Wow got up late today and by the time emails were answered and other things were done I was over an hour late out to the birds. The chickens did not care they were busy doing their things but wow the geese a whole different story. From well over 6 acres away they saw me and what a ruckus!!! Have you ever had to listened to a load of geese running towards you to remind you that you are late and excuses are not accepted? Wow it is noisey but a scoop of cut maize got me slightly forgiven but every time I entered the field to collect the eggs during the day I was reminded noisely that lateness is not to be accepted. Well I have learnt my lesson. Hopefully tomorrow we will be back to the normal bathing in the stream and a friendly honk good morning. (now I know how the guys feel if they are late to work lol)

As I understand last shipping day for Scottish Highlands and Northern Ireland is the 19-12-08 and for mainland UK it is the 22-12-08. We have been told however orders placed by 12pm on the 23-12-08 have a high chance of being delivered on the 24-12-08 but best not to leave it to lastminute like me.

We will do our utmost to ensure all orders are with you before christmas, if there are any special instructions then please let us know. Please do not forget if you are not at home during the day we can deliver to your work address or another address where you maybe but we can not offer timed deliveries I am afraid - only before 3pm.

Yes I do get this question often and the honest answer is - I dont have a clue but seriously without watching I could not say but normally you can see when you open the chicken house in the morning and if he comes flying out and waiting for his ‘prey’ (lol) or girlfriends to come out then I think you are pretty safe that he is. You will also note that when he is ready to have a good time with his laides that his legs go very red.

But the real give away is when he jumps on their backs, now most cockerels I know do not understand the principle of piggy back so I think they are thinking of other things when this happens.

I Have noticed in my sussex that if the hen gives a good shake and ruffle of the feathers he has been a good shot but if they run quickly when he gets off them he missed - this is only a personal note with my nearest light sussex pen and records over the last 2 years.

To be honest though the easiest way to know if he is mating is to watch he will not be shy because you are watching!

Now is he fertile is a whole different question, this can only be answered after incubation of the eggs whether by broodie or incubator.

If you wish to eat eggs where a cockerel is in the pen then ENSURE you collect fresh eggs daily and put them in the fridge if you are not eating straight away. Do not put them in a warm place.

Blood spots in your egg does not mean they are fertilised, it means there was a bit of a tear when your hen created and shelled her egg.

Wow here we go chicks running everywhere again, I am afraid due to time pressures this year our chicks are naturally reared. Acres of grass seem to be growing again, glad it is lighter and lighter I need it :). The good news my brother will be taking over breeding for me from 2009 so we should be selling livestock again next year. He gets to clean chicken houses soon, wow how I will miss it