Animals

Stepney City Farm offers you the chance to interact with a range of animals in a beautiful rural setting – all in the heart of East London.

Our farm is home to sheep, goats, donkeys, pigs and poultry, as well as smaller animals like rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets. Many of our residents are rare or heritage breeds which we’re proud to be protecting.

We educate visitors about our commitment to the non-industrial, high-welfare treatment of our animals. We’re a working farm, which means we breed some of our animals for meat or eggs, and ethical, sustainable farming is important to us.

Sheep

L-R: Mara and Jasper (Manx Loaghtans) and Patrick (Soay)

Our farm is home to three different breeds of sheep. First there’s our rare Soay sheep which come from the Outer Hebrides Isle of Soay. Of course we had to call one Beyonsoay!

Our Ryelands are the big, shaggy white sheep you’ll see, who need shearing once a year.

Our resident Manx Loaghtans include our ram Jasper, who has four horns. The sheep of this breed can have any number between two and six. Jasper in particular is very friendly and affectionate.

Goats

Pop with her 2020 kids

Pop, Mimosa and Mya are our three nanny (female) goats. They are Boer x Anglo-Nubian goats. They breed with male goats from other nearby city farms once a year.

At the farm you’ll probably spot them standing up on their perches and having a look around. They’re inquisitive, playful creatures who love to climb.

We breed some of our goats for meat: did you know that goat is the most widely consumed meat in the world?

Donkeys

Dunstan and George at the 2019 nativity

Our donkeys George and Dunstan are named after two nearby churches – fitting names, we think, for the farm’s oldest residents.

They need a lot of care: we pick their hooves twice a day to remove muck and, as they’re native to hot and dry places, we give them a coat when London gets wet and cold.

They’re local celebrities, too! They have participated in nativity plays and Palm Sunday processions, and George has even been a ring-bearer for an engagement proposal!

Pigs

Kat enjoying her breakfast

The farm is home to two black Berkshire pigs: our resident boar Mars and sow Kat.

Pigs are intelligent animals: they recognize human faces, keep their habitats clean and can even complete puzzles made for three year-olds. Our pigs are very friendly but to be safe, we advise that visitors don’t pop their hands into the pig pens as they both have very sharp teeth.

Most summers Kat has a litter of 8 – 12 piglets, who we use for meat or pass on to other farms. Did you know that pigs are pregnant for three months, three weeks and three days?

Chickens

Burt the Derbyshire Redcap

Under-construction Poultry Paradise

Cho and Chip the White-faced Black Spanish chickens

Our mixed flock of chickens includes two rare breeds. Our White-faced Black Spanish chickens have glossy black feathers and white faces. They’re also one of the most genetically ‘pure’ breeds.

You’ll recognise our other rare breed Derbyshire Redcaps from the tall, red cones on their heads. Our Redcaps are regulars on the poultry show circuit.

We only use our chickens for their eggs, and we’re lucky to have the help of local schools who incubate and hatch our chicks for us every spring.

We give our chickens plenty of space to roam. We are currently developing a new ‘Poultry Paradise’ with more space, fruit trees for foraging under and shade for hot days; unlike in the supermarket, you can see exactly where your eggs come from on the Farm, and be sure that they come from happy layers.

Ducks

Award-winning Buff Orpington duck

Stepney City Farm is home to the rare breed of Buff Orpington ducks, which you’ll recognise for their distinct light-brown coat. Often deemed ‘pond ornaments’, they’re a friendly, graceful bunch. Whilst most farms choose to raise the best duck breeds for meat, we are proud to be protecting this rare, pedigree breed. We occasionally have duck eggs for sale: they are richer than hen’s eggs with a brighter yolk and blue shell.

Geese

Brecon Buff geese

You might spot some unusual looking birds with brown coats and pink beaks. These are the Brecon Buff geese. The Brecon Buffs have a friendly temperament (which is not always the case for geese!) They’re a rare breed and difficult to find outside of Brecon in mid-Wales.

We also have a flock of Chinese geese – these look more recognisable as geese and are the Farm’s noisiest residents.

Smaller animals – Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Ferrets and Cats

The guinea pig gang

Mr Wiggles the ferret

The farm is home to smaller animal friends, too: we have rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets and two cats who you might see wandering around. The smaller animals are farm pets. They’re great for visitors and volunteers who are just getting confident with animal handling. Keep an eye out for our extra-fluffy lion haired rabbit, Ione.

Did you know that ferrets are primarily active at dusk and dawn, and can sleep for up to 22 hours a day? We describe such animals as being crepuscular. Our ferrets – two girls and three boys called Mr Wiggles, Bobo and Nibbles – are the only carnivorous animals on the farm, and their favourite food is raw eggs. Due to their carnivorous ways, ferrets were traditionally used by farmers to catch pesky rabbits. They’re curious creatures, and you might see us walking ours on leads around the Farm to let them explore.

The small animals also include three guinea pigs – Ronnie, Rose and Batman – and two black cats, Tess and Claudia.

Health and Safety

Many of our animals are friendly, but we strongly advise that visitors always wash their hands after touching or feeding the animals. Please take a moment to read more about health and safety on the Farm when planning your visit.