The Partridge or Standard Welsummer is of the same classification and is a beautiful bird with very subtle plumage. The Standard Cock Bird is usually described as the classic model for a Farmyard Cockerel with beautiful rich golden browns and mahogany colours. Originally from Holland and named after the village of Welsum where the original birds were developed. 

The hen lays a reasonable number of dark brown/ terracotta eggs. In my opinion Welsummers make the perfect choice for a garden or smallholding flock, they are very good foragers and find a high proportion of their own food if allowed to free range. Welsummers are reluctant to go broody and do not generally make good mothers but lay well and usually you will get a few eggs right through the winter.

The Lavender Araucana is a strange little fellow with his puffed out cheeks and funny hairstyle. The breed originates from Chile in South America and the Lavender variety was the first to be standardised in the UK in the 1930's. There are however several other colours as well as Bantam varieties. The main interest in Araucanas is the fact that they lay beautiful pale blue eggs and although the breed is on the diminuitive side they lay surprisingly large eggs for their size. They are feisty little birds and can be very difficult to keep in large flocks as they have a tendency to fight agressively resulting in many deaths - so try to factory farm these little guys at your peril.

Cuckoo Maran

The Cuckoo Maran is a dual purpose breed that was originally bred in the late 1800's by a farmer of Maran, a town on the Atlantic coast of France. Marans lay the darkest brown eggs of any breed of chook, sometimes as dark as chocolate or with a coppery tinge and sometimes speckled. They are a large breed and as well as being valued for their large brown eggs they make an excellent old fashioned table bird.

The Cock Birds are usually lighter in colour than the hens, the feathers have a pattern of dark slate bars set against white and always ending in a dark bar.

We are developing a breeding set for 2010

French Copper Black Maran

The French Copper Black Maran is a predominantly black bird with a few coppery colored feathers in the neck hackle. Its distinguishing feature is the leg feathers, they have a plume of feathers sprouting from the outside of their legs which gives them a slightly comical although very beautiful look. I will try to get a better picture to illustrate this but you try getting a chicken to pose for a picture!

They lay very dark coppery brown eggs and are a dual purpose breed.

We are developing a breeding set for 2010

Crested Cream Legbar

The Crested Cream Legbar is not oficially a "Traditional Breed" but they are so pretty with the most beautiful plumage and a cute little bonnet on their heads that I couldn't resist keeping them. I have just aquired this stunning young cock to look after several girls that I have approaching lay Oct 09.

They lay a good number of lovely bue eggs which are very popular and add something very special to the egg basket.

Cream Legbars were developed around 1930 as what is called an autosexing breed. By the clever crossing of several breeds primarily Leghorns but also Araucana (to give the blue egg strain) and Welsummers the chicks have markings that identify thir sex at hatching.

 We are developing a breeding set for 2010 

 Barnevelder

A very beautiful large breed with spectacular double laced pumage, developed in the Netherlands in the vacinity of the Dutch town of Barneveld the breed was introduced to England around the 1920 and caused quite a stir in Poultry world due to it's unusual markings and colouring with the double laced variety being the most popular. 

Barnevelders are a fairly heavy bird and seem to be very slow growing, they lay a good number of dark brown eggs, are very placid and friendly but they do not fly at all well so are easy to contain with simple fencing,

We are developing a breeding set for 2010 but they are very slow growing so we will have to wait and see.

 Light Sussex

A very good dual purpose breed again we only have young stock at the moment..... more to follow

Speckled Sussex

 ...More to follow

Polish Frizzle - what can I say!

These little guys are simply the cutest and funniest characters I have ever had. They are reputedly very friendly but they are certainly very amusing, I crack up every time I see them but photographing them - I nearly died! These ones are three weeks old.

Much more to Follow