[Part time dabbler]

I have a sectuion of the garden about 1/2 an acre that I am thinking about fencing off and putting aminals in to graze. The area has fruit and other trees in it already but I want to know what options I have for different animals to consider. Low maintenance and I am not looking to have all the grass chewed up and it become a mud field if this is possible.

[Anke]

Goats are NOT low maintenance... and would reduce your fruit trees to firewood in less time than it would take you to work out how to protect them...

[farmershort]

pigs but with nose rings? they're very very low maintenance... esp if just buying weaners and growing them for a few months.... even less maintenance than chickens - just feed them twice a day, and they'll sleep most of the rest of it.

I know they use the nose rings in the new forest to stop them digging the earth too much, but I've never done it myself.

Geese possibly? they do graze after all, and goats don't really graze on grass if they have an alterntive.

[Sbom]

Rabbits?

[Part time dabbler]

Damn on the goat front. Dont they do some pygmy low maintenance ones lol

Pigs, might consider that as an option

Rabbits, I have wild ones there and they dont keep the grass under control

[Part time dabbler]

Geese maybe but I feel they would be prey to any local wildlife.

How about something like an alpacha?

[farmershort]

Geese maybe but I feel they would be prey to any local wildlife.

How about something like an alpacha?

possibly, but it'd be a very brave fox to try and take on a pack of mature geese.

[Steph Hen]

I would second Anke's goats are not low maintenance and don't love grazing.
Geese have a good go at keeping a lawn nice, (if it starts to grow long in May/June they stop liking it so much so might need help from a mower sometimes). They also poo, it's not too offensive but not great if you want to walk about in sandals. They'd need to be shut away at night, but I wouldn't be too worried about fox in the day time (they are quite formidable especially Spring/summer - which is why I got rid of mine as they don't mix with small children!).

I heard on radio 4 gardeners question time a few years ago that a herd of free range Guinea pigs make excellent lawn mowers. Have to shut them away at night and give them several shelters around the lawn so they can hide from predators (cats, foxes, raptors, etc.) but think it was one of Bunny Guinness' lecturers or someone who reckoned they were just the job for keeping turf perfectly short! They don't worry other garden plants or dig, just graze grass and look cute. They're poo isn't offensive (unlike something like pigs). In winter they'd need proper housing/runs/garage and hay/veg.  She didn't state stocking density, sorry.

I have a bit of a fantasy about keeping some once we get the garden fenced in.

[Anke]

And geese are also pretty good at de-barking your trees... but easier to protect with wire-mesh from geese than say sheep/goats.

Alpacas??? what for?

Honestly - a lawnmower is cheaper and less maintenance!

[farmershort]

Alapacas are either pets, or a pyramid scheme.... as long as you know that going in, you can make the choice.

[Part time dabbler]

Ok I will come clean. The reason for my idle thoughts is that that part of the garden is on a slope that I am uncomfortable cutting on the ride on mower so was wondering whether there was a realistic option other than deciding to make that part of the garden a wild grass garden.

Thank you for all your responses but maybe the grass will be allowed to grow long and be cut once a year.

[Steph Hen]

Spray it off and replace with slow growing meadow grasses/flowers? I am not a grass expert, but there are such people out there who can select really slow/growing types that don't/hardly need cut. Grass seed direct would be able to help you (friends of mine).