On keeping livestock in suburbia

General Chit Chat
Message
Author
EA01
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2980
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:53 am
Location: OOL
Gender:
Age: 51

On keeping livestock in suburbia

#1 Post by EA01 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 1:09 am

I am on an average residential block, about 22m across and 36m deep perhaps. 4 bedrooms a large pool and a large shed, not a real lot of land leftover.

18 years ago we were in a much smaller house, no pool and consequentially a lot more mowing! But it was there that I kept a pet duck, lovely thing that it was too. A Drake Mallard, I had a little pen for him up the back, and during the day he was free to roam around. He was a constant companion for Jnr Fliegs when he was very little.

I am in the process of clearing out part of the back yard which could only be described as 'jungle', took about 2 weeks of constant work cutting down very tall Lilly Pilly trees and a huge conifer and assorted other trees, countless trips to the tip!!

I'll get machinery in to remove the roots and level it all etc. and put down turf, then we'll realise a much larger usable back yard!...Great!

Then I started to think about keeping quails. Chooks will be too much, the quail could be kept in a much smaller pen, with a 'run' along the ground so they can fossick about & scratch & do whatever quail do.

It'll be made out of timber and snake and rat proof mesh.

I'm doing it for the eggs, anyone kept quail?

Hydromet
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4301
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:55 am
Location: SE Oz
Gender:

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#2 Post by Hydromet » Thu Jul 02, 2020 1:16 am

I'm in a Sydney suburb and nearby there is a house on a similar sized block to yours with quail. I see them in a cage when I walk past, but assume they are allowed out. Can't see any problems, they don't crow at 0400 like roosters, and I presume there's less crap than ducks. However, like all fowls, their seed may attract rats & mice, which in turn will attract snakes. Neighbour had 3 bantams and we had the occasional snake, which didn't worry him or us until his dog was bitten by a diamond python - luckily, not by an RBB, of which we also get a few.

EA01
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2980
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:53 am
Location: OOL
Gender:
Age: 51

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#3 Post by EA01 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 1:25 am

Over my back fence, all the blocks are about 36 wide still, but 136m deep, very large blocks, and the neighbours are rarely seen. Lots of native vegetation. It's a lovely spot so close in town with so much room and greenery. I have never seen one but I would be kidding myself to think they are not about. The neighbours on the north side had one on their steps last year but I don't know what it was.

I'm petrified of snakes, hate them! If i keep rat / mice traps around I suppose it can be controlled. If the rat proof / snake proof mesh works as it should I suspect any snakes would give up after a while?

I've got a good Shanghai Sling, but my aim is very ordinary....

PHXPhlyer
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 8242
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:56 pm
Location: PHX
Gender:
Age: 69

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#4 Post by PHXPhlyer » Thu Jul 02, 2020 2:47 am

Shanghai Sling?

PP

EA01
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2980
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:53 am
Location: OOL
Gender:
Age: 51

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#5 Post by EA01 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 3:17 am

A slingshot contraption...I always knew them as a Shanghai hen I was growing up??

Like this?

https://au.grandado.com/products/powerf ... e0EALw_wcB

PHXPhlyer
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 8242
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:56 pm
Location: PHX
Gender:
Age: 69

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#6 Post by PHXPhlyer » Thu Jul 02, 2020 4:32 am

We just called them slingshots.

PP

User avatar
Rwy in Sight
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 6740
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:04 pm
Location: Lost in an FIR somewhere
Gender:

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#7 Post by Rwy in Sight » Thu Jul 02, 2020 5:08 am

RiS family from paternal side owns a largish plot of land in an area that has been changed from open space/forest to residential. We don't keep an livestock since we only visit over the weekend but RiS feeds the stray cats to keep snakes away and so far the little felines are doing a good job on that.

EA01
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2980
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:53 am
Location: OOL
Gender:
Age: 51

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#8 Post by EA01 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 5:40 am

Where's that RIS?

User avatar
unifoxos
Capt
Capt
Posts: 959
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:36 am
Location: Twycross Zoo, or thereabouts
Gender:
Age: 78

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#9 Post by unifoxos » Thu Jul 02, 2020 6:03 am

Shanghai Sling?

Re - EA01's link above.

We call that a catapult.
Sent from my tatty old Windoze PC.

EA01
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2980
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:53 am
Location: OOL
Gender:
Age: 51

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#10 Post by EA01 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:03 am

I don't know, My Dad had one when I was little made out of a tree fork....he always called it a Shanghai and the name stuck..

So anyone with Quail keeping experience?

User avatar
Rwy in Sight
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 6740
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:04 pm
Location: Lost in an FIR somewhere
Gender:

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#11 Post by Rwy in Sight » Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:53 am

EA01 wrote:
Thu Jul 02, 2020 5:40 am
Where's that RIS?
In the outer northern suburbs of the city. IN the 70's I was told there where plenty of trees much like a forest but in the last decades threes were replaced with houses for a family or two.

EA01
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2980
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:53 am
Location: OOL
Gender:
Age: 51

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#12 Post by EA01 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:53 am

Oh...Sydney?...I always thought you were in the UK..

User avatar
Alisoncc
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4260
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:20 am
Location: Arrakis
Gender:
Age: 80

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#13 Post by Alisoncc » Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:59 am

From todays ABC website news.
Queensland Health is investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to contact with backyard poultry following a surge in home chicken pens during the COVID-19 lockdown.

In the past week, 17 cases have been reported across the state, mainly among children — 13 of them were aged 11 or younger.

Five children have become so sick from the bacterial disease, they have had to be hospitalised.

Authorities said the majority of the cases involved the handling of chicks that were purchased two weeks prior from a range of produce and pet stores across the state.

Queensland Health said eight of the cases were in South-East Queensland, six in Central Queensland and three in the north of the state.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-02/ ... s/12415994
Rev Mother Bene Gesserit.

Sent from my PDP11/05 running RSX-11D via an ASR33 (TTY)

k3k3
Capt
Capt
Posts: 1492
Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:44 pm
Location: In the Transit Lounge

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#14 Post by k3k3 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:03 am

unifoxos wrote:
Thu Jul 02, 2020 6:03 am
Shanghai Sling?

Re - EA01's link above.

We call that a catapult.
I would call it a catapult as well, a slingshot for me is what David used to topple Goliath, or more recently Palestinian youth against Israeli fences.

EA01
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2980
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:53 am
Location: OOL
Gender:
Age: 51

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#15 Post by EA01 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:08 am

Ha ha Alison! I saw that!!...dear me...I had a bout of Salmonella about 15 months ago..I reckon it was a dodgy Sausage at Bunnnings!

EA01
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2980
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:53 am
Location: OOL
Gender:
Age: 51

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#16 Post by EA01 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:20 am

OK then catapult...

I only use stones from the side of the house which are odd shaped and wobble through the air, I am flat out just trying to hit a neighbouring tree trunk!

G-CPTN
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 7594
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:22 pm
Location: Tynedale
Gender:
Age: 79

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#17 Post by G-CPTN » Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:43 am

k3k3 wrote:
Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:03 am
unifoxos wrote:
Thu Jul 02, 2020 6:03 am
Shanghai Sling?

Re - EA01's link above.

We call that a catapult.
I would call it a catapult as well, a slingshot for me is what David used to topple Goliath, or more recently Palestinian youth against Israeli fences.
A slingshot (US) or catapult (UK), ging (primarily Australian and New Zealand), shanghai (Australian and New Zealand) or kettie (South Africa).

EA01
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2980
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:53 am
Location: OOL
Gender:
Age: 51

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#18 Post by EA01 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:04 am

Probably why my aim is so bad I never aim anything (Tree, Piece of Paper etc) up with my eyes for fear of band failure...I tend to 'shoot from the hip'...

EA01
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2980
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:53 am
Location: OOL
Gender:
Age: 51

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#19 Post by EA01 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:09 am

And I rarely ever get the thing out!...not about slingshots catapults or shanghais anyway!...about anyone with experience of keeping quail for egg production?

User avatar
Rwy in Sight
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 6740
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:04 pm
Location: Lost in an FIR somewhere
Gender:

Re: On keeping livestock in suburbia

#20 Post by Rwy in Sight » Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:13 am

Rwy in Sight wrote:
Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:53 am
EA01 wrote:
Thu Jul 02, 2020 5:40 am
Where's that RIS?
In the outer northern suburbs of the city. IN the 70's I was told there where plenty of trees much like a forest but in the last decades threes were replaced with houses for a family or two.
I am in Greece and the area I am referring to is this

Post Reply