Scottish National

We take off to The Scottish National at Perth, bit nearer than Stoneleigh.
We're not as confident with our 2nd team as we were last time, but watch this space and we'll tell you what happens.

Another 12

Today, we have hatched another 12 chickens, a mixed bag, but it is good to find out about the fertility of the separate breeding pens, and thankfully, we are not disappointed.

New Season

On Boxing dayour 1st hatch of the new season arrived, only 8 chickens from 12 eggs,we probably rushed into it, wanting to have some chickens hatching when the children were around for Christmas.
Sadly on New Years Day we had an afternoon visit froma Fox!! He took off with 8 good shortlegged Dumpy's, John was about to throw the towel in, but I eventually persuaded him that that is not the way to cope in a crsis, or the fox has really won!. On being told about this, the Gamekeeper got 2 dog foxes and a vixen the week after, there are obviously a lot around. The scary thing is, mink, pine martens and even wild-cats have also been seen.

The National

We took a car packed full with hens down to Stoneleigh in Warwickshire to show at The national, not without a lot of effort and "beautifying of said hens!!.
We took 8 Dumpy's,a welsummer and a silver laced wyandotte.
It being our first ever time of showing hens,we were in for a fab. surprise.
We came away with 4 trophies, got best of breed with a home bred dumpy cockerel and his full sister got best of opposite breed to the champion.The cuckoo cockerels were 2nd and 3rd to friend Toddy's fine chap and the white hen got 2nd in her class.
The silver-duckwing welsummer won her class, and a silver laced wyandotte was 3rd.
Much celebrating was enjoyed!!?!
It was a hard work w/end but we made a lot of new like-minded friends.