My hobby, not a business
The simple satisfaction of scattering the chickens’ corn and collecting eggs never leaves you.
My mother kept hens and as a small child, I had a group of the first bantam Columbian Wyandottes. As soon as I had a garden of my own I bought Wyandotte bantams again and I have been developing these lines for almost 30 years.
My chickens are purely a hobby and someone to talk to when I need some sense.
I sometimes have young birds and hatchingeggs availableI occasionally have spare point-of-lay pullets, breeding trios and occasionally hatching eggs for sale to good fox-free homes, I am located near Horsham, West Sussex.
Wyandotte Bantams
I keep only Wyandotte bantams. They are the perfect size, they lay brilliantly, have clean legs so don’t suffer too much in wet weather and go broody when needed. They make marvellous mothers. I have been selecting over the years for kind, not fierce broodies so they are nice to handle and raise sensible chicks. Another thing I like about bantams is being smaller they eat less, poo less and don’t wreck the garden as badly as large fowl.
Maintaining Traditional Varieties, Developing and Rare New Ones
For 30 years I’ve been having fun and frustrations developing my own strain(s) and colours of Wyandotte bantams. I have classic varieties bred with all the traditional characteristics of the breed. They are bred to the Poultry Club of Great Britain’s Wyandotte standards. I only show occasionally and my birds have been successful locally and at top shows. The new colours have be bred from top-quality birds and maintain the standards of traditional varieties.
Wyandottes; practical and pretty
Wyandottes bantams are an ideal size. They are energetic but sensible . They don’t fly so don’t need elaborate fencing. The area I live in is notoriously muddy so hens with clean un-feathered legs is essential.
Lots of Colours and new colour projects
Wyandottes come in lots of colours. I have a lot of fun developing new colours including spangled, millefleur, porcelain, lemon. mottled blue, mauve, chocolate and lavender.
Good layers
Wyandotte bantams are such amazing layers for size and quantity I didn’t find there was any benefit in keeping the large version so have stick to the bantams. Wyandotte bantams are quite a bit bigger than true bantams and mine lay good sized eggs,
Partridge Wyandotte Bantams
My first love is Partridge and Silver Pencilled Wyandottes . Both males and females are gorgeous. The males have colouring similar to wild red jungle fowl and for me their beautifully pencilled wives are the loveliest of chickens. PARTRIDGE WYANDOTTES
My Aim
- Good Layers
- Correct colour and type
- Vigour and fertility
- Nice, easy-going temperament
- Show-winning quality
- Super-good broodies but not too broodie
Vigour
I quickly learnt that if a bird has a tendency to get health problems or good health it will pass it on to future generations. I look after my birds as well as possible, if they get something wrong I don’t mind giving them a bit of TLC and apple cider vinegar but apart from that no treatment and birds that get ill I don’t use to breed from. Hens living to a good old age have long lived offspring.
Temperament
I select for sensible temperament and birds that don’t fight. Any young cockerels that show a tendency to fight don’t go in the breeding pen.