Farmyard friends

Come and say hello

The farmyard at Chatsworth has been a favourite day out for children of all ages since 1973. There are so many farmyard friends to meet and there are animal handling sessions too.

In 2021 we were accredited by the Rare Breed Survival Trust for our rare breed programme.

View a few of our friendly faces before your visit below.

Eugenie

Hello, I'm Eugenie, a Suffolk Punch mare and a rare breed.

My ancestors used to pull carts and work the fields, but the arrival of machines meant I wasn't needed any more and my breed nearly became extinct.

Come and say hello, I am very friendly.

Seamus

Let me introduce myself, I'm Seamus, one of the donkeys.

I love it at Chatsworth because I get my nose stroked a lot.

Sometimes you'll hear me braying loudly when it's time for tea.

Cookie & friends

Hello, I'm Cookie, a guinea pig who loves cuddles and sitting on knees.

Myself and my friends like being stroked, we like vegetables, we like being stroked, we like fruit, we like being stroked... You get the idea!

When we're excited, we make a noise called a wheek.

The rustle of a vegetable bag makes us wheek. Did I mention that we like vegetables?

Twiglet

Hey! I'm Twiglet, an Alpine goat.

You won't miss me in the farmyard, especially if you're carrying a bag of animal food... My looong neck is very useful when it comes to reaching food.

I don't only love food though, I love scratches behind my big ears.

I can't wait to meet you!

Peter

Cock-a-doodle-doo! I'm Peter a Buff Cochin cockerel.

I'm a rare breed, with very fluffy feet. I love searching for food, you will see me pecking away trying to find little bugs or grain to eat.

You might hear me before you see me!

Daily activities

We have a working farmyard at Chatsworth. You can see our cows being milked almost every day until the end of October. Fun and educational – it's a great way for little ones to learn about where their favourite drink comes from.

Find out more about farmyard activities.