We moved to Southern Slovakia in Oct 2006 with our 3 children. The livestock so far are 3 hens, 1 cockerel, 1 bantam hen, 1 bantam cockerel, 4 ducks, 1 saanan goat, 15 cats, 2 dogs, 1 gerbil and 3 hamsters. We´ve had ups and downs, for instance a cat population explosion from our original 2 cats and we did have 11 chooks altogether when I bought them as 6 week chicks but 5 turned out to be boys and a fox got a couple more, so their numbers have reduced drastically. I shall be getting more chicks in april to make up the numbers. I am also hoping for goat kids in the near future. Millie was serviced by next door´s billy, but I don´t know how successful it was. I´m also interested in keeping pigs for rearing for meat as you just can´t get decent pork here. A couple of sheep are also a possibility as lamb is not a Slovak product either, and I really miss my roast lamb!
I have some general questions:
I bought my 4 ducks last april when they were 6 weeks old, I believe that I have 1 drake and 3 ducks but so far no eggs. I bought the chickens at the same time and same age and they have been laying since they were 21 weeks old, even with 1 or 2 during the winter. When do ducks begin to lay?
What is the best age to buy pigs and I don´t mean my age either.
Has anyone come across colorado beetle before? I tried growing potatoes last year and the whole crop was ravaged by this pest. I stupidly admired this pretty stripy beetle and too late realised how devastating it would be. The locals simply pick them off and put up with the problem. Any organic ideas? I´ve read about a nematode but it doesn´t seem to be accessible to the public.
Thanks
Anna