Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => Chicken Chat => Topic started by: ANHBUC on December 30, 2012, 14:38
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:D It was 2 years ago today that I got my first hens. What a difference they have made to my life and not to mention the garden! I brought them home to thick snow and a wooden coop with attached run. Then added electric netting fence to keep them safe. They now have a walk in run with eglu cube and eglu classics for the youngsters.
I started off with 6 hens and now have 9 hens, 2 cockerels, 9 quail and 2 turkeys. I have enjoyed breeding and raising chicks. Some have been sold and some culled which was an experience in itself. Hubby has said no more turkeys so I might have to try a few ducks next! :blink:
I will have to wait for the lottery win for the smallholding and some alpacas but in the meantime I will continue to enjoy the company of my feathery friends. 8)
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A house is not a home without hens! Iv kept chickens for almost 5 years now ( not including then hens I bought whilst living at home) I even moved house this year so they could have a bigger garden to roam :)
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I will have to wait for the lottery win for the smallholding and some alpacas but in the meantime I will continue to enjoy the company of my feathery friends. 8)
I know exactly what you mean :lol:
A smallholding used to be my dream, but an allotment and some back garden chickens later, I'm happy enough as well. A few chooks in the garden really do add so much :D
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Letting the girls out for their daily roam around the garden is one of the highlights of the day (drumsticks going like the clappers to be the first on what is left of the lawn...)
I have my eye on a pair of miniature donkeys next (I just need a paddock!). At my appraisal the other year my boss asked me if one of my aims for the year should be to get a small holding (clue - I work in an office which is nothing to do with chicks or donkeys!) Hmm - I think they have rumbled that I'd rather be with my chickens than in the office! :blink:
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:blink: Like minded people. So I am not the only crazy one!
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Well if you want any ducks, let me know! I will be doing a hatch in the spring and I never need much encouragement to pop a couple of extra eggs in. :lol:
Not sure about alpacas but I LOVE my sheep. I did chose a moment when my OH knew I was very low as I was living away from home and miserable to tell him that my sister had offered us 2 alpaca (via someone she works with) and I had said yes. It was very funny listening to him gently panicking as he tried to talk me out of it without upsetting me until I took pity on him and told him I was winding him up and I had already said no to them. :lol:
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I would have to have muscovy ducks as the hens make enough noise I would not want to annoy the neighbours anymore than I already do!! :closedeyes:
The young cockerels haven't started to crow yet and I am hoping they will keep quiet until they realise Spring is in the air.
Hubby wouldn't object to me having alpacas if we had the land, I think he would quite like them. He would definitely prefer them to the turkeys.
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I heard someone say if you want to be happy for a fortnight go on holiday, for a year get married and for life plant a garden. I'd say its animals fo me - I have only two but the pleasure is immense and not easly explained to those who don't get it.
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I seem to remember that alpacas were supposed to be at guarding hens against predators :)
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They do have that reputation and they have beautiful wool. They do need 2 people to shear them apparently so you need to get specialist shearers in and they has been a whole hoo ha recently about them carrying bovine TB.
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At my appraisal the other year my boss asked me if one of my aims for the year should be to get a small holding (clue - I work in an office which is nothing to do with chicks or donkeys!) Hmm - I think they have rumbled that I'd rather be with my chickens than in the office! :blink:
I wish where I work and indeed my other half would be more in tune with my desire for a small holding! We have a possible redundancy package coming up next year, work are killing themselves suggesting promotions that I should go for which would take me away travelling and I was talking about it over Christmas with my hubby and he was all on for me taking the redundancy because I would get plenty of work as a 'consultant'. Had to bite my tongue as my idea is to take the redundancy pacakage, use it to reduce debts and then to take the plot beside mine (private site so no waiting lists etc. to contend with) which would give me 550 Sq Meters in total and try to have to good life, including chickens, ducks etc.
Soooo sick of the rat race!!!
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I seem to remember that alpacas were supposed to be at guarding hens against predators :)
Now that is a good excuse for getting some. :blink:
They do have that reputation and they have beautiful wool. They do need 2 people to shear them apparently so you need to get specialist shearers in and they has been a whole hoo ha recently about them carrying bovine TB.
It would be hard for them to prove that they were carriers and not contracted it as they think cattle have from badgers. I suppose they could be vacinated as they are not a meat product, as far as I know that is! :wacko:
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At my appraisal the other year my boss asked me if one of my aims for the year should be to get a small holding (clue - I work in an office which is nothing to do with chicks or donkeys!) Hmm - I think they have rumbled that I'd rather be with my chickens than in the office! :blink:
I wish where I work and indeed my other half would be more in tune with my desire for a small holding! We have a possible redundancy package coming up next year, work are killing themselves suggesting promotions that I should go for which would take me away travelling and I was talking about it over Christmas with my hubby and he was all on for me taking the redundancy because I would get plenty of work as a 'consultant'. Had to bite my tongue as my idea is to take the redundancy pacakage, use it to reduce debts and then to take the plot beside mine (private site so no waiting lists etc. to contend with) which would give me 550 Sq Meters in total and try to have to good life, including chickens, ducks etc.
Soooo sick of the rat race!!!
Yours sounds like the better plan Eblana, good luck with whatever you decide. :blink:
I heard someone say if you want to be happy for a fortnight go on holiday, for a year get married and for life plant a garden. I'd say its animals fo me - I have only two but the pleasure is immense and not easly explained to those who don't get it.
I can second that nerdle. My Aunty gets pleasure from my poultry even when she doesn't see them. I just have to tell her about their exploits and she always has a giggle. Best medicine I can think of is a good old laugh.
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Happy heniversary!! :D
We have had to rehome a lot of our hens due to the flooding. We have to put in new drainage where the chickens were and plan to make a much bigger walk in run for them. The whole lot will be slabbed and roofed with guttering to fill water butts. I've ordered a new plastic coop from solway recycling too. As much as I love it, I don't think I will be hatching again and wont have any more than 10 hens at any one time now. When we were flooded I only managed to keep 7 and had to rehome the others fast, the garden doesn't feel the same any more, really miss my girls. :(
If I had the room I'd love to keep pigs, they are so funny to watch too.
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We did the same with a walk in run last year. The water butt only took half a day to fill so we have put some guttering under the opened tap and into the pond until we can put some permanent overflow drainage in.
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Well if you want any ducks, let me know! I will be doing a hatch in the spring and I never need much encouragement to pop a couple of extra eggs in. :lol:
Not sure about alpacas but I LOVE my sheep. I did chose a moment when my OH knew I was very low as I was living away from home and miserable to tell him that my sister had offered us 2 alpaca (via someone she works with) and I had said yes. It was very funny listening to him gently panicking as he tried to talk me out of it without upsetting me until I took pity on him and told him I was winding him up and I had already said no to them. :lol:
You're so mean to that poor man Kate, although I have to admit there's a farm near us with a big sign outside offering alpacas for sale, and every time we drive past I suggest to the wife that we go take a look- she's not amused. Nice to hear you have your sheep now did you get rare breeds?. How are the girls?
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It would be hard for them to prove that they were carriers and not contracted it as they think cattle have from badgers. I suppose they could be vacinated as they are not a meat product, as far as I know that is! :wacko:
Of course but once they have it, just like cattle or badgers, they have it and can be contagious to others. I don't really know enough about bTB but in humans vaccination doesn't actually confer full immunity (I know! I was never told that when they were giving me my jab) but if exposed it accelerates you through the asymptomatic stage so that you can be treated earlier.
Currently you are not permitted to vaccinate against bTB (as it is not possible to tell which animals are infected or immunised on tests but this might change). And alpacas are meat animals in Peru!
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It would be hard for them to prove that they were carriers and not contracted it as they think cattle have from badgers. I suppose they could be vacinated as they are not a meat product, as far as I know that is! :wacko:
Of course but once they have it, just like cattle or badgers, they have it and can be contagious to others. I don't really know enough about bTB but in humans vaccination doesn't actually confer full immunity (I know! I was never told that when they were giving me my jab) but if exposed it accelerates you through the asymptomatic stage so that you can be treated earlier.
Currently you are not permitted to vaccinate against bTB (as it is not possible to tell which animals are infected or immunised on tests but this might change). And alpacas are meat animals in Peru!
I thought they might in some countries.
I nearly got a muscovy duck today. There was one on a central reservation of a dual carriageway. I did leave it for 2 hours after first spotting it and was concerned it was injured. I put a high vis jacket on and approached it carefully, it stood up and seemed ok. So I waited for no traffic and moved closer and it took off although not brilliant it flew over some farm land. It was only a youngster so not there to nest so possibly had a near miss with traffic and was catching its breath.
Just as well I didn't get it as hubby probably wouldn't have believed how I got it!! :wub:
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I keep thinking about muscovies but I don't really like their knobbly faces!
Think I will stick to what I've got for this year and breed some of the Saxony's for Christmas. The girls are so pretty and the boy was very tasty and 6lbs plucked and gutted.
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Just told hubby about the duck and he was so pleased that I did not attempt to catch it.
Muscovies are meant to be really good meat birds (not as fatty) and it is the lack of the quack that appeals. My turkeys are ugly so that doesn't bother me just the thought of all the mess ducks make. Still undecided so may leave it for another year.
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I seem to remember that alpacas were supposed to be at guarding hens against predators :)
Yes, I heard that too and have been suggesting to OH that we get one. I would sooooo like to have one, but OH is adamant that no more space do we have. :(
People who have the ski challet across the way to my sister in France have 2 alpacas to guard their hens. They are really gorgeous.
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I seem to remember that alpacas were supposed to be at guarding hens against predators :)
Yes, I heard that too and have been suggesting to OH that we get one. I would sooooo like to have one, but OH is adamant that no more space do we have. :(
People who have the ski challet across the way to my sister in France have 2 alpacas to guard their hens. They are really gorgeous.
I don't think you can just keep one as they need company like goats I think. ;)
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Yes - they need company so I understand that you should keep them in pairs as a minimum. We have an alpaca farm nearby and they are lovely - they have longest eyelashes ever... :D