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Post by Weeterrier on Dec 8, 2007 13:36:20 GMT
I was visiting a house this morning, where the man kept hens and bees, things I would love to do, and hopefully will do one day.
I know Shrub has chickens, but I'd love to hear about any animals the rest of you keep in your gardens. But please don't be TOO enthusiastic, else I'll be getting ducks, pigs, goats, sheep, cows.............................
OR any farmers out there looking for a good ,hard-working. doesn't mind getting dirty, wife?
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Post by Weeterrier on Dec 8, 2007 15:26:26 GMT
Come on, someone put me off, I've spent the last hour looking at poultry websites  And I've just seen the links above this, must go take a peek. Oh dear, I feel another obsession coming on.  |
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Post by Chuckles on Dec 8, 2007 15:55:19 GMT
Flippin heck Wee I'd not be able to stop myself if I only had the room. Shrub does have chickens doesn't she I've seen photo's that she's posted with them on, I reckon she calles them her girls and had names for them too. Also some other members have animals too, feel totally ashamed as I can't think who they are  Think my brain may be cold and slow with this grotty weather  We had chickens at home when I was a child, loved it. My Dad hated anything with feathers on so we used to have great fun teasing him with the chickens, we had rabbits too  Oh the memories |
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Post by Missredhead on Dec 8, 2007 16:48:26 GMT
'fraid the only things in my garden are flippin squirrels....you're welcome to them Wee ;D
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Post by 4pygmies on Dec 8, 2007 22:21:14 GMT
I just can't resist a thread with a title like that! I've had chickens for 25 years now WeeFairy and they are wondrous things. You have never tasted a real egg until you have eaten one straight from the coup....I have only my one extremely ancient Hilda left - she is a Maran and has been a fantastic old girl - I don't quite know how old she is but at least 9 years old and she was still laying 3 eggs at least a week all summer. Sadly her lifetime companiion Tilda was put out of her misery by my OH as she succumbed to a prolapsed vent at the end of the summer. I shall get some more but not until my old girl goes as I wouldn't want to stress her. It's best to buy a new batch together as they can be pretty nasty to newcomers or gang up against a solitary chicken. I think you should get some as they are brilliant pets and a really good addition to any keen gardener for the garden.....I would put in an appeal that you get an old breed, larger one as they tend not to be so flighty and their eggs are lovely dark browns....Buff Orpingtons are beautiful gentle birds but they tend to go broody which can be a pain. Very nice characters though. And my beautiful Beryl - a Rhode Island Red who had a massive personality, whom I had a proper relationship with. She would stand right by the spade talking to me while I dug without fail and diving into the upturned earth without any fear that I would behead her (nearly did several times until I learned to wait!) Ahh, I still miss her.... And then there are pygmy goats.....mine are a motley selection and rescued from a grim place by me but I still love them. Pure bred pygmies are sweet souls and very easy to look after - the only regular need is a hoof trim every few weeks which really needs two people. I have regular goat wrestling sessions with my OH's help but mine are a bit naughty ;D They are also good for gardeners as they eat trimmings from native hedges, clear up old greens etc and provide wonderful muck. And they don't need a lot of space either. I would love at some future date to keep bees but I can't atm as my mother is allergic to their stings. I would LOVE dwarf pigs but I'm not allowed any more pets...... The only real drawback to animals is the rat problem but regular use of poison does keep the numbers down...sigh. Is it any wonder I hate them with a pure and vengeful passion? Go on- get some POL chickens next Spring......you know ;)you want to.... |
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Post by Chuckles on Dec 9, 2007 11:20:19 GMT
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Post by Weeterrier on Dec 9, 2007 11:21:54 GMT
Oh, I want to. Couldn't sleep last night planning everything in my head. Rats aren't so much of a problem up here, strangely. I am surrounded by farms, perhaps there are always richer pickings there. I too would love pigs. I had a friend once, well, really just an acquaintance I suppose, who had a motley selection of animals. It was a joy to visit her, for me anyway. She had given up on a garden for plants, there were animals everywhere. I suppose that it was really a bit of a mess, but magical nonetheless. She paid me the compliment (  ) of naming a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig after me. Thanks for nothing everyone, I wanted to be dissuaded |
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Post by Plocket on Dec 9, 2007 12:39:22 GMT
I'd absolutely love to have chooks and ducks, but we haven't got the space |
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Post by Weeterrier on Dec 9, 2007 13:44:47 GMT
Love those photos Chuckles  Bad girl for showing them  |
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Post by 4pygmies on Dec 9, 2007 13:50:42 GMT
It's difficult to tell but I'd hazard a pure guess that the chickens in your photos, Chuckles, from the top down are a Dorking cockerel, an Ixworth (p'raps) white and a silver Wyandotte...maybe.........whatever they are they're beautiful aren't they?
Sooo sorry Weefairy - right, OK -I'll have another go:
They are a terrible tie, expensive to house initially and you WILL get rats (I guarantee it). They squit everywhere, they destroy your flower beds and they make an awful din when they lay eggs......if you get them going broody it's a real worry as sometimes they don't move for weeks and refuse to get up even for food and water......the feed costs a fortune, they need cleaning regularly and the stupid things love to get in your house if you give them half a chance....
Better?
(But it's not true........not really.....mmm those eggs.............. ;D)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2007 14:20:36 GMT
Oh Wee .... I know you want to be dissuaded, but if you have the space do give it a go - I definitely would if we had a bigger garden. When I was a child my mum kept chickens (the original plan had been to breed them for the pot, but my parents were squeamish about killing them) ... I remember they used to wonder into the kitchen;D ... cheers ...
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Post by carolann on Dec 9, 2007 14:56:48 GMT
Here you go WF just a couple of pics of my girls and their fella Eric.   They are just Warrens except for Eric and the one that is with him, they are x Rhode island Red. The dog got one the other week so we had it for tea after father plucked it. They all have there own little ways and they are great pets and you cant beat the eggs for taste. |
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Post by nightowl on Dec 9, 2007 15:05:52 GMT
I think Warrens are a commercial breed Wee, so you should be able to get some ex-battery and give them a lovely life. They produce eggs long after they become past-it for commercial purposes.  And if you are really thinking pigs, check out Khuny-Khuny (sp?) pigs. They are more cute (and smaller I think) than Pot-bellied pigs. |
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Post by Shrubrose on Dec 9, 2007 19:01:03 GMT
Loved the pics of the chucks, Carolann and Chuckles. I think the last two pics in your set Chuckles look like my girls and they're Blue Belles (isn't that a lovely name?). Big hens and lay enormous eggs. And they're so placid and mine follow me round the garden, waiting for me to turn over big fat juicy worms. They chunter on as well whilst I'm doing it ;D
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Post by Weeterrier on Dec 9, 2007 19:18:02 GMT
Lovely lovely lovely. There are lots of lovely breeds, but really, I'd just like some cute brown hens, like children draw. Like yours Carolann Rescue battery hens? Oh my God, why did you mention that Poor creatures. I will certainly consider that. |
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Post by nightowl on Dec 10, 2007 9:56:41 GMT
Lovely lovely lovely. There are lots of lovely breeds, but really, I'd just like some cute brown hens, like children draw. Like yours Carolann Rescue battery hens? Oh my God, why did you mention that Poor creatures. I will certainly consider that. We had a chat about rescued battery hens on another thread quite a while back Wee. It's sooo rewarding to see them go from bald and tatty chickens crowding at the hen-house door, too scared to be the first one into the outside world to happy, clucking hens, pecking and scratching and doing what hens should  I'm far from an expert, but if you want the biggest, brownest eggs ever, get some Cuckoo Marans!!! Beautiful birds! |
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Post by nightowl on Dec 10, 2007 10:20:51 GMT
Come on Wee, look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't love one of these!! I got the spelling wrong before, they are Kune-Kune pigs from New Zealand. Cute or what? ;D ;D ;D  |
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Post by piggingardener on Dec 10, 2007 10:35:08 GMT
Gorgeous aren't they! My friend has two, Minnie and Percy, they are great fun and I'd have one tomorrow if I had the room. |
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Post by Weeterrier on Dec 10, 2007 10:51:19 GMT
))))))))))))))))))))STOP((((((((((((((((((((((( Of course they are cute, they are utterly adorable. That is my future then, decided. I'll sell this house, and give the proceeds to my daughter. we'll buy another house with a garden big enough to give me a log cabin to live in. (Little woodburning stove, red gingham curtains). And I'll have a smaller garden, flowerswise, and have hens, pigs, ducks, bees, and.................how about a wee donkey? And a dog again, I miss having a dog. Ermmm, and the terrapins of course Any other suggestions gratefully received ;D |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2007 12:20:09 GMT
Come on Wee, look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't love one of these!! I got the spelling wrong before, they are Kune-Kune pigs from New Zealand. Cute or what? ;D ;D ;D Oh, they are adorable <Iwantoneofthoseforchristmassmiley> ;D |
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Post by Weeterrier on Dec 10, 2007 12:32:29 GMT
He is just asking to be scratched under the chin, isn't he?
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Post by nightowl on Dec 11, 2007 10:24:21 GMT
Here's an ickle one just for you Wee,  That's a seriously big AWWWW isn't it? (or Hee-Awww!!) ;D |
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Post by Shrubrose on Dec 11, 2007 18:56:11 GMT
Oooooooooo. Cute. What is he/she? Horse? Donkey? Donkey I guess.
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Post by Chuckles on Dec 11, 2007 20:34:25 GMT
I want a Kune-Kune and an Ickle Hee-Awww. They are both sooooooooooo cute ;D
There are more chickens in that paddock Wee, when I can find a mo I'll pop up and get some photo's of them ;D
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Post by nightowl on Dec 12, 2007 9:23:45 GMT
Ooh! Ooh! Wee One! Something else you'll have to have are those ducks that run about in a line after each other, almost standing upright! ;D Indian Runners?? Hilarious! ;D |
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 12, 2007 9:37:01 GMT
A neighbour across the road has just got some of them NO - I will try and get a pic if I can - they really are noisy bu**ers - she hasn't got any slugs in the garden though!!!
RF
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Post by nightowl on Dec 12, 2007 9:39:31 GMT
I was right, Indian Runners they're called. And here they are!  Great fun! ;D And look what you get when they have babies! ;D  I'm really enjoying assembling Wee's Farm for her! |
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Post by Chuckles on Dec 14, 2007 10:55:41 GMT
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Post by Weeterrier on Dec 14, 2007 12:49:06 GMT
I wouldn't know how to write the noise I made when I saw all those photos. It was more than an intake of breath, more than a Wow or an Awwwwwww. Aren't they all so adorable? Thanks girls, I'm loving my virtual farm.  |
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Post by Weeterrier on Dec 14, 2007 17:22:32 GMT
Guess what? The young man I met last week with the chickens, has just phoned me to say that he would like to give me his fancy henhouse. I will post a photo later. It retails at nearly £600, and is adamant that he wants nothing for it. Of course, I would do something, buy his two children something, but isn't that so kind? He said to his wife that I had seemed so keen, he would like to start me off.
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells, I'm a happy old boiler!!! ;D
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Think my brain may be cold and slow with this grotty weather 
Oh the memories 
Didn't realise you only had the one chuck left 
) of naming a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig after me. 
