Hello

I have just been reading the Goats and Chickens thread with interest. We are moving to a place with a 1.5 acre paddock, we want to get two or three animals to graze on it and hopefully keep the grass down a bit, we are considering either donkeys, sheep or kune-kune pigs. Has anyone got any experience with keeping any of these? The paddock has a small stable there already or we could build a new shelter, we want something fairly easy to manage (that won't chase us!) but also nothing too small as we have three dogs. Has anyone got any advice or suggestions? (I have looked on various websites, spoken to a couple of people who keep donkeys or sheep but they all say their animal is best).

Many Thanks
Alex

P.S. I am also hoping to keep chickens but am worried that the dogs will frighten them through the fence

A freind of mine had the same issue re a bit of land with greass that was too large to mow!

she did have Goats, but found them too much of a tie. The main problem being that it wasn't easy to find someone to come and milk if she had to stay away.

she tehn started rearing Orphan lambs and selling them once big enough. On year the grazing and lamb price was poor, and she had ewe lambs, so after she had to buy fodder, decided to keep the two girls and breed her won lambs. this she did each year until they became too old.

My mom's always wanted a pair of minature horses, but city zoning laws won't let her. :( You could always try those lil' darlins :D :D :D

Hi Alex thats the reason we are getting a couple of goats as well!! B/in law who lives in the next field has horses & donkeys & I dont fancy them, one donkey is lovely & friendly but the other is a right little pain & he chases & once tried to kick one of my dogs so suppose you have to make sure you get a nice tempered one. Never heard of kune pigs.
Christine2

What about a ride on lawn mower :-))

Sorry just a thought..

Pam ;-)

Hi Pam,
Your solution of a 'Ride-On Lawn Mower' seems the best answer to me.
(At least you don't have to 'milk' the dam thing!!!!!)
:rolleyes:
Harry C.

Don't worry about the dogs scaring the chickens as my chickens don't take a blind bit of notice of my dogs even when my 10month old puppy throws herself at the fence.
They do however get worried with 'new' dogs they don't reconise but that only takes a few days for them to forget..... :)

Thanks for all your replies.

Hmm, I had wondered about a ride-on mower but they are really expensive and it would still take hours! Plus I quite like the idea of a couple of friendly pets. I love those miniature horses but was put off by the price and the expensive upkeep. I think it will end up being sheep or donkeys, I love the idea of little cute orphan lambs! but am put off by having to dip them and shear them (although several breeds dont need shearing apparently e.g. wiltshire horn). On the other hand you have to get a donkey's feet trimmed every 6 weeks apparently, plus my friend has two and one of them sees red and hoofs at the ground then charges whenever she sees my dogs! The other one is lovely though. They seem to be escape artists though - they can squeeze under an 18 inch gap under the fence!

Emma thanks for the comment on chickens, I was worried they would cower in the corner when they saw the dogs but I suppose they do get used to them, especially if they are safe in their run.

A friend has suggested I get a couple of geese but I am a bit scared of them! Maybe the mower would be best after all!

Hi, you wouldn't have to dip and shear lambs if you put them in the freezer around this time of year !! mmm. apologies if you are a veggie. Hand reared molly (orphan) lambs would not be afraid of dogs if they were reared with them, in my experience. You could get 4-6 orphan lambs around March and rear them through the summer while there is lots of grass. Its quite a lot of bottle feeding at first but its not long before they are on just a couple a day, and the farmers practically give them away. Well they do in the Welsh hills anyway! The grass will be like a lawn with sheep, donkeys will leave lots of rough patches and are actually not that tough, they'll need a stable for winter nights, feed, hay and bedding etc.

That is what my freind did until she kept the two ewes. She got them dipped and shorn by the farmer who's Ram she used.

Hi, I am not a veggie but I don't know if I could eat ones I knew! (hypocrite I know) but where we are moving is West Wales and the local papers always advertise orphan lambs to bottle-rear either free or £5 in Spring so this could be feasible, I like the idea of getting them used to dogs at a young age, it would also be good for my dogs to be used to livestock too I guess. I think the sheep's hardiness and neat grass-grazing are strongly in its favour too.

Goats are great fun, buy for my mony I'd get a donkey

I guess one really good thing about donkeys is they don't get spooked by predators like foxes, plus they shouldnt be scared of the dogs as they are much bigger than them. Might even keep the dogs in their place for me!

Hi sis, me too :D :D

Cant have one donkey though, they need company. Donkeys also shouldn't go on long grass.
Ted

I suspect that 1.5 acres may be a bit small for 2 donkeys? Although the Donkey Sanctuary in Devon says you can keep a pair on just an acre, but I would rather have plenty of space than just adequate. Back to the drawing board I guess! Another friend suggested Llamas or something similar called Alpacas (?sp?) but I thought they spat their half-digested dinner at you - euch! - or is that an old-wives tale I wonder.

Hiya, No, its not a myth. I went to a zoo a few years ago with a friend and her kids. We were looking at the Llamas, and one came over to the fence. All of a sudden, it spat, and got her right between the eyes. I was rolling on the grass laughing, it was so funny, but not when you are on the receiving end I suspect.

Omigod yuck! I was hoping it was a myth!!! I think I will rule them out them ;-D

Actually alpacas do not spit like their cousin the Llhama. They are really easy to maintain, you do have to shear at least their bellies in the summer though, and are fairly disease resistant. They stay small, eat fairly little (but will keep the lawn mowed). They do not challenge fences, and also do not tear the ground up with their feet, they are not a hoofed breed but actually footed. They are really sweet tempered. Also their wool is the best in the world and worth a goodly amount. If you don't want to breed them they are an affordable investment, otherwise breeders are pricey. Another nice thing is that they eliminate in a designated area, not all over the yard.
I love them can't wait to get a herd of my own!!!

Carissa

Yep, Alpacas are great, but I also get along well with Llamas and even Camels (which my hubby absolutely detests :) )

I haven't seen any suggestions of burros yet :) Or is donkey another term for those??? I just can't remember.

Donkey = Ass!

I thought Burro = Mule (Donkey x Horse)?

If Berro is not a mule then I suppose it is another word for a Donkey! :D

In my experience, a burro is the little grey beastie usually having a strip of black as if ending the "mane" area with a "T" goes right over the withers area. About four feet tall (to withers). The foals are usually coal black. I know they're used in Mexico and Mary is always pictured riding into Bethlehem on one of them.

I think that mules are a mating of a Donkey + a Horse --- they're sterile ( I think?)
Jenny -- female
Jack --- males

They have long memories and can really hate dogs!!!! They're great on trails.
Now one of my favorite looking donkey (I really can't remember what the "normal" ones look like anymore) is the French Poitou Donkey. They're very furry with long brownish mixtured hair. They're in some of the zoos here and are protected. Interesting characters!!!! :) :)
Ok, end of my trying to remember stuff from my horsey mad Mom's educational speeches ;) :rolleyes:

Sound like Berro is a donkey. You get them in various colours here. I have always been partial to the dark ones!

sorry, I should have answered earlier to end the confusion. Burros are donkeys, its just the Spanish word for them. And a Donkey or Mule might hurt the dogs. Some are very even tempered but others certainly are not. They will kick even a grown horse into submission and that would be disaster with a dog. So just make sure if you decide on one that it is gentle!!!!
QT

If it's just something to keep the grass down then why don't you rent out your grazing? That way someone else benefits and you don't have all the hard work and maintenance involved. :)
There's usually someone looking for additional grass for when theirs gets overgrazed.

I wondered about that but I would like to be able to walk the dogs through the field, plus I am animal-mad so wouldnt mind the extra work - I work from home which is handy - it's just so confusing trying to decide what to do! My family says we are mad and should stay where we are in our house on a built-up estate rather than create extra work for ourselves :-( I think they are townies at heart

Sheep. Well they will be ok for a while, but the paddock will need to be rested every summer, so you will either have to split it into 2 or put them somewhere else for 3 months. Their feet need trimming every 6 weeks or so, they will also need to be drenched for basic diseases, wormed, dipped, sheared and checked daily. If you have a ram you will need a seperate area for him for times of the year. The grass will be eaten very short but you will not need a shelter.You will need to be a registered holding with DEFRA and comply with laws.(believe me the paperwork is getting unbelievable and its the same if you have a few thousand sheep like us, or two pet ones!)

Goats. You will need a shelter as they dislike rain. They are not grazing animals, they do not graze grass, they are browsers & will start by eating the hedge, then most likely clear the fence & start on your garden!!! Even if they are not in kid they will frequently come into milk & need to be hand milked twice a day.

Donkeys. A friend of mine took on a pair from the donkey sanctuary at Sidmouth. They are novice owners & were given 2 elderly sisters who are suited to their lack of knowledge. There is full back up from the sanctuary, but like any livestock they require daily time and attention.

A thought, why not buy a couple of cheap ponies from the moorland sales at the drift this september? Or why not take on a "loan" pony or two & give them a retirement home? I take it your paddock is fenced and has a supplied water trough?
Another thought, if you can cope with the red tape, why not have a couple of bullocks & rear them for the freezer?
Pigs will churn your paddock up & turn it into a ploughed paddock, but if you don't mind that then its ok, but no fun for dog walking!

Thanks for your reply Sam. I didnt realise you kept sheep, what sort are they? I didnt know that they needed their feet trimming, I would need to find out how much that costs I guess (or could i learn to do it?) the worming wouldnt be a problem, and there are sheep in the very large field opposite, I think the farmer lives about a mile away, so I might chat to him about whether he would treat mine at the same time as his for things like shearing, dipping, etc, if I paid him. I am still quite keen on sheep, I could certainly split the paddock in two no problem. I don't think I would have a ram so that wouldnt be a problem. How many sheep is it advisable to keep per acre? Would two or three keep the grass down?

I think I will rule goats out, they don't sound like they would be much use for grazing the field, and I don't really fancy having to milk them. They sound like escape artists too!

I still might go for donkeys then - I wasnt sure if I had enough land, my friend keeps her two on 2.5 acres. I am planning to go down to the sanctuary sometime, and also book onto one of their day long donkey-care courses, which should help me decide.

I will look into ponies too - anotherfriend has lent me a book 'Horse Care and Management' but it put me off as they sound quite delicate, and like they need lots of exercise and lots more land, but I guess that's more the thoroughbred types. At the moment the paddock is home to a massive welsh cob.

Yes there is a water supply, a small breezeblock shelter (about 6' by 8' - not big enough for two donkeys) and a small concrete yard (about 10' by 15'). One more thing - the field next door contains loads of cows or bulls - which can lean over the 'fox-fencing' - would they scare any type of animal? (Isnt there an old-wives tale that you need to keep a donkey in with cows to prevent a certain disease, so I guess the donkeys aren't bothered by cows.)

I think I need to go and buy a load of books, and mull it over. Thanks for the advice, everyone. Let me know if you think of any more! Cheers

If you are thinking about ponies I would suggest a native type (think thats what Sam meant aswell). You can pick them up reasonable cheap at sales. They are generally very 'hardy' and can live out all year round as long as they have got adequate shelter. They might need some hay to keep them going if it gets really cold. :)

By the sounds of it I would look at refencing the padock or look at putting up electric fencing just inside the exsisting fence line. This is also good as is movable and you can use it to split the paddock so part can be rested. :)

Whatever animal you have you will need to consider field maintance and depending on what animals you have depends on what needs to be done but if you have a chat with a local farmer most will do it for a fair price!

HTH

Tracy

Hi Tracy thanks for your reply, I think I will investigate ponies too. Refencing would be good, I have seen electric fencing kits which werent too expensive in the back of Country Smallholding mag, plus like you say, I can use it to divide the paddock and rest one half. Hubby just wants to get a big tractor and mow it, he says it would be less hassle (but tractors can't love you back!)
Cheers
Alex

Sam, how cheap' is cheap for a very quiet sturdy pony (for a bad rider who has at last got a decent tutor).

Sharon, In this neck of the woods, a bombproof safe largish pony, about £600-£700 would be a good price.

REALLY REALLY BOMBPROOF Phil? You wouldn't want to lose me (I hope!)

Course I wouldnt want to lose you sis, yes, and really bomb proof. There are so may horses and ponies for sale in the SE, they are almost giving them away. Have you considered a loan, or one from a rescue society?

Phil, I'd certainly consider a rescue. While I can't ride well, I do know enough about horses to care for one well, and have the free use of a free stable a large paddock and a vet who specialises in horses. What I'd like is a gentle, safe hack that the younger dogs cold trot along with. Then maybe when i've learned a bit more, perhaps something more lively.

Oooo Im pea green now, havnt got room for a horse here. Try the Ada Cole Memorial Stables. They are one of the few I know that rehome horses that can be ridden, rather than just retirement homes, or perhaphs get Horse and Hound for a few weeks. They often have adverts in there that have horses at very resonable prices that are suitable for light hacking only.

Have you thought about the veteran horse society - something a bit older could help you boost your confidence.

KirstyS
:)

I suggest an old cob that needs a quiet hacking home...maybe due to either its age or previous injury which restricts its uses....should be free or at most a couple of hundred quid. Glad you're back! :D

Any ideas on where to look Sam? A friend breeds welsh ponies - would one be too small or otherwise unsuitable? Glad i'm back too - must do something about my temper:-)

well, without being too personal sis, how tall are you [$ how, er, well, heavy? (This should be a real eye opener!!!!]) )

Hi Sis, the other member of the "Terrible Trio" is not very tall. :)

IN COMPARISON WITH YOU MISSY SIS!!! I'm, 5'6" :D

Alot depends on build really....i have an adult friend who is 5'6" and about 7 stone & she regularly hunts a 14hh welsh pony & a dartmoor stallion, she is small enough to look right. (The ponies will actually carry about 10 or 11 stone but look a bit silly!) Nearly all local rural papers have cheap horses where due to their age or perhaps a previous injury, they are only suited for light hacking, not jumping or p.c. or hunting etc. You often see such ponies available for permanent loan as the owner wants to be sure of knowing the pony is ok for the rest of its life but doesn't want to have to fund its upkeep....this could be a good option. If you are a bit heavier than my friend (hows that for tact?) then may be a cob or dales/fell type would be more suited.....there again you can get some really sweet old t.b's that need retirement homes with just gentle excercise. I would concentrate more on the plodiness of the horse/pony than its actual breed or type.

Sharon,
You could always go with an Icelandic Pony. They're gaited and you don't have to worry about being too small/tall to ride them. (Gaited -- meaning they "walk" and not bounce the bones around like the average horse. Fast little things too ;) ) There are some "stables" in Scotland that offer riding lessons, day trail rides and longer organised tours on Icelandic ponies. If you're interested, I'll try to relocate them.

My mom has a dream about owning one someday, that's why I know about them. If we ever end up in Iceland, I fear she'll be right there with us ;)
toodles

Pentlands Icelandics - bottom of the pentland hills somewhere near Edinburgh - she has a weight limit on who she'll let ride her Icelandics tho. Can get the contact details if you mail me privately.

KirstyS
:)

Hi,

Alpacas can set you back about £1500 each...

Khune Khune pigs are grazers and don't root up like other pigs so do look into that option a bit more.

Donkey sanctuaries are desperate for people like you - please give it a try.

Sheep and goats - escape artists - think carefully before you 'leap'...

This is a link that may help you make up your mind as well about what to do, it is a horsey forum that had a similar thread on it, hopefully this link will work for you, if not, go to the Intelligent Horsemanship forum (the first bit of the address) and search the threads for 'keeping sheep'.

Hope that helps,
Nina.

http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/forum.asp?action=forum&cmd=msg&f=sheep&tid=1536

Hi Nina thanks fro your reply. I think I will forget about Alpacas at that price! But will try and find out more about KuneKune pigs.

Donkeys still looking quite good - one of my friend's ones is really affectionate and loves being brushed (the other one is just mean!) - and it would be nice to offer a home to a creature in need. I worry a bit that the vets bills might be huge if I adopt quite old ones (but young ones might outlive me!).

The link you gave to the horse forum worked and was brilliant thanks, loads of info, I will definitely think twice about sheep now! Seem like much more trouble than you'd expect.

BTW I see you keep weims - one of my dogs is a weimaraner puppy, do you think I could ever stop him wanting to kill sheep, chickens etc? I guess he wouldnt pester donkeys in the same way as they are so big. Obviously I would train him but I know their instincts are pretty strong. Saying that, he is pretty good with the cats now.

Cheers
Alex

This is just a thought as I know little about pigs but I have a feeling that if you go for pigs you may have no grass left as I suspect they will rootle it all into mud, might be worth checking
Anne

Not strictly an animal but I keep geese and they keep the grass mown in the rough garden area and we just mow it once or twice a year to get the weeds down.

If you decide on geese (and they definitely get to know their owners and individual dogs) they cannot live on long grass so you will need to get it short to start with or they will starve.

Christine

Do foxes attack adult geese, so you have to put them away at night, or can they be kept free-range?