Ask the barn: every answer
Everything our residents get asked, written out on one page. The animals answer in their own voices; the notes underneath are the true part, with sources. You can ask these as questions on the Ask the barn section of our home page.
Reba Mini donkey
One of eight mini donkeys
Are you stubborn?
People call us stubborn. We're careful. A horse runs first and thinks later. I stop, look at the thing, and decide. It looks the same from the outside, and it isn't.
Straight from the barn Donkeys pause and assess a threat instead of bolting. Pushing a frozen donkey makes it worse; let them look, then ask again. Source: The Donkey Sanctuary, Understanding donkey behaviour
What do you eat?
Straw, mostly. Low-sugar hay. A little mineral supplement. I would trade all of it for one scoop of sweet feed and that is exactly why I'm not allowed near the feed room.
Straight from the barn The Donkey Sanctuary feeds straw as 50 to 75 percent of the diet, with hay and restricted grazing for the rest. Rich pasture puts donkeys at risk of obesity and laminitis. Source: The Donkey Sanctuary, Feeding donkeys
Are you just a small horse?
I am not a small horse. Different animal. Different opinions. Feed me like a pony and you'll hurt me.
Straight from the barn "A donkey is not a small horse and should not be fed as such." Donkeys need fewer calories than a pony the same size. Source: The Donkey Sanctuary, Feeding donkeys
Why the ears?
The ears hear your truck turn off the main road, and they dump heat in August. My people came out of the desert. It shows.
Straight from the barn Donkeys descend from African wild ass, a desert animal. Their coats aren't waterproof, so they need dry shelter more than a horse does. Source: The Donkey Sanctuary, Understanding donkey behaviour
Who does your feet?
Feet every six to eight weeks. I hold still for it now. I did not always hold still for it.
Straight from the barn Farrier every 6 to 8 weeks plus dental checks. That's most of what a $35 sponsorship covers here. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How did you get your name?
Named after Reba McEntire, and I answer to it. Every donkey here is named for a country music legend — Minnie Pearl, Loretta, Hank, Rainey Lainey, Charlie Pride. Except Smith and Wesson. They came first, before anybody thought up a theme, and they live over with the horses like they’re too good for us.
Straight from the barn All eight mini donkeys at the sanctuary are named for country music legends. Smith and Wesson were the first two donkeys here and were named before the theme started. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Do you get lonely?
Don't keep a donkey by themselves. We pick somebody and we keep them. When one of us goes, the rest of us change, and anyone who says otherwise hasn't stood in a barn at night.
Straight from the barn Donkeys form strong pair bonds, and a change in the herd changes their behavior. There are eight minis here: Reba, Minnie Pearl, Loretta, Hank, Rainey Lainey and Charlie Pride, plus Smith and Wesson, who live over in the horse field. Source: The Donkey Sanctuary, Understanding donkey behaviour
How smart are you?
We learn fast. We just don't perform on demand.
Straight from the barn The Donkey Sanctuary puts donkey learning on a par with dogs and dolphins. Natural behaviors come quickly; unnatural ones, like loading in a trailer, take patience. Source: The Donkey Sanctuary, Understanding donkey behaviour
How do we know when you feel bad?
If I hurt, you may not see it until it's bad. It isn't bravery. It's what prey animals do. So the people here watch us, and that's the whole job.
Straight from the barn Pain often shows up as behavior: kicking, refusing to lift a foot, a sudden change in temperament. Any of those should be checked. Source: The Donkey Sanctuary, Understanding donkey behaviour
Can I ride you?
Nobody rides here. Not me, not the horses, no matter how small the child.
Straight from the barn Sanctuary rule: no riding, no climbing on animals, not even for a photo. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What happened to Rainey?
Rainey Lainey is our elder. She choked once and it was a bad night. The vet came out fast. She's still here, still telling me what to do.
Straight from the barn That kind of emergency is what the Dessie Fund is for. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How long do you live?
Thirty years is ordinary for a donkey. Plenty of us go past forty. Taking one of us on is not a five-year plan.
Straight from the barn Donkeys commonly live 30 to 40 years with good care — far longer than most people expect. Source: The Donkey Sanctuary, Understanding donkey behaviour
Would you make a good pet?
We are not pets in the way people mean it. We are company, and we are opinionated company. Come stand near me and be boring for a minute and I will come to you. Grab at my face and we are done. And never keep one of us alone.
Straight from the barn Donkeys need a companion donkey, a shelter, dry lot grazing and regular hoof care. They are a 30-year commitment, not a lawn ornament. Source: The Donkey Sanctuary, Understanding donkey behaviour
What does it cost to keep you?
Thirty-five dollars a month keeps me in hay and gets my feet done. That's the whole ask.
Straight from the barn A mini donkey sponsorship is $35 a month: low-sugar hay, farrier every 6 to 8 weeks, dental. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Bocephus Kune Kune pig
One of five Kune Kunes
How did you get your name?
Kunekune is Māori for fat and round. I've decided it's a compliment and I've earned it twice over.
Straight from the barn Kunekune pigs came to New Zealand with whalers and traders in the 1800s and were kept by Māori communities. The name means fat and round. Source: Kunekune, Wikipedia
Are you rare?
There were almost none of us left. Two men went looking in the 1970s and found eighteen pigs. Every Kune Kune alive traces back to that handful, including me.
Straight from the barn By the 1970s only small isolated populations remained. John Simister and Michael Willis gathered 18 pigs in 1978; those founded every modern breeding line. Source: American KuneKune Pig Society, Origin & history
What are the tassels under your chin?
These two danglers under my chin are piri piri. Not every Kune Kune has them. Do not pull them. I am serious.
Straight from the barn Piri piri are the chin tassels. They serve no known purpose beyond looking magnificent. Source: Kunekune, Wikipedia
What do you eat?
Pellets, hay, grass. That's the list. People love to hand a pig a donut. Don't. I'll take it, then I'll be sick, then everyone feels terrible.
Straight from the barn Kune Kunes are grazers with short, upturned snouts, so they tear up pasture far less than other pigs. Only staff feeds the animals here. Source: Kunekune, Wikipedia
Where did you come from?
Texas, by way of a rescue, and then a long ride to Mississippi where Jules and Lane met us and turned the truck around for Tennessee. Five pigs, a lot of hours. We have not had to worry about supper since.
Straight from the barn The five Kune Kunes came from a rescue in Texas; the farm drove to Mississippi to pick them up. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How big do you get?
Grown Kune Kunes run about 130 to 440 pounds, knee high on you. I'd rather not be more specific about where I fall.
Straight from the barn Kunekunes stand roughly 24 inches at the shoulder and weigh 130 to 440 pounds, one of the smallest pig breeds. Source: Kunekune, Wikipedia
How do you get along with everybody else?
We go where we like. Nobody stops a pig. The goats find somewhere else to be, the donkeys watch us go by, and none of it is a fight. It is just understood.
Straight from the barn The pigs range through the farm during the day, and the other animals give them a wide berth. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How smart are you?
Smarter than your dog. I know who carries the feed scoop, what time she carries it, and precisely how loud I have to be about it.
Straight from the barn Kunekunes are known for a docile, people-oriented temperament, which is part of why they were kept close to villages rather than penned. Source: American KuneKune Pig Society, Origin & history
Do you like a shower?
Pick up a hose and I am your shadow. Warm water down my back, a scratch behind the ear, and I will stand there until you give out. I’m a lover, not a fighter. I have never once had to prove it.
Straight from the barn Kune Kunes are known for being easygoing and people-oriented. Bocephus will follow anyone carrying a hose until he gets his spa day. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Why the mud?
We don't sweat. The mud is sunscreen and air conditioning. Stop calling it filthy.
Straight from the barn Shade, fresh water and a wallow are safety equipment for pigs in a Tennessee summer. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Why are you so loud?
That racket is not a complaint, it is a countdown. We can hear a feed scoop from clear across the farm, and we start announcing supper the second we do. Nothing is wrong. Everything is about to be right.
Straight from the barn Pigs are talkers. Researchers analyzed 7,414 calls from 411 pigs and could sort them by emotional state with about 92 percent accuracy, with short grunts lining up with good moods. The noise the Kune Kunes make when visitors walk up is anticipation, not distress. Source: University of Copenhagen, Pig grunts reveal their emotions
Are you like a dog?
Visitors say it every time: we act like puppies. We come running, we lean on a leg, we follow whoever looks most likely to have food, and if you scratch a belly we go over sideways and stay there. The difference is that a puppy eventually wears out.
Straight from the barn Kune Kunes were kept as family pigs around New Zealand villages rather than penned away, and the breed is known for a docile, people-oriented temperament. It is why they do well with visitors here. Source: American KuneKune Pig Society, Origin & history
Do you like belly rubs?
Scratch along my side and keep going. When I flop over, that's the review. Five stars.
Who are your friends?
Five of us. Buttercup is the biggest and the loudest, and she knows both of those things. Buttons is the black and white one and the sweetest of us. Blossom is nearly cuddly, at least in the cold months — in summer he’s ninety percent mud. And yes, he. We were all named before anybody checked. Bubbles is a redhead with the energy to match. Then me. Never step between a pig and supper.
Straight from the barn All five Kune Kunes came from a rescue in Texas. Jules and Lane drove to Mississippi to meet them and bring them home. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How long do you live?
Fifteen to twenty years, given a decent life. We are a long commitment in a small package, which is how a lot of us end up needing rescue.
Straight from the barn Kune Kunes typically live 15 to 20 years — one reason they often end up rehomed or surrendered. Source: Kunekune, Wikipedia
Do you bite?
I do not bite. Kune Kunes are known for being easy with people, which is the whole reason we survived at all. Just do not come between me and supper and we will stay friends.
Straight from the barn Kune Kunes were kept as family pigs in New Zealand and are known for a docile, people-friendly temperament. Source: American KuneKune Pig Society, Origin & history
What does it cost to keep you?
Twenty-five a month. Pellets, hay, bedding, and a hoof trim for feet I'd rather nobody touched.
Straight from the barn Sponsoring the Kune Kunes is $25 a month. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Gigi Sebastopol goose
One of three geese
How did you get your name?
Gigi, after Lane’s mother. That is a name with standards attached, and I keep every one of them. I am put together before I leave the shed and I stay that way.
Straight from the barn Gigi is named for Lane’s mother. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Why are your feathers curly?
The curls are the entire point of me. They trail off my back like someone left ribbons out in the rain. I hatched in a ball gown and I have never once dressed down. Yes, people stare. They should.
Straight from the barn Sebastopols were developed from greylag geese in southeastern Europe, near the Black Sea, selected for long, soft, curling feathers. Source: The Livestock Conservancy, Sebastopol goose
Can you fly?
I cannot fly. Not a foot. The same curls that make me gorgeous make my wings useless, and everything I want is right here anyway.
Straight from the barn Curled wing feathers prevent flight. Sebastopols are slow and stay close to home, which also makes them easy prey, so a safe house at night isn’t optional. Source: The Livestock Conservancy, Sebastopol goose
Are you rare?
There aren’t many of us left. Consider yourself fortunate.
Straight from the barn The Livestock Conservancy lists the Sebastopol goose as Threatened. Source: The Livestock Conservancy, Sebastopol goose
Who is Lillibet?
Lillibet is our baby, hatched right here this spring, and named for what the family called Queen Elizabeth when she was small — so you can see the standard we’re working to. Her leg went wrong early. The hock kept slipping. The vet and her tech built her a splint out of a bucket handle from the hardware store and put her on cage rest, where she was extremely dramatic. It worked.
Straight from the barn Lillibet hatched at the sanctuary this season, the only one of the three geese born here, and was treated for a slipping hock with an improvised splint. Leg trouble in goslings has to be caught while the bones are still soft — once a bone sets crooked, it stays that way. Source: Metzer Farms, Niacin for ducklings and goslings
What is niacin and why do you need it?
Goslings need niacin or their legs don’t come in right. Ask Lillibet how we know.
Straight from the barn Ducklings and goslings need two to three times the niacin chicks do, and about 90 percent of niacin problems show up in the first 10 weeks. Brewer’s yeast or B3 drops fix it. Source: Metzer Farms, Niacin for ducklings and goslings
How much water do you need?
I need water deep enough to put my whole head under. It’s how I clear my nostrils, it’s how I eat, and it is how I keep myself looking like this. A puddle is not a spa.
Straight from the barn Waterfowl need water deep enough to submerge their heads, kept clean and refreshed. Source: Metzer Farms, Niacin for ducklings and goslings
Why so loud?
Yes I’m loud. Somebody has to run security. Strange truck in the drive? You’ll know, and you’re welcome.
Who are your friends?
Alexander, Lillibet and me. Alexander is Alexander the Great, which has gone straight to his head. Lillibet is the baby. We live by the greenhouse, and there’s a cedar shed being built for us, which I will believe when I am standing in it.
Straight from the barn The three Sebastopol geese are Gigi, named for Lane’s mother, Alexander, as in Alexander the Great, and Lillibet, who hatched here. Animal housing is on the build list, starting with the geese’s cedar shed. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Are geese mean?
Geese have a reputation and some of it is earned. We are not the ones causing it. Walk in calmly, do not run at us, and we will merely comment.
Straight from the barn Sebastopols are generally calmer than other geese, though any goose will defend its flock and its nest. Source: The Livestock Conservancy, Sebastopol goose
How long do you live?
Fifteen years and more, if a fox never gets a vote.
Straight from the barn Domestic geese commonly live 15 to 20 years, which makes safe housing at night the difference between a long life and a short one. Source: The Livestock Conservancy, Sebastopol goose
What is your bedding?
Hemp bedding, deep enough to shuffle around in, and somebody lifts out the damp spots before they turn into anything. We are large birds with strong opinions about wet.
Straight from the barn The goose house is bedded with Eaton Pet & Pasture hemp bedding, with RevitaLime and Roost Refresh keeping it dry. Code BombDiggity is 20% off at Eaton Pet & Pasture. Source: Eaton Pet & Pasture, what we bed the coops with (code BombDiggity, 20% off)
What does it cost to keep you?
Fifteen a month covers the three of us: feed, niacin and clean straw.
Straight from the barn Sponsoring the geese is $15 a month. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Rosie Horse
Came here with Amelia
What is a kill pen?
Amelia and I came out of a kill pen, which is a holding lot where horses wait to be shipped for slaughter. Another rescue worked with Jules and Lane to get us out. Nobody has asked anything of me since.
Straight from the barn Both horses here came through a kill pen. They're sanctuary residents, not for sale and not for riding. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Can I ride you?
Nobody rides me now. It took me a while to believe that.
Straight from the barn No riding, no climbing, no exceptions. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What do you eat?
Hay, nearly all day. I'm built to nibble constantly, not to eat two big meals and stand around thinking about it.
Straight from the barn Horses need at least 1 percent of body weight in forage daily and typically eat about 2 percent. For a 1,000 pound horse that's 10 to 20 pounds of hay a day. Source: University of Minnesota Extension, Hay in horse diets
How does your stomach work?
My gut is a long, fussy machine that wants a steady trickle of fiber. Interrupt that and things go wrong fast.
Straight from the barn A horse's simple stomach and large hindgut are built to digest fiber, so forage is the foundation of the diet, at least half of daily rations even for working horses. Source: University of Minnesota Extension, Hay in horse diets
Who trims your hooves?
Feet every six to eight weeks, teeth once a year, shots and worming on schedule. Boring. Boring is the goal.
Straight from the barn Routine farrier, dental and vet care make up most of a horse's yearly cost. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Who is Amelia?
Amelia. We came together and I would rather not be out of sight of her, thank you. She watches me before she decides how to feel about a thing — a new bucket, a strange truck, a person she hasn't met. If I'm not worried, she isn't worried. I have never run short on confidence.
Straight from the barn Rosie and Amelia are inseparable, and Amelia takes her cues from Rosie. Horses are herd animals; keeping one alone is a welfare problem, not a preference. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How did you get your name?
Rosie, mostly. Nosey Rosey when I've had my head somewhere it doesn't belong, which is often. If you are carrying something, opening something, or fixing something, I am going to need to be part of it.
Straight from the barn Rosie is called Nosey Rosey around the farm — she is into everything and loves being with her people. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Are you good with children?
Bring them. I put my head down low so the small ones can reach me, and I hold still. I don't know how to explain it better than that — I just like them.
Straight from the barn Rosie is good with children and will lower her head so they can pet her. Visits are by appointment and staff stay with every horse handling. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What scares you?
Come at my shoulder where I can see you. Say something so I know you're there. Keep a hand on me as you walk around. Behind me is the one place you shouldn't be.
Straight from the barn Volunteers here work with a trained hand, and staff leads all horse handling. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How do you sleep?
I doze standing. I only lie flat when I trust where I am. I lie flat here.
Straight from the barn Horses need to lie down for real REM sleep, and they only do it where they feel safe. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What does it cost to keep you?
Fifty a month, or a hundred if you want to cover my hay outright. I eat a great deal of hay.
Straight from the barn Sponsoring a horse is $50 a month, with $100 (hay) and $150 (full care) options. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Biscuit Mini Nubian goat
One of twelve goats
Why the ears?
The ears are Nubian. The nose is Nubian. I have been told I look like I'm sulking. I'm not. This is just my face.
Straight from the barn Anglo-Nubians came from crossing British goats with large lop-eared goats from India, the Middle East and North Africa. Long pendulous ears and a markedly convex nose are the breed's signature. Source: Anglo-Nubian goat, Wikipedia
What do you eat?
I'm a browser, not a lawn mower. Leaves, brambles, the tops of things. And I'll taste your sleeve to find out what it is.
Straight from the barn Goats are browsers, not grazers like cattle and sheep, and they mouth anything plant-like to decide whether it's food. Source: Goat, Wikipedia
Can you really open gates?
Every fence is a suggestion. Every gate latch is a puzzle with a prize behind it. Check it twice.
Straight from the barn Goats are agile, curious and the only ruminant that regularly climbs trees. If a fence can be beaten, they'll beat it. Source: Goat, Wikipedia
What is going on with your eyes?
Yes, my pupils are rectangles. It means I can see almost all the way around myself without turning my head. Useful when something wants to eat you.
Straight from the barn Goats have horizontal slit pupils that widen their field of view and cut glare from overhead sun. Source: Goat, Wikipedia
How many babies have you had?
Four at once, last year. Charlie Brown, Lucy, Sally and Linus. I have two teats. You do the math, and then picture Jules at two in the morning doing the math with a bottle. Violet and Schroeder came along the same year from the other does and joined the gang, because once you name four of them after the Peanuts crew you are committed.
Straight from the barn Biscuit came from a farm where she had raised many kids, and last year she had quadruplets — unusual, since twins are the usual result for a goat and a doe has only two teats. Her four are named for Charlie Brown's gang; Violet and Schroeder, born the same year, were added to the set. Source: Goat, Wikipedia
What about milk?
Nubian milk is rich. Not that anyone's milking me. I'm retired and I was never hired.
Straight from the barn Anglo-Nubian milk averages about 4.8 percent butterfat, higher than the Swiss dairy breeds. Source: Anglo-Nubian goat, Wikipedia
Why so loud?
I'm not screaming. I'm communicating. Loudly. Mostly about food.
How many goats are there?
Twelve of us: Caroline, Miles, Henry, Rosemary, Max, Charlie Brown, Linus, Schroeder, Lucy, Sally, Violet and me. Mostly mini Nubians with a couple of Alpines to keep things interesting. Four of that list came out of me in one afternoon, so I would appreciate being counted twice.
Straight from the barn The twelve goats are mostly mini Nubians plus a couple of Alpines. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Why the head butting?
Don't push on my head, even in fun. You'll teach me that shoving people is a game, and I weigh more than you think.
How long do you live?
Goats can go fifteen years or more. I plan to use all of mine.
Straight from the barn Goats generally live 15 to 18 years. Source: Goat, Wikipedia
Do goats eat everything?
We do not eat tin cans. We taste things, which is different, and then we spit out most of it. I am picky and I resent the cartoon.
Straight from the barn Goats are browsers that sample plants with their lips; they don’t actually eat garbage, and the wrong plants can poison them. Source: Goat, Wikipedia
Can you swim?
No. I do not swim and I do not care for rain. If there is weather, I am under a roof giving everyone a look about it.
Straight from the barn Goats avoid getting wet and need dry shelter; damp conditions bring hoof and respiratory trouble. Source: Goat, Wikipedia
What does it cost to keep you?
Twenty-five a month. Hay, minerals, hoof trims and a vet who has seen my act before.
Straight from the barn Sponsoring a goat is $25 a month: hay, minerals, hoof trims, vet checks. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
The Flock Chickens & ducks
Hens, and the Easter ducks
Why are you called Easter ducks?
The ducks came here after somebody bought a fluffy Easter present and then realized a duckling turns into a duck. It happens every spring. We don't hold it against the ducks.
Straight from the barn The rescue's ducks are discarded Easter ducks. Waterfowl live years, need water deep enough to dunk their heads, and are not a holiday decoration. Source: Metzer Farms, Niacin for ducklings and goslings
How did you get your name?
Fern. Esther. Pearl. Around here a hen gets a grandmother's name, the kind that belongs on a woman in an apron who is not afraid of anybody. We are always short a few good ones, so if your grandmother had a name that deserves a hen, send it to Jules.
Straight from the barn The hens are given old-fashioned grandmother names — Fern, Esther and Pearl among them — and the farm takes suggestions for the next ones. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Who are the roosters?
Two roosters. Rico Suave struts like the name was assigned to him by a talent agency. Lazarus we nearly lost — we were sure he was gone, and then he got up. So he got the name, and he has been insufferable about it ever since.
Straight from the barn The flock's two roosters are Rico Suave and Lazarus, who was named after recovering when the farm was sure he would not make it. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Is the pecking order real?
There is an order. It was settled long before you got here and it will be re-litigated at supper.
Straight from the barn The pecking order is a real social hierarchy: dominant birds get first access to food and nest sites. It was first described scientifically in 1921. Source: Chicken, Wikipedia
How many eggs do you lay?
Eggs happen. Not on a schedule you set, and not because you asked.
Straight from the barn Hens bred for laying can produce more than 300 eggs a year. Backyard breeds lay far fewer, and every hen slows down with age and with short winter days. Source: Chicken, Wikipedia
How long do you live?
We stay for the whole of it here, laying or not.
Straight from the barn Chickens typically live 5 to 10 years depending on breed. Most commercial hens never get the chance. Source: Chicken, Wikipedia
Why are you rolling in the dirt?
Yes, we're rolling in the dirt on purpose. It's a bath. It keeps the mites down and it feels wonderful.
What about foxes?
Latch the coop at dusk. Count us. Then latch it again. The fox only has to be right once.
Straight from the barn After losing birds to foxes, the farm predator-proofed 200 feet of no-climb fence. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What do you get fed?
Layer feed, scratch, greens, and whatever the goats drop. The ducks get their own vitamins.
Straight from the barn Ducklings and goslings need two to three times the niacin chicks do, so waterfowl on chick feed usually need brewer's yeast added. Source: Metzer Farms, Niacin for ducklings and goslings
Will the rooster come at me?
A rooster will take a run at you if he thinks you are a threat to his hens. Do not chase, do not corner, do not stare him down. Rico mostly poses.
Straight from the barn Roosters defend their flock; calm movement and respecting their space prevents most trouble. Source: Chicken, Wikipedia
Can I hold you?
Some of us will put up with being held and some of us will make you regret it. Two hands, wings kept gently down, and put us back when we say so.
Straight from the barn Hens should be held with both hands supporting the body and wings; staff supervise handling here. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What is your bedding?
Hemp bedding, lime underneath it, a little Roost Refresh when things get ripe, and aspen pads in the nest boxes. Jules calls it a spa day. We call it Tuesday, and we would like it more often.
Straight from the barn The coops are bedded with Eaton Pet & Pasture hemp bedding, plus RevitaLime, Roost Refresh and aspen nesting pads. Code BombDiggity, or the link in the farm's bio, is 20% off at Eaton Pet & Pasture. Source: Eaton Pet & Pasture, what we bed the coops with (code BombDiggity, 20% off)
What does it cost to keep you?
Ten dollars a month covers all of us. We're a bargain and we know it.
Straight from the barn Sponsoring the chickens and ducks is $10 a month: layer feed, scratch, straw, a safe coop. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Duke Redbone Coonhound
Came in sick and skinny
Where did you come from?
I walked up the driveway a few years back and declined to leave. No collar. Around here they say a hunting dog without a collar is a dumped hunting dog, and I am not going to stand here and tell you otherwise. I was skinny and I was sick. Nobody came looking. They fed me anyway.
Straight from the barn Duke wandered onto the farm several years ago with no collar, underweight and heartworm positive, and stayed. Hounds turning up without collars after hunting season is a common story in East Tennessee. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What are heartworms?
I came in underweight with heartworms. Treatment is months of quiet, which is a cruel thing to ask of a hound. I did it anyway. I'm here.
Straight from the barn Heartworms are foot-long worms that live in the heart and lungs. Dogs get them from a mosquito bite, larvae take about six months to mature, and treatment needs a stabilized dog plus a confirmation test nine months later. Source: American Heartworm Society, Heartworm basics
How do you prevent heartworms?
Get your dog on prevention. All twelve months. Do it because I'd rather you never learn what treatment is like.
Straight from the barn The American Heartworm Society recommends testing every year and giving preventive medication year-round. Heartworm has been diagnosed in all 50 states. Source: American Heartworm Society, Heartworm basics
Why do you bay like that?
That's not barking. That's baying. Coonhounds were bred to tell you where we are and what we've found, from a long way off.
How good is your nose?
My nose runs the show. My ears are decorative. If I don't come when you call, it's not defiance, it's traffic.
How do you do with cats?
I keep an eye on things. I also keep an eye on the cats, who do not require it and have told me so.
Did you know Dessie?
Dessie came here that July in bad shape and we had a summer together. Then she was gone. I still check the spot where she used to lie.
Straight from the barn The rescue's emergency fund is named the Dessie Fund, for the nights that turn into emergencies. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Are you good with children?
I am good with kids, and better with the ones who sit down and let me come to them. I am a hound. If I get loud, that is news, not a threat.
Straight from the barn Duke is friendly with visitors and children; a staff member stays with the dogs during visits. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Why does a farm animal rescue have a hound?
This is a farm animal rescue. Dogs and cats who turn up here anyway stay for life. That's the deal I got.
Skunk Barn cat
Runs the cat-dominium
What happened to your leg?
Somebody shot me. That is the whole story and I am not going to dress it up. The leg came off, I made my peace with it, and I would appreciate you making yours. I still get where I am going and I still get there first.
Straight from the barn Skunk was shot and lost the leg; the amputation is exactly the kind of emergency the Dessie Fund covers. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Where did you come from?
Dumped here as a kitten. Somebody's idea of a solution. I grew up into a tom cat nobody argued with, and this farm has been mine ever since, whatever the paperwork says.
Straight from the barn Skunk was dumped at the farm as a small kitten and grew up there. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What is the cat-dominium?
We have a cat-dominium. It's ours. Shut the door behind you.
Straight from the barn The farm cats are Skunk, Daisy, Sweet Pea, Mama Kitty and Sandy. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What is your job here?
Pest control. I was the best mouser on this farm and I have no interest in false modesty about it. These days the work is indoors and mostly supervisory.
Straight from the barn Skunk was the farm's best mouser before he was injured; he lives indoors now. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Can I pet you?
Say hello. Scratch my head, tell me I am handsome, take as long as you like — I will take every bit of it. Just keep your feet on the floor and mine on it too. I do not care to be picked up. King of a smaller castle these days, but still king.
Straight from the barn Skunk loves being greeted and petted but does not like to be held. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Who else lives with you?
Sweet Pea came off the side of the road nearly gone. Mama Kitty is long-haired and unbothered. Sandy is a yellow tiger and Daisy is brown and black. We tolerate each other beautifully.
The whole barn How the sanctuary runs
What do you use for bedding?
Hemp bedding from Eaton Pet & Pasture in the coops, with lime underneath, Roost Refresh when things get ripe and aspen pads in the nest boxes. Straw and shavings in the stalls. Dry beats fancy every time.
Straight from the barn Bedding here is Eaton Pet & Pasture hemp, RevitaLime, Roost Refresh and aspen nesting pads for the birds, with straw and shavings in the stalls. Code BombDiggity is 20% off at Eaton Pet & Pasture. Source: Eaton Pet & Pasture, what we bed the coops with (code BombDiggity, 20% off)
What brands do you use?
Purina feed, hemp bedding from Eaton Pet & Pasture, a Chicken Fountain for the hens, and a few Omlet coops. We use them because they work in this barn, not because somebody sent us a box.
Straight from the barn Feed: Purina. Bedding: Eaton Pet & Pasture hemp, RevitaLime, Roost Refresh and aspen nest pads (code BombDiggity, 20% off). Water: The Chicken Fountain (code BombDiggity15). Some coops: Omlet. These are discount codes the farm shares with its followers. Source: Eaton Pet & Pasture, what we bed the coops with (code BombDiggity, 20% off)
What feed do you use?
Purina, from the horses on down to the hens. Jules is particular about it: balanced bags, the same thing every day, no guessing. Nobody here gets fed by mood.
Straight from the barn The farm feeds Purina across the barn: horses, donkeys, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks and geese. The rescue uses it for the balanced formulas and the research behind them. Source: Purina Animal Nutrition, the feed we use across the barn
How do you get clean water?
The hens drink from a Chicken Fountain, so there is fresh water without anybody righting a tipped dish twice a day. Everybody else gets troughs, scrubbed on the water round.
Straight from the barn The chickens use a Chicken Fountain automatic waterer. Troughs and buckets elsewhere are dumped, scrubbed and refilled daily. Code BombDiggity15 is a discount at The Chicken Fountain. Source: The Chicken Fountain, the hens’ waterer (code BombDiggity15)
What coops do you use?
Some of ours are Omlet coops. They come apart and hose down, which matters more than looks when you are the one cleaning them. Either way, every door gets latched at dusk.
Straight from the barn Some of the rescue's coops are Omlet, chosen because they are quick to clean. Every coop is counted and latched at dusk. Source: Omlet, some of our coops
How do you pay for it all?
Hay, feed, hooves, vets, fencing, fuel. It runs on monthly sponsors, one-time gifts, the wish list, and two people who work a lot of hours for nothing. There is no grant paying for our breakfast.
Straight from the barn The sanctuary runs on donations, monthly sponsorships and the founders' own work. Sponsorships start at $10 a month. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Do you host events?
No parties, no petting zoo, nobody rents the barn. We are a sanctuary, not an attraction. Small visits and school groups by arrangement, and that is the list.
Straight from the barn The sanctuary doesn't host events or operate as a petting zoo; visits are small and by appointment. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Can my school come?
That is the whole idea of the Education Barn. Bring a class, bring a scout troop, bring 4-H. Small groups, grown-ups attached, and everybody washes their hands before they leave.
Straight from the barn School and group visits are by arrangement; the Education Barn is on the build list. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Who takes care of you at night?
Somebody is out here twice a day, every day. Christmas morning, the day after surgery, the week it iced over. Animals do not take holidays and neither does anybody who keeps them.
Straight from the barn Chores run twice a day, every day of the year. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What happens when one of you dies?
We get to be old here. When it is time, the vet comes out and it happens in the field with our own people, not in a parking lot. Then everybody stands around for a while. The Dessie Fund exists because that night is easier when money is not part of the decision.
Straight from the barn Sanctuary residents stay for life and are cared for through the end of it. The Dessie Fund covers emergency and end-of-life veterinary care. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How do animals end up here?
Auctions and kill pens. Owners out of road. Somebody dumps a crate at the end of a driveway. A hound walks up and stays. We are one small farm, so we take who we can hold and help find places for the rest.
Straight from the barn Residents come from auctions and kill pens, owner surrenders, and animals abandoned at or near the farm. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Are you happy here?
Fed, sound, and nobody is selling us anywhere. Some of us arrived thin and suspicious and now spend the afternoon asleep in the sun. Draw your own conclusion.
What does a day look like?
Grain and hay at first light, water checked, everybody counted. Hooves, meds, and whatever is broken gets fixed. Afternoon is for napping, which we take seriously. Then supper, then the coop gets latched and counted twice.
Can I bring my dog?
Leave your dog at home. Ours already live here and yours does not know the rules yet.
Straight from the barn Visiting animals aren't allowed, for the residents' safety and yours. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Can I take pictures?
Take all of them. We are extremely photogenic and we know exactly where the light is. Tag the farm so more people find us.
Straight from the barn The farm posts on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube as Sweet BombDiggity Farms. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What supplies do you need?
Feed, shavings, fly spray, buckets that we have not yet destroyed. There's a wish list on this site, and it is never theoretical.
Straight from the barn The wish list is on the home page. In-kind gifts of feed and supplies are as useful as cash. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Are you hiring?
No payroll here. There are volunteer shifts, and UT students can come through ServeUTK. That is the job, and the pay is goats.
Straight from the barn The sanctuary has no paid staff; help comes through the Barn Hands volunteer program and ServeUTK. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How old do you have to be to volunteer?
Younger hands come with a grown-up attached, and there is plenty a kid can do. Ask Jules when you sign up and she'll match the job to the person.
Straight from the barn Volunteers under 18 need an adult with them; the interest form is on the volunteer page. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What should I wear?
Boots you do not love. Long pants. Something you would not mind a goat standing on. It is dusty out here and hay finds everybody.
Straight from the barn Volunteers need closed-toe boots and clothes they can ruin. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How does sponsoring work?
You pick one of us and give monthly. It covers feed, hay, hooves and vet care for that animal. Ten dollars for the chickens and ducks, fifteen for the geese, twenty-five for a goat or a pig, thirty-five for a mini donkey, fifty for a horse.
Straight from the barn Sponsorships run $10 to $50 a month by species, with optional $100 hay and $150 full-care levels for the horses. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What is Giving Tuesday?
December first. One day when a lot of people give at once, which is how a barn gets through winter. There is a countdown on this page and it is not decorative.
Straight from the barn Giving Tuesday 2026 falls on December 1. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Are you a real nonprofit?
Yes. 501(c)(3), EIN 41-2482806, registered with the State of Tennessee. Gifts are tax deductible and Jules keeps the paperwork straight.
Straight from the barn Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3), EIN 41-2482806, registered with the Tennessee Secretary of State, Registration No. CO55607. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Can I pet the animals?
Most of us, with somebody from the farm standing there and hands where we can see them. Ask first, every time. A few of us are not interested and we will tell you plainly.
Straight from the barn Visitors handle animals only with a staff member present. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What is a sanctuary?
Nobody here is livestock. We are not sold, we are not eaten, and we are not going anywhere. That is the entire difference and it is the whole point.
Straight from the barn Sanctuary residents are not raised for meat or sold; they stay for life, though some animals are adopted into vetted homes. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Can I visit?
Visits are by appointment only, and we don't post the address. Email Jules and we'll set something up.
Straight from the barn jules@bombdiggity.com Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
How many animals live here?
Thirty-six of us by name, plus the flock. Horses, mini donkeys, Kune Kune pigs, goats, Sebastopol geese, chickens and ducks, and the dogs and cats who turned up and stayed.
How can I help?
Three ways: sponsor one of us every month, work a shift in the barn, or send something off the wish list. All three keep hay in front of us.
Straight from the barn Sponsorships start at $10 a month as a Friend of the Herd. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Can I volunteer?
Barn Hands take a shift every week or two. You don't need farm experience. You do need boots you don't love.
Straight from the barn Volunteers are 16 and up. Everyone starts with orientation and buddy shifts. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
What is the Dessie Fund?
The Dessie Fund is for emergencies. It's named for a bloodhound who walked onto this farm in bad shape one July, got loved hard for a summer, and didn't make it. The fund means the next one gets every chance.
Can I adopt one of the animals?
Some animals come through here and go on to a new home. Some of us stay for good and work as ambassadors. Ask about a specific one of us.
Can I bring treats?
Please don't feed us anything. Several of us are on diets we did not vote for.
Straight from the barn Only staff hands out food. It's the fastest way to make a rescue animal sick. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Are you a farm or a nonprofit?
The farm and the rescue are two different things. We're the nonprofit side: a 501(c)(3), which is why your gift is deductible.
Straight from the barn Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary, EIN 41-2482806, registered with the State of Tennessee. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here
Can I bring my kids?
Bring them, with a grown-up attached. We're building an Education Barn for exactly this.
Straight from the barn Children under 16 come with a parent working alongside them. Source: Sweet BombDiggity Farms Rescue & Sanctuary: our own barn, our vets and how we do it here