Farm Animals at Sunset Hill
Have you been to visit the farm animals at Sunset Hill Farm Park? They enjoy seeing all the park visitors throughout the year, even in the winter and spring! If you haven’t seen them yet, this article will give you an idea of what you will see. If you have seen them, then you’ll find some new, fun information about our animals!
Having animals at Sunset Hill Farm continues a tradition since Colonel Murray, the original owner of the property, kept dairy cows and chickens. Many people who live around here will remember buying eggs and milk at the farm.
We have 3 types of chickens: Rhode Island Red (dark brown), Buff Orpington (light brown), and Barred Rock (black and white). They’re all hens that lay eggs, and since there are no roosters, the eggs are not fertilized. These eggs are used for our summer camp, Camp FUNset. When campers stay overnight at the campground, they get fresh eggs for breakfast!
Living with the chickens are 2 types of ducks: Pekin (white) and Cayuga (black). Ducks and chickens get along just fine. Ducks love to swim and clean themselves in a pond. It’s fun to see them splash around their pool! They are all females and lay eggs as well. Duck eggs are often preferred by bakers for their rich flavor.
We also have bronze turkeys at the park. Our turkeys are female and lay eggs. They don’t gobble like the male turkeys (toms) do; their sounds are varied and include yelps, chirps, and purrs. Our turkeys like to be petted and they display their contentment with purring sounds.
The rabbits are Holland Lops with cute long ears. They are sisters even though their colors are different. They’re most active early and late in the day, and since they are prey animals, they like to stay hidden at other times. These two rabbits were born in 2016.
Our goats are Nigerian dwarfs and were born in 2017. They are named Joy (white), Nellie (black), and Aranea (black and white), from the book Charlotte’s Web. They’re all related even though they have different colors. You will see them climb on structures or just bask in the sun on top of a tree stump.
The sheep are all Cotswold sheep; two are male and one is female. Their names are Bob, Sheldon, and Peach. Their wool grows quickly and needs to be sheared twice a year. They have been sharing living space with the goats, but each species has its own barn. Like goats, they are ruminants and have 4 parts to their stomach. Unlike goats, they are not good climbers.
It’s free to see the farm animals at Sunset Hill, and they’re here year-round. You’ll find them behind the first red barn by the main parking lot. Please feel free to interact with them, but do not feed them unless a park staff member is present. Park staff will be available at certain events to allow feeding and petting.
Our animals hope you’ll come see them soon!