Becoming a CM can i still keep my animals?

[Ripeberry]

Hello, I'm seriously thinking of becoming a childminder.
I'm lucky to have a large fully enclosed garden and i had 2 dds of my own so have plenty of toys and a playhouse.
The thing is that i keep chickens at the end of the gardent in an enclosed run.
I also have an aviary of 6 cockatiels and i have a pond that is covered with a metal grid that does not bend so you can't drown in it!
Would the inspectors say that they are not allowed and insist that i fill in the pond?
Would parents worry about bird flu??
Where we are is rural and there is a field behind us with horses that we visit to feed carrots.
Just want to know what the inspectors are like with regards to animals?
Thanks for listening.
AB

I'm sure as long as everything is shut off to mindees it will be OK. Think of the positives! Plenty of scope for learning about animals. Lots of people have ponds, as long as they are or made safe - they're fine.

Sounds lovely to me. Can't see any immediate issues, as long as you can keep the animals and children separated. Children can then learn how to care for those animals.

Until Mr Foxy came along, the children I nanny liked to collect the chickens eggs and help with feeding.

If parents are educated as to the benefits of animals, and to what precautions are taken to prevent cross-infection, then I would expect most parents to be happy with a childminder having birds.

I think the chickens will be an asset, we are thinking about getting them. Very fun and educational.

The pond will need a cage underneath that is strong enough, but it sounds like you have what you need already.

Can you walk on the grid? Is it narrow enough that an arm ot a leg wouldn't fall in - or do you need to put smaller mesh on top or a fence round it

I have a chicken too.......the children collect the eggs

I've no idea what inspectors would say, but if I found a cm who had animals, my dd would be booked in there like a shot. Sounds wonderful.

i have a dog a rabbit and two gerbils i had all these when first inspected and at second inspection . . .there have been no problems even though my dog is very nervous with new people.i expect it depends on which inspector you get but i think and so do mindees parents that having animals is a bonus in cm setting

I don;t know much about birds but my cm has two dogs and its one of the reasons I chose her. Some parents will be put off, others won;t.