Covid, Cancellations – Life for the Chickens Goes On
Peck & Feather
by toddy
3y ago
All the shows I mentioned in my last blog have of course been cancelled due to Covid 19.  Let’s all hope life will return to normal in the not too distant future.  Certainly, none of us have experienced anything quite like this before and I sincerely hope we won’t have to again.  Both Clive and I had Covid in March, but after weeks of coughing and very little energy, it went on its way and life continued in the strange social distancing, masked way that everyone has now become used to. Orders have been continuing from my website and sales have been strong in the Weston Pantry.&n ..read more
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Rain, Rain and Rain
Peck & Feather
by toddy
4y ago
It is a long time since I have updated my blogs, for which I apologise, but quite a lot has been going on!  Clive wasn’t well and ended up having a major operation which spurred us on to the idea of downsizing.  Having lived on our smallholding in Oxfordshire for nearly 30 years, the whole process of moving was a little daunting to say the least.  However in July 2019 we did it.  We have bought a property with a reasonable sized garden, so I have been able to bring the majority of my birds with me, but have had to cut down on cockerels, as we are now in a village, which is certainly a change f ..read more
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Will Spring ever arrive?
Peck & Feather
by toddy
4y ago
As I write this we are approaching mid February, and we appear to be still gripped by freezing weather, gales, the odd snow shower and a lot of mud!!  The poultry are actually looking quite good. Of course this is towards the end of the showing season so they tend to look their best now.  They have moulted and are in full resplendent plumage.  The hens have not started laying in earnest, so are not losing condition.  My own birds have been shown at the main Winter shows and returned with a few trophies and red rosettes, so now preparations begin for the breeding season.  Choosing which cockere ..read more
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Successful Summer Shows – On to Autumn
Peck & Feather
by toddy
4y ago
I can’t believe I haven’t written a blog since August and we’re now in October. Many apologies – so busy getting stock ready for Christmas and visiting trade fairs, as well as taking a four day little holiday in Venice, which was fantastic. The summer shows, particularly Countryfile Live, were a great success for both poultrytalk and Peck&Feather; we enjoyed displaying the pure breeds of poultry in our marquee. The chicks as ever were an extremely popular attraction, and above is a picture of Jamie Toms handling the chicks with a crowd of enthusiastic children, and the turkeys who also at ..read more
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July Update
Peck & Feather
by toddy
4y ago
July has been a very busy month, not least because I have been thinking of new jewellery designs and sourcing new gift ideas for Christmas. My brand new little chick stud earrings are now on the website and are proving very popular. Next week I am off to Countryfile Live to join Jamie Toms of Poultry Talk. We have four days in the beautiful grounds of Blenheim Palace where we are part of Adam Henson’s Farm with a big display of poultry.  We have been supported by Interhatch, Dengie, Allen & Page, Unipet and the British Hen Welfare Trust.  There will be something for everyone in our marque ..read more
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June Update
Peck & Feather
by toddy
4y ago
Well this has been a very busy month.  I have been hatching out lots of chicks and along with Poultry Talk, The British Hen Welfare Trust, and representatives from Unipet and Dengie, we had a fantastic display at Gardeners World Live.  I took with me adult birds for the general display.  The breeds represented were Scots Dumpies (of course!), Painted Silkies, Mottled Pekins, Bantam Welsummers, and in the pen with the Scots Dumpies were 2 Marans, a Black Leghorn and a Cream Legbar, so the public had plenty to look at.  We had a separate little cage containing a trio of Seramas.  These were the ..read more
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Shows are on (well… sort of!!) and I’m in the top 50!
Peck & Feather
by toddy
4y ago
I have been waiting a little while to write this blog as those of us who show and exhibit our poultry were waiting with bated breath for the 15th May when the rules were to be relaxed regarding “poultry gatherings” as DEFRA will insist on calling them. A few days before the ban was to be lifted two more cases of Bird Flu were announced in Lancashire, and the gloom set in once more. However, there was brighter news on the horizon when the ban was indeed lifted and organisers and Poultry Clubs throughout the country can once more start planning their shows. There are strict rules, licences and ..read more
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Chickens are Out!
Peck & Feather
by toddy
4y ago
The best thing to have happened in the last few weeks has been the release of free range poultry back on to the grass where they belong.  After having been shut in and confined for 3 months, mine were delighted to be scratching about and enjoying the freedom again.  The geese loved being outdoors  splashing about in their water butts.  We now have to keep our fingers crossed that there are no more outbreaks of Avian Flu and the summer agricultural shows will be back on the calendar. After my trip to the Spring Fair at the NEC, quite a lot of new stock has been arriving.  Some new items are alr ..read more
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Flu Flu and Flu
Peck & Feather
by toddy
4y ago
Well, if we are not hearing about humans being ill with the usual dreaded Winter lergy, all poultry keepers certainly know about the present Avian Flu outbreaks.  Domestic poultry flocks have to be kept undercover at the moment with no access to wild birds.  It is the annual migration of wild birds from Europe which has brought this to the UK.  There is virtually no danger to humans, but in poultry this particular strain (H5N8) is lethal.  It results in chickens and waterfowl, as well as turkeys and geese, dying very quickly and if found on large commercial farms where birds are kept in close ..read more
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Christmas Outings
Peck & Feather
by toddy
4y ago
I’ve had an extremely busy last six weeks out and about with the jewellery. I started off with two Open Days at home, and invited everyone I could think of, and you came!! I then went on to The National Poultry Show in mid November, which was very successful and many of you were very appreciative of everything I was selling. After that I attended a Christmas Event organised by the National Trust at Stowe. I had my own little room to fill in the Parlour Rooms in an old pub, along with other traders. It was a great atmosphere and such a great idea. Different people are filling the available spac ..read more
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