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Help..Don't let the grass grow under my feet!

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Comments

  • #32
    Nekarsulm
    Registered Users Posts: 11,191 ✭✭✭✭Nekarsulm


    The "Triggers Broom " of the poultry world!


  • #33
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    The Wild Goose wrote: »
    I did get the rescue hens (eight to be precise).
    I've had a lot of issues with bullying though (not with me, with each other!) and had to segregate them creating a passive three and an aggressive five in separate areas.
    Then, just the other morning one of the five was lying on the ground immobile.
    I brought her into the house overnight and made a nest of bedding with some food and water, but next morning she was dead?
    Consequently I've gone from the hateful eight to the magnificent seven.

    So what killed her?
    I don't know to be honest. ...
    If you had taken the advice to include a cock in your flock, you could have avoided all that grief with the bullying.
    Don't worry about the odd one dying, its natural. Hens are rarely sick except maybe for only a few hours. Normally they are either alive and well, or else dead.
    Don't take in poultry in dribs and drabs from other people though, or you'll introduce diseases. Its best to get a few hatching eggs when one of your hens is broody, then rear your own replacements.


    Well done on getting the trees in.
    I'll only add one more thing - blackcurrants. Low maintenance, good reliable crop, and freeze well. There's nothing like a blackcurrant milk shake or a smoothy in the depths of winter for boosting your vitamin levels.
    BTW anyone who has blackcurrants should get one of these, https://www.ebay.ie/itm/200600995957 They are well worth the money.


  • #34
    gozunda
    Registered Users Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    recedite wrote: »
    ...


    Well done on getting the trees in.
    I'll only add one more thing - blackcurrants. Low maintenance, good reliable crop, and freeze well. There's nothing like a blackcurrant milk shake or a smoothy in the depths of winter for boosting your vitamin levels.
    BTW anyone who has blackcurrants should get one of these, https://www.ebay.ie/itm/200600995957 They are well worth the money.

    Good advice there. With blackcurrant- try a few varieties to see which does best in your soil / local conditions. I had a few years of trial and error until you find a variety which gives a good crop nearly every year.

    Freeze the berries and then you will have the option to make blackcurrant jam or smoothies or whatever. Keep some over until just before the next crop and you'll keep yourself supplied year round


  • #35
    Stationmaster
    Registered Users Posts: 825 ✭✭✭Stationmaster


    Only noticed this thread now - some good advice on it.

    We've recently moved onto 13 acres - 3 of it planted. We've 3 ponies, a few goats and 5 hens at the moment and are hoping to get a few pigs next month.

    I'd like to get a few duck and geese too - anyone got any tips for these?

    We've our goats tethered separately near to the ditches and they're happy out with their mixture of grass and brambles - they do a great job of eating the briars.

    Hoping to get a small tunnel shortly as well once we've the bales made in a week or two.


  • #36
    Water John
    Registered Users Posts: 21,104 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    Ducks are a bit dirty, will eat anything incl mice, but they lay well if you want to sell their eggs.
    The only reason to have geese is to raise them for the Christmas market.


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  • #37
    Base price
    Registered Users Posts: 11,121 ✭✭✭✭Base price


    Water John wrote: »
    Ducks are a bit dirty, will eat anything incl mice, but they lay well if you want to sell their eggs.
    The only reason to have geese is to raise them for the Christmas market.
    A gander can be as good as a dog at guarding. I used to have 3 geese and they ran free range with a gander and if a strange car drove in he would run and stand hissing at the car :)


  • #38
    Water John
    Registered Users Posts: 21,104 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    If one attacked you, they'd leave you black and blue. Beat you with their wings.


  • #39
    Hillybilly4
    Registered Users Posts: 609 ✭✭✭Hillybilly4


    Stationmaster wrote: »
    We've our goats tethered separately near to the ditches and they're happy out with their mixture of grass and brambles - they do a great job of eating the briars.

    Hoping to get a small tunnel shortly as well once we've the bales made in a week or two.

    Interested to hear that you keep your goats tethered. We are considering getting a couple but the idea of all the goat proof fencing is daunting. Tethering obviously works OK for you? Collars, chains and hefty wind-in stakes or...? Do they not get tangled (with each other)? Do they have a field shelter they can access while tethered? I'm guessing you move them regularly and also bring them in at night? I'd be very interested if you could tell me more please because I think tethering would work better for us.


  • #40
    49801
    Registered Users Posts: 1,844 ✭✭✭49801


    Hillybilly4 wrote: »
    Interested to hear that you keep your goats tethered. We are considering getting a couple but the idea of all the goat proof fencing is daunting. Tethering obviously works OK for you? Collars, chains and hefty wind-in stakes or...? Do they not get tangled (with each other)? Do they have a field shelter they can access while tethered? I'm guessing you move them regularly and also bring them in at night? I'd be very interested if you could tell me more please because I think tethering would work better for us.

    Father had a goat long time ago on a tether. Used to drive a metal bar and had chain on it. Down side was had to frequently unwind the chain from the bar as goat kept going same direction and wound itself up.

    Heavy Tyre be good. Too heavy for them to shift but not to bad to move yourself

    Other thing I’ve oten thought would be worth trying is driving stakes like you say and tying chain between them to actually tie a tether to... that way could tether along a ditch/fence so they can tame the fence a bit


  • #41
    Stationmaster
    Registered Users Posts: 825 ✭✭✭Stationmaster


    We have two tethered separately. Only have them about 2 months so they're out all the time.
    At the moment they are each tethered to 3 concrete blocks - I originally had them only tethered to one each but they were able to move that easily enough!

    I have them close to each other but not close enough for them to touch so they can't get tangled up. They're on a rope about 7/8 yards long running by the ditch so that they have grass and briars - they're doing a great job so far. Move them about every 3/4 weeks. No need for shelter for them so far anyway and they surprisingly drink feck all water.


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  • #42
    Rows Grower
    Registered Users Posts: 7,793 ✭✭✭Rows Grower


    Stationmaster wrote: »
    We have two tethered separately. Only have them about 2 months so they're out all the time.
    At the moment they are each tethered to 3 concrete blocks - I originally had them only tethered to one each but they were able to move that easily enough!

    I have them close to each other but not close enough for them to touch so they can't get tangled up. They're on a rope about 7/8 yards long running by the ditch so that they have grass and briars - they're doing a great job so far. Move them about every 3/4 weeks. No need for shelter for them so far anyway and they surprisingly drink feck all water.

    They're only sussing out your favorite plants and biding their time while planning an escape, be vigilant.

    "Very soon we are going to Mars. You wouldn't have been going to Mars if my opponent won, that I can tell you. You wouldn't even be thinking about it."

    Donald Trump, March 13th 2018.



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