Our animals
You’ll spot plenty of familiar faces – from pigs and goats to horses, turkeys, chickens, sheep and geese – but look a little closer and you’ll find we’re home to 26 different rare breeds. As you visit our barns, stables, pens, paddocks and meadows, keep an eye out for our special rare breed icons on the signs to learn more about these special animals and why they need our help.
It’s not just farm animals who live here! Kids especially love saying hello to our guinea pigs, ferrets in their special enclosure, and colourful budgies and cockatiels in the aviary. Don’t miss our tropical butterfly tunnel in summer too for a magical, immersive experience.
For a more up-close experience, head to the Children’s Barn, where little ones can pet and stroke a selection of friendly animals. The animals rotate regularly for their comfort, so there’s always someone new to meet and learn about.
Our cheeky goats are always up to something in their paddock – they love an audience! You’ll also see pigs snoozing or snuffling about in their sties, and in spring, don’t miss a visit to our lambing tunnel, where you can meet some of our newborn lambs. It’s a real favourite with families.
And if you’re lucky, you might just spot our cattle grazing peacefully in the meadows.
The Rare Breeds Centre is dedicated to the conservation of rare and native farm animals. As an RBST-approved conservation farm park, we focus on preserving endangered breeds through education, breeding programs, and public awareness. By visiting, you’re supporting vital efforts to protect these unique animals and their heritage for future generations.
Look out for the rare breeds symbol in our animal directory. Just click on an animal to see if it is a rare breed and it will show you which other animals of the same species are also rare breeds.
To keep things safe and healthy for both visitors and animals, please wash your hands thoroughly after touching any animals or being in the barns. This is especially important before eating, going into the restaurant or soft play, and when you’re leaving the farm.
Hand sanitisers are not an adequate substitute. Please use our handwashing stations placed all around the site and help anyone you are responsible for to do the same. They’re they’re never far away! We also recommend downloading our handwashing leaflet before your visit.
The Rare Breeds Centre is an amazing family day out, but it’s also the training ground for our Life Skills students and is run by our charity, Canterbury Oast Trust. You may see some of our students helping out in the children’s barn, gift shop or restaurant, mucking out the pigs, working with plants, and being brilliant helpers on the farm. They’re here to learn important skills and are happy to answer your questions.
So grab your wellies, pack your camera, and come enjoy a brilliant day out with our wonderful animals. It’s a fantastic family-friendly farm experience, with a few rare surprises along the way!
Don’t miss out on a brilliant day for the whole family!