Eggs

It was my son's birthday on Thursday and college commitments mean we're celebrating this afternoon; a cake is required. I had a frisson of enjoyment at cracking the eggs for his lemon drizzle cake as it's been such a long time since I've used any! I've had to prioritise my customers and even then I've had to reduce the numbers I've been selling so that everyone can have a few. I know some people artificially light their coops so that the hens still lay but as I don't cull my hens at the end of their productive life, I figure I'm just extending their laying capabilities if I let them have a rest in the winter.

The pure breeds seem to be coping with their annual moult much better than the hybrids as they just get on with it and look pretty terrible and moth-eaten for a few weeks but apart from hunkering down more than usual, they've been fine. The 2 year old hybrids though...they've been off their food, squabbling, hunched up, lost all their feathers in patches off their bottoms or necks or shoulders. I suppose selective breeding for constant egg production has compromised their ability somewhat to moult normally.

It is a bit annoying when you've got cakes to make and customers to please but I guess it is yet another thing that we've lost any sense of seasonality over and giving the hens a decent rest during the cold dark months is what nature intended. Although the hybrids are great, I'm leaning more towards the traditional breeds but of course they won't lay much (anything!) from November to February minimum. Maybe I need to breed chicks that will hatch at such a time that they'll be potentially laying over winter in their first year, thereby reducing the need for replacing the egg machines as buying new hens is expensive and I've had some duds in my time.

I did get some prebiotic and probiotic tonics from Flyte So Fancy and this has definitely perked up the birds, especially Maud and Peggy, the Goldline and Amber Star who seemed completely disinterested in everything. Their appetites have improved and they are now scratching about in the woodchips and there's a lot less squawking and arguing.

Cora the RIR bantam looking a bit moulty
around the neck area

New Chickens

Well, the Smallholder's Show at Ardingly is always a favourite of mine, and this year I was in the unusual and fortunate position of actually needing some more chickens! After the sad loss of Emu to a recurrence of his foot infection, and another to the inevitable attentions of the fox, I had genuine spare capacity. I was wondering if the poultry gods would be against me and leave me with nothing suitable but thankfully, they were smiling on me.

I already have a trio of Buff Sussex bantams from which I sell hatching eggs, but I was after another set so that I could potentially breed from them myself with the opportunity to mix up the offspring to enable further crossing. In the last building with poultry for sale, there was a pair of Buff Sussexes, and although they looked a bit scrappy thanks to an unhelpful last-minute moult decision two weeks previously, the hen was a good weight and looked bright and chirpy. Her mate had much more black on his nape, and more marmalade-y saddle feathers than my existing Sussex boy so I am pleased with the contrast. I took their ticket to the sale desk, brandishing my cash...

...when of course I was stopped in my tracks on the way by the sight of a pair of Rhode Island bantams in a pen further down. I've never seen them before, and although one of my laying hens is a Rhodey, I didn't know you could get a bantam version. They were the most gorgeous chocolate brown, and stood calmly in their cage. A bargain too at £20. But! - I didn't have room for another pair, and that would bring my cockerel tally up to five, which makes letting each set have a run outside in the garden each day a bit of a logistical challenge. Anyway, after much discussion and a cup of tea, I decided that I would regret not having them (of course!) so I came away with two boxes and a big smile on my face.

Robert and Cora, the Rhode

Island Red bantams

I am so pleased with them. They now have their own secure coop with run in the fennel bed, which also seals off a gap in the hedge where the fox has been known to hide: the dog discovered one waiting there yesterday, although the fox ended up with a snarling spaniel chasing it halfway down the field instead of an easy meal. The other two bantams have also settled in - I just need them to start laying some eggs now so they can earn their keep!