The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: AndynJ on June 23, 2013, 09:52:41 am
-
Hi all, not so new but thought we would introduce ourselves to see if anyone else local.
-
Sorry not anywhere near you but hi anyway from Lennoxtown ( North of Glasgow ).... :thumbsup:
Eck :wave:
-
Well you live in a wonderful place, been many times down to Devon and Cornwall but that was before we moved so far away, we are now in central Scotland, Scotland is a very beautiful country without the busy roads.
I am sure there are a few from down your way on here.... :wave:
-
Hi from the Isle of Mull. :wave:
When Holidaying in teignmouth for a week every year. Always spent a day feeding the duck and black swans on the river at Dawlish when I was a kid :thumbsup: loved it.
-
So this is a Scottish forum then or is it just everyone who has chickens lives in Scotland. :farmer:
My Grandad was Scottish maybe that's why I like chickens :-\
So the simple answer is nope no one else lives down my way.
Wow its a long way for a holiday but then it is pretty fantastic down here, fresh mussels, and plenty of Mackeral, whiting and bream, so its not a bad life.
-
Well, I'm a bit nearer - Shropshire in fact - but I do like Devon if that counts. ;D
-
Telford way if I recall, we did live in Stourport.
Quick question about goats which breed should we look for ?
Meadow is stock fenced to 900mm high, would like some milk, not too much, any thoughts
-
Wow its a long way for a holiday but then it is pretty fantastic down here, fresh mussels, and plenty of Mackeral, whiting and bream, so its not a bad life.
It wasn't that far to go on holiday. We lived in the midlands when we used to go to dewlish. ( I've been around a bit :innocent: )
-
Hi there :wave: :wave: :wave:
We've just bought a place in Howley near Chard so a bit closer. We are in the process of moving stuff down (from South Yorkshire). It will be a while before we get our animals as we have to sort some things out with the house and reinstate some animal housing first. At the moment we just have a rather elderly cat and a snake. Looking forward to getting chickens first later this year. What have you got?
Helen
-
Telford way if I recall, we did live in Stourport.
Quick question about goats which breed should we look for ?
Meadow is stock fenced to 900mm high, would like some milk, not too much, any thoughts
Hello and welcome from Carnoustie :wave:
Not a goat expert but the rare (and beautiful) Golden Guernsey is supposed to be very good for thos e wanting milk but not in vast quantities. You would also be helping to support one of Britain's rare breeds if you have a registered herd :thumbsup:
-
Golden guernseys are on my list after chickens. Anke on here has them.
Helen :thumbsup:
-
I have been considering the guernseys
Currently we have
1 fantastic border collie
1 Feral cat (fantastic)
2 Speckled sussex (show condition)
2 Legbars
2 lavenders
1 brown maran
1 Black maran
1 Bl maran x speckled sussex (trial)
1 Silkie cockerel
1 Lavender cockerel
2 types of hybrids
Share 2 lambs
We have had hybrid and tamworth pigs in the past
We have just applied for planning for a 100sq metre hen house to run 50 Bowler hybrids & 50 probably sussex hybrids
We have 8.5 acres hoping to buy another 5 along with agreed rental of 6 acres
26000 litre rainwater tanks, all flat land 1/2 mile from the sea,
Just been asked today to supply 600 free range eggs a week at premium prices
All we need now is milk, oh and sensible planning officer
-
Well, we are new, and not so far away, near crediton..... does that count as local?
-
Helloooooo! I'm from the West Country - Stoke St. Gregory in Somerset. We are about an hour away from you so you are not on your own :) .
We moved a year ago and have never looked back (apart from the fact that the nearest Ikea is an hour and a half away. A bit of a drawback when you are refurbishing a rundown old house). Dawlish is a lovely place and I am sure that you will enjoy your new life.
-
Brendon/Possum, well hi there both,
What have you both got, ground/animals/veg ???
Possum why would you want to go to IKEA ? next you be telling us you watches tele.
We have been in Dawlish since Sept wonderful place, though we had 1/3 acre before with chicks/pigs/veg
Just on a bigger better scale now, desperate to buy more land, I just heard on the news they have stopped making the stuff, that'll put the price up then :thinking:
-
Why would I go to Ikea? Well, you have to get the curtains from somewhere. (I'm hopeless at making them) and I like their designs and prices. It's also useful to look at their room layouts when you are trying to create a new home almost from scratch. We moved into a run-down converted cowshed last year and are just about coming to the end of the renovation.
As for the smallholding, we have three weaners, three lambs (all destined for the freezer) four chickens and are currently raising some buff sussex chicks for the table. We have quite a number of raised beds for veg and I'm gradually creating a soft fruit area behind the polytunnel. Never a dull moment!
-
Dawlish & Possum - west country soul mates (excluding Ikea....)
We just moved down last October. Have about 8 acres, and now have three cats, five chickens, two pigs (for a few weeks more) and a small flock of sheep (3 ram lambs & a wether were freezer bound, but due to canny overtures of friendships from wether and one lamb, only two will make it to the freezer, early next year...)
Hence Brendon '21' - slightly short sighted since with the pigs going we'll be down to 19, and I never factored in potential chicken losses (too painful!)....
Veg garden up and running.
Our skill set, in respect of animal husbandry and gardening, is having to grow rapidly.
I don't mind getting it all wrong if it only affects me, but I can't stand thinking that my inexperience / ignorance might have miserable consequences for poor hapless animal (back to my poorly chicken!).
Ho hum.......
-
There is a very good chicken vet near Honiton, which is about 45 mins from you. Called Stuart Young Vets. They are more than happy to give phone advice, free of charge, and I found them invaluable on the one or two occasions when I was worried and didn't know what to do.
-
Thank you Possum - v thoughtful. Might give a call...
-
Good luck. Let us know how you get on.
-
Ive just GOT to ask! Where abouts in Dawlish are you? The Exeter side or the Teignmouth side, or up by the Bartons? My mum and dad lived in Dawlish for 20 years and my aunt lived there for years before them so I know it quite well and absolutely love it. Sadly, Ill probably never return, not even for a visit. If you don't want to say on the board, could you PM me?
-
Hello from across the water in Exmouth!
-
Apparently, I was conceived in Exmouth!! :eyelashes: :innocent:
-
Nice crowds Brendon & Possum, & a hi to Exmouth (nice place)
We are of to rendells at Newton Abbot in the morn
-
Chicken update..... Miserable couple of days watching failing chicken... Husband called honiton vet today, they now charge (modestly) for any advice, so took hen to local vet.... All usual stuff ruled out, but dosed with anti biotics (£30). Fingers crossed. Thanks for support.
-
I accept I'm harsh but personally if I had one sick chicken I would separate it to make sure it didn't spread give it a few days see how it gets on I wouldn't spend £30 saving a single chicken, would be worth finding out which antibiotics your vet uses and dosage then order them off internet for the future.
I use tylan and inject just above the poop hole, unless its on deaths door then I inject in between the pelvic bones (Defra vet suggested this one)
Just an added thought the eggs your chicken lays shouldn't be eaten
Having quick chat with wife last night, what are you doing with your pigs ?
We maybe interested in having some meat, as we will not be keeping pigs until late 2014
-
Well.................. I think it depends on how many you have and how much time you spend with them. If you only have a few, and you know them well, it is hard to see them suffering.
-
It is hard to find a balance that suits. We could afford the vet, are not running a commercial venture, and hate the thought of our incompetence causing suffering.
It was tylan - might try Internet for future.
Chicken rallied greatly. Energetic this morning until the moment we gave her second antibiotic injection (in breast as shown by vet). Then very passive and weak until what looked like horrible heart attack, with seizures, this afternoon. Grim. Sad. First bit of animal death (for middle class London girl). We've learnt loads. Did our very best.
Delighted to have interest in the piggies but now spoken for I'm afraid.....will let you know if we do it again!
Thanks for the interest - this site does help.
-
So sorry to hear about your chicken. It is hard when the first one goes. :bouquet: I'm not sure that your lack of experience had anything to do with the illness. Sometimes these things just happen. How many other chickens do you have and are they all well?
-
Yep agree, absolutely no blame, don't feel bad, watch the others really carefully for next 4 days, first sign of anything get the vet in to see the whole flock.
Hey we have all been there that lump in your throat actually gets sore.
Pigs, oh well, just thought it may well help, your thinking of not having pigs ?
-
Thanks you two.
Four lovely chickens left, with a very close eye being kept on them!
Guess we should now be 'Brendon 20' with one down, and after pigs go off (to heaven?) later this month, then we'll be Brendon 18 - we should have thought this through more carefully!
Husband and I remain the minority species, competing with the felines and the sheep...
It really does seem that everyone who's ever had chickens has to experience their loss, unexpectedly, at some time. I will just have to 'man up' a little.
Could do with some sunshine!
-
Brendon (soon to be 2) Could do with some sunshine !
Come to Dawlish, I've come inside I can't cope with the heat at 6 o clock at night. :P
Monday was a killer so hot couldn't do anything :surrender:
Tuesday wasn't too bad
Wednesday, I had to rub cream on my wife's shoulders as she got burn't so much Mon/Tues
We need rain, we have huge rainwater tanks they have been empty for ages, the grass is bare, the ground is solid we have had hardly any rain all year, we got 6mm snow it lasted 3 hours. :-\ :snowman:
If you come to Dawlish can you bring some :raining: with you please.
I just remembered you like smilies, here goes ;D :D 8) :pig: :farmer: :wave: :eyelashes: :excited: :sunshine: :roflanim:
-
Hi :wave: from Exmoor (N Devon)
Closer...... but not really local. Devon is Huuuuuuuuuuge. I meet people from 'North Devon' and they live an hour and a half away ??? .
I have golden guernsey's, keeping my kids this year but will have stock to sell next year. Welcome to come and meet them if you are up this way.