+- Survival UK Forums (http://forum.survivaluk.net)
+-- Forum: Discussion Area (http://forum.survivaluk.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=13)
+--- Forum: Livestock (http://forum.survivaluk.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=22)
+---- Forum: Food Animals (http://forum.survivaluk.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=66)
+---- Thread: Garden Farm (/showthread.php?tid=7598)
Pages:
1
2
Garden Farm - BeardyMan - 18 March 2015
Our garden is rapidly turning into a farmyard. We now have an additional silkie hen and a silkie cockerel to go with the silkie we picked up the previous day. Bring the total to 2 roosters and 4 hens. Still want a couple more, but in rented accommodation they get a bit grumpy if you have too many. Not going to get too many eggs off the silkies, but I'm planning on adding another 2 or 4 POL birds in the next couple of weeks.
The silkies are weird little things, look like Fraggles. Didn't realise they have black skin and black(ish) meat, and blue ears - apparently. Seem nice and tame though, and this cockerel hasn't tried to eat Sid yet, so that's always a bonus.
Now I just need to convince the landlord to let me get in a little pygmy goat or a micro pig and we're all set
RE: Garden Farm - SecretPrepper - 18 March 2015
Ours is on its way. Finishing the run at the weekend for 4 chickens.
The other half is firmly anti pig but I am going to sneak in some goats when we next move house. But that's a while away.
RE: Garden Farm - Straight Shooter - 18 March 2015
Can,t do much more on the animal front until i hear from the planning department....should hear this week, if its good news goats and a couple of pigs will follow ... the plan is log cabin,workshop, garden , animals ...can,t come quick enough for me.
RE: Garden Farm - Steve - 18 March 2015
Kune Kune pigs are great, hardy, friendly, and they eat grass. I have 8 of them.
RE: Garden Farm - Straight Shooter - 18 March 2015
They sound ideal for us Steve will check them out...what do you feed them through winter and or supplements through the year.
RE: Garden Farm - Steve - 18 March 2015
(18 March 2015, 22:44)Straight Shooter Wrote: They sound ideal for us Steve will check them out...what do you feed them through winter and or supplements through the year.
When they were young I fed them Farm Feeds Sow & Weaner, now they eat mostly grass and hay with a few Pig Finisher pellets to keep them used to coming into the barn when I call them. This will make it easier when it's "freezer time".
They have a good sized sty in the barn, but prefer to sleep on a big pile of hay in their paddock unless it's raining hard.
I looked at the economics of keeping pigs, and unless you can either grow their food or get it cheaply from a brewery / bakers / other then it's not really worth doing on a monetary basis. Of course, you can still do it for the skills and knowledge that you are eating humanely raised, pure meat.
RE: Garden Farm - Tarrel - 19 March 2015
What about raising rabbits for meat? I'm sure they'd slip under the Planners' radar. Just pass them off as pet bunnies!
Quote:I am going to sneak in some goats when we next move house.
Stealth goat-herding. That should be worth seeing!
RE: Garden Farm - bigpaul - 20 March 2015
(18 March 2015, 11:57)BeardyMan Wrote: Our garden is rapidly turning into a farmyard. We now have an additional silkie hen and a silkie cockerel to go with the silkie we picked up the previous day. Bring the total to 2 roosters and 4 hens. Still want a couple more, but in rented accommodation they get a bit grumpy if you have too many. Not going to get too many eggs off the silkies, but I'm planning on adding another 2 or 4 POL birds in the next couple of weeks.
You DO know you don't need a cockerel just for eggs don't you?
The silkies are weird little things, look like Fraggles. Didn't realise they have black skin and black(ish) meat, and blue ears - apparently. Seem nice and tame though, and this cockerel hasn't tried to eat Sid yet, so that's always a bonus.
Now I just need to convince the landlord to let me get in a little pygmy goat or a micro pig and we're all set
You DO know you don't need a cockerel just for eggs don't you??
RE: Garden Farm - BeardyMan - 20 March 2015
(20 March 2015, 09:44)bigpaul Wrote: You DO know you don't need a cockerel just for eggs don't you??
Yup, but it was either we take them or they get culled, so we thought we can give them a reprise
Plus the silkies get really broody apparently, so you can use them to incubate eggs from other chickens.
RE: Garden Farm - bigpaul - 20 March 2015
(20 March 2015, 10:11)BeardyMan Wrote:(20 March 2015, 09:44)bigpaul Wrote: You DO know you don't need a cockerel just for eggs don't you??
Yup, but it was either we take them or they get culled, so we thought we can give them a reprise
Plus the silkies get really broody apparently, so you can use them to incubate eggs from other chickens.
watch out for neighbours (incomers) complaining about the cockerels crowing!!!