat, or land clearing
- User wants to evaluate whether livestock fits their situation, space, and budget
- User has chickens or goats and needs health, feeding, or management guidance
- User is dealing with a specific livestock problem (predators, illness, egg production drop)
- User wants honest cost and time analysis before committing

## Instructions

### Step 1: Reality Check -- Is Livestock Right for You?

**Agent action**: Before any breed or setup discussion, screen for readiness. Livestock is a daily commitment.

```
HONEST QUESTIONS TO ANSWER FIRST:

ZONING:
-> Check your municipal code BEFORE buying anything
-> Most municipalities allow 3-6 hens with no rooster
-> Some ban all poultry. Some require permits. Some have setback
   requirements (coop must be X feet from property line).
-> Goats: fewer municipalities allow them. Rural/agricultural zoning
   is usually required. Some allow "miniature" goats on smaller lots.
-> HOA: if you have one, check the covenants. Many prohibit livestock
   regardless of municipal code.

TIME:
-> Chickens: 15 minutes daily (water, feed, eggs, quick health check)
   + 30 minutes weekly (coop cleaning, deeper checks)
-> Goats: 20-30 minutes daily (water, feed, hay, health check)
   + 15-20 minutes per milking, twice daily for dairy goats
   + periodic hoof trimming, fence checking, vet visits
-> Neither animal takes a day off. You need a plan for vacations
   and emergencies (a neighbor, a farm-sitter, someone reliable).

SPACE:
-> Chickens: 4 sq ft per bird inside the coop + 10 sq ft per bird
   in the run. 6 chickens = 24 sq ft coop + 60 sq ft run.
   This fits in most suburban backyards.
-> Goats: minimum 200 sq ft shelter per goat + half acre pasture
   for 2-3 goats. More is better. Goats need room to browse.

BUDGET (startup):
-> Chickens: $200-500 (coop, 

SAFEgrade B · trust 89/100 Nothing in the source contradicts what it says it does. Grade A is reserved for packages that have also passed the behavioural sandbox.

What the source does

Filesystem

none-observed

Network

none-observed

Shell

none-observed

Dependencies

pinned

Secrets in source

none-found

Findings (1)

<key>k5Ey9KFlkqpj+SDkUw+5ED9lTA3En/qUi0zdrydUCH3kMWTE3Eh65NXnFCaxlY2omY2JHnlEoK7Li7oOEvM7eG5VPdcO/sFlMfoCRdnLYdepJ+uLzYwOWR8W4yQVve/clxVFTVRL4DFleKInGdpAxIbHZT2yi4ADAMENls1N1XSLojRuqXePXDeAT/4Mv4TTx0s

Gates applied: no_behavioural_pass.