In addition to farming, the Zerma raise chickens and some cattle, although the cattle are usually only slaughtered and eaten during religious ceremonies and festivals. A typical village house is either round with mud walls or is rectangular with walls made of sun-dried mud bricks. Most houses have straw thatched roofs. The oldest male is the head of the house. When a man has more than one wife, each wife has a separate dwelling for her and her children.
Zerma children are basically timid.
A shameful expression is expected when they are conversing with superiors, and they tend to look down when called. By the age of six, children are expected to know the difference between right and wrong. They begin doing light work in preparation for their future role as adults. Boys' responsibilities include tending to the farm animals. The girls help their mothers care for the younger children, pound millet, and sell food in the villages.