A year on...

A year ago today I collected 3 ISA Brown hens from Craighill Poultry. I soon became obsessed and bought another 3 black rocks. The obsession grew and grew. I'm lucky enough to have plenty of space for keeping them all. Buying an incubator helped increase the chook numbers. I did 3 hatches, which unfortunately weren't that successful though I have got some lovely hens, this is my favourite out of them all, she is a Rhode Island Red and I've named her Ruby. I also got a few inevitable cockerels from the hatching. Though the 'leader of the flock' is Dennis, I bought him and 6 other chicks at a week old, I sold 4 of them and kept Daisy and Doris (yes all 27 chickens have names!) who lay lovely dark brown eggs. This is Gareth, a black leghorn cockerel who is being saved from the pot since I have 4 ladies for him.

The ducks haven't multiplied as much as the chickens, this is mainly due to it being so difficult to find Black Indian Runner Ducks. Though I did manage to buy a very handsome drake, to go with my ducks, from Pegasus Poultry near Ellon, which brings the duck numbers up to 9. They should all start laying again soon and the incubator will get filled and all going well I should have lots of ducklings in the spring.

Hopefully spring will come soon and I will have an abundance of eggs again and lots of chicks and ducklings.

Various for sale!

Having decided what I want to keep I have the following for sale: -

3 x Black Leghorns (14 wks old)
2 x Cream Legbars (14 wks old)

Vorwerk Pair (9 wks old)

2 x Cuckoo Maran Cockerels
1 x Black Leghorn Cockerel

Black Indian Runner Ducks

The whole Bogiehead Chicken antics started because I wanted these ducks. At the time I couldn't get from anywhere so to keep me happy I got the other various chickens and ducks. At the end of September I happened to phone Michelle at Craighill Poultry at the right time and she had 2 available. They look a bit strange along with the Khaki Campbells but I think they are lovely, they are still young and have a lot of growing to do, I am hoping to find a lovely drake and hatch some ducklings next year.

Lenny

This is Lenny. Unfortunately he's in the 'hospital coop' in this photo. Poor Lenny suffered a prolapse but we got it fixed and after a week of rest he joined his ladies again and is doing well. I think he is a handsome duck and he is such a gentleman!

Lenny & Lucy as Ducklings

This is Lenny and Lucy as ducklings having a swim in the trug in the dogs cage! Bailey, the dog, wasn't too impressed about them borrowing the cage!

This is Dennis, one of the 7 chicks that I bought, he is a copper black maran. He take his job of looking after has ladies very seriously! After a few encounters with my wellies he has learned that i am not a threat!

Major Progress!

Since my last post the chicken numbers have increased by a few! My laying hens went up to 12 after I bought 3 bluebells and 3 white stars. I then had to buy a bigger house. I git a 24 bird house from bruckley sawmill an I also got electric poultry netting to make them a nice safe area to free range in. Bunty one of my first hens became ill and sadly died.
I then bought 7 week old chicks and a 2 week old duckling! I only kep 3 of the chicks - Dennis, Daisy & Doris. The lonely duckling needed a friend, craighill poultry came to the rescue and I got a 3 day old duckling, they hated each other at first but then became inseperable.
After buying an incubator and doing 3 hatches I now have 35 chickens of various ages. I also bought some more ducks to keep Lenny & Lucy (the 2 ducklings I bought) company.
Looking after all of these has kept me very busy over the summer, it's had it's ups and downs but I still enjoy collecting the eggs every day! So much so I applied for an egg producer number and after the visit from the egg marketing inspector yesterday, I now have an egg producer number. This will make sure no eggs go to waste as it opens up who I can sell the eggs to.