Re: Advice on sheep

Andrew Hickley wrote:
> In article <43819127$0$9504$ed2619ec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> " Jill." <news@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> Andrew Hickley wrote:
>>>> I'm thinking of some hens - is this a better idea (dare I ask)???
>>>
>>> Just thinking about it, you could consider geese. If you want to
>>> keep the grass cut they're pretty good: they graze rather than
>>> scrape and forage like chickens do and you can pretend to be a
>>> livestock farmer by selling them at Christmas for quite a lot of
>>> money! You can buy day old growers for four or five quid and it
>>> won't cost you a lot to get them up to size - plenty of grass and a
>>> bit of mixed corn.
>>
>> And a protected heated environment for the first weeks
>> And a big finishing pen for the last weeks if doing them for the
>> table And somewhere to get them processed for the table and packed
>> and stored before selling
>> And the grazing needs to be kept in good mown condition
>
> Erm... yes, Jill's right. Mostly. A bit of heat to start with is
> necessary. I have to say that we've never "finished" ours and we've
> had nothing but compliments and repeat orders. Our geese have put up
> with rather unmanaged grassland perfectly well.

probably your unmanaged grass is a great deal better quality than ours <VBG>

But I suspect that is
> we paid more attention to these points we'd do better... KIlling,
> plucking, gutting, packing and selling - a trivial matter dealt with
> by my better half, bless her :-)

In fully to grade premises?

> OK, fair point Jill. Geese are not easy!

Oh They are - just possibly not AS easy as suggested :~))

>
>>> However, geese are more prone to predator attack that chickens, in
>>> my experience.
>>
>> Interesting -- it depends on how many you have -- a decent sized
>> flock of geese - 20 plus in our experience will take care of
>> themselves. But below that and they can be picked off. They need
>> night time protection then - electric fencing and or a secure
>> shelter. Mucking out gooses is much more messy.
>> Chickens are not at risk unless you have day time predators [electric
>> fencing] as long as they are shut in every single night in a secure
>> house.
>
> Day-time predators mostly, foxes and heron (when young) (the geese not
> the heron).

Ahh -- yup - not a problem we have at all
Curious the do not take the hens. - Geese tend to need a braver soul to take
on

> One day I will be proved badly wrong, but we have not had
> problems with night-time predators. A combination of our own pack of
> hounds and a neighbour who shoots foxes might have something to do
> with it...

We shut in everything nightly and don't lose but are visited by otter, mink,
fox. and occasionally pine marten.
Buzzards overhead are an occasional nuisance in the autumn

--

regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment, Books, Videos, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Working Holidays in Scotland
http://www.kintaline.co.uk

.

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  • Re: Advice on sheep
    ... >>> And a protected heated environment for the first weeks ... >>> and stored before selling ... >> had nothing but compliments and repeat orders. ... Our geese have put up ...
    (uk.business.agriculture)