[drdrichards]

Hi All,

I live in an old farmhouse/cottage and recently purchased the surrounding original Victorian farm buildings together with an orchard and small meadow, from the farmer up the road who used the money to build a huge new barn to keep his dairy herd inside all the time. I now have a large brick stable with several stalls, four substantial brick pig pens adjoining it with what seem like large water troughs in them and a covered area at the back of them, a barn for cows, with about 8 stalls in it with feeding troughs and water, in which some of the farmers heifers used to be kept over winter as I remember prior to buying it, and a further small brick barn previously used for keeping machinery. The orchard and meadow together amount to around 3/4 of an acre in size. I am interested in keeping livestock but have absolutely no experience. I am thinking in terms of either pigs, sheep, goats, geese, hens, perhaps one cow or a combination. I would welcome advice from experienced smallholders as to what may be suitable.

[Hilarysmum]

Hi and welcome from France.  I would suggest poultry and possibly a couple of pigs for fattening.   

[doganjo]

That's an awful lot of buildings for some hens and a couple of pigs    You could do self catering with those of you have a bit of money (or could borrow) to make them liveable in   Or stabling for horses/ponies - inside livery.  Otherwise mayeb a couple opf sheep - either way if you have animals make sure your paddock is free of any poisonous plants.