It was a crisp autumn morning on Farmer Joe’s property. The sun peeked over the hills, casting golden light on the barn, the fields, and the curious animals stirring from sleep. But something unusual was in the air today—a riddle. A question. A challenge.
Farmer Joe was preparing for the county fair’s annual brain teaser contest. This year, the grand prize was a brand-new tractor. Joe needed that tractor. So, he created a warm-up puzzle for himself, hoping it would sharpen his mind. He scribbled the question on a notepad, chuckled to himself, and whispered:
“How many feet are on the farm?”
He stood up, walked out the door, and looked around. There was no one else in sight. So, let’s help him figure it out.
Here’s what we know:
Farmer Joe lives alone on the farm. That’s 1 person, and each person has 2 feet, so we’re starting with 2 feet.
Now, Joe owns:
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4 cows
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2 horses
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5 pigs
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3 cats
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2 dogs
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1 chicken
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1 duck
He also has a scarecrow in the cornfield.
Let’s count carefully, but here’s the catch: The question is “How many feet are on the farm?” Not legs, not wings, not paws—feet.
Let’s go animal by animal.
Humans:
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1 human × 2 feet = 2 feet
Cows:
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Cows have 4 legs, not feet. But do they have feet? In everyday language, cow legs end in hooves, not feet.
So: 0 feet
Horses:
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Same as cows. They have hooves, not feet. So: 0 feet
Pigs:
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Pigs walk on hooves, too—not feet. So: 0 feet
Cats and Dogs:
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Cats and dogs have paws, not feet. So: 0 feet
Chicken and Duck:
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Birds have feet, don’t they? Yes! Chickens and ducks have clawed feet or webbed feet. Each has 2 feet.
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1 chicken × 2 feet = 2 feet
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1 duck × 2 feet = 2 feet
That’s 4 bird feet.
Scarecrow:
Tricky! A scarecrow is shaped like a human, and usually has 2 legs, but does it have feet? Some do, some don’t.
Let’s assume Farmer Joe dressed it in jeans and old boots. That counts. So: 2 feet
Now, let’s total it all up.
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Human: 2 feet
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Chicken: 2 feet
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Duck: 2 feet
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Scarecrow: 2 feet
Total: 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8 feet
All other animals, while they have legs or paws or hooves, do not have “feet” in the strict sense.
So, the answer is:
8 feet are on the farm.
But here’s the twist—many would try to count legs or all limbs. Some would add up every animal’s appendages, getting huge numbers like 60 or 80. But the brain teaser isn’t asking about legs—just feet.
And that’s how Farmer Joe, sipping his coffee and grinning at his own cleverness, knew he was ready to win that county fair challenge.
