Farm Animals & Wildlife

Drumlin Farm is a working farm, and its animal barns hold sheep, goats, chickens, pigs and cows. Each spring brings lambs and goat kids, usually born in March. Alongside the farm animals, Mass Audubon gives a permanent home to rehabilitated native wildlife that cannot survive in the wild, including hawks, owls, vultures and a red fox. You can watch and ask questions, but you cannot feed the animals.

The Farmyard Barns

Mass Audubon says sheep, goats, chickens, pigs and cows greet visitors in the barns around the farmyard. They are real farm animals, raised as part of Drumlin Farm's livestock operation, not a petting zoo. In the afternoons, the farmers are out doing chores such as feeding the animals and mucking stalls, and Mass Audubon says they are happy to answer questions.

For the animals' safety and yours, Mass Audubon asks visitors not to feed them: leave that to the farmers.

How the Animals Are Raised

Drumlin Farm has raised livestock since 1955. Mass Audubon describes it as a humane, sustainable operation with plenty of space and fresh air, no growth hormones and no routine antibiotics (animals are treated by vets as needed). Lamb, pork, goat and beef from the farm are sold at the farm stand, along with eggs and wool yarn from Drumlin sheep.

Baby Animals in Spring

The highlight of the year for many families is lambing season. Mass Audubon says lambs and goat kids are typically born in March, and due dates are posted in each barn. On spring weekends, teacher naturalists are stationed at the barns to answer questions and show how animal products are made. Mass Audubon posts updates on when to visit on Drumlin Farm's Facebook and Instagram pages.

Native Wildlife Exhibits

Drumlin Farm is also a wildlife sanctuary. Mass Audubon provides a long-term home for rehabilitated, injured or human-habituated animals that would not survive on their own.

Bird Hill

Along the trail on Bird Hill you can see most of the raptors that live in Massachusetts. Depending on the season, hawks, falcons, owls and vultures look back at you from their enclosures. Near the birds of prey is a group of ring-necked pheasants. The birding guide covers wild birds on the sanctuary too.

New England Wildlife Explorations

This exhibit shows animals that live where forest meets field, the edge habitat that covers much of the farm. It features a red fox. In the building next to the fox enclosure, Mass Audubon lists a Downy Woodpecker, a Painted Turtle, mice, a Corn Snake and a resident skunk.

Seeing It All: The Farmyard Loop

The barns and wildlife exhibits sit on the Farmyard Loop, the half-mile main loop of the farm. It is a mix of wide paved walkway and hard-packed dirt road, sloping downhill from the Nature Center, with benches at the steepest sections. Mass Audubon rates it universally accessible except for a rough side path at Bird Hill. See the trail map.

Good For / Maybe Skip If

Good for: toddlers and young children (the loop is stroller-friendly), anyone who wants to see where food comes from, and spring visits for baby animals.

Maybe skip if: you want to pet and feed animals at a petting zoo; Drumlin Farm asks visitors not to feed the animals. If it's a dog walk you're after, dogs are not allowed here; see dogs and pets.