Not everyone has the benefit of being able to free range their chickens, and for others free ranging is only an option when the owner can be around to ensure that the flock is safely locked up at dusk. I know at this time of year that I have to plan carefully if I’m going to range my own flock, for if I don’t have someone available to lock up my birds at dusk then I can pretty much guarantee the loss of one or more due to predation.
As a consequence, all this means that I, like others, need to keep their flocks in an enclosed run for a large part of the winter months — the months that tend to be the coldest and wettest, a combination that can quickly turn your chicken run into a quagmire.
In addition, if the breeds you keep give high egg output then the conversion to a bog can happen in a matter of days as when not given the option to forage these breeds will simply denude an area of any life (bar the nettles, of course).
Land like this, especially when soggy and covered in droppings, can quickly become ‘sick’, and by this I mean an unhealthy environment for your birds, so action needs to be taken before it impacts on its occupants.
One method is to use ground sanitisers, of which there are a number on the market. These are designed to kill off any pathogens on the land. However, if you do opt to use such solutions then make sure that you read the instructions carefully before purchasing as some will require the ground to be left untouched for a period of time, and if you are limited for space this may not be a possibility. And while they will help to improve the health of the land, they won’t beat the bog.
Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
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Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Secret World Of The Honey Bee
Who knew that honey bees are the best builders? Nicola Bradbear from Bees for Development reveals how they build their parallel wax combs with extraordinary accuracy
Tip the light fantastic
The latest offering from Ifor Williams Trailers is the Single Axle Tipper, which is simply perfect for small-scale farmers
The legacy of The Good Life
The Good Life captured the public’s imagination when it first aired in 1975. On Country Smallholding’s 45th birthday, Jeremy Hobson looks at this and other programmes with a self-sufficiency slant that have captivated urban and rural dwellers alike over nearly half a century
‘The hens took shelter under the pig trailer in the paddock'
A tree Armageddon frightens poultry diarist Julian Hammer’s flock and leaves him with a mammoth clear-up job
Tools of the trade
In the second part of his mini-series on tools that are useful around the holding, Kevin Alviti takes an in-depth look at the iconic scythe, a thistle paddle and forks that were once virtually indispensable to small-scale farmers
The nightclub bouncer of the sheep world
Adam Henson waxes lyrical about the Texel, which boasts such a stocky body that it resembles a box of muscle on four legs
Buying on a tight budget
As demand for smallholdings increases and prices continue to rise, is there a way to achieve your dream without forking out a fortune? In the first part of a new mini-series, Liz Shankland explores the possibilities
Crazy for crafts
In an ordinary back garden and single paddock near Kidderminster, Kay Dalloway has created both a thriving smallholding and a successful fibre business — all while working full time for the NHS. Helen Babbs drops by to find out about her ventures
Game on
A little preparation in the autumn months will help to make the transition into winter smoother and put your garden and tools on a better footing come the spring, says Stephanie Bateman
1975 And All That
Country Smallholding is 45 this month. To celebrate, Jeremy Hobson takes a look at some of the changes — both good and bad — to small-scale farming over that near half-century
