The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: chrisandjohn on January 06, 2011, 02:27:57 pm
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I am so glad I spent last night surfing the web - I was actually trying to find out if it was possible to transport sheep in a horsebox or is it illegal? Thus coming across comments from members from TAS about if it was ok to transport a horse in a livestock trailer leading then to my becoming a new member to TAS and spending at least another hour reading comments from new smallholders to wanting to know so much more from the more experienced.
My husband and I and my two younger daughters finally moved to wales from Oxfordshire August 2010 after looking for the right place for over 3 years!
We've always spent our holidays in this region and it has been our goal to become self sufficient smallholders for a long time.We now have an old victorian manse needing extensive renovation surrounded by 11 1/2 acres of gently sloping pasture.
Having got Christmas over and done with all our plans can now start to be put into action and we would like to start with some sheep a) to keep the grass short b)for the freezer and c) for us to have some fun and enjoyment looking after them (not necessarily in that order)!
We have some lovely farming neighbours and we are under no illusion as to how hard the work is. Anyway I know that we will be spending time reading all the invaluable advice and tips and hope that in time we will be able to help new smallholders ourselves.
If anyone does have any comments on my original query much appreciated. :sheep:
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I think (but it's only a guess) that, providing the horsebox has rails on the side of the ramp that it should be okay - I don't keep sheep :pig: :pig: :pig: so other sheep keepers will keep you absolutely right ;)
Hello & welcome to TAS :wave:
You'll have your hands full, but it sounds like a wonderful situation to be in ;D
Good luck with it and keep posting & letting us know how you get on.
Any plans for a veg patch ? If so, you'll NEED some pigs to rotivate and fertilise the land ;) I can answer piggy questions quite happily ;D :pig: ;D :pig: :pig: :pig:
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hello and welcome from sunny Carnoustie :wave:
And hens, you need hens. they're great company when you garden and you'll never taste eggs like them.
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Hello! Welcome from the Northern part of the Principality. Grow some veggies - can't beat your own home grown stuff. All the best with your plans. :wave:
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Hello from Leicestershire, we're looking to move your way in the next 2 years so let us know how you're getting on.
I can recommend the pigs and chickens just waiting for my 1st litter of piglets.. Pigs are addictive but wonderful animals to keep. You'll get loads of fantastic advice here and lots of support too. Can't help with your question but someone will be sure to.
So welcome welcome look forward to hearing more from you
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it is illegal to transport livestock other than horses in a horse trailer without gates at the side of the ramps
and hello yes get pigs your children will love them
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hi and welcome from moray :wave: get some hens they are lovely and im sure your daughters will love them
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Hi and welcome from Sue in Worcestershire. Your place sounds wonderful and I am sure you will have a lovely life there
This might be some help - it is a link to DEFRA's pdf on it - for some reason the link says poultry but it does go through to the sheep page - I have checked
http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/welfare/transport/documents/transport_poultry.pdf (http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/welfare/transport/documents/transport_sheep.pdf)
All the best
Sue
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Hi and welcome Chrisandjohn, :wave:
I'm just up the road from you nr Llanboidy. we are renovating as well, only 'not a manse' ;D ours is an old farmhouse.
There's quite a few forumers from around here. What sort of :sheep: are you getting.
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:chook:Hi and Thankyou for your welcoming replies. Yes we will be growing our own veg and fruit and having chickens as we have had them before and found them to be such fun to watch they were columbian blacktails and their eggs were large and deliciouswe were lucky enough to have good neighbours who also loved our chickens as they were free range!As we have a bit more land now I might get a little bit more serious about them and increase the number.
My husband has always wanted a couple of gloucester oldspots, me, I prefer the tamworths, this will definately happen in the not too distant future
we have a marshy area in one of the fields would this be suitable? Its about 20ft x 30ft.
Thanks for all your info about the horsebox I will follow up the leads.We will definately need a trailer of some sort to carry livestock but thought a horsebox would be more useful as we will be getting a pony for the girls at a later date.
Sheep not sure which breed yet I like the suffolk but my husband has other ideas too. Thinking of getting ewes with their lambs have been told Jan/Feb good time for this. Bought my husband Sheep book by Tim Hyne for christmas it really is a good read.
By the way 'dyedinthewool' we are at Henllan Amgoed a lovely village which you probably drive through every day. I know llanboidy it is a beautiful village.
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hello and welcome :)
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Hello and Welcome from.....just up the road too ;) We're in Blaenwaun and keep Rare Breed Pigs :pig:, Ryeland and Greyface Dartmoor Sheep :sheep:, Anglo Nubian Goats :goat:, as well as lots of chooks, a few Ducks and a couple of geese. If we can help just shout and feel free to visit and come and meet the gang. www.glynelwyn.co.uk
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Hello - I am new here too - from the isle of lewis. We have 2 blackface ewes xx
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Hello and welcome.
Suffolk are attractive sheep, we used to use a Suffolk ram occasionally. Good luck with the renovation and new ventures!
Beth
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A horsebox is a very useful trailer to have especially an Ivor Williams because you can transport a lot of things other than horses. Our 510 currently has straw bales and sheep food. It can't be too hard to make some sides for the ramp. There is some pretty heavy stuff about transporting animals on the Defra web site - too much space is bad because they don't have seat belts in the back.
Good luck in Whitland, I know it well and learned to fly at Haverfordwest up the road.
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Welcome. Sheep are great, pigs are even better
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hello and welcome from the Scottish Borders :wave: If you bought an Ifor Williams livestock trailer you would be able to transport sheep and ponies in it.
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Congratulations on your move - and well done for taking on an old property in need of restoration.
If you need any advice about pigs, drop me a line. I'm a bit further away from you than some of the others who have got in touch, but always available on email or the mobile.
Very best of luck to you.
Liz
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hi welcome from derbyshire from another newbie...... :wave:
we started with chickens :chook: and then quickly to pigs :pig: as we haven't enough land for sheep :( :sheep:
but the pigs have been brilliant....love looking after them .... :love: :love: :love: :love:
would certainly recommend them........ the hard bit comes next - due to go in a week