Mark-AL says:

An issue to consider when deciding to raise animals (especially near a urban area):
* Predator control: neighborhood dogs are already there; most dogs can learn to enjoy running and killing farm animals. Coyotes, foxes and even wolves will be attracted to the area because of the presence of the farm animals. Coyotes will often kill just for sport, or choose a select doe just to eat the udder. Eagles, crows will attack from overhead, carry off young farm animals to their nests.They also get confused and carry off domestic pets: Billy’s new French Bulldog pup or Susie’s cute little Persian kitten. (Herd farmers rarely keep small breeds of dogs. The cats are on-their-own.) I’ve personally witnessed eagles and large crows carry off chicks and goats (kids) less than 30′ away from where I was sitting. Overhead stainless cables will help to discourage the flying predators, although they are costly to purchase, install and maintain. Plus, patterns have to be adjusted regularly since the eagles (especially) will figure them out. A couple of donkeys brought in to protect the herds will help control the dogs, coyotes, foxes and wolves, but you’ll need two (They’re social. Otherwise, depression sets in, and you don’t want to be anywhere close to a depressed donkey), and you’ll need to keep them away from the herd’s grain because the donkeys will overeat (So you’ll need to separate the herd from the donkeys when you’re feeding grains–easier said than done! ). You’ll need to provide regular hoof care for the donkeys too and regular dental care, since they’re subject to hoof rot and their teeth grow daily and, when kept to protect herds, their food supplies are limited and their teeth wear unevenly. (In the wild, they travel as much as 30 miles per day, which keeps their hooves clean and exposes them to food supplies that more evenly wear their teeth.) Rats live fairly close to where chickens and goats and all farm animals are kept. They wait around for the neighborhood, domestic dogs and other predators to run the animals after sunset, then clean up after the massacre. And, of course, they enjoy the herd’s droppings, especially if the feed is nutritious and tasty, as it should be. 5 neighborhood dogs can easily kill 15-20 nannies in 2 to 3 minutes. Snakes like to eat the rats and the mice, so they’ll introduce themselves to the area in greater numbers than otherwise. Then they slither away to digest their catch. They prefer to digest their food someplace cool–like under or around a rock in a neighbor’s garden, or under or around the door mat on the front porch, and they’re often known to crawl into your Toyota Camry where they’ll enjoy the protection and cool that the seat provides. Sometimes they’ll find an open porch door or wall opening and slither into your bathroom! They relax where it’s cool! City folk haven’t lived until they’ve lived around snakes!! I’m not saying that people can’t adapt to different lifestyles and habitats…..but in the cited example that Steve presented in this feature, the residents CHOSE to live around the farm. In North STL City, I wonder if the residents would have that choice, especially those who are already living there and wish to remain? A neighborhood built around a herd farm would definitely attract me and my family. But our family is like the Beverly Hillbillies, constantly adapting our lifestyle to a denser area.