Some people are so determined to eat organic food, they start growing their
own. The thrill of a home-grown carrot is initially exciting, but soon fades
– so they step things up a notch to something sexier, such as asparagus. But
when Con Churchill, 39, and his wife, Flo, 42, went organic in the garden of
their two-bed, two-storey home in Haslemere, Surrey, they decided to do
things on a bigger scale – and shipped in kune kune pigs.
Pigs? In a Surrey garden? It may sound odd now, but only six decades ago, pigs
were being fattened in urban yards and gardens all over the UK. Admittedly,
the Nazis were on the doorstep and rationing was rife, but it proves they
can easily be reared away from the countryside.
“We bought our pigs, Bubble and Squeak, in July last year,” Con says. “We plan
to breed from them, and the piglets will be fattened and eventually end up
in the freezer.” Kune kunes, which start at £150 each (www.britishkunekunepigsociety.co.uk),
make ideal urban garden pigs because of their small, plump, labradoresque
stature.
The Churchills’ garden is about three-quarters of an acre, but the swine live
happily in an 86 sq ft enclosure that keeps them out of trouble – most of
the time. “One of them escaped last year,” Con says. “It was found eating
the next-door neighbour’s compost heap, and Flo had to lure it back home
with a handful of carrots.” Even so, the couple say that their neighbours
love having the pigs next door, and at least one is making space in his
freezer as you read this.
So, if you want to keep them, what do you need to do? As well as building an
enclosure, the urban swineherd will need to provide shelter from the
elements for his herd. A 6.5ft x 5ft arc from Bidgiemire Pig Arcs (01864
505050, www.pig-arcs.co.uk) starts
at £270.
You will need to obtain a holding number, available free from the Rural
Payments Agency (0845 603 7777), and register the pigs with your local
animal-health office (www.defra.gov.uk/animal-health);
any sales or movement must be reported.
If keeping pigs in your back garden seems a bit too much to swallow, how about
chickens, ducks or goats?
Surprisingly, unless the deeds to your home have a restrictive covenant or
there is a local bylaw that forbids the keeping of animals, you are free to
raise beasts more usually found on farms. Although it is a good idea to get
the neighbours on board before your livestock arrives, ultimately, if you
care for whatever you keep properly, there is not a lot they can do to stop
you.
“There is no legislation against keeping livestock in a garden,” says Janet
Evans, an environ-mental protection officer with South Kesteven District
Council, in Lincolnshire. “Problems only arise with noise, smell and the
accumulation of noxious matter, or if rats are attracted to the food you are
putting down for your animals.”
Regardless of what you decide to keep, remember that all these hardy rural
interlopers can get sick. Town vets more used to budgies may be perturbed
when you turn up with a brace of hens, and a pig is not a practical
proposition for the urban vet’s waiting room. Find out who can help with the
type of animal you are planning to keep before you buy and the Good Life can
be yours.
CHICKENS
These can be bought from as little as 50p each from the Battery Hen Welfare
Trust (www.thehenshouse.co.uk).
They are happiest on grass, and a pair will thrive on a 20ft x 26ft lawn,
although smaller patches can – and do – play host to larger flocks. Many
first-time owners go for a chicken coop and fox-proof run from the likes of
Omlet (from £360; www.omlet.co.uk)
or For-sham Cottage Arks (from £143; www.forshamcottagearks.com).
Helen Crook, 39, has been keeping chickens in the 45ft x 15ft back garden of
her three-bed Victorian detached house in Sidcup for three years. “I started
off with two chickens,” says Crook, who was given them by her husband one
Christmas. “I’m now up to six adult birds and two chicks that hatched at
Easter.They eat pellets, corn and kitchen scraps, and lay up to 28 eggs a
week between them. Some of these go as bribes to keep my neighbours happy.
“My biggest fear when I first started was foxes, but the run is like a chicken
Tenko, and has kept the birds in and all the prowlers out.” The birds are
buff and blue orpingtons, former battery hens, a white sussex and a blue
bell.
“I’ve swung the chicken vote at work,” says Crook, a police forensic nurse
practitioner. “Many of my colleagues are getting their own birds after
hearing about my experiences. It’s great sitting out on a summer evening
with a glass of wine in one hand and a chicken on the other.”
DUCKS
These fit easily into an urban life-style. Some breeds, such as the large
indian runner, rival hens for egg production and make great garden ducks, as
they are less inclined to swim. Even so, all breeds need a pool that is wide
and deep enough for them to exercise and submerge in. Small breeds, such as
call ducks, need as much space as chickens, but larger ones need about 40ft
x 40ft. All need a fox-proof run and a safe place to sleep. A six-duck house
from P&T Poultry (01597 825809) costs £185.
Ducks, like chickens, are great for removing pests such as slugs, and they
also need company, so two is the minimum to keep. Flocks of less than 50 of
either species don’t need to be registered. Adult ducks cost about £8,
ducklings half that. For local breeders, visit www.waterfowl.org.uk.
GOATS
For milk, meat, selective grass-cutting and pruning, you can’t beat a goat in
the garden. Female kids registered with the British Goat Society (01626
833168, www.allgoats.com) start at
£250. Male goats aren’t a viable urban proposition – they smell.
Goats are natural browsers and prefer unrestricted access to meadow and
woodland. However, a pair will have perfectly adequate room in a 45 sq ft
pen and a concrete yard of about 130 sq ft. Company is crucial. “Goats are
herd animals,” says Sue Knowles, secretary of the British Goat Society.
“They shouldn’t be kept on their own.”
They need a plentiful supply of cut grass and greens – about 4½lb per day – to
make up for the lack of grazing. They can also be fitted with a collar and
lead, and taken out for foraging forays among the hedgerows if you live in a
more rural area. As with pigs, you will need a holding number, and must
register the goats with the local animal-health office.
ALPACAS
Members of the llama family, alpacas have a small stature and gentle nature,
making them ideal for fairly small domestic plots. Originally from South
America, they are bred for their soft, high-quality fleece, which can fetch
up to £200 per kg and is used to make everything from cardigans to duvets.
Alpacas are not suitable for built-up areas, as you will need about an acre to
keep a herd of five. (They must be kept in numbers to keep their morale
high.) They aren’t cheap, either: the bargain alpaca range starts with
castrated males, which cost about £350 each. Females go for at least £3,500,
with an average stud male costing £12,000, and a top stud specimen easily
twice that.
On the other hand, feed is cheap: they will happily eat grass, with some hay
occasionally.
They are hardy creatures that can withstand cold temperatures, but they are
averse to damp weather, says Frances Bath, of the British Alpaca Society (www.bas-uk.com).
“They start to look miserable when it rains. It’s one of the few times when
they need to go under their shelter. When it’s sunny, they are happier under
the natural shade of a tree.”
Like pigs and goats, alpacas require holding numbers and registration. There
are two key breeds. The suri has a long, dreadlock-like fleece that needs
shearing every couple of years; the huacaya’s shorter, denser coat must be
shorn annually.
