Topic: Livestock on allotments

[ThomsonAS]

My (council owned) field doesn't allow livestock on this site (although the Council is experimenting with granting permission on other sites).

I am interested in keeping a chicken or two. Or possibly bees.

Before I raise it with my own field association, let alone with our (borough-wide) allotments network (the SAS or wonderfully awkward squad of the allotment movement here!) and the the Council, I thought I'd call on the collective wisdom of A4A folk to avoid obvious pitfalls and prepare a case.

What are the pros and cons?


Alastair

[betula]

It may help to ask the council the reason why they do not allow livestock on the land.You could then prepare your case in a more informed way. :)

[morton]

Chickens, geese, turkeys and ducks are allowed on our private site and whilst I have no objections personally there are problems with:
a] noise to the surrounding houses from cockerels in particular,
b] some owners have no consideration for others and do not ensure that the runs are secure or that the birds wings are clipped. The birds escape and eat other peoples crops.
c] some owners have no consideration for the birds and leave them for days without attention. Some are regularly left out at night and are at the mercy of marauding foxes. Deaths and mutilations from foxes are surprisingly common.

With bees inquisitive kids would be my main concern although I would think that the ever increasing problem of insurance is the crux of the matter. Any intruders seem to have the right to claim in the event of injury.

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you join your local Beekeepers' Association you get £5 million worth of third-party insurance. It's not a problem. There are allotment sites with bees all over the country, and there's never been any real difficulty with it.

[Old bird]

I would love to have bees - but I couldn't cope with the looking after them and all the kit that is needed etc. 

Thinking of asking a beekeeper to site one of his hives on a flat roof at home (not the lottie) but not 100% sure yet.

Ho hum back to the think tank!