I have about 30 birds in the forthcoming Skipton Auction - I still have plenty of stock for sale after that though. I will be selling more birds at the York Livestock Centre Rare Breeds Sale in the Autumn as well.

Please see the stock page for a load of chickens hatched this year for sale.  I don't have a lot to sell this year, but I have hatched and will be selling this season the following chicken breeds - Ixworth Chickens, Large Fowl Indian Game, Partridge Wyandotte Bantams and Silver Pencilled Wyandotte Bantams.  I may also have a few surplus Marans, Copper Black Marans, Rhode Island Red, Buff Sussex and Light Sussex Large Fowl Chickens.  Please see the stock for sale page

 A phone call out of the blue yesterday proved to be quite interesting.  The chap on the phone was wondering if I knew where he could get 25 Ixworth chickens slaughtered.  It was quite an intriguing question, why would you want to kill 25 Ixworths all at once?  It turns out that they are for a forthcoming television programme for celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay apparently.

 It was a busy weekend of chicken auctions that has just gone by.  The Skipton catalogue didn't look that great, neighbor Anthony had just a couple of lots in, prices had picked up though which is good.  The Clitheroe poultry catalogue looked quite good, a large amount of entries with an interesting cross section of breeds.  My friend and quality breeder of Ixworths, John Davenport had a pair of Ixworths in the sale, so I will be interested to se what they made at the sale.

I attended the first meeting of The Craven Poultry Club (www.cravenpoultrykeepersclub.co.uk) in Silsden last night, it was a very enjoyable night with chicken guru and vice president of the Poultry Club of Great Britain (www.poultryclub.org) Edward Boothman giving us a very interesting talk about the importance of Silsden in poultry breeding.  Mr Boothman gave us a great talk and then took questions from the very enthusiastic audience about all things chicken.

Having left Bolton Abbey at some ungodly hour after catching my 5 lots of birds and then going onto my next door neighbor, Anthony's house to collect him and his 8 lots of my birds, my car was rather full.  We were probably the first there which suits me as it gives you chance to settle your birds in without the crowds, and avoids the queue to get a buyers number.  With about 750 lots, we knew it was going to be a busy sale, but surprisingly it didn't seem as busy as normal.

 Catalogue received at the weekend for the sale at the Livestock Centre at Murton, it looks like its going to be a fair old sale.  From attending the previous sales where there has been a maximum of about 450 lots, this auction has over 700 lots, I sincerely hope they put their best auctioneers on the case otherwise we will never get home. My next door neighbor Anthony has quite a few lots in including Ixworths, Buff Orpingtons and some Wyandotte miniature fowl.  I have some Marsh Daisies, Australorp Large fowl and some Indian Game in.

Having had a week off work, I took advantage of not only the weather but also my Rare Breeds Survival Trust membership and visited Temple Newsams Rare Breed Farm.  The farm at Temple Newsam is run by Shelly Rogerson, well known in Croad Langshan circles in the poultry world and also the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.  The farm is a fantastic introduction for any small holder who wants to keep the full range of rare breed livestock, my daughter was particularly impressed with the pigs and the piglets.

 The September Craven feather auction turned out to be an interesting day.

Welcome to Waplington Rare Breeds blog. Here you will find regular posts relating to the rearing of chickens.