Small holding

[Beachdragon]

3............Hi everyone

I have not been on this forum for ages, we used when we wanted to locate to Spain, very helpful indeed, Thanks.

We were renting between nerja and Torrox for 12 months whilst we checked out areas we would like to buy in and at the right price. Plus we have set up a new business offering a new directory for Axarquia. We love Spain, children are settled into Spanish schools and our lifestyle is perfect.

We are now just buying a Cortijo with land and spare accomodation to rent out! in the area of Riogordo.

Does anyone have any experience of being a little self sufficient, keeping livestock, chucks, pigs etc. Any advice regards keeping livestock in this sort of climate would be really usefull.

Thanks for looking any advice would be great!

[Want to move]

Hi Beachdragon

This is exaclty want we would like to do when we relocate to spain hopefully in the next 6 months. I have had great success in the uk with produce in just a small garden so would also like to have animals.

I persume that animals may get a little smelly so keep them away from the house.

Any relevant info would be great for us too.

Regards

Vicky

[Faire d'Income]

Pigs will be difficult in that area of Spain due to the heat, which they don't particularly like as they dehydrate easily and are prone to sunburn so if you haven't kept any before I'd build up some experience first with other animals.

Chickens are straightforward. Keep at least two as they prefer company and personally I'd try to get chicks as they become used to being handled from an early age, failing that pullets.

I don't know much about Spanish breeds but something similar to a light Sussex or Speckled will give you both eggs and meat. Best to find someone locally who can show you how to wring their necks as it can be tricky without practice.

Whatever livestock you decide on, you'll need a reliable water supply.

[olivefarmer]

Hi Beachdragon.

A lot of locals up here in Inland Granada keep Pigs and or Sheep/goats, most are kept inside due to the heat, with only a small outside run. We have been debating weather to go for Pigs or Sheep for the last few months and I think we have come down on the side of sheep (perfer LAMB), so once the shed is built I will be getting 4 or so.

Also keep a fair few chickens, hopefully going to start breeding Silkies next year as I have managed to obtain a few young ones, plus the normal Xbreed layer and Andalucian Blacks.

If you do decided to keep Pigs etc for meat, EEC (Spanish) law which is now enforced, you must get a registered slaughterman to do the killing. Most people round here keep only 2 or 3 for there own use, a few years ago before the law changed it was not unusual for them to keep 20 to 30 and sell the rest.

Hope that helps

[Faire d'Income]

Olive, in the UK you can slaughter your own pigs if they are for personal consumption. Given that we're all governed by the EEC these days, are you sure similar laws don't apply in Spain?

[Miro]

I read somewhere a while ago that ostrich farming could be a nice little earner. Very low maintanance, basically just need a decent size plot. Try not to give them names, unless you're only going to sell the eggs!

Did anyone ever see that Living in the Sun show about a couple who wanted to run a snail farm? I wonder what ever happend to them?

[olivefarmer]

Faire d'Income

As far as I know even those for personally use need a qualified slaughterman, with a licence. I have spoken to few neighbours about it and most have cut down on numbers since the good old days.

I have seen the licence and it is issued by the Junta de Andalucia, and has an expiry date , at which time a refresher course is needed. The licence also covers castration as well.

Most people know someone with a licence or take them to the towns small slaughterhouse.

I might be wrong, and can only go on what I have been told.

[flan_taster]

Chickens, Best to find someone locally who can show you how to wring their necks as it can be tricky without practice. is it not best to decide on the most effective and humane method before asking some local ? Someone locally may not be able to afford some of the equipment available nor realise that there are other methods of slaughtering a chicken than wringing its neck.
(PS Am not a wuss)

[concorde]

We used to keep chickens years ago and my husband was brought up on a poultry farm.

Most of the chickens we had were rescued from a battery unit, even when they were old and stopped laying, we used to keep them .

It was only when they were very old/sick were they dispatched.
It took about 30 seconds to kill them, not by wringing their necks but by dislocating the vertabrae. By holding them upside down by their legs they became very calm and it was a quick death.

Still didn't like the way they ran around for a few seconds afterwards though!

Have you ever seen a poultry processing plant, I think I know which is the best and most humane way.

[olive]

A few things to bear in mind

You won't really save money producing your own stuff - particularly if you factor in your own time. Seeds, water, irrigation systems all cost hard cash

Animals are a 24x7 commitment so you need to plan if you are all going away.

You mustn't get attached to anything you are going to eat or that has a short life expectancy. A good starting point is not to give any animal a name!

Stay clear of goats - look what they did to Africa.

Expect some dismal failures e.g. crops ate by birds overnight, feral dogs tearing chickens to pieces.

Now the good stuff

Own produced veg, fruit and meat/eggs tastes great, is fresh and you know it is free from nasty additives and pesticides.

it is very rewarding breeding chickens and growing stuff.

There is plenty of advice on the Internet. Try Hugh Fernley Whittingstals forum as a starter. A lot of it applies here even though the climate is hugely different.

Re meat animals. I think a couple of Pigs would be a good starting point. They hoover up all manner of waste. You do however need to have a clear idea from the outset though of where to keep them, what they need and what and when and how you are going to process them into meat products.

Go for it and enjoy

olive

[Faire d'Income]

Chickens, Best to find someone locally who can show you how to wring their necks as it can be tricky without practice. is it not best to decide on the most effective and humane method before asking some local ? Someone locally may not be able to afford some of the equipment available nor realise that there are other methods of slaughtering a chicken than wringing its neck.
(PS Am not a wuss)

Wringing their necks is the most humane way of killing them. Pull up and twist which breaks their spinal chord - virtually instantaneous provided you know what you're doing.

[Beachdragon]

I read somewhere a while ago that ostrich farming could be a nice little earner. Very low maintanance, basically just need a decent size plot.

Can anyone recommend a good Gym so i can build my biceps up ready to wring these Bu****s necks! Must be big drumsticks for the BBQ on the beach.

Plus does anyone teach LaSSsssooing!

[concorde]

Hi Beachdragon, did you ever watch 'The Hairy Bikers' they were in Africa and were frying an ostrich egg. they had to hacksaw the shell for ages to break it!

We have an Ostrich Farm near us, seems mad to see them running around in the winter with the snowy Pennines as a backdrop.

They can be vicious and can disembowel a lion with their claws/feet so not the most fun animal to keep,

Don't bother with llamas either, they bite and spit.

What about kangaroos!

[katy]

Anyone remember the scam running around andalucia some years ago "Invest in an Ostrich Farm"

[Miro]

Ah, thanks Katy, so that's what I remember then! But surely it could be a good business? I know it's big in S.Africa.

[flan_taster]

If you want to dispatch an ostrich do you need to know how to dislocate the vertabrae ?

[Beachdragon]

i think a chainsaw should do the job nicely!

[MrsP]

I think I am going to have nightmares tonight