Cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens are raised at each homestead. The men do most of the farm work, but the women help plant and harvest. Women also cultivate their own garden vegetables, collect forest products, gather firewood, draw water, and prepare the food and beer. The Siamou live in rectangular, fortress-type compounds. Both male and female help in house-building.
Structures are high and have thick mud or clay walls and flat roofs.
A number of compounds compose a settlement, but these are located at a distance from one another so as to separate one family's farm and herds from others. Larger bush farms are located farther away from the settlements. Children are cared for by their mothers and are breast-fed until they can walk. At that time, they are considered to have become human and are entitled to a proper burial. From this point, children are cared for by older sisters or relatives, who include them in their play.