Hello from Hereford / Worcester borders

[darkbrowneggs]

Hi All - Found the group last night looking for something else, and it looks to be an interesting and active group. I love the internet as it give access to SO much useful information, and its nice to be maybe try to offer help others who are struggling through something you yourself had problems with in the past.

I am in Worcestershire with a largish garden, and have been pretty well self sufficient in veg meat and eggs for quite a while now. I even had a house cow for quite a few years, but that really is hard work - milking on Christmas morning!! And then finding something to do with gallons of milk and pints of cream

At the moment I am most interested in my Marans hens, and am getting a nice line of the traditional English Cuckoo Marans going that are good dark egg producers, but still lay a good number of eggs - hence my board nickname

I have been keeping these since the 1980's when they were pretty hard to find, so although I am no expert I do have a bit of general knowledge about poultry, I also currently keep some Rouen ducks, some delightful pom-pom ducks for garden slug eating duties, and this year have branched out and got some geese.

Incidentally if anyone has good slug reducing tips I would be very grateful, I garden organically/biodynamically, and so far the slugs defeat me every year, though I have tried all the usual methods they have once again decimated the asparagus (and I use the decimated in the literal sense) I think I will have to go back to the nematodes, which I have used with success in the past, but had hoped for a more balanced gardening approach - ah well maybe not to be

Look forward to reading the board

All the best to everyone
Sue

[Flummery]

Hi Sue and welcome. The only years we don't get slug problems are those where we get a drought! You win some, you lose some!

[darkbrowneggs]

Thanks for the welcome. Yes a few years ago I thought all the asparagus had died, then we had a dry spring and it all came back up. I suppose God has a reason for creating slugs, but I just wish he hadnt created quite so many!!
Sue

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine Sue, can't help with the slug problem apart from recommending a pond full of frogs.

[ginger ninger]

Hi there darkbrowneggs and welcome to the vine, the only thing I find helpful at getting rid of slug's is a small bucket with some salt in, pick them up and toss them into the salt.

[binley100]

Hi and welcome. You must have plenty of room there, especially for a house cow

[digthatchick]

Hi Sue and welcome, not on here much due to workload etc - but I am in your neck of the woods, and keep hens!! Three Goldlines, 1 Magpie, 1 Blackrock, - did have lots (Speckeys, Marans, Blubelles).... but FOX

[Jeanied]

Hi DBE - welcome to the vine. I think you need to collect the slugs and let your chooks have them!

[Florence Fennel]

Hello and a very warm welcome to the Vine!

[darkbrowneggs]

Hello again - I originally found this site looking for something else, and for some reason must have lost the address - probably computer probs. Anyway, again searching for something the site came up, and I found you again

When I wrote the first time I was having bad slug problems, BUT I think I might have cracked it

I have increased my flock of Pom-Pom ducks, and find that they are major slug destroyers, but so far don't seem to do much garden damage, though I wouldn't trust them with young lettuce plants

They certainly are lovely to have around, and in the egg season were really quite productive with lovely big smooth white eggs - beautifully rich as well

I don't know if I can attach a photo, but I will give it a try. They really are cuties, so hello again everyone, and I shall revisit now I have found you again
Sue

[taff]

now they made me laugh :0
hiya