Sheep
Sheep are very social animals and like to spend time in groups known as flocks. One of the reasons why they like to band together is for protection. In fact, their instinct to stay together is so strong, if you move one sheep, the rest of the sheep will follow! When a baby lamb is born, they can stand within minutes and join the flock almost immediately.
Pigs
People think that pigs are dirty, but they’re actually very clean animals. Pigs don’t have many sweat glands, so it's impossible for them to "sweat like a pig"! When the temperature rises, pigs have to keep themselves cool by wallowing or rolling in the mud. The mud also protects their skin from sunburn, bug bites, and can remove parasites like ticks!
Goats
Goats are herd animals that forage for their food. They have a reputation for eating everything, but they can be very picky eaters! When they're out foraging, they like to look for things that are up high up in search of the tastiest tidbits and only eat grass when there's nothing better on the menu. Fortunately for them, they have special hooves that also make them excellent climbers; goats will even climb trees when searching for the best morsels!
Ducks
They may be tiny, but ducklings hatch ready to face the world. Born with their eyes open and a fluffy layer of down feathers to keep them warm, ducklings can leave the nest within a few hours of hatching. Sometimes they have to follow Mom for miles before they reach water, but, the minute their feathers are dry, they’re ready for a swim!
Roosters
Male chickens (or roosters) may be known for their loud call "cock-a-doodle-do," but they aren't the only ones who like to make some noise. Female chickens can also crow! In all-female flocks, a dominant hen will sometimes take on the role of the rooster. When they do, they don't crow as often, and their calls aren't as loud or distinct, but they wake the farmer up as well as any rooster!
Cows
When talking about cattle, females are called "cows" and males are called "bulls." A female cow produces milk after having a baby calf. When she's producing, she needs to be milked 2-3 times each day because she can produce 6-7 gallons of milk in 24 hours! In order to make all of that milk, a cow needs a lot of fuel - she can eat up to 100 pounds of food and drink 30-50 gallons of water every day!
Horses
Horses have the largest eyes of all land mammals. Similar to other prey animals, their eyes are positioned on the sides of their head so they can see nearly 360° at one time. Horses also have monocular vision which means they can see things out of each eye separately! That way, they can keep one eye on the trail ahead of them while the other watches to make sure nothing sneaks up from behind.
Cats
On average, adult cats sleep 16-18 hours per day while some senior cats can sleep up to 20. That means cats spend 2/3 of their lives sleeping! Sleeping for long periods of time helps cats conserve their energy in case they need a sudden burst of speed to hunt. While it seems like they spend a lot of time sleeping, cats remain partially alert while they snooze so they can rest but flee in an instant if needed.
Geese
There are lots of fun words that are used to describe geese. First, the term “geese” may be used to describe a variety of waterfowl, but it technically refers to the female which is called a goose. The male bird is called a gander. When their babies are born, they're called goslings! The fun doesn't stop there, when a group of geese is on the ground, they're called a gaggle. But, when flying in the sky, they’re called a skein!
Chickens
Domestic chickens may be birds with wings and feathers, but they aren't very good at flying. Chickens have been bred for their big muscles, but their small wings keep them close to the ground, though, they can sometimes fly over fences or into trees. But, chickens were never very good fliers; their wild relatives are proof of that. They use their big flight muscles for short "burst flights" which don't take them very far but help them escape predators.
Dogs
A dog's sense of smell is up to 10,000 times stronger than a person's; they rely on this super sense to interpret and understand the world around them. With more than 100 million sensory receptors in their noses (humans only have 6 million), their brains are designed to focus on what they smell as opposed to what they see. But why are their noses wet? Because scent particles stick better to wet surfaces! Wet noses are also one of the ways dogs sweat, so they help keep them cool.
Donkeys
Donkeys, sometimes called burros, are related to horses and zebras. Their short coats may look functional, but they aren't waterproof, so rain can be hard on them and bad for their health. They have a reputation for being stubborn, but they're curious animals that are very cautious. In fact, if they think something is unsafe, they will dig their heels in and refuse to move.
