animal question...probably a bit odd...

**Blackhorse** · 17-01-2010, 04:38 PM

ok you might know i am a big animal lover and also slightly nuts.

I have 2 cats and a couple of gold fish (didnt want the fish but they were a present - reason I dont want them is that I only have a 300 liter tank and they should live in ponds outdoors..anyways that is a different story)

I was now thinking that I would like to have some more animals tht the children can help care for. (if I let them...hihi)

I was thinking of an outdoors living species that can stay there all year round but doesnt need tons of space...I have a bit at the back of my garden where I could put up an enclosed shelter for them but it would probably not be bigger than say 20m square (roughly)
if they are bigger animals they could roam the garden at daytime but if they are too small they could get through the fence...

i am not sure if anything like this exists on a reasonable budget but I thought I ask you lovely ladies and gents as you always seem to know everything!!

thanks a lot

Pipsqueak · 17-01-2010, 04:47 PM

a sheep or a goat???

elephant or giraffe?

sorry I am no help

**Blackhorse** · 17-01-2010, 04:49 PM

Actually pip I love sheep and goats...but i doubt they will have enough space in my garden...LOL..although they would take care of the grass rather nicely!!

**solly** · 17-01-2010, 04:50 PM

A friend of mine who is a childminder has ducks, the children love them and she also sells the duck eggs, she doesnt have a huge garden. Someone i know also keeps chickens in her back garden

**Blackhorse** · 17-01-2010, 04:53 PM

I would love to have chickens!!!! we do have loads of foxes though...
or chickens and a duck...:-)

I just think it would be fab to turn this bit of so far empty and wasted garden into a little animal shelter and have some more pets.....Only thing is really they would have to stay outdoors as we dont have enough space inside for anymore...

Pipsqueak · 17-01-2010, 04:56 PM

Pot bellied pig?

Pygmy goat

oh I am no good when it comes to these things - I want everything

**RedDragon** · 17-01-2010, 05:18 PM

Tortoise?

My message was too short according to the forum so what about 5 tortoises?

**ginag** · 17-01-2010, 05:26 PM

Hi Nicole,

I have 3 hens and really quite a small garden. They are great pets for the children, very funny and entertaining! They don't take a huge lot of looking after and are inexpensive to keep. They repay their food bill in eggs. The children love looking to see if the hens have laid any eggs in the morning and feed them and fill their water bowls.

They have a safe fenced off area of about 2.5m x 2.5m with their coop and an enclosed run in and when I'm at home they have the run of most of the rest of the garden. They are merciless to plants tho!

They stand up to neighbourhood cats and the cats give them a wide birth. I've had no problems with foxes but I do live in the town and I make sure they are well secured at night.

Gina xx

**FizzysFriends** · 17-01-2010, 05:32 PM

How about A donkey, a rescued one. I would go with chickens though they seem to be good for children to look after.

**Heaven Scent** · 17-01-2010, 06:00 PM

When I first moved over to Manchester from Dunlin I lived in a small private school which was next door to a man who was hugely into child development - I can't remember what he was he just looked like a mad professor to me anyway he kept geese and ducks he claimed that they were therapudic for the children who visited his practice. The ducks and geese had their wings clipped so they couldn't fly away but they did fly up onto the garage roof of my classroom where the males would expect the females to give them their oats. It was usually quite a violent affair they did it at all hours of day and night too

I'd love a couple of chickens but I'm allergic to feathers, animal hair and hey so I'm not so sure how I would do with them especially when changing their bedding.

All the best of luck with whatever you choose.

**Dragonfly** · 17-01-2010, 07:29 PM

I have 4 chickens and the chicken think their great

**dobby** · 17-01-2010, 07:48 PM

Oooh we have been talking about getting chickens!! Can I ask those of you that have them what Mrs OFSTED has to say on the matter? I have heard they like to poo ALOT (the chickens, not mrs ofsted

) How did you risk assess etc? have you had any parents unhappy about them?

very curious to know

**Blackhorse** · 17-01-2010, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

I have 4 chickens and the chicken think their great

the chickens are my favourites...I wanted them for years..

are they expensive to keep?
I checked some housing and that is quite expensive..but as a one off not so bad....
I think the children would also love them...I used to grow up on a farm and we always had chickens...

**happytotschildminding** · 17-01-2010, 07:58 PM

Hi - looks like you might be getting chickens! They're quite addictive mind - we have some in our allotment and my (long suffering) hubby has just today put a house and run up in our garden as well for 3 chooks to arrive next weekend. I really want some hens that lay blue eggs. We also are a family of animal lovers - having a dog, 3 rats, 2 hamsters, 2 guinea pigs, stick insects, and of course the chickens (we did have 3 ducks as well until some mindless vandals killed them) Currently have some duck eggs in the incubator so we may have some little ducklings in a couple of weeks!
Go on - get some Chooks!
Carol

**Blackhorse** · 17-01-2010, 07:59 PM

I WANT CHICKENS!!!

here is what i found...not a bad price I think and plenty of space...

http://www.henhouseworld.co.uk/ch103.htm

**Blackhorse** · 17-01-2010, 08:00 PM

can you keep ducks and chickens together?
or any other bird that will go with chickens??

just curious

**Saranotts** · 17-01-2010, 08:01 PM

Another one for chickens. We have four, a silver lace, a wyandotte and two golden silkies and they are so entertaining. At night they are in a (hopefully fox proof coop - as we back onto open countryside) and in the day they roam our small back garden.

Sara

**Blackhorse** · 17-01-2010, 08:05 PM

I am worried about foxes....my fences in the garden are not the best in the world...need to think about that..

but they would have a nice big house and a run so that shoudl be hopefully fox proof and they would be able to roam about when i am there ...

**FussyElmo** · 17-01-2010, 08:11 PM

I'd love chicken by dh has flatly said no and its not like I can sneak one of those in and pretend we have had it for ages

**Blackhorse** · 17-01-2010, 08:14 PM

haha..dp said no to chickens until about 30 minutes ago....he now changed his mind and said if I want chickens i should have chickens...

that is as long as he wont have to feed them!!

but my neighbour always wanted chickens but her dh doesnt want them in their garden so she would be more than happy for me to have them...she would probably even help me out with them!!(and get some eggs in return- if they will lay any that is)