Howl-oween on the Homestead

Just because your sheep and chickens won’t be knocking on the neighbor’s door dressed as Dracula doesn’t mean they need to miss out on Halloween fun. The crunch of leaves under hooves, the smell of fresh pumpkins, goats suspiciously eyeing a scarecrow — October brings the perfect excuse to shake up the farmyard routine with seasonal snacks and spooky (but safe) playtime. It’s a great way to add some enrichment and celebrate the fall season.

From pumpkin pecking to goat obstacle courses, here’s your guide to giving your barnyard buddies their own Howl-oween — minus a sugar rush and scary vet bills.

Fall-Friendly Treats That Won’t Upset Their Stomachs

Animals love treats as much as we do, but their digestive systems are generally less forgiving than ours. Try out these wholesome, fall-themed snacks they can enjoy without painful and costly consequences:

Pumpkin Power

Pumpkins are the crown jewel of fall enrichment. They’re loaded with vitamins A and C, and their seeds are a natural dewormer for poultry. Their fiber content also keeps animals’ digestion moving smoothly, and their mild sweetness makes them a crowd-pleaser for almost any species. For chickens, split a pumpkin and let the flock go wild pecking at the stringy flesh. Goats enjoy hollowed-out pumpkins stuffed with hay or chopped veggies. You can also chop and freeze chunks for a cool chew toy on warmer autumn days.

Apple Bites

Apples are nature’s candy — just remember to remove seeds, which can be toxic to animals because they contain traces of cyanide. You can make an apple kabob by sliding chunks onto a sturdy stick and securing it to a fence post for slow snacking. For chickens, hide apple slices in a pile of straw and watch them forage. Goats and pigs will happily crunch fresh slices or munch dehydrated rings.

Goat Cookies

Combine rolled oats, mashed squash or pumpkin and a splash of molasses. For a festive twist, mix in finely chopped dried unsweetened cranberries for color and tang. Form into small balls and bake at 250 degrees Farhenheit until firm. These make perfect training treats or rewards after hoof trimming or grooming.

Seasonal No-Nos

No matter how much you want to spoil your barnyard pals, there are some treats they should never indulge in. Avoid chocolate, onions, avocado and anything moldy. Too much sugary fruit can also upset digestion, so think sampler size, not all-you-can-eat buffet. If in doubt, consult your vet or play it safe and go with something you know is fun and healthy.

Spooky Enrichment Activities

Treats are tasty, but enrichment is essential. Farm animals get bored, and boredom can lead to bad habits such as feather picking or fence climbing. Spooky season is the perfect time to combine treats for the body and the brain. Here’s how to add some Halloween spirit to your furry or feathered friends’ daily fun:

Hanging Pumpkin Feeders

Hollow out a small pumpkin, fill it with chopped veggies or leafy greens, and hang it from a sturdy rope at nose height. Chickens will peck, goats will butt, and you’ll get hours of low-budget entertainment. Since it’s the season of excess, fill a bunch and create a hanging garden of gourd-y goodness.

Leaf-Pile Treasure Hunt

Scatter dried corn, sunflower seeds or small apple pieces into a fresh pile of fall leaves. Chickens will scratch, pigs will root and goats will nose around like little barnyard detectives. This feeds your animals’ instinctive drive to forage and makes their tastebuds and tummies happy.

Straw-Bale Obstacle Course

Stack bales into ramps, tunnels and jumps. Add some animal-friendly Halloween décor — think pumpkin cutouts or dangling ribbons — for a festive twist. Goats especially love testing their balance on stacked bales, while chickens enjoy darting through a mini-sized haunted straw maze.

Goat Puzzle Feeders

Goats are smart, and keeping their brains engaged can prevent unwanted boredom behaviors. Take a clean milk jug, cut a few small holes in the sides, fill it with a mix of pellets and veggie chunks that are slightly smaller than the holes, and let the goats knock it around while the treats tumble out. For chickens, use a smaller container or a drilled PVC pipe capped at both ends.

Costume & Decor Cautions

Yes, animals in costumes are adorable. And yes, most also hate wearing them. So, know your barnyard pals and their tolerance levels before you decide to dress them up. Easygoing pets may be up for donning seasonal items and all of the ooh-ing and aah-ing that goes along with it. But let shy, nervous or fearful animals celebrate the season in a more low-key way with edible treats instead.

Better yet, decorate the barn, not the residents. Hang a fall wreath on the gate, set up a hay bale photo corner or drape orange fairy lights well out of chewing range. Seasonal touches make great backdrops for visitors and dress up the space without stressing your livestock.

Host a Farmyard Trick-or-Treat Night

If you have visitors this fall, whether friends, school groups or the neighbor kids, turn your farm into a trick-or-treat adventure with these simple but special tips.

For humans

• Candy stations or hot cider stands at each pen.
• Pumpkin painting table with washable paint or stickers for low-mess fun.
• Farm bingo cards with squares like “chicken scratching,” “goat bleating,” or “pig snout in a pumpkin.”
• Hayride loop with stops at each animal pen for feeding or fun facts.
• Photo stations with props and a super-friendly animal to join in.

For animals

• Fun fact cards about each animal, including their names and something unique about them.
• Mini treat buckets in each pen with safe snacks your visitors can dish out.
• Do-it-yourself scarecrow tug toy for goats or pigs made with safe, chewable fabrics.
• Trick-for-treat training games — have kids watch simple tricks like chickens following a laser pointer or goats hopping on a platform before they hand out treats.
• Safe, glow-in-the-dark toys for curious animals during evening events — with secured and chew-proof battery compartments, of course.

If you must dress up your animals:

Stick to non-restrictive, breathable accessories like bandanas, Halloween-colored halters or lightweight leg wraps.

Avoid masks, elastic straps, or anything that could snag on fences.

If your animals seem unhappy with their stylish new threads or try to chew on the items, take the hint and take them off.

Keep photo sessions short — a goat’s dignity can only take so much.

Celebrate Autumn the Barnyard-Friendly Way

Halloween on the farm doesn’t have to be all about humans in costumes — your animals deserve some seasonal magic, too. With a few pumpkins, some creativity and an eye on safety, you can turn a regular October day into a barnyard bash. Because nothing says fall on the farm quite like a chicken triumphantly pecking the last seed out of a jack-o’-lantern, or a goat proudly wearing an orange bandana while standing atop a straw-bale tower.

This year, give your critters the kind of Halloween they’ll actually thank you for.