Author Topic: WANTED - sheep, pigs and turkeys!!! (Read 2743 times)

horsemadmummy · « **on:** February 16, 2010, 02:33:48 pm »

We haev relocated to west devon and have taken over 4 acre smallholding. we are looking to get a couple of ewes in lamb as well as a couple of gilts in pig and a pair of breeding turkeys so that we can keep the land under control as well as providing us with a degree of self sufficiency.

Land is stockproofed and we have CPH. Chickens are already here on site with us (not for meat but for eggs). We have a trailer so can collect.

If anyone knows where I could get cheap poly tunnel too that would be great!!!

Any help or advice very gratefully received.

JulieS · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2010, 02:40:46 pm »

Hello and welcome. I'm in Devon too

I may be able to help with the gilts in pig in a couple of months.

horsemadmummy · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2010, 02:46:41 pm »

couple of months would be good I think as we are having to practically rebuild the house as it hasn't been lived in for two years and I am expecting our 5th child!! we are splitting our plot further at the end of march with stock fencing so we will have three paddocks of one acre each with gates at both ends. This way we can rotate properly and keep sheep and pigs separate with electric fencing as well.

Would we be better to get one gilt to start our program with a couple of weaners to keep her company until she produces her own? or would we be better to keep a couple of gilts from the start?

You say a couple of months would that we April?

JulieS · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2010, 02:52:26 pm »

Wow, you've got a lot going on

Whereabouts in Devon are you?

Have you kept pigs before? If not, I would recommend you have a 2 or 3 weaners to fatten up to start with to see how you get on.

horsemadmummy · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2010, 02:59:07 pm »

We live near okehampton and haven't kept pigs ourselves before but I come from a smallholding family and I am luck enough to live next door to a retired farm vet who already keeps weaners!!! we are not fussed about starting with the weaners idea but would like a breeding quality one so that we can keep her - and things would seem very bare if they all went off for the freezer!

We clearly are not afarid of hard work project managing a property build whilst pregnant is not for the faint hearted or those with high blood pressure!!! We just need to make sure it is finished by june or we won't have any room at the inn for the new addition!!!

If you could help that would be great.

quantock · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2010, 05:17:22 pm »

Quote from: horsemadmummy on February 16, 2010, 02:33:48 pm

We haev relocated to west devon and have taken over 4 acre smallholding. we are looking to get a couple of ewes in lamb as well as a couple of gilts in pig and a pair of breeding turkeys so that we can keep the land under control as well as providing us with a degree of self sufficiency.

Land is stockproofed and we have CPH. Chickens are already here on site with us (not for meat but for eggs). We have a trailer so can collect.

If anyone knows where I could get cheap poly tunnel too that would be great!!!

Any help or advice very gratefully received.

hi i live in west somerset and have two inpig sows for sale they are ped reg oxford sandy and blacks i also have some weaners we found startins with sow is best as they have got experence unlike gilts i also know where to get hold of some turkeys we als got rare breed sheep for sale but they have lambs at foot quantock.

quantock · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2010, 05:20:22 pm »

hi i live in west somerset and have two inpig sows for sale they are ped reg oxford sandy and blacks i also have some weaners we found startins with sow is best as they have got experence unlike gilts i also know where to get hold of some turkeys we als got rare breed sheep for sale but they have lambs at foot quantock.[/quote]