What shall i do......... ;)

[chris]

:0)

Probably won't fit in my grand scheme of things overall then hehe I've worked it out, and I need to win the lottery to do both ;p

If you don't mind me asking, does your small holding pay for its self? Or does your career / earnings from courses/writing help towards it?

[Bramble-Poultry]

But if you're offering Chris

[petal]

I think you should put lots of Transylvannian naked neck eggs in that incy!lol!

[Bramble-Poultry]

Both Chris - technically it pays for itself but .....

We are trying to increase stock, buy/build new sheds and housing and start with new breeds we don;t currently have. So all the profit from the farm is put straight back into it to develop it. So Mikes Salary has to pay for the other stuff. However when its running OR if we stopped spending the money on more animals than it would pay for itself.

Of course you have to reaslise that we don;t just have chooks, theres other animals here too. They get bred and sold or raised for our own meat. We ship meat boxes, do farmers markets with our pies. we sell turkeys at xmas at the farm gate and we sell birds here and at specialist sales. it really is a full time job!

then of course there are magazine articles and the book, but income from that is not massive - unless you write a bestselling novel theres not much money in it!!

[chris]

But if you're offering Chris

Depends what the pay is like

Both Chris - technically it pays for itself but .....

We are trying to increase stock, buy/build new sheds and housing and start with new breeds we don;t currently have. So all the profit from the farm is put straight back into it to develop it. So Mikes Salary has to pay for the other stuff. However when its running OR if we stopped spending the money on more animals than it would pay for itself.

Of course you have to reaslise that we don;t just have chooks, theres other animals here too. They get bred and sold or raised for our own meat. We ship meat boxes, do farmers markets with our pies. we sell turkeys at xmas at the farm gate and we sell birds here and at specialist sales. it really is a full time job!

then of course there are magazine articles and the book, but income from that is not massive - unless you write a bestselling novel theres not much money in it!!

Yup, cool understand about reinvesting (that's all I ever did when we had a business). I knew about the other animals - have had a quick chat with mike about it, sounds great but the whole lifestyle becomes your fulltime job too I expect! Hoping one day to pop up and have a nosey around, maybe when we're after some more birds!

[Bramble-Poultry]

you would be most welcome to come see us anytime - Mikes great at putting the kettle on

yes it does become a full time job, but you are right its more of a lifestyle and although its full time there are loads of quiet patches where you get chance to enjoy the sunshine and the view. Some times are chaos, the 2 weeks run up to xmas was hell, but then we had 2 weeks after xmas where there was so little to do here that we got to go visiting people. then lambin will be a hellish couple of weeks, but it is only a couple of weeks once a year.

Apart from that its just daily feeding and cleaning, checking fences and general maintainence the only real effort is when you have to get all the animals in for worming etc. tupping time when you are watching the ram. getting animals in for scanning, lambing time and slaughter days. market days are even great cos its out and about which I love. the daily routine is down to an art so unless anything throws itself up like lossing a roof in the wind then its usually done in a few hours and then we have time to do other stuff.

the only downside if going away, we manage overnight, we get up and run round everyone, go away somewhere thats less than 2 hours away so we don;t waste time travelling, we spend the afternoon there doing what we fancy, go for a meal in the evening, maybe catch a film at the cinema (no fancy cinemas here so a nice treat) then we get up spend till lunchtime/early afternoon visiting an attraction or something, then we drive home and first thing we do is quickly check everyone over and refill feeders and drinkers. that way they are never really without food and water. because the routine is so good the rest of the time they do not suffer for the sake of 24hours! actually its a great way of getting away because you do more as you cram it in and make an effort. I find when I go for a week I have loads of plans but it all gets put off and you get home finding you haven;t actualy done anything but shop and go to the beach!!

[its hilly]

I'll volunteer to do holiday sitting Brambles. Can cope with chooks, geese, sheep (well he can, I just call them names..rude ones..and count joints ) donkeys, goats, horses, ducks, cattle, a bit basic, if there's no rough stuff involved (i can even hand milk, but not machine)
But would be lost with turkeys and them long legged guard things of yours.

If I ever find somewhere we can afford to rent it would be my dream to proper smallhold. But yes, it's seriously hard work which is a lifestyle not a job. Despite that I still envy you.

[Bramble-Poultry]

turkeys have the same needs as chooks. them long legged guard thingies have the same requirements as sheep, but they generally look after themselves but they are cheeky fellas

if you ever fancy a holiday in mid wales loads of room to camp, plenty to see and do you would be more than welcome

[Glutton4...]

I'll volunteer to do holiday sitting Brambles. Can cope with chooks, geese, sheep (well he can, I just call them names..rude ones..and count joints ) donkeys, goats, horses, ducks, cattle, a bit basic, if there's no rough stuff involved (i can even hand milk, but not machine)
But would be lost with turkeys and them long legged guard things of yours.

If I ever find somewhere we can afford to rent it would be my dream to proper smallhold. But yes, it's seriously hard work which is a lifestyle not a job. Despite that I still envy you.

Wot she said! Not had much to do with Cattle except on a plate, but I'm willing to learn....

Oh, and Mr. G is good at mending things - espesh with a welder!

[chris]

Cool, so we're sorted.. I can sit around and watch (*cough* learn), you lot can run around doing the work and the brambles can go on holiday!

[jessmorris]

well rooting around in one of the old barns here, having a clear out i came across the following:-

a chicktec 316 cabinet incubator. Just doing a test firing now, holds temp ok, but the autoturner needs persuading. easily sorted and then i have an incubator that holds 216 setting eggs and 100 hatching... yep 316! so what should i put in?? answer on a post card please!

.....

Mmm - I would go for jubilee and gold laced bantam Orpingtons I think...and if I had the room, birds for meat and eggs, looking for Amrocks at the mo...and of course, more modern game, and maybe some of the belgian game breeds (LF)..how tempting - 316 eggs blimey!!

[Bramble-Poultry]

well to test its working properly, i have purchased some commercial hybrid blue egg layers, and some indian game large fowl. i also have a few Cream Legbar and some dorking eggs from my girls that i can sacrifice to the cause.

With half term looming we can afford to drive away a few hours to some of the sales as we havent got to get back to the kids for school time as they will be with us, so who knows what else we can get in the meantime!!

[its hilly]

oh oh. If you aren't careful Brambles you'll end up holding 'chookstock'
Ok Turkeys are go, but long legged sheep

Seriously, are you heading to any of the Carlisle sales this year? If you are let me know and we could meet up! Bet Jess would join in too.
And now to show my ignorance..what's an Amrock? I've heard the name and am guessing its based on Plymouth rock?

Are your hybrids the same as Fenton Blues? I must admit I would love some blue eggers that lay well, one of my Cream Legbars lays almost daily, and I'll be keeping some of her chicks (when I get some) but 'tothers rather hit and miss.

[Polly Fouracre]

I was thinking of cutting down on my poultry until I read this thread. Now I feel rejuvenated and can't wait to set up my incubators.
I think I will maybe hatch turkeys and geese and maybe pea-fowl more than chickens this year. Oh! and someone not far away has Rhea eggs. What fun!!

[Glutton4...]

Yay Polly - Reas - long legged Chooks! LOL