Grazing without pens?

[SievertChaser]

Just realized goats require a lot more space than I thought they would. Does anyone have much experience with animal husbandry without pens? Is it at all practical?

I do realize I'll have to actively purge predators across the map.

[Jaasrg]

You'll have to restrict their access to map edge somehow so if you can do that, you should be fine.

[SievertChaser]

Originally posted by Jaasrg:

You'll have to restrict their access to map edge somehow so if you can do that, you should be fine.

Is that due to risk of fleeing or risk of being nabbed?

[Jaasrg]

Fleeing. Guess it depends what animal you're keeping and how on top of them your handler is.
Only got sheep and horses in current colony and those have 5 and 2 days roam interval respectively.

[Astasia]

If you don't have a pen or hitching spot then handlers will not attempt to rope escaping animals. If you do have a pen or hitching spot the handler will try to rope all farm animals on the map to that spot. "Free grazing" isn't really viable unless you heavily micromanage it and pay constant attention to all animals.

[Artisan Alex]

If you toggle 'Stay Open' on your pen gate, your animals can run out to touch grass when they get hungry. Your ranchers will only drag them back in when their wander timer goes off and they start trying to escape. Do pay attention to map edges like Jaasrg mentioned.

[SievertChaser]

Originally posted by Astasia:

If you don't have a pen or hitching spot then handlers will not attempt to rope escaping animals. If you do have a pen or hitching spot the handler will try to rope all farm animals on the map to that spot.

But, correct me if I'm wrong, it's not part of the normal caravan hitching spot functionality.

[SievertChaser]

Originally posted by Artisan Alex:

If you toggle 'Stay Open' on your pen gate, your animals can run out to touch grass when they get hungry. Your ranchers will only drag them back in when their wander timer goes off and they start trying to escape. Do pay attention to map edges like Jaasrg mentioned.

Very interesting. Still sounds barely reloable, but at least it's an option in case the grass inside runs out.

[Jaasrg]

Originally posted by dennis.danilov:

Originally posted by Astasia:

If you don't have a pen or hitching spot then handlers will not attempt to rope escaping animals. If you do have a pen or hitching spot the handler will try to rope all farm animals on the map to that spot.

But, correct me if I'm wrong, it's not part of the normal caravan hitching spot functionality.

It is and something the game implies you should do when you get to encounter on world map.

[Guided]

not sure if this will help...

I tend to just use hay,
they can eat it after its grown a bit,
but if you cut it and put it in a room, they will eat that as well, its good for the hungry plant eaters.

try to grow a little early game in dark soil so it grows quicker.
I tend to keep animals in a spare room early game, with a zone set to fresh/hay found this works fine.

you dont really need to make it into kibble unless its for a meat eating animal or maybe training

[SievertChaser]

Originally posted by Guided:

but if you cut it and put it in a room

Just to make it clear: a dedicated small stockpile area they'd "steal" from?

[dot]

I just tend to do pens covering 1/3 of the map just for maybe 20 animals, then make a barn with medic sleeping spots for animals and to be also a place to put a fireplace if some animals need it on winter.

I mean what`s the difference of free roaming and inside a pen if the pen covers the whole available place. They are just fences, and that`s your colony tile of the map, fence the whole map if you are gonna ranch.

That can also help with raids, some raiders can get distracted destroying the fences while other push, then you have them widely split up.

[SievertChaser]

Originally posted by dot:

I just tend to do pens covering 1/3 of the map just for maybe 20 animals

Yeah, sounds about right

[The Grand Mugwump]

Use a caravan hitching spot next to a shelf full of hay. They'll be fine crammed into a little space that way.