the daydream fund challenge thread

Davesnave

I am fed up with this year's sheep; they keep sticking their heads through the sheep netting and getting stuck. I can understand when they look into the orchard and see the fresh, green grass, but one was trapped down by the stream this morning where there's no grass at all and a fairly precipitous drop. She'd broken the old fence posts in her efforts to get out, as that's one short run we've not replaced yet.

Why call it 'sheep netting' if it doesn't fully contain the sheep? :mad:

lostinrates

Davesnave wrote: »

I am fed up with this year's sheep; they keep sticking their heads through the sheep netting and getting stuck. I can understand when they look into the orchard and see the fresh, green grass, but one was trapped down by the stream this morning where there's no grass at all and a fairly precipitous drop. She'd broken the old fence posts in her efforts to get out, as that's one short run we've not replaced yet.

Why call it 'sheep netting' if it doesn't fully contain the sheep? :mad:

dave, you are describing most sheep...unless you want them to be somehting else that's what they do....bleet, get stuck, get strike and look for ways to kill them self. There is a reason I avoid keeping my own sheep. Lambs are cute but they taste even better than they look, and if I want to go lambing its easy enough to volunteer for a night in a cold shed getting cold, chapped hands.

kayl

Was hoping for some advice. I keep hens, and their eglu is on a slabbed area ( with wood chips inside their run). The area around their run has become unbelievably slippy, and seems permanently wet. It is not their poo, as I remove this with a shovel any time they have been out! It can only be a matter of time before I take a tumble.
I wondered about putting down some salt, but then worried about the effects on them when they (inevtiably) eat it. Any suggestions?

lostinrates

kayl wrote: »

Was hoping for some advice. I keep hens, and their eglu is on a slabbed area ( with wood chips inside their run). The area around their run has become unbelievably slippy, and seems permanently wet. It is not their poo, as I remove this with a shovel any time they have been out! It can only be a matter of time before I take a tumble.
I wondered about putting down some salt, but then worried about the effects on them when they (inevtiably) eat it. Any suggestions?

not enough bedding perhaps? I'd try making a deeper bed on your slabs, maybe out of woodchip.

Davesnave

kayl wrote: »

I wondered about putting down some salt, but then worried about the effects on them when they (inevtiably) eat it. Any suggestions?

I can't see how salt would help as it will just dissolve. You need small grit, (Cornish grit in garden centres) then being it eaten wouldn't be a problem.

I have no idea what is causing the slippery surface. All our chickens are on grass.

rozeepozee

Shopping list of animals if we get that smallholding:

To Buy:

• Hens
• Ducks
• Goats
• Geese
• Turkeys?
• Pigs

Not to Buy:

• Sheep
• Horses
• Donkeys
• Alpacas

Discuss :rotfl:

ViksB

Turkeys are a no no - they seem to have one desire in life - to die with no prior warning.
Goats are also tricky as they are great escape artists.

Sheep are fabulous - They are really easy and "economic" - plus lamb is gorgeous.
Ducks and Geese are great, hens are a good standard.

Sheep for us are the easiest animals we have.

lostinrates

I've never kept turkeys, but a young chap I buy stock from somtimes tells me I'd like them. He describes them as ''doggy'' and enjoyable to spend time with.

I think the answer in what to keep lies in why you want to keep things and what your land is.

rozeepozee

Do you have intelligent sheep, Viks? All I hear about sheep is that they are universally stupid.

Davesnave

Sheep are OK and probably easier than most animals, being very hardy. When I was complaining above, it was about the standard for sheep netting, which is clearly wrong if so many of our almost full grown sheep are getting stuck in it.

However, these aren't 'our' sheep, but those belonging to our farming partner, who has been strangely absent recently. I think he's found that we are responsible enough to do twice daily checks, so this rented part of his farm gets forgotten a bit.....:(

My advice is that if you are going to tack land out, agree a fee per animal. Same for hay per bale harvested. Our agreement is a bit vague, though so far it's worked out OK.

We will certainly be looking at rearing weaners in a year or so. Geese are a possibility too.

Edit: As the weather was so poo today, I went shopping.....and I bought some eggs! :o They were the most free range I could get though....

....And when I returned, I discovered a Toyota load of logs in the woodshed entrance, so that was nice.