What animals to get first in Stardew Valley

The best thing about Stardew Valley is you can pursue goals at your own pace. Almost everything in the game is optional, but if you ask me, what is a farm without cute animals everywhere? If you’re on the same wavelength, let me show you what animals to get first in Stardew Valley.

If you’re a new player and are still in your first year, I recommend purchasing Chickens first. You require a Coop for the ‘Raising Animals’ quest anyway, so you may as well use it. Chickens are fantastic, as you can use their Eggs to make Mayonnaise, which is a great money maker in year 1.

You’ll need to buy a Coop from Robin in the Carpenters shop (pictured above) before you can keep them. The requirements are pretty hefty early on, as you require the following for construction:

• 100 Stone
• 300 Wood
• 4000 Gold

Unless you want to spend an obscene amount of money on hay, you’ll also need to build a Silo. You can buy this from the Carpenters shop as long as you have the following:

• 10 Clay
• 5 Copper Bars
• 100 Stone
• 100 Gold

Keep in mind that Robin can only construct one building at a time, and it takes her three days to do so. If you have a Silo, any grass you slash with a Scythe on your farm immediately goes there so you can feed your Chickens for free.

I recommend doing this as early as possible as grass won’t grow during Winter. Without grass, you’ll have to buy hay from Marnie’s Ranch. It’s an expense you can do without, so plan accordingly.

There’s no correct answer to what animals you should keep, but I usually go for Cows after Chickens. You can sell Milk for a tidy sum, but you can make so much more once you reach Farming Level 6. At Level 6, you unlock the Cheese Press and can turn your Milk into Cheese. 

Cheese sells for a pretty profit and doubles as a decent source of health and energy in a pinch.

If you’re serious about maximizing your animal produce profits, you can choose the Rancher profession when you reach Farming Level 5. Professions are semi-permanent but can be undone with a trip to the Sewer.

While animals are great money-makers in the early/mid-game, they are ultimately optional. Animals make completing the Animal Bundle in the Community Center much more straightforward, but they aren’t essential. 

The Travelling Cart has a chance to sell everything required for the Animal Bundle, although the vendor’s inventory is random. You can visit the Cart before 8 PM on Fridays and Sundays, and it always appears south of the farm in Cindersap Forest.

Animal products can also be gifted to villagers. Almost everyone likes Cheese, although you’ll upset Harvey, Jas, Sebastian, and Vincent if you give it to them.