Spring is in the Air

The time has flown past again. I have been busy replacing all the name labels on the pens so that the different breeds can be recognised. The main problem with the signs is that the Muscovy ducks perch on them and tear them. We have overcome the problem with the signs fading but the damage to the signs is difficult to avoid. I have used card for the signs and thicker laminating plastic. Time will tell if it solves the problem.
The sheep have started lambing and we have several young portlands around. Not so much luck with the goats though. We had one kid overnight with triplets but unfortunately she was not a very good mum and the difficult birth meant that they weren't strong enough to survive. Shannon however has just kidded with twins and so far they are doing well. One of the Bagots also kidded with a little girl. One of the Irish Moiled cows has calved . It is a bull calf so we probably wont keep it.
The chickens are also coming into lay and we will be selling hatching eggs shortly once we have bred our own replacements.
We now stock MS incubators and the one we have been using as a demo worked very well and is now full of chicks.

A few weeks ago our old dog died and we got a new one from the Dogs Trust. His name is Larry. He has settled in very well .He doesn't chase the chickens but he is very boisterous and loopy so the cats have left home and have taken up residence in the barn just appearing at feed time.

We are also getting ready for Easter with all the new gifts we bought at the gift fair coming in now. They are not yet in the online catalogue but they can be bought through the shop. We have some chicken and duck watering cans that have been handmade in India and also new doorstops and Rocking Roosters . We also have a large number of different designs of luncheon serviettes ready for your Easter tea or Hen Party. Telephone 44(0)1386 833083 for more details

The pictures below show the watering cans. Some of the kitchen ware and the Rocking Roosters.

We have also had a delivery of the New Batch of Bluebells, Sussex Stars and Amber Stars so we have plenty of laying pullets in stock. They are selling fast so come early if you don't want to be disappointed

National Federation of Poultry Clubs Show

The last week has been very busy. Apart from all the normal rushing around to get things ready for Christmas we were also busy loading up our trailer and caravan ready for the National Federation Poultry Show.This show is held every year on the third weekend of December. This year it fell on the 16th and 17th. It is held at Bingley Hall at the Staffordshire Agricultural show ground near Stafford. Every year we increase our range of items that we sell in the shop so every year we have to load up more to take to the Show.
This year there were fewer birds entered than normal but there were still plenty to look at and hear. It always amazes me how much noise people and birds in an enclosed hall can generate.
If you have never been to a National poultry show it is well worth going it is one of the few places you can see most of the colours and varieties of chickens. They are all poshed up for the show and as they are in exhibition cages you can get up close to them and have a really good look. The bantams swept the board at the show with the show champion being a Light Sussex bantam hen belonging to M. Clemens and the reserve champion was a Modern Game bantam shown by M. McCullough, The Waterfowl champion was a White Call duck belonging to J. Johnson.
Unfortunately I did not have a camera with me to take photographs but there will be some in the Fancy Fowl Magazine.http://www.fancyfowl.com/
They were also taking photographs throughout the show for the new edition of "The British Poultry Standards". this is coming out in 2008 and we will be stocking it when it is available. The next National Show is the Poultry Club of Great Britain show http://www.poultryclub.org.uk/ which will be held the first weekend in February 2007 . This is held at the National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.



This is not a show bird but is one of our working Light Sussex Cockerels . It does show you however what the breed looks like. Light Sussex are a popular breed because they are striking looking and are also good layers. It is a dual purpose breed which was developed in Sussex 1n the 1800's. The birds were appearing at poultry shows as early as 1845. They were bred to provide eggs and meat for the London market and were shipped up to London by train from Heathfield. Nowadays they are a very useful bird for the small poultry keeper because they are good foragers and are hardy. Unfortunately they cannot compete in the commercial market as they do not lay as well as the modern hybrid strains and they also have a habit of going broody.
There are several more commercial types around such as the Sussex Star which resembles the Light Sussex in looks but has better egg production. Few people now keep the Light Sussex for meat because of the length of time they take to mature.

We have been busy in the shop with the sale of gifts in the run up to Christmas the new website http://www.chickengifts.co.uk is generating lots of interest. We also have lots of new gifts in the shop which haven't yet made it to the website . Clive is out every day this week delivering chicken houses and starter kits all over the country to make sure they arrive in time for Christmas. Chicken houses are a very popular christmas present. Don't forget to check out our website. http://www.domesticfowltrust.co.uk