It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

westcoastscot

Hi,

I recall reading in my old self-sufficiency magazines about a method of chicken keeping called, I think, the lady balfour method?? It was designed for keeping chickens in the same place, penned, all the time. If I recall the theory is that you throw in as often as necessary a layer of woodchips, pine needles or some such, and when it becomes a mess you put a further layer on, cleaning the whole thing out twice a year.

Would that help Madartha? I suppose the only problem would be the twice-yearly cleaning out - very labour intensive I would think.

I'm going to do a similar thing in my wee chicken pen (my chucks are coming in october), but plan to let them onto my veggie patches whenever i'm home - to help with weeding/manuring. Am making a moveable pen for them.

WCS

Pink.

ceridwen wrote: »

Re "rows on the thread" - I did read someone in another thread recently reckoning rows break out at New Moon time and did a quick checksee on the moon phase over last coupla days and right now its at:

"Waning gibbous - 69% of Full Moon".

Hmmm...:think: - perhaps we can discount owt to do with moon phases then?:cool:

ceridwen it is you who keeps going on about full moons/new moons on this thread. As far as I can see most people on here are extremely friendly and helpful and don't wish to start or participate in any arguments or rows.

Pink

mardatha

TY Ginny and WCS for this. I want to free range them but next door, who promised to go halvers on a fence, split up and she left. He wont do anything that doesnt involve a bottle. So the hens can wander into his garden and then into the field or anywhere :eek: and we havent got the money to do it all ourselves. I started off with wood chips wasnt mad on them but might try again. TY!

ceridwen

Just had to pop back - and state "No - it isnt the case (ie that I'm the one to go on about New/Full Moons) - to keep the record accurate".

Reet...now back on topic...:)

*********************

Quick bribe with a bottle of something alcoholic then Mardatha - to the neighbour???? Would that sort it out quickly?

[Deleted User]

ceridwen wrote: »

Yegawds and little fishes....

...and one does have to wonder sometimes whether t'powers that be search Forums like this for ideas they can "use and abuse":

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jobcentres-to-send-poor-and-hungry-to-charity-food-banks-2356578.html

:mad::mad::mad:
It really is the workhouse next

Becky_2

mardatha wrote: »

Ladyshopper thanks for that - my son got 3 lots of steroid injections but only the first one really helped for a bit. He has Tarsal Tunnel syndrome - like carpal but feet. He got told this op was his only hope and if that doesnt work then there's nothing else they can do for him. And it can take 12-18 months for the pain to go away after the op and then we won't know if it has worked. Am surprised at how many people suffer with this. I will get him a pair of Crocs for his xmas.
EDITED- He did have plantar to begin with and also has flat feet - that added to 12 hour shifts made it worse. So anybody else who has this please try to rest those feet !!

Mardatha, I suddenly thought of an article I read in the Mail on Sunday a couple of months ago (19/6/2011 to be exact) that the gym Virgin has started to do exercise classes for the feet "Willpower & Grace" because of the growing numbers who are suffering with flat feet. Perhaps it might worth looking into getting a free day pass that they sometimes advertise if Virgin have gym near where your son lives.

Hobsons_Choice

We have the Liberal Conference (i.e. expensive jolly) going on near here (Birmingham).
Shall we club together to buy some rotten eggs?

Charis

ceridwen wrote: »

Yegawds and little fishes....


www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jobcentres-to-send-poor-and-hungry-to-charity-food-banks-2356578.html

Thanks for this, I've posted the link on my Facebook page.

Charis

paidinchickens wrote: »

There was a time when the local churches would check on the less fortunate and help out but that does not seem to happen any more (not where we live)

There was a time when church members outnumbered those in need of help.

Charis

Re the Trussell Trust Food banks, here's a map that shows the extent of the growing need. Oddly, although Birmingham is one of the worst areas of the country for unemployment, it doesn't have many centres compared to parts of London and South Wales.