Quarter acre plot

[countrybumkin]

Hello all,

I have a quarter of an acre field and was wondering what sort of livestock to have and how much i could fit on it?
I want to make it as productive as possible but also want to make sure all the livestock has plenty of space. I was thinking of chickens, ducks and geese but was also wondering whether i could fit pigs or goats on the land too and if so how many? and what breeds would be suitable?

Thanks

Kathryn xx

[Green Aura]

Hi Kathryn, welcome to Ish why not go to the welcome section and tell us a bit more about yourself - you'll get loads more welcomes too.

I can't answer your question I'm afraid but someone will be able to.

[countrybumkin]

Hi Kathryn, welcome to Ish why not go to the welcome section and tell us a bit more about yourself - you'll get loads more welcomes too.

I can't answer your question I'm afraid but someone will be able to.

Will do thanks for that Green Aura

xx

[boboff]

I would say that it's more than enough to have livestock.
Depends how much you want as garden/allotment I suppose.
With livestock it's all about the fencing.
Electric is good as easily moved for hens ducks and pigs.

[countrybumkin]

I all ready have an area for veg growing and a sturdy fence between the two, was really thinking of the numbers as i don't want to have to mow the field and whatever i put in there i would like it to keep the grass down.
Was thinking of getting 3 chickens, 3 ducks and 3 geese, would that be enough to keep the grass down? also if i decided to add pigs at a later date would they all fit in? i'd also like to keep them all free range, would they all get on well together?

[boboff]

You need to get a book or two really. Try John Seymour, or Katie Thear & Dr Alistair Fraser.
No 9 birds would not keep the grass down.
With all stocking it depends on the soil type, weather, weeds, average temps, slope, orientation etc etc etc.
What you have asked is really not a simple question, and you could have a hundred pages of replies, and still it would not be what every one thought. If I were you start with your favorite, maybe get a dozen ex bats, get your set up going, work out that it costs a fortune and never worth it and then go back to the lawn mower! ( like what I did!) joke!

[grahamhobbs]

Adam (from countryfile) reckons on 1/2 acre for 2 pigs

http://www.countryfile.com/countryside/ ... -need-live

[countrybumkin]

You need to get a book or two really. Try John Seymour, or Katie Thear & Dr Alistair Fraser.
No 9 birds would not keep the grass down.
With all stocking it depends on the soil type, weather, weeds, average temps, slope, orientation etc etc etc.
What you have asked is really not a simple question, and you could have a hundred pages of replies, and still it would not be what every one thought. If I were you start with your favorite, maybe get a dozen ex bats, get your set up going, work out that it costs a fortune and never worth it and then go back to the lawn mower! ( like what I did!) joke!

Thanks boboff, it really isn't a simple question i know, i've got self self-sufficiency by John Seymore but it doesn't really go into detail of small scale.
I had four ex battery in there a year ago and let them have a free run but as i said i was still mowing the grass. I'd say half to three quarters of the field is grass while the rest is a mixture of nettles and soil (Some of it's partially undercover by trees), it get's the sun 90% of the day but there is plenty of cover for shade but i do have harsh winters as i'm on top of a very large hill. I was going to dig a pond in the middle for the ducks and geese which would take up a fair bit of room as well.

I was just hoping someone might have a rough idea how best to use the room i've got

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Adam (from countryfile) reckons on 1/2 acre for 2 pigs

http://www.countryfile.com/countryside/ ... -need-live

There you are - a good example of a question to which you get many answers. Around here the perceived wisdom is 200m2 per pig, so a pen of 20m by 20m for a pair, with the caveat that it must be kept scrupulously clean. That's one fifth of the area suggested above. We've got a 400m2 area earmarked for pigs next spring.

Certainly geese would make good use of your grass, though they might need a little supplimentry feeding to be good for the table. Both geese and ducks need access to clean water, though it doesn't need to be a large volume. We have an old enamel bath sunk into the ground, beneath which there is a foot or so of rubble. We tug on a chain to pull the plug every couple of days, then wash and refill. This seems to keep them happy.

Some people don't run chickens with waterfowl because it is said they can pass disease. Personally I've never had a problem. I suppose if you did have a couple of pigs on 400m2 the 600 m2 left could be divided up into three (to rotate the plots - I always think three is better than two) and you could run half a dozen ducks / geese plus a dozen hens with ease. Remember that whatever we might think they need, birds find wide open spaces unnerving - a few trees and bushes for them to use as cover cheers them up no end.

I've never kept a goat, but I know people who do and they tend to keep them penned indoors and bring food to them rather than letting them range. Goats can be very destructive and are not as hardy as sheep (for example), they tell me, but beyond that I know little.

[countrybumkin]

Thanks for that The Riff-Raff Element, it's starting to look like I'd be better off sticking to chicken, ducks and geese, which i'm fine with but any idea how many could i roughly fit in my field without it getting to crowded?

xx

[boboff]

As RR says, if you split it up and rotate then the ground won't suffer in the long term, if you don't then you'll find a wet spring will turn it muddy very quickly.

anyway I will stick my neck out, 3 doz chickens, 2 dozen ducks, 1 dozen geese I think would be a good mix and not cause to much damage. If my memory serves me right if have more than 50 you need to register with Defra as well, so depending on your situation might want to keep it just shy of that then. If you have a pond as well then so much the better.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

anyway I will stick my neck out, 3 doz chickens, 2 dozen ducks, 1 dozen geese I think would be a good mix and not cause to much damage. If my memory serves me right if have more than 50 you need to register with Defra as well, so depending on your situation might want to keep it just shy of that then. If you have a pond as well then so much the better.

I think the EU recommended stocking density for free-range works out at 4m2 per bird - geese would probably like a little more - so your 1000m2 / quarter acre plot, split into three should accommodate something over 75 birds, which would fit in approximately with Boboff's suggustion.

A lot depends on what your production objectives are. Personally (this year at least) we're keeping hens for the eggs and ducks for meat. We find that nine good layers give us enough eggs for 5 of us and we're bringing on ducks in batches of six because that is a number I find easy to deal with when it comes to slaughter and dressing. This gives 15 birds on a plot size of 200m2. I could easily double that, I think, without over-using the ground.

[red]

I dont think you can mix pigs and birds, as the pigs will eat a chicken given half a chance.. and pigs really do have to be fenced in one way or another. You will have ample space for pigs and birds, i would have thought.

Personally, I'd start with a few chickens ducks and maybe geese , and build it up slowly - raising new animals is all part of the fun anyway.

Re pigs you can either use electric fencing or build a run - we have a run - i cant remember how long, but it is nothing like 1/2 an acre for 2 pigs! - I figure they need to be able to do what pigs do.. root about, wallow etc. thats all. - here is our pig run and if you read the link he suggests splitting the 1/2 acre into two pens so you can rest one - you could keep pigs alternate years. Also you would be fattening weaners.. not keeping pigs all year round (i assume) so less land needed.

I have a lot of time for Adam etc, but he does put rings in the snouts of some of his pigs, not something I agree with.

and thats the point really - there are minumum legal space requirements - but tbh they are laughably small, after that it is down to personal opinion over the best way to keep animals. if you start small and build up you can get a feel for what you think is reasonable

Kune kune pigs are supposed to be the best at grazing rather than digging up - i have no experience, we have always kept Berkshires. if you keep pigs you need access to a decent trailer to take them to slaughter etc.

You could consider rearing turkeys - you can buy poults (bit late now but you might find some - july/ August is better)

[countrybumkin]

Thank you all for your reply's, lots to think about, not starting anything till spring anyway but gives me plenty of time to plan and decide which is the best route :)

Thank you all again much appreciated

xx

[confused]

I think you would do all right with a dozen ex batts, free range, split your plot in 2 , give the free range one side for a couple of month , then the other side , position your hen house so it can serve both sides , on the opposite side to your free range you could have half a dozen moveable chichen ark's, and run pue bred trio's in them selling the eggs for hatching or hatching yourself and selling the chicks, you could breed your own replacement hens and provide a nice meat source for yourself , a goat could be kept in a goat pen and allowed to forage when the grass / weeds were in full growth, if you have the time and space ,it could be taken out for tethering and browsing walks as well. A lot depends on you and how much time and effort you want to put into the plot.