I've not posted any news for a while - why? well, there hasn't been any!
Business has been good - we've got lots of lovely birds in but I'm not hatching any more chicks this year. The cold has set in :-(
I will continue to have in POL birds right through the winter, but I urge people to be aware of the cold and remember extra bedding and food this winter for their lovely little chickens.
Ah, new new new.... to be honest, not that much!
I'll be getting my quail in towards the end of the summer holidays and we're building a massive quail avery - I dislike, as many of you know, putting birds in cages of any sort, but I figured a giant avery for the quail might be OK - to save them from the predators. It will be of mammoth proportions so they'll have perfectly natural ground and trees and bugs...they wont know they're in a big enclosure.
what else is news,... we've finally got the fencing up around the poly tunnel- protected from my flock of geese who caused some fair amount of destruction! This means that we'll be stocking LOADS of planters, hanging baskets, food plants, seeds, bulbs - all the bits you get in a garden centre, only these actually smell nice, and are lovingly grown - as opposed to the massive scale of garden centre flowers. We are a small but busy nursery....
Any more news? Jasper - our rather pretty new pony to keep Inca happy. He's lovely, we're planning on showing him fairly soon, needs a few more lessons in manners though,..... I'll put up some pictures soon of them both - they look so cute together :-)
NEW BIRDS HAVE ARRIVED
I've finally restocked partially after the wedding. We've got loads of 8 week old pullets in (little hens) and some POL birds too. Just give us a bell and arrange to come down and chosoe your chickens.
We are also running chicken classes throughout the summer holidays - I can run them most days, just email your requested time. The class lasts approx 3 hours (slightly less if only a couple people at once) and costs £30 per person. Children are more than welcome to attend - no charge for under 18s.
I RAN THE RACE FOR LIFE
Thanks to everyone who sponsored me for the race for life 5km run in Lydiard Park on 13th July. The day was loads of fun, and we raised lots of cash for Cancer Research UK. The day was one of mixed emotions, a friend I met in London some 10 years ago now sadly passed away as a result of cancer, and her funeral was the day before the race. Her sparkly laugh and cheeky grin kept my legs going as we raced on. She will be missed by many.
I have now sold a massive 64 ex battery hens, making my total donation £64 from bird sales, then I had 2 very kind donations, one from the lovely lady who I forget her name, and another donation from Chester Chan, who came over week before last to buy some hens.
I have now exceeded my target for the fund raising, and now I just have to practise running :-) I'm quite looking forward to it actually, good for the moral karma me thinks!
Thanks everyone who has sponsored me so far, and please click the link above on the green bit and sponsor me some more!
Much love
Dax
Birds Birds Birds.... now there is a suprise!
Actually, not so much in the way of news to be honest. I'm getting some more ex-battery hens soon, although the date isn't yet confirmed and we're looking at getting some more ex-commercial birds in soon. Why why why? well, most people want egg layers, and the sad fact is commercial birds are generally culled at around 80 weeks - more often than not some YEARS before they stop laying!
I know people who have hens at 5 years old who are still getting some eggs from them - and even one lady who has a 12 year old Maran who gives her 1 egg per week like clockwork! The truth is when I buy in these birds, or rescue the battery hens they make fantastic pets, great recyclers and will give you eggs for a few years longer. In my opinion it's a tragic waste of life to turn them into pies when their laying drops below 70%. And for most of us, we keep a few hens, 4 or 6... do we need more than 20 eggs per week?
I'm gonna try to be organised this time and take reservations for birds. Commercial Layers from a free range farm will be 1 year old and £15.00. Ex Battery hens will be around 75 weeks old and are £6.00.
If you're interested in buying some of these birds, please don't hesitate to give us a call and we can arrange to reserve some for you.
Ambitios? Maybe...
we are pleased to announce that we are holding our first real plant sale at the farm on Sunday June 14th. We are inviting people to come up, have a look round at the birds and chicks, and more importantly - stock up on some young plants for your garden.
We have a modest stock of well tended plants - grown on from seed, plugs and my mums cuttings. There will be chicks for the children to look at and play with so it will keep them entertained while you choose your plants.
We accept payment by, as ever, cash and cheque.
I must also point out that the plants are part of RSL Nurseries, and not Little Misses Chickens. RSL (River Sem Limited) is the company under which my Mum trades - it being her poly-tunnel - even though I pretend it's mine :-)
If you have any questions about the day, or what is available, then please give me a call on 0845 4631537
Polytunnel Produce
We've been planting away like mad and we're now looking at a polytunnel brimming with plants. Some are for sale now, some are growing on for later. We will be taking an advert out in the local papers at the beginning of July, which is our official "Opening" although we would like to invite people to view now. Warning - it is a working garden for propegating aswell as plants for sale (that covers me for the mess :-))
New Birds in today
Ok, after a pretty phenomenal day I had by 4.30 this afternoon sold out! So, I sent my hubby off on a chicken gathering mission. One of the benefits of being a breeder - it means we know all the other breeders too - so when stocks are low we can source good quality birds, from a good source (a well looked after, exeperienced poultry breeder. Or in todays case - 3)
So, I now have a whole garden full of birds - a few POL, a few ex-batteries (who have beautifully feathered and recovered), some 9 week old pullets - copper marans and lowlands, some 5 week old silverlinks, beautiful black hybrid pullets, 2 week old and 4 week old pure bred sussex, buff sussex and a little mix of random hybrids (which are always fun).
It is always best to call before you come - just incase we don't have anything in, but I am always happy to give some advise, bird keeping tips and general chat.
I will be running some real workshops over the summer - not nambipambi ones though, this will be real - from eggs to table, hatching to dispatching and some proper hands on work with birds of all ages. Please ask for details
Hi Michala, that's great to hear. I'm very pleased they're settling well. If you need any assistance with anything, just give me a shout. Cheers, Dax
Just to let you know the three girls I came and got today have settled in nicely into their new home, had a staring contest at one of my dogs who decided they needed a good barking at and even went to peck an inquisitive nose that was pushed through the bars. They have now been put to bed and seem very happy. The kids are now arguing over who will have the first egg.
ok, try again - Basically I'm doing the race for life to raise money for cancer research. DIG DEEP AND SPONSOR ME PLEASE
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Battery Hens Ahoy!
Our next flock of liberated battery hens arrives on April 4th. We're taking on another 50 of these lovely birds.
What do you do with them? I hear people ask.... we rescue them, give them tlc and when they're strong and healthy enough we sell them on. They still have a fari few eggs left - we've had around 4/7 days with these girls since they've left the battery farm! Perfect layers, and fully vaccinated too!
To purchase some of our recouperated ones, please call - they are £9.00 each and nicely feathered up. They;ve been given loads of natural supplements to strengthen their bones, eggs, and generally improve their health.
Our poly tunnel is now producing our first batch of young plants. months and months of preperation, and we have our first sale on 25th April in Chippenham.
Plants are available on request when you come and buy your chickens!
This is a new website offering some fantasitc information and advise for poultry keepers, and it's also developing a breeders list for the UK! Please take a moment to check it out. Thanks
Currently incubating: pekins, hybrids and one of our ducks has now 11 eggs in her nest, and is getting ready to sit!
The black pekin hen is also nest building, but only has a couple of eggs in her nest - I think she'll sit when she's filled the nest.
There has been a fantastic increase in people choosing to keep poultry as pets, but this had led to an unfortunate downside. The number of rare breed poultry thefts in the past few months has dramatically increased.
This is tragic on so many levels - the birds being smuggled away without proper care and attention is always my main concern. I always give a little, but essential quick guide to birds - handling, health and welfare, but birds that are stolen and sold illegally aren't given this attention. Basically, you could be buying from a theif who endangers animals rather than cares for them!
Secondly, many people like myself have been hit. Running a small holding costs money. In order to purchase the feed, equipment, medical care, bedding and all of the associated costs running any business, we need to be able to make money. These thefts aren't just "pinching a couple of birds" they are destroying a families livelihood!
Where ever you purchase your birds from, try to ensure they are legitamite! Not to discourage anyone, but the things I would always advise anyone before they buy the birds
1. Are they legitamite? If they are, there should be no problem in you collecting the birds from their homes!
2. Do you get to see the conditions the birds were living in before you bought them? Personally, if I was handed a readily packed box of live animals I would SERIOUSLY question it! You should be able to see the birds in their homes, see their general condition and ensure their welfare has been met BEFORE you choose your birds!
There are always exceptions - someone is clearing stock, someone just had 2 or 3 birds and no longer wants them, but EVERY poultry keeper I have met can give you reassurance about the birds - what their names were, why they can no longer have them, how often they lay etc.
It is always best to buy any animals, from a legitimate livestock seller. It not only offers protection to the animals, but also for yourself!
With this in mind, we are now offering a hatch to order" service. This is beneficial on many levels. You get what you want, and not just what's there. Because it takes 3 weeks to hatch (although we will often have hatches weekly), and then another 6 weeks or so on heat, it gives you a good length of time to prepare your area, learn about poultry keeping, and be more choosy about what you have! You have the opportunity to buy day old chicks -who will require a heat lamp / broody to sit under, or sexed chicks at around 6-8 weeks old.
You get exactly the breed and colour you want, and this way you can choose any breed and we source the eggs (from tried and trusted breeders)
This is perfect to plan for summer holidays - you can have your chicks ready for the start of the holiday - the kids will LOVE it! And you'll start getting eggs within about 16-20 weeks!
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CHRISTMAS..... surely it's not THAT close?
actually, it is. I'm currently in a bizarre position egardng Christmas - my business me says 'sell chickens and equipment as Chrsitmas gifts' where as my animal welfare says 'alarm bells ringing....'
I know from selling birds at the beginning of this year, the number of people who bought eglus and chicken coops as a family gift was HUGE. And I sort of get that - its a good gift, a great and rewarding hobby BUT, I also know that from March this year the number of birds we rehomed, rescued and in more than one instance had to put to sleep due to ill health and basically having been neglected.
So - what am I going to do about it?
I'm going to be braving the cold in January and February to run some more extensive chicken workshops, teaching people not only about how to look after garden birds, but including much more about how to build a perfect enclosure, how to maintain a natural balance, how to look after ducks and geese and quail - all rolled into one full day's class. And rather buying someone 4 chickens and a hutch this christmas, buy them a gift voucher that will allow them to learn first, then collect their birds once they have fully prepared.
Full details of this package are on the shop page.