The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Lancealot on April 05, 2018, 10:42:20 am
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Hello I currently have in my garden one pet pig, 6 chickens. I’ve inherited the 2 acre paddock at the bottom of my garden it has a couple of mature trees and a open ended barn and I’m told is ideal as pasture. I’m debating putting a flock of sheep or goats on it. I would love ostrich’s but the wife is against it. Please any suggestions of type of animal and breed.
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Hi Lancealot and welcome. Don't be scared of your new land.
For deciding what to keep on it, why not start at the other end? What would you want your animals for? Food, milk, eggs, fibre or pets? Do you have any experience of any species or breeds? How much time and money do you have available to buy, feed and care for your animals, including vet bills? Are you too squeamish to dispose of sick animals, or to take them to the abattoir? All of that needs to be discussed and agreed with your wife - there's no point diving in and buying unsuitable animals that one of you doesn't want.
Animals are not your only option, as you could have a flower meadow, wildlife area, or an orchard. You could grow garden flowers to sell, or set the ground aside for a Glamping business. There are endless possibilities, but there is absolutely no need to rush into a decision. Until you have made up your minds, you could sell the grass as hay.
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Hi Lancealot and welcome to the forum. I would second what Fleecewife has written.
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Hi that’s a great reply. We’ve discussed it at length but you have given us some great ideas.
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We have hens and are thinking about alpaca's to go with them. However if you are trying to turn a profit you would have to think about breeding etc but thankfully we can keep them because we have the room and because they are cute lol
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Hiya love the idea of alpacas, but too costly for me I think. I walked around the paddock yesterday and inspected the fence. It’s 3 rail on 1 side and 3 strips of barbed wire on 2. Rules out any small animals me thinks without renewing the fence. I suppose I could expand my flock of chickens (Swedish flower hens) and let Boris (pig) have loads more room. Actually Boris is great and we love him he’s a small pig but if we were to expand pigs with the end game being the table, I know my butcher and abattoir just two miles away will be more than happy. What breeds would be recommended? It would give great company to Boris which I feel guilty about and we know how to look after pigs. And to be honest with 2 acres they would be really happy.
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With regards to pigs I'm not an expert but we have had OSB's, Gloucester old spots and Tamworths. To be honest I haven't found a lot of difference with regards to the taste of the meat but the Tamworths were the nicest to keep. Friendly and very laid back.
You are lucky to have an abattoir so close too