The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: loosey on February 15, 2011, 02:09:14 pm

Title: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: loosey on February 15, 2011, 02:09:14 pm
Can you tell I have some spare time on my hands this afternoon?! :-[

Just wondering what you would like to keep if you were able to or if you don't why not?

I would love to have a House Cow  :cow: :love: not to mention the meat from her offsrping  :yum:. Our land is stopping us ... we have 13 acres but have 5 horses on that already and I like to make sure we get a really good cut of hay each year. We also have our pigs and chickens and are looking to get 4 few sheep this year, so there simply isn't enough room - also with TB testing and everything else that goes with cattle, I just don't think we can look into it.

I would also love to keep Alpaca and am well on my way to convincing the OH that a couple might not be such a bad idea!

On the unusual side my OH really wants to keep Rhea's! Again - maybe when we upsize one day!
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: OhLaLa on February 15, 2011, 02:14:27 pm
A 'house cow' is about the only animal I would be interested in but don't have. Milk, butter, cheese etc is the only thing I don't produce (and I've got a fab Wheeler Cheese Press with all the molds - never used it!).

Reason I don't keep one is all the work involved re keeping her in milk and milking - but if anyone has done it I'd love to hear about it!!!!!!!!!

 :cow:
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: bloomer on February 15, 2011, 02:26:48 pm
pigs sheep more chickens maybe a few turkeys...


reason i don't have them, I currently live in a 3 bed end terrace in warwickshire, but we're working hard to correct that problem :-)

Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Cinderhills on February 15, 2011, 02:36:16 pm
Would love pigs, a couple of rescue donkeys, more goats but pygmies.  Alpacas would be nice too.  :)
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: loosey on February 15, 2011, 02:50:56 pm
Same here OhLaLa ... we can just about manage our own horses, the liveries, the pigs, feeding lambs, walking dogs etc twice a day while both working full time but adding milking into that might push it a bit!

I've told the other half that when babies come, so does a cow!  ;) ;D
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Hilarysmum on February 15, 2011, 02:54:13 pm
Milking goats
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 15, 2011, 03:16:50 pm
I usually get what I want  ;D providing I can make a good case for it  ;)
We're looking into sheep for later this year and contemplating a few hubbards and maybe a turkey or 2 (or 20 !)
Eventually I'd like some milking/meat goats - but it's a long way off and might never happen  ::)
Like everybody else - I want a cow ! Well, no, that's not true I want a herd of cows  ;D :cow: :love: That's what I was brought up with - my dad had a 100 head herd of prime beef cattle  :cow: :cow: :cow: We had calves every year (AI) and it was just brilliant. But until we get rid of some of these trees (which we can't, until they don't come under grant funding anymore) I don't have enough grass for grazing and hay/silage. Not to mention the need for a decent tractor and all the associated gubbin's that go with cows. But who knows ? Maybe in a few years, with a few more pennies in the bank it's something I will be able to do (I hope so !) ;) :wave:
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: faith0504 on February 15, 2011, 03:18:14 pm
would love to have, a cow or two, sheep, goats, more ducks, budgie, driving pony, peacock, and a minah bird ( please excuse the spelling)
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: silver swan on February 15, 2011, 03:26:23 pm
A Harris hawk (for falconry).  :)
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: ellied on February 15, 2011, 03:48:17 pm
I have 2 lists - the first is what I'd add immediately if I had moved to where I want to settle permanently and had enough land/buildings and I keep wondering about getting them first but that was before I lost 20 acres of rented ground so I'm now completely overstocked here:

Shetland sheep
6-8 laying chickens

If I had an OH to help out with the work, or could afford staff ;) I have a second list:
Couple of hand milked house cows (Jersey or first cross)
Aberdeen Angus cattle
Highland cattle
more chickens
more sheep breeds
alpacas
a Dales pony to ride and drive
selection of deer

and although I'd still sell the 8-9 ponies I want to sell at the moment, I'd be buying in a couple more breeding mares and have 2 Highland stallions at stud with a full diary of agri shows for all the above, a farm shop, cafe, a display area for customers to see the stock, 2 massive polytunnels at least and a selection of craft workshops and holistic therapy rooms (massage etc) leased out to local artisans and practitioners who would then display in the craft shop and offer courses on site in a yurt or something that would also be used for my firewalks and other workshops ;D

I dream big but I know my physical limits ::)  I'd be a great project manager and centre manager but have "people" to do all the manual labour except what I could manage and enjoy  8)

Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: tuggers1956 on February 15, 2011, 04:25:34 pm
When we had our suckler heard we also had a house cow.
It started when we milked three old Friesians and reared calves in batches of twenty five, much cheaper than milk powder.
Our house cow was a lovely old jersey cross that was so docile our daughter, six at the time, used to fetch her in, in the morning.
She used to give us about six gallons of rich milk a day and my wife made butter and cheese and any surplus milk was added to the skimmed milk and also fed to the calves.
All livestock is a tie but having to milk twice a day even more so.
I was listening to a program on the radio yesterday where the benefits of raw, un-pasteurised milk were being championed.
All three of our children grew up on it and I would still have it now if I could get it.
Apprently it is illegal to sell it in Scotland but you can still buy it in England and Wales but only direct from the Farm that produced it.
A chap on the radio was saying that he can’t produce enough and he is selling it for £1.95 a pint!
We are now livestock free, which is quite nice after spending nearly thirty years dealing with every problem animals through at you.
Just the odd thousand or so Pheasants we release, for the shoot, each year to deal with!
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: northfifeduckling on February 15, 2011, 05:23:55 pm
house cow and goats :&>
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: doganjo on February 15, 2011, 05:39:27 pm
A pony for my grandchildren, and for me to cuddle as I can't ride any more.  ;D
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: faith0504 on February 15, 2011, 05:42:41 pm
oh bless that is so sweet  :wave:
A pony for my grandchildren, and for me to cuddle as I can't ride any more.  ;D
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Frieslandfilly on February 15, 2011, 06:11:37 pm
A house cow for sure, we dont have the room but we do have a half share in a beef calf with a fellow smallholder down the road who does have the room  :cow:
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Floyd on February 15, 2011, 07:19:45 pm
Hopefully not in the too distant future  Quail and Guinea Fowl, but also have a crazy idea of having a couple of Rheas running around the croft.  Will certainly be a talking point for the walkers!
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: bloomer on February 15, 2011, 07:22:01 pm
rheas will certainly get some funny looks from hill walkers

are rheas kept for eggs or meat?
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: LouiseG on February 15, 2011, 09:43:57 pm
i'd like a couple of miniature mediteranean donkey girls, aldready in foal so i wouldn't have to wait so long for babies.  :love: but OH says we already have too many animals so will keep dreaming for a bit longer.

It's lovely to read about everyones dreams and hopes, my OH see's it as "you're never satisfied" i like to think of it as "it's nice to have a future plan"  :)
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: doganjo on February 15, 2011, 09:54:08 pm
i'd like a couple of miniature mediteranean donkey girls, aldready in foal so i wouldn't have to wait so long for babies.  :love: but OH says we already have too many animals so will keep dreaming for a bit longer.

It's lovely to read about everyones dreams and hopes, my OH see's it as "you're never satisfied" i like to think of it as "it's nice to have a future plan"  :)
I LOVE donkeys too.  And basically I am happy with  what I have, but it WOULD be nice to have a little more land and room for that pony - or donkey.  I think not being satisfied is cup half empty whereas hopes and dreams are cup half full  ;D
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: loosey on February 16, 2011, 08:57:03 am
rheas will certainly get some funny looks from hill walkers

are rheas kept for eggs or meat?

Meat for us! Yum!!  :yum: ;D
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: bamford6 on February 16, 2011, 10:30:35 am
we have a go att some think new each yere Quail and Guinea Fowl done these last getting rid lots off work not much return .still have 200 rare breed sheep and 55 pens off rare breed chickins bantams ducks geese etc so some think new .
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Blinkers on February 16, 2011, 11:49:07 am
A handful of beef cattle.....but something easy to handle and not too feisty  ::)   I like the look of the Ruby Reds  :cow:   Reason for not having any.......not enough land (unless the horses went  :o :o :o) and all the problems with the TB, that would break my heart  :'(
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Rosemary on February 16, 2011, 11:50:29 am
I'd like a few ducks to keep in the vegetable garden but we've been told they're very messy. I saw some apricot call ducks at a sale and thought they were lovely. Might be nice to have duck eggs to sell too though.
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: doganjo on February 16, 2011, 11:57:13 am
You could have them in a moveable run - you've plenty space for that - and they don't make that much mess.  To be honest my hens trashed the grass run they had a lot quicker. 
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Litl_Deb on February 16, 2011, 12:25:08 pm
Another vote for a house cow - not heard the term before, describes it beautifully - I would enjoy goats for milk, mostly because my Dad had them when I was growing up.  I would like many more chickens, only have a dozen at the mo.  I had seven ducks but the fox murdered six of them in one go. I love to watch them playing in the pond, I will perhaps pluck up some courage and get some more.  The damned fox comes during the day here when the cubs are hungry - there really is no defence if you want your birds to have any sort of freedom. 
If I could make it work financially I would be a Farmers Market-er in a shot, I am trying to do some research to see if I could do that instead of my office job.
I would mostly like to spend my time at home will my children while I make cheese and butter and grow vegetables - I think I am a Farmer's Wife at heart - it is a shame my OH is not a Farmer !!
 ::)
 
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: plumseverywhere on February 16, 2011, 05:22:29 pm
Southdown sheep and more goats  :)
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: katie on February 16, 2011, 06:17:09 pm
Southdowns are lovely. I want lots of goats - and some GOS pigs.
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: little blue on February 16, 2011, 08:01:27 pm
those of you who are saying "house cow" .... consider goats!
smaller, less to feed, trainable (allegedly!!) the milk is lower in fat & cholesteral & soooo affectionate! & marginally less painful when they stabd on your toe!
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: little blue on February 16, 2011, 08:06:39 pm
wish list....

Dales pony, couple of donkeys, more hens - especially Redcaps, Marans
a few sheep - Badgerface
llamas just for a laugh! 

and an orangutan .... if we're talking wishes  ::)
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: bloomer on February 16, 2011, 08:08:44 pm
oh if we're going to be silly!!!

orangutans are great, but i'd like a pet heffalump!!!
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: robert waddell on February 16, 2011, 08:12:27 pm
little blue our friends have lammas they can jump 5ft
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: little blue on February 16, 2011, 08:13:41 pm
mine too.  and I'm very keen on the spitting!  but they're pretty cool, and less imposing than a camel!!
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Sudanpan on February 16, 2011, 08:14:12 pm
Sheep - would like to get a couple of ewes with lambs to keep over the summer - mobile grass cutters  ;D
Also, we are sowly dealing with the huge pile of stones left in the corner of our land when they grubbed up the cornish hedges - then we want to create a pond where the stones were and OH would like some ducks  ;D ;D
I would love some cattle, I just love their noses  :D :D
Tish
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: mab on February 16, 2011, 09:20:07 pm
I fear that If I could have anything, I'd have Everything!  :D

More realistically (if / when I get the land):-

(house) Cow(s)
Horses
LLamas
donkeys

not necessarily in that order.

Actually - I was wondering about Dwarf Zebu - they're basically minature cows aren't they? Does anyone know if they can provide milk like a cow? (obviously they produce milk; but can they produce enough for a calf then be milked)?

And they should need less space...

mab
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Sandy on February 18, 2011, 06:32:14 pm
I too would love horses and also not able to ride due to my back but I realy realy realy realy would LOVE a rescue DOnkey and a little trap, then I could load it up with our 4 Labradors and myself and trot off to the woods, fun in all weather I think!!!!!!
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: robert waddell on February 18, 2011, 06:55:16 pm
we have a shetland pony stalion far better than a donkey
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Sandy on February 18, 2011, 07:02:48 pm
A Stallion???? I would get a speading ticket with that, I bet he can shift with those powerful little legs, I know cause I used to run fast now the only thing of mine that can run is my nose!!!!!!!
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: robert waddell on February 18, 2011, 07:06:07 pm
just put good brakes on the the buggie
back on thread a unicorn
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: silver swan on February 18, 2011, 09:00:25 pm
What about a Hippogriff (ala Harry Potter!?). That would scare off any troublesome neighbours eh Ellisr (if you notice this post)?
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: sabrina on February 18, 2011, 09:04:58 pm
although we raise orphan lambs for the freezer now and again I would love to have my own small flock again, not possible with my back but I love sheep and find them relaxing to have around. Going to have a couple of pigs again, 12 hens is enough and we have the 3 ducks, 5 ponies, 3 dogs, 3 cats. I did fancy a couple of goats but OH put his foot down.  ;D
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: garden cottage on February 19, 2011, 07:11:50 am
herd of bison ;D
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: ballingall on February 19, 2011, 09:04:15 pm
A horse. A big one- something with Shire in it. I like Irish Draft horses as well though....

Other than that- I would like more land and then I could keep more goats, a few more of my kind of goats, but also some Boer for meat. Oh, and if I got the horse, I would like a Donkey to go with it. The OH really wants a donkey.

Sheep aren't on wish list particularly, but I do like to rear orphan lambs occasionally. Cows could be on the wish list- but I would like to be able to have all the equipment for them, and I can't see that happening.

Beth
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Womble on February 20, 2011, 08:59:43 am
orangutans are great, but i'd like a pet heffalump!!!

We had heffalumps for a while, but they kept breaking down the fences, so we had to get rid of them  ;).

I'm still plotting for some Indian Runner Ducks, and a few turkeys come the summer. Does anyone know who in Central Scotland might breed them or have hatching eggs?
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: jacob and Georgina on February 20, 2011, 09:03:10 am
i would love some deer for venison and some ostrich! eat this a lot and is soo tasty!
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: RUSTYME on February 20, 2011, 05:58:02 pm
a very heavy cob  or a working  type shire . It would have to be  a mare and about 5 years old and capable of working in all gears. I have three horses already , one a Welsh mountain pony , blind in one eye and getting on now. Her son , as good as gold, but sometimes decides he wants to kill me , and my big girl who is a cross cob , clydesdale , eventer. Her great granddad was Dutch Courage .
 Would also like a Devon Red Ruby cow or two , and a couple of GOS piggies or Berkshires and a few Cotswold sheep or Soay .
 Would like them , but no money so will have to wait . Still , I have the three horses and the four dogs to keep me busy anyway ....


cheers

 
Russ
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: littlemisspiggy! on February 20, 2011, 10:36:55 pm
i would dearly love a jersey cow! so i could call her daisy and put a hat on her with a flower in it! ;)
to many do's and dont's with tb etc though so no cows for me!
i would love a zebra..i saw one once for sale in a horse mag from holland...£3,500 for a colt foal...racing stripes eat your heart out...lol... :wave:
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: BlueDaisy on February 21, 2011, 09:18:23 am
Loads and loads of wolfhounds :love:
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Hilarysmum on February 21, 2011, 09:22:41 am
A WELL BEHAVED Hilary
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: bloomer on February 21, 2011, 09:24:43 am
have you tried explaining sausages to her?

it might work!!!
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: loosey on February 21, 2011, 11:09:33 am
have you tried explaining sausages to her?

it might work!!!

I bet it won't!!  ;) ;D
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Hilarysmum on February 21, 2011, 12:54:03 pm
She knows I will never be able to get her into the lorry.
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: plumseverywhere on February 22, 2011, 03:45:57 pm
MeerKats - Simples  ;D
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: princesspiggy on February 22, 2011, 07:22:57 pm
A Harris hawk (for falconry).  :)
i met a bloke once with one (or something similar) and he had a hunting dog (visla i think) with him and used them both together to hunt. so clever if you can do it!
i would love to get some purebred breeding turkeys, maybe norfolk blacks, instead of our usual xmas hybrids. im hoping they might have a bit more character, and intelligence - or is that pushing it abit --lol   :wave:
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Pel on February 23, 2011, 05:01:21 pm
At the moment I've had to downsize to just my rabbits (my chickens have moved to live with my mum's pigs, and did have quail but like someone else said hard work and you dont get a lot back and I just dont like them).

In the future if we get to have a lot of land then i'd like to grow my own crops for the animals also allowing me to produce straw and then some hay too. Plus a herd of horned welsh blacks and Highland cattle (the OH wants those). I'd like 2 or 3 Kerry cows to milk, i just prefer their taste in milk to the jersery x I've tried plus they produce fab beef and are a rare breed. I really like lamb, but not a fan of sheep, so I'd get some when my son grows up a bit as he seems to like the commercial types (he is only 1), though badger face meat does taste very nice. Also some chickens, ducks and geese as they all have nice eggs to eat. Oh and pigs, I haven't decided on what breed, depends where i was, would have some large blacks and some Kune kunes but i'd fatten them over a long time (1-2years), but for the main herd not sure, probably a modern/commercial type cross.

However since we'd only be able to afford probably nearer 5 acres in the nearer future, I'd be quite happy with 2-4 ducks, 2-3 geese and 4 chickens, a couple of pigs to fatten, perhaps breed and 2 dogs.

For now I'm content with looking after other peoples livestock and seeing how they manage their holdings.
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: ambriel on February 23, 2011, 06:28:22 pm

I'd like us to be self-sufficient in milk which would mean a cow or a goat but we just don't have the room (or money) for that.

For fun though I'd like to keep llamas or alpacas.
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: egbert on February 23, 2011, 09:58:42 pm
OH and I really wanted to get Alpacas - looked into some courses, went on a few farm visits to see what was involved etc - we had it all planned, finance in place etc. But the fields around us - 10 acres, perfect - belong to the mother in law and she didnt want to risk/cancel her standing agreement to rent it out to the local farmer for his cattle to take a 'risk' on us.    ::) :P

So my wish list

Alpacas
pigs
house cow
pygmy(?) goats
Indian runner ducks

Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: knightquest on February 23, 2011, 10:30:20 pm
I wish I could have a couple of pigs to rear for meat. Not enough room and reticence from my wife prevent it unfortunately.

Ian
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: seldomseen on February 26, 2011, 02:40:35 pm
I hear alot wanting a house cow, what about a goat? they can supply enough milk for the average family and take less looking after than the cow does for sure, just dont get a Tog as they are sooooooooo fussy on what they eat loll believe me I have one and she will not have the same type of food 2 days running. lol
I would love more goats, friendly and easy to get on with.
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: plumseverywhere on February 26, 2011, 05:33:18 pm
Goats are addictive!! I love mine to bits - must admit my toggs haven't been fussy at all. very partial to a biscuit though  ;)
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: Tilly on February 26, 2011, 06:37:20 pm

I`m loving reading this --------I hope you all get what you dream of.
 Tilly :wave:
Title: Re: What animals do you wish you could keep?
Post by: seldomseen on February 27, 2011, 08:30:58 am
We have a loft full of the sweetest hay you can make, the alpines will eat till they get fat but Marta will not touch the stuff and prefers the harder stemmier (is that a word lol)hay that we have less off...now that is fussy...she will get a  :farmer: up her ass if she does not eat it lol