Happy Hens & Highlands is located in Bakersville, North Carolina, in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. For the privacy of our family and the safety of our animals, the exact farm address is provided only after your tour, photoshoot, or event booking has been confirmed.

Yes. We offer registered AHCA Scottish Highland cattle for sale to approved homes. Depending on availability, we may have breeding stock, show prospects, pet-quality Highlands, frozen semen, and embryos available. If you're looking for something specific, contact us and we'll be happy to discuss your goals and help determine if we have the right fit.

Yes! We offer guided Scottish Highland cattle farm tours, professional photoshoots, painting classes with the cows, and other seasonal events by reservation. Advance booking is required for all visits. For the safety of our family and animals, we do not allow unannounced drop-ins or self-guided visits.

No. Our Highland cattle are not accustomed to unfamiliar dogs and can become stressed by their presence. For the safety of our cattle, your pet, and all of our guests, outside dogs are not permitted on the farm. Thank you for understanding.

Yes. All farm tours, photoshoots, painting classes, and special events are by reservation only. We do not accept walk-in visitors. Booking in advance allows us to prepare for your visit and helps ensure the safety of both our guests and our animals.

Unfortunately, no. Our farm features uneven terrain, hills, pastures, and natural ground that can be difficult to navigate. Most experiences require walking on uneven surfaces, so they are not wheelchair accessible and may not be suitable for guests with limited mobility. If you have questions about accessibility, please contact us before booking and we'll be happy to discuss whether a particular experience may be a good fit.

Yes, but age restrictions vary depending on the experience.

For our guided Highland cattle tours, children must be 10 years of age or older due to the terrain and the presence of cows with calves.

For professional photoshoots, younger children are welcome when accompanied by a parent or guardian. We have additional staff available during photoshoots and use carefully selected cattle to help ensure a safe experience for everyone.

No. We do not sell or endorse miniature Highlands, and I am very outspoken against this unethical breeding practice.

The American Highland Cattle Association (AHCA) does not recognize "Mini Highlands" as a separate breed or type. Most so-called miniature Highlands are either crossbreds or animals that are unusually small due to poor nutrition, a heavy parasite load, poor milk production from the dam, or other environmental factors. Some are intentionally bred to carry chondrodysplasia, a genetic defect that can cause shortened limbs, skeletal abnormalities, mobility issues, chronic pain, and a reduced quality of life.

Our focus is on breeding healthy, structurally sound, traditional Scottish Highland cattle that preserve the integrity of the breed for future generations.

No. We do not intentionally create, sell, or endorse bottle babies.

Scottish Highland cows are exceptional mothers, and we believe healthy calves belong with their mothers whenever possible. Unnecessarily separating a calf simply to create a more human-oriented animal is not a practice we support.

We also do not sell intact bottle-fed bulls. Bottle-raised bulls often lose their natural respect for humans because they imprint on their handlers, which can make them dangerous, even deadly, once they reach maturity.

Our priority is raising healthy, well-socialized calves the way nature intended while putting animal welfare, long-term safety, and the preservation of the breed first.

Our Commitment to Our Calves

We believe calves belong with their mothers. The calves used during photoshoots are simply borrowed from the pasture for a short time and are returned to their dams immediately after the session. They are not bottle babies, are not raised away from their mothers, and are never permanently separated for tourism or photo opportunities. Their health, safety, and welfare always come first.