The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: johnmac on December 21, 2008, 01:07:44 pm
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Hi all.... just joined the forum, so just a quick hello from me!
My names John, i'm soon to be 30 and i live with my girlfriend near Blairgowrie in Perthshire. We have lived here for eight years, and hope to be buying the house we live in by March. I've kept chickens for the last four years, though this year my numbers have dwindled to a mere one hen, thanks to the local fox/mink/feral cat.... but once we've bought the house i'll get to re-stock!! Sadly i also lost my two Khaki Campbell ducks in July and August..... foxes!!!!!! Hand reared from my incubator!
Once we buy the house we are hopefully going to be able to purchase a few acres of land next to the house for my other half's horses....then the fun begins for me!! Donkey's, goats and then pigs?? Hopefully!!
Most pressing thing is to build/buy a brand new chicken coop and run and possibly invest in electric netting to keep the predators away....failing that the gun will have to come out to keep the flock safe!!
Anyone in the Perthshire/ Central Scotland area, feel free to recommend anyone for chicken around early March!
Many thanks,
John. ;)
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'ello John
I live between Blairgowrie & Coupar Angus (literally half-way) and am currently running with 4 black rocks (more to be got next year due to raptors). Don't have the supplier we used to hand (they are down in Burnt Island, Fife) whose name I got from Peter Siddens the breeder of BR's. But can easily get as I will use them again next year.
We have recently bought our house & hope to buy some land around it (the owner also sold us the house!) so perhaps you want to link up for help, advice, "what the feek do I do now" ism's etc?!
Also have a number of veg beds recently made as we (me and the girlfriend) are going for the whole "good life" thang so get in touch via this forum initally and we can hook up.
Oh my aunt used to run a livery stables that I worked on in the summer (back in the day, I'm 41) so any chance to ride horses is a good'un too!!
Cheers
Kev
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Hi Kev! Good to hear from you...small world as they say!
I hope to get some Chooks around March, so if your going then i'd get some at the same time, failing that pass me on their details! I've heard a lot about the Black Rocks, but never had one yet...though they sound good!
Can't beat the old "good life"
Take it easy!
John. ;)
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You could both do worse than go onto the Rescue hen website (http://www.bhwt.org.uk/) and contact Jim Duff from there ([email protected]) to re-home some nice girls. (He's just outside Callander) I got 6 in September and they are looking really good now - I get 3 eggs a day from them just now but that will increase as the weather improves. And they are very friendly - ideal pets for kids!
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Hi there doganjo.... i actually got in touch with him late Summer after seeing a story online.... but my house got put up for sale shortly after.... so i didnt follow it through. Thanks for reminding me! A good cause i thought!
John. ;)
P.S. whats the standard breed used for intensive egg layers??
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Not sure, but mine look like RIR or a cross of that and something else - they are mostly brown but a couple of them are lighter and one is absolutely tiny! They are happy little souls and stamp their feet beside the run whenever they see me coming - I am smug enough to believe it's because they love me not because they want more food ;)
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Hi John
Yeh we'll probably be looking to get a few more chooks around March too.
The ones we have at the mo are from:
Mr Pearson
Whinnieknowe Smallholding
Kirkcaldy Road
Burnt Island
KY3 9LQ
01592 890835
He gets his Black Rock chicks from the main breeder Peter Siddons. The link below shows the other folks around the country selling & whilst the folks above aren't on the list I got their details from Peter Siddons.
http://www.theblackrock.co.uk/Black_Rock_Hen_Agents.html
Black Rocks seem to get good reviews as an easy bird to keep & prolific layers too. Mine are as dumb as a fencepost but funny with it. Docile, friendly & decent sized brown eggs.
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Lomond Browns seem to be common intensive layers round here ie Central Scotland. We've got Black rocks and I wouldn't go past them.
I bought day-olds from Peter Siddens last year and they've done well. I'll certainly do it again next year - much less hassle than hatching eggs.
Have a look at the Central Scotland Smallholders site www.smallholder.info - it's maybe a bit far for you but you'd be really welcome if you wanted to join.
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Thanks all, and hi to Rosemary!
Thanks for the kind invite to join your group, but like you said it's a bit far, but i had fun reading up on it!
Also, with only one chicken to my name, i think i'd be a bit cheeky classing myself as a smallholder!! ;D
I live in hope though that one day i will become one!!! ;)
Thanks,
John.
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I bought day-olds from Peter Siddens last year
A few people have mentioned Peter Siddens- where is he based now? And this might seem an awful thing to say, but I take it that means he's still alive? Its just I remember him from the time I was tiny, and he seemed old then....
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Incidently- welcome John!
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He's near Drum, Kinross.
I've never met him but Dan has, and he's quite elderly.
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Thats right. I didn't think he was still there, we used to live in Kinross, its well over 20 years since I first remember going to his place.
Beth
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I suspect it hasn't changed much!
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Hello!!
House buy is getting ever closer!! I am on the list to get rescue chickens, probably in March.... then we'll see what else i can get my hands on!! ;) ;D