The small-farm field guide

Good days start with a barn round.

Practical care guides, printable logs and a little more order for life with chickens, goats, horses, sheep and cattle.

Illustrative watercolor of a chicken, goat, sheep, horse and cow in a pasture.

AI-generated editorial illustration. Not an animal-care demonstration.

What you can do in PawLine

Keep the guide here. Take your animal profiles, notes and reminders with you in the app.

Animal profiles

Keep breed, age, weight, health conditions and photos for each animal.

Daily health notes

Record symptoms, behavior and observations. The iOS listing also describes emailing health records to your veterinarian.

Medication reminders

Set schedules, receive push reminders and track dosing history for your veterinarian-directed plan.

24/7 AI guidance

Ask about animal health, diet and behavior. PawLine draws answers from published animal-health research, including sources like PubMed. AI guidance is information, not a diagnosis or a replacement for your veterinarian.

Nearby veterinary clinics

The website and iOS listing describe help finding nearby vets. Confirm availability and livestock services with the clinic.

Livestock support

The iOS listing names cows, horses, sheep, goats and chickens alongside household pets.

Features described by PawLine and its iOS listing, checked October 19, 2026. Android's description is less detailed; check your platform before subscribing. Research-source and no-payment-info wording was confirmed by the app owner. Features are product claims, not independent testing.

A useful habit, not another dashboard

01 / Observe

Learn what normal looks like. Notice the change.

02 / Record

Put a date, an animal and a next step beside it.

03 / Follow through

Call the vet when needed. Keep the care plan close.

The field-guide library

No chat box. No mystery answers. Just readable guides with sources, checklists you can use and records you can print.

Chickens / Morning and dusk

A daily rhythm for backyard chickens

Refresh feed and water, observe the flock, collect eggs and secure the coop at dusk. A repeatable routine makes changes easier to notice.

Read the guide ↗
Chickens / Weekly care

A cleaner coop, without a complicated system

Separate daily water care from weekly coop cleaning, and keep outside footwear apart from poultry-area gear.

Read the guide ↗
Goats / A practical starting point

Goat care starts with water, feed and fences

Keep fresh water available, use feeders, choose species-appropriate minerals and plan secure fencing before goats arrive.

Read the guide ↗
Sheep / Daily access and long-term planning

A small-flock sheep care checklist

Check water, feeders, sheep-appropriate minerals and fencing, then use records and your veterinarian to guide health management.

Read the guide ↗
Horses / Water, forage and observation

The horse-care round that catches changes

Check water access, notice changes in eating and manure, and make a clear note of anything unusual before leaving the barn.

Read the guide ↗
Horses / Cold-weather preparation

Before the freeze: a horse winter checklist

Plan reliable water, shelter, ventilation and safe access before cold weather. Snow is not a substitute for drinking water.

Read the guide ↗
Cattle / Before the hot spell

A cattle heat-day readiness check

Prioritize clean water, shade and airflow. Watch breathing changes and seek veterinary help for distress.

Read the guide ↗
All animals / A planning framework

A seasonal barn calendar you can adapt

Use seasonal reviews for water, shelter, forage and biosecurity. Keep medical dates in a separate veterinarian-approved plan.

Read the guide ↗
All animals / Observation is not diagnosis

When a checklist should become a vet call

For distress or a serious change, contact a veterinarian. Do not wait for a checklist, website or AI response to decide an urgent next step.

Read the guide ↗
All animals / The threshold matters

A barn-entry routine visitors can follow

Make the clean and dirty boundary clear, supply barn-specific footwear and explain the routine to every visitor, even for a short visit.

Read the guide ↗
Printable / Print, write, repeat

A daily animal observation log

Record the animal, date, what changed and what happened next. Write observations rather than a guessed diagnosis.

Read the guide ↗
Printable / A record, not a prescription

A medication record for your vet-directed plan

Copy your veterinarian's medication instructions, then record what was actually administered and when.

Read the guide ↗

A quick-reference barn round

Chickens

Daily feed and fresh water; collect eggs; count and secure at dusk.

Goats & sheep

Check clean water, feeder access, species-appropriate minerals and gates.

Horses

Check flowing water, eating and manure changes; remove wet bedding.

Cattle in heat

Check water capacity, shade, airflow and breathing changes.

Summary of the linked Extension guides. Not a complete care or emergency checklist.

Where the guidance comes from

Written from university Extension guidance, with original checklists and blank record templates. No veterinarian review is claimed. These guides have not been reviewed by a veterinarian.

Read our sources ↗