River Cottage

Hi, Does anyone know of a source of finished wild rabbit pelt. I am looking for a small but regular supply to work with

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what do you say about nose rings in pigs ....?

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Hi I have recently moved into a ex council in Bristol and seriously considering keeping chickens too. Are there any local chicken farms recommended where I could purchase some bantoms and on average how much do they cost?
From what I have read on here best to get them all together. Is the laying ability matched to the breed or parents?

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I have been buying free range chickens from (among other places) Sainsbury's for many years. I recently noticed discolouration of the feet of free range chickens which I had associated with 'tortured' chickens living in urine/ammonia soaked sheds. Do you think that Sainsbury's is selling 'tortured' chickens as free range?

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Have members of this site and those passionate about animal welfare seen the proposed plans to build the UK's largest dairy farm in Lincolnshire?
Nocton Dairies has submitted plans to house up to 9,000 cattle in a super dairy on land outside the village of Nocton, near Lincoln.
Compassion in World Farming and The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) fear the intensive system with cows mainly kept indoors will give cows a short lifespan.
They said the system would produce cows suffering from lameness, poor body condition and infertility.
Suzi Morris, of WSPA UK, said: "Cows at this level of productivity are at high risk of a short lifespan.
"Even if these problems can be avoided by professional management, the cows are likely to be kept indoors for most of the year and spend most of their time processing food to maintain high levels of milk production.
"We need to find a better way to support Britain's dairy farmers to deliver larger quantities of milk to the consumer without sacrificing welfare standards."

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Hi all,

Both Erin & I do everything in our power to purchase nothing other than free range.

My question lies with ducks, how are the majority of ducks raised for our table treated?

Kind regards,

Matt

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Hi,
This is my first time having pigs and I have 2 which are saddleback cross with a duroc. They are appox 13 weeks old. When do i know they are ready to meet their maker? and I heard that you need to put them on finisher for about 2 weeks before is this true and is 2 weeks enough?

Very unsure!
Thanking you

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I recently saw an episode of the Riverside Cottage where Hugh was talking to a guy who made a link between 'dumbed down food' and mental health. They were looking at battery chickens, barn chickens and free range to test the levels of omega 3 (I think) and to see the outcome that obviously free range are better for you but also help your brain development. I'm in the middle of writing an essay on links between diet and emotional/behavioural difficulties in children and would like to know who this man was in the episode. Can anyone help please?

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My 14 year old daughter has just returned from school with her cookery produce.Imagine my horror when she informed me that the cookery teacher uses battery chickens and their eggs for the children to cook with.
Amelia asked the teacher why she would do this and was told that the school[Private] cannot afford to do otherwise.We are lucky enough to live in Devon with 12 Ex Battery Chickens who are free range and very happy girls.
How should I deal with this?Do all schools use Battery chicken products without telling the parents?Should I stop my children taking part in cookery lessons unless they can take in their own ingredients?
Shouldnt we be educating the next generation NOW to stop this cruelty in the future?
Ideas welcome.Best wishes,Alison.

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Did anyone else hear the comments about rearing birds indoors for egg production on radio 4's "Farming Today" this morning (Tues 3rd Feb)? Is it really true that hens respond to being raised indoors better than outdoors? The claim was that it is better to raise modern birds indoors as they originate in from the far eastern forest. I find it difficult to believe that birds that have been bred in the UK for hundreds of years still are intolerant of the UK climate.

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