Author Topic: About to be a new smallholding custodian (Read 4507 times)

Julian Morgan · « **on:** February 03, 2014, 10:51:24 am »

Good morning,

My future wife and I are, hopefully, going to move to a new house which already has a small established "smallholding" of about 1.5 to 2 acres, with 3 chinese geese / 2 KuneKune pigs / 3 pigmy goat / @15 chickens.

For me, this has been a dream a long time on coming and, luckily, my wife to be is equally as excited. For me, the propertl is lovely, but the main purchase motivator, is the smallholding.

Until the sale is completed, I am reluctant to keep asking the current owners so many questions, and the more I try and find answers and education on the internet, the more questions are being generated. So, here I am, and am very keen to learn, and to seek answers to what may seem as "stupid" questions.

Anyway, I am very excited to be here, and I look forward to learning and hopefully, eventually, contributing to the forum.

Best regards,

Julian (and Kim)

Rosemary · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2014, 10:54:25 am »

Hello and welcome

Are all the animals just pets or are they actually for food production?

Feel free to ask lots of questions - that's what we're here for

Julian Morgan · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2014, 11:38:15 am »

Hi Rosemary,

Thank you for your welcome and reply...

As far as I am aware, they are regarded as pets and it is my intention to run and grow the smallholding along those lines as well.

I am slowly building a list of answers such as what to feed each type of animal, but what I don't know is when, how often and how much. Also, what bedding is best for each. The geese have a house but do I lock them in there at night? The chickens have a large coop and a largeish covered run but do I still lock them in the coop at night or just in the run (coop at far end of the run)? The chickens and geese are allowed free range, but is that only when I am around, or can they free range throughout the day without supervision.

I might also rotate the pigs to a new enclosure and use the current on as a veg patch - is that allowed?

As you can tell, I really am a beginner!!

Best regards,

Julian

Fleecewife · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2014, 12:09:58 pm »

Quote from: Julian Morgan on February 03, 2014, 11:38:15 am

Hi Rosemary,

Thank you for your welcome and reply...

As far as I am aware, they are regarded as pets and it is my intention to run and grow the smallholding along those lines as well.

I am slowly building a list of answers such as what to feed each type of animal, but what I don't know is when, how often and how much. Also, what bedding is best for each. The geese have a house but do I lock them in there at night? The chickens have a large coop and a largeish covered run but do I still lock them in the coop at night or just in the run (coop at far end of the run)? The chickens and geese are allowed free range, but is that only when I am around, or can they free range throughout the day without supervision.

I might also rotate the pigs to a new enclosure and use the current on as a veg patch - is that allowed?

As you can tell, I really am a beginner!!

Best regards,

Julian

Hello and welcome Julian and Kim

Yes and yes to locking in your poultry at night, right inside their houses not just the run. Foxes and sometimes stoats are the major predators of domestic poultry, and tend to hunt at dusk and dawn, so it's important to lock them away in time. The hens will take themselves in at dusk but the geese might need to be herded or otherwise persuaded. Asking the previous owners how they do this is a legitimate question, as poultry tend to stick to their habits.
Ours are totally free range during daylight hours but we are here most of the day. Check with the previous owners in case daytime foxes are a known problem, as some will take poultry during the day. You might find it difficult to persuade them back indoors in the daylight. Their run will need to be rotated to rest the ground.

<<<I might also rotate the pigs to a new enclosure and use the current on as a veg patch - is that allowed?>>>

This will be your smallholding - you can do what you like

I have used pigs to clear ground for veg growing, although I don't know anything about Kunes such as whether they are as good at ploughing as my Tamworths. The only drawback I found with having the pigs on ground is that their trotters all go the same depth through the mud (it will be muddy in winter) so they tend to form a hard pan a few inches down. As long as you break that up to allow good drainage, and allow a certain amount of time to elapse before you put your crops in for any fresh manure to rot down a bit, you'll have a lovely healthy veg crop.

Julian Morgan · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2014, 12:20:21 pm »

Thank you

Fowlman · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2014, 12:31:46 pm »

Welcome Julian and Kim, the fun bit will be the learning and you will make mistakes as we all do but as long as you learn from those mistakes you will be fine. Pigs are very addictive as are sheep.

benandjerry · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2014, 03:51:01 pm »

Hello and welcome

I am well jealous of your soon to be position. (Do we have a green eyed monster smiley, as I've yet to work out how to get to that second page of smileys you all use???). I am a wannabe small holder and am currently getting all excited about buying a fork and spade and a PINK wheelbarrow on pay day so we can start a veg patch in the garden....

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2014, 04:11:11 pm »

Hello and welcome!

really exciting times for you then

Brilliant that both of you are keen, it will make it even more special for you. We have goats and chickens (and sheep) and started as total novices back in 2009, without this forum I don't know where we'd be now and believe me, i've asked some daft questions along the way!
good luck with it all, looking forward to hearing more!
lisa

Fleecewife · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2014, 05:15:11 pm »

Quote from: benandjerry on February 03, 2014, 03:51:01 pm

(Do we have a green eyed monster smiley, as I've yet to work out how to get to that second page of smileys you all use???).

Just underneath the main smileys is a little word in brackets [more]. Just click on that for the extra smileys.
A green eyed monster would be great

benandjerry · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2014, 08:06:02 pm »

Thank you fleece wife.... Couldn't find a green eyed monster but here's a

and a

what I hope to try and grow this year.

mowhaugh · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2014, 09:11:41 pm »

Hi Julian and Kim, nice to have you here, best of luck wih your new adventure.

And just because I only just found those extra smilies too

tattycat · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2014, 09:49:52 pm »

Hiya Julian nd Kim. Sounds like a fantastic opportunity. Just don't get romanticised by those idyllic smallholding books. It's relentless!! lol Just when you think everything going well, there will be a disaster! Especially if funds are hard to come by....
However that said, first babies, regardless of what species. First meal produced from your garden. First meal produced from your land (if you eat meat). The preserves you crack open in the deepest depths of winter. The ever changing weather that you are out in at all times of the day and night. The involvement you start having with the seasons.......
There's a reward for the relentlessness!!!