21

Pigs / Sycamore woods

« Last post by TheCurney on June 08, 2026, 06:42:40 pm »

Hello, recently brought our first small holding earlier this year with the dream of being self-sufficient with meat, fruit & vegetables. I'm looking at introducing animals one thing at a time and pigs  are first up.

We have a small area of woodland on the back of the farm yard which I thought would be idea for pfencing in properly, and having it extent into the paddock so they would have 50/50 of open pasture and woodland. But now realizing that the woodland is made up off all sycamore trees, which I appreciate are poisonous to animals. But you read some forums and posts about that pigs are a lot less susceptible to oaks and sycamores, and we're once used to clear  pastures of the acorns and bits.

So my question is, do people have experience of having pigs in wooded areas with sycamore trees, and did they have any health issues with them?

22

Sheep / Re: Age to retire sheep from breeding

« Last post by Penninehillbilly on June 06, 2026, 03:01:27 pm »

Retiring bad lambers? 2023 was a ROTTEN lambing year so didn't lamb 24. One who had issues Climbme, was 8 yrs old Dorset Down X needing help to lamb to a Shetland! She had triplets! I bottled all 3 with the ewe feeding. I also kept the 1 ewe lamb.

That ewe lamb lambed as a 3 yr old this year to my Wiltshire Horn Ram Lamb, (yes I did think, oh god, have I made a mistake due to her own birth??) She spat twins out perfectly. Jelly Bean is marked for staying.

Climbme is companion to Tugger (she who has never lambed, still got teeth, only missing 1 but her leg not so good so she may need to depart..... She was 11 at Christmas)

A Wiltshire ewe who had a fab tup lamb (Jute) decided to go onto greener pastures beginning of May (via bullet). Went down over night, vet wouldn't have.been able.to fix.

So now I'm down a good ewe (shedder) and one that was marked for the chop due to only having 1 teat, gets to stay another year as shedders seem to be difficult to get hold of.

I'm NOT after show stock (been there, done that, highly bred show parents and NOT ONE of them could lamb by themselves, ALWAYS needed assistance! Whereas my unregistered original girls spit them out. 2 of them have needed help just once, which is fine but those hooty tooty high quality show parents objects?)

Rant over!! Apologies, been a while!

However, ANYONE got any Shedders, Wiltshire Horn, EasyCare, Exlana, mix of all 3, and DON'T want silly money, please send me a message. I'm North Shropshire. (my sister has been trying to buy woolies and due to current prices can't afford to so is after my small flock to eat her grass, I have my own grass to eat because I need a few extra mouths!)

23

Equipment / Re: Trailer Wheels

« Last post by PipKelpy on May 28, 2026, 11:38:16 am »

A few years ago, I used Towing and Trailers, I bought 3 and took them down to a local tyre place and he fitted them for me (he'd seen to the car so thought I'd ask)

You probably know this but p6e has 2 different size tyres (it did when I bought my trailer over 20 yrs ago) the thin ones and the thick lumps for the livestock version. I know it sounds sad, but when I first saw my trailer, it was the cute wheels I liked! (So naive!! Cute wheels means expensive!! I used to own a Fiat Cinquicento, it used to tow my trailer!! Beautiful little cute, low profile tyres. ONLY manufacturer was Pirelli, due to mileage, new tyres every 6 months.)

24

Sheep / Re: Age to retire sheep from breeding

« Last post by PipKelpy on May 28, 2026, 08:42:48 am »

Retiring bad lambers? 2023 was a ROTTEN lambing year so didn't lamb 24. One who had issues Climbme, was 8 yrs old Dorset Down X needing help to lamb to a Shetland! She had triplets! I bottled all 3 with the ewe feeding. I also kept the 1 ewe lamb.

That ewe lamb lambed as a 3 yr old this year to my Wiltshire Horn Ram Lamb, (yes I did think, oh god, have I made a mistake due to her own birth??) She spat twins out perfectly. Jelly Bean is marked for staying.

Climbme is companion to Tugger (she who has never lambed, still got teeth, only missing 1 but her leg not so good so she may need to depart..... She was 11 at Christmas)

A Wiltshire ewe who had a fab tup lamb (Jute) decided to go onto greener pastures beginning of May (via bullet). Went down over night, vet wouldn't have.been able.to fix.

So now I'm down a good ewe (shedder) and one that was marked for the chop due to only having 1 teat, gets to stay another year as shedders seem to be difficult to get hold of.

I'm NOT after show stock (been there, done that, highly bred show parents and NOT ONE of them could lamb by themselves, ALWAYS needed assistance! Whereas my unregistered original girls spit them out. 2 of them have needed help just once, which is fine but those hooty tooty high quality show parents objects?)

Rant over!! Apologies, been a while!

However, ANYONE got any Shedders, Wiltshire Horn, EasyCare, Exlana, mix of all 3, and DON'T want silly money, please send me a message. I'm North Shropshire. (my sister has been trying to buy woolies and due to current prices can't afford to so is after my small flock to eat her grass, I have my own grass to eat because I need a few extra mouths!)

25

Equipment / Re: Trailer Wheels

« Last post by Isla on May 26, 2026, 09:15:26 pm »

Thanks. Yup they are extremely corroded.

26

Sheep / Re: Age to retire sheep from breeding

« Last post by Richmond on May 26, 2026, 09:47:49 am »

Thanks Rosemary. I'm hoping they'll all get to at least 10 before we have to review the situation again

27

Sheep / Re: Ryeland tup costs

« Last post by Richmond on May 26, 2026, 09:46:11 am »

Can't help you with Ryeland costs but as a rough comparison our first ram was a Soay, he cost £40, then we moved onto a Norfolk Horn, £100, now we are moving on to an Easycare, £200. This is over a 7 year period though and all were weaned lambs, not adults.

28

Equipment / Deleks 2-wheeled tractors and implements

« Last post by arobwk on May 26, 2026, 12:34:19 am »

Anyone purchased and any comments/experiences please?

29

Equipment / Re: Trailer Wheels

« Last post by Bywaters on May 25, 2026, 12:31:09 pm »

Sorry I can't help, but are you sure you want to replace the wheels as well as the tyres ?

If you do want to replace both, then there are folk on ebay who will send you wheels complete with tyres on that you could change your self, or get someone to swap them over for you for not much

an example
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/317821004408?var=0&_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338458645&toolid=10029&customid=522551167901485839&loc_interest_ms=&loc_physical_ms=1006806&adtype=pla&gclid=CjwKCAjw5s_QBhAdEiwADD_gBps2PkQzOdk7ZyBs0oy-uGF-sfDLx4Ih5Nixrmp5TBDUV6VLn6c3PhoCT5YQAvD_BwE

30

Equipment / Trailer Wheels

« Last post by Isla on May 25, 2026, 10:33:08 am »

Hello. Whereabouts would folk recommend for replacing my P6e wheels and tyres, please? I'm near Ellon.