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Lawnmowing animals
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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 18 8:40 pm Post subject:

I think practically you are looking at sheep or Alpacas. I love having alpacas. I know they aren’t really edible, and that puts a lot of people off, but for ease of maintenance (which is not a plus point for sheep) you can’t beat them. And they mow all the fiddly bits, too.

The reason I have them is to keep the grass and hedges manageable, chase off the foxes and provide fertility for the garden. I love the fibre, but I could buy that. (Also, you should see the neighbours faces when they appear in the garden. It’s picture!)

What about getting some orphan lambs and raising them for meat? That way you wouldn’t have all the sleepless night of lambing (quite enough of that sort of thing already) or hassle of shearing and even sheep can’t be that hard to nurse through one season?

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 18 11:38 pm Post subject:
I am tempted by alpacas, they're very cute. We've talked about orphan lambs for a session, too.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9878
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 1:21 am Post subject:

tbh you have to get both sheep and alpacas sheared. - in both cases you will probably pay someone else to do the deed. I really wouldnt let shearing be a reason to choose one over the other, when both have to be done.

Bottle fed lambs do have a higher mortality rate than those that stay with their mothers, and when grown are completely unafraid of people, which is cute in some ways, but can be annoying when they are pushy etc. Could be good for the children, could be bad if the lamb pegs it, or keeps headbutting everyone....

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 8:50 am Post subject:

Considering one of the reasons the puppy didn't work was because Arthur didn't like it wanting to be with him and play with him all the time, following him, I think we need to just take things slowly. We won't be rushing into any I don't think.

Also, he doesn't like alpaca and once he's decided something, it's not an easy job to persuade him otherwise

We'll get some hands on experience and give him some exposure before doing anything, I think.

i'm attempting to join Cheshire Smallholders, looks like I might have to actually talk to someone

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 10:44 am Post subject:

Alpaca won’t bother him. They’ll follow me for a bucket, and are really, really nosey, but they are skittish, stay well out of touching distance and lose interest quickly. They are more wary of J because she is a lot noisier and faster and doesn’t come with buckets. They mostly just hang out in their half of the field while she bounces around in hers.

It was really easy for me to get an alpaca shearer, because the local chap I bought one of my alpacas from shears. He will happily come here and shear for about £60 (I think. I can’t remember now. They will also bring their male for a drive by mating if I want). But I haven’t yet found a shearer who will come here for a single figure flock of sheep, which it’s why it’s harder for me personally to get sheep. It might just depend on what’s available locally, but is the sort of thing that needs to be established before you buy animals, rather than assuming you can get someone in fairly easily and finding out later it’s a problem.

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