Everyone is familiar with the more common domestic meat animals available to the average US homesteader: cattle, pigs, sheep, goats (for the bold). But what do you do when you live in a place where these animals are not permitted? Does that mean the small-homesteader is doomed to buying expensive/altered meats from their nearby grocer? Do you try and find a nearby grass-fed provider? While these are certainly options, if you want to go those routes, there are also other 'alternative' sources that you can consider. They aren't anything new, it's just that many don't even think about them as being sources of meat. For the truly small-time homesteader you can consider rabbits, cavies (guinea pigs), poultry (not just chickens and/or turkeys, but ducks, geese, or quail!), and also... pigeons.
Of course some of the larger fowl do require a certain amount of space and some can be a little obvious to your neighbors, but quail are very small, do best raised in cages (they can be hard to catch if allowed to free-range), are fairly quiet most of the time, and provide a surprising amount of meat per bird in a very short amount of time. Quail begin to lay around 6-8 weeks and are ready to butcher by 10-12 weeks. Certain types of chickens are also butchering size by around 6-10 weeks, not even giving them enough time to really annoy the neighbors. Careful with those breeds though, they are not meant to be used for breeding and many cannot survive that long if you become squeamish about butchering. So if you plan to have chickens to butcher, make sure you actually plan to do it on time. The same is true for both types of broad-breasted turkeys, which cannot mate naturally and will mature around 50 or more pounds. If they are left to live to maturity, they can sometimes have a hard time moving around and by then will be too big for your oven! If you want turkeys to raise and supply consistent meat, make sure to go with a single-breasted or heritage breed.
Rabbits are one species I have a great deal of experience with raising, and as I've touched on it before, won't go into it too much again now. Cavies however are one I have not hit upon before. Cavies are best raised for meat in colonies outside in good weather and inside during colder months. They don't handle weather chages well, so keep that in mind. Always choose the larges cavies you can find, leave the "petshop" pigs in the shop where they belong (they are there for a reason and most won't even get larger than a pound... show animals are supposed to be at least 2 lbs, for a reference point). For the truly squeamish homesteaders who can't bear the thought of eating a "pet" animal remember that in some countries, these animals are a staple and colonies are maintained in many households,
For something really different though, try adding pigeons to your homestead. These birds are truly an amazing creature and one that is overlooked so often as a source of meat that it becomes an instant benefit to the small homesteader because your neighbors are just as likely to overlook them as well. When choosing birds to raise for meat, pick breeds with nice size and a large breast. The recommendation to me was to "feed 'em, water 'em, and leave 'em alone. They do the rest." And so far it has been true. Food, water, a nest and a perch and they will do the rest, laying, setting, and raising young pigeons. You can even release them after awhile to search for their own food some and they will return to their young. Now I personally am not comfortable yet releasing my pigeons, and they don't seem all that inclined to leave, but it is an option.
I suppose the most important thing for a small homesteader is to think outside the box. The only limitations to what you can really do are those you set for yourself.
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