Animal Husbandry Guide

Animals are a vital component of a thriving colony in Going Medieval. Livestock such as cows, goats, sheep, and chickens provide a renewable source of milk, wool, eggs, and meat. Donkeys (asses) serve as invaluable pack animals for hauling heavy loads, while dogs offer hauling and guard utility and cats handle vermin control. Wild animals — including boars, deer, wolves, and foxes — can be tamed and penned for meat and leather. Understanding taming mechanics, pen size requirements, feeding needs, and breeding rates is essential to building a sustainable animal economy. This guide covers all animal types, their care requirements, and the optimal strategies for integrating them into your colony.

All Domestic Animals Overview

Going Medieval features several animal species, each with distinct resource yields, space requirements, and utility. Understanding their differences is key to deciding which animals to prioritize for your colony.

Taming Mechanics

Wild animals can be tamed by settlers with sufficient Animal Handling skill. The taming process requires building a pen first, then marking a wild animal for taming. A settler will approach the animal and attempt to tame it — success is influenced by the settler's Animal Handling skill level and the animal's wildness rating. Failed attempts may cause the animal to flee or become aggressive.

Key taming rules: Cows, goats, sheep, donkeys (asses), and dogs arrive via merchant caravans or events as already-tamed domestic animals. Wild animals that can be tamed include boars, hares, deer, foxes, rats, wolves, mallards, polecats, and pheasants — these require an active taming attempt by a settler with Animal Handling skill. Chickens and cats are typically acquired from merchants. Wolves are a separate wild species and do NOT become dogs when tamed. Once tamed, animals remain permanently domesticated and will not revert to the wild.

Feeding & Nutrition

All grazing animals (cows, goats, sheep, donkeys) can feed on grass within their pen — no additional food required as long as the pen contains grass tiles. During winter when grass stops growing, you must supply hay stored in a stockpile within the pen or a nearby animal feeder. Boars are omnivorous and eat food scraps in addition to hay, making them excellent waste-disposal units. Chickens require seeds or grain, which competes directly with crop planting reserves.

Dogs and cats require meat or prepared meals placed in their designated feeding zone. Unlike livestock, they do not graze and will starve if not fed. A single dog consumes roughly the same food as 0.5 settlers — factor this into your winter food calculations. Dogs can also hunt small animals on their own if allowed to roam, partially supplementing their diet.

Pen Size & Space Requirements

Each animal requires a minimum pen space measured in tiles. Cramped animals stop producing (no milk, no eggs, no wool) and suffer mood penalties that slow breeding. Overcrowding also increases the risk of disease spreading through your livestock. Recommended minimums per animal:

Breeding Mechanics

Animals breed automatically when a male and female of the same species occupy the same pen. Breeding speed depends on animal type: chickens breed fastest (every 3-5 days), boars and goats are moderate (every 7-10 days), cows and sheep are slowest (every 12-15 days). Well-fed, spacious, and healthy animals breed faster. Animals that are malnourished, cramped, or sick will not breed.

Strategy: start with 1 male + 2-3 females of each species for rapid herd growth. Maintain at least 2 males as backup — if your sole male dies, breeding stops entirely until you acquire a replacement. Slaughter excess males for meat once the herd reaches desired size, keeping the optimal ratio of 1 male per 3-4 females. Use the animal management panel to auto-designate excess animals for slaughter.

Animal Product Yields

Daily product yields vary by species and are affected by animal health, space comfort, and settler handling skill. A dedicated handler with high Animal Handling skill increases milk and wool yields.

Dogs: The Most Valuable Animal

Dogs are arguably the most valuable animal in Going Medieval because they can be trained to haul items. A trained dog functions as an automated hauler, moving resources between stockpiles without consuming settler labor. This frees your settlers to focus on skilled work instead of running back and forth carrying materials. Dogs can also assist in combat by attacking raiders — though they are fragile and best kept behind defensive lines.

Dogs arrive as domestic animals via merchant caravans or events — they do NOT come from taming wolves (wolves remain a separate wild species). Once in your colony, dogs can be trained for hauling, hunting, and guarding. A colony with 4-6 dogs can effectively eliminate the need for dedicated hauler settlers, dramatically improving overall productivity. Keep dogs well-fed and they will repay you tenfold in labor savings.

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