PLEASE SIGN IN IF YOU HAVE CHICKENS

[tortoiseSHELL]

I'm still campaigning for a 'chicken' topic - I think MNHQ have said it is too much of a 'minority' topic. But, there seem to be loads of us. So please sign in so I can see how many there are! Thank you!

marmadukescarlet - do you mean Hatherleigh Market in North Devon? If so I'm delighted to hear the market is still going strong! - I grew up not far away near Shebbear. Assumed the animal market would have been long gone - I seem to recall it was struggling when I was a kid!

Dilbertina - Hatherleigh market is still going strong. Really good source of livestock. My DH works in Shebbear

Oh suzy - they're lovely! But it might be a topic for you to hide....

I'm taking it you're a 'no' for the chicken topic then?

really Bigbadmouse? At the college? My dad, uncle and brother all went there!

oooh, goats! I'd love a couple of goats - otter, can you tell us more please? How often do you have to milk them? And do they need to have a kid every year in order to continue giving milk? (sorry if that's a dumb question )

We milked our goat twice a day but as she got older we 'dried her off' to rest her over the winter-time.
She had kids 9 years ago and that was the last time for her so she produced enough milk for our needs in the years after that.
I am not going to milk her now as she is in retirement.
The new but not yet here goat is two and just about to kid so she should be arriving in late May. Two are better than one as they need company.

tortoiseshell
ska
gentleotter
alienears
mehgalegs
marmadukescarlet (coming soon)
hippipotami (would like some)
DuchessofNorksBride
Ripeberry
Professor Yaffle (on order)
handlemecarefully
geekgirl
PrincessPeaHead
zog (would like some)
hermionegrangerat34
ingles2
BigBadMouse
Mercy (used to have them)
WelliesandPyjamas
oggsfrog
PillockoftheCommunity
BoysonToast (coming April)
DoodleToYou (coming April)
Madlentileater
FrannyandZooey (no chickens, but supporter of topic)
Hassled
Eve
KatyMac
Barnstaple (ex-batts coming soon)
Waynetta (no chickens, but topic defender)
moopymoo
dilbertina
littlerach (chickens to come!)
aefondkiss
Loshad

and suzywong the chickenphobe!

Otter that is so lovely , we had a goat and kid when I was wee, they are such good fun, would love goats again, though I never mastered milking them, my brother was the milker... though the goats ate some serious herby stuff and my mum used to make fruit yoghurt with it, it was bogging, lol.

I hope it is a smallholding type of topic so we can keep up to date on everyone's livestock (feels wrong calling all these animals that, they are more like pets aren't they?)

WellieandPJs. What would you like to know about pigs? I'll do my best. I just feed them, scratch them.

Can I join in please, as a chicken-coveter who is working on DH to persuade him that chooks would be great?

yum just had today's eggs scrambled for lunch, I am looking forward to reading all eggy recipes, we get a relatively small amount of eggs, compared to some on here (4 a day).

aefondkiss- goats milk only goes 'boggin' when there is a billy nearby..normally it does not have a taste.Or if they have eaten docken leaves or Rosbay Willowherb ( which interferes with the hormones and can make the milk turn pink and nasty)
I make crowdie with mine..sort of creamy philadelphia -ish with lots of garlic and chives in. It is wonderful on a bannock.

brrrrmmmm, my dh was less than keen too. I got around this by asking for a Chicken house and NOTHING else for Christmas. He then dutifully got me it...and then it would have been silly not to get residents for it - plus I got the dcs nicely worked up about it.... Now they're here he's come around and actually quite likes them. And they haven't even presented us with eggs yet!

Isn't it EXCITING!

One of my mums is going to give me some little tiny chicks.....I am so excited

katymac, don't mean to spoil your excitement but what are you going to do if they all turn out to be boys?!

Yes please can you me to the list. I have five ladies and one small cockeral. Had them for a few years now and thinking of getting some more soon.

Mind you, 4/5 eggs a day does mean we have a bit of stockpile at times even when I give them away to family and friends.

I give mine layers pallets obviously every day, some days a little mixed corn. Once or twice a week, pasta, peas and melon.

They free range.

Any other tips/treats?

Eat them?

But not serve them to the children

Actually I think we are getting a few to 'look after' with the children - then return them if they are boys (we are borrowing them from a farm)

We would like a broody hen & some eggs but apparently the broody hen won't travel well ?

Otter they did eat a lot of willow herb, they ate whatever was about, so wild garlic and dockens would've been a fair bit of their diet too, my mum should've made cheeses instead.... but I think the flock of geese and 30+ hens, and 16 ducks kept her busy.

We've just adopted our first pair of chickens - dh was so chuffed with the first eggs, you'd think he'd laid them himself

tips- for the first 'lay' of the year the ladies love nothing better than a hot porridge mash with loads of chilli and garlic in it.
I've no idea why this works but a knowing old poultry keeper told me.
TONS of fresh water though for them to drink. It seems to flush out any winter nasties and does them no harm.

How exciting! Hoping to get some chickens soon. I can ask lots of questions and do chicken chat! Also need to put my pig plan into process soon. ie.hurry up and plan getting the pigs instead of just saying that I'm gonna do it! I have no real knowledge or experience with chickens or pigs and would love to pick up some tips and advice.

dilbertina - no not the college, a new company that has just moved there last year. Lots of the DCs at my girls' nursery are going or have already gone there so that's still going strong too. I doubt much has changed since you moved away .