Well today we had a visitor, Mr Egg Marketing Inspector from Animal Health. Luckily he received a warm welcome from the girls and they followed us over to inspect their homes like the nice welcoming little ladies they are. He got his tape measure out and took all the vital statistics (of the houses not the chickens) and then came in and inspected where the eggs were kept and sat down with his calculator and worked out the numbers of chickens that could comfortably (and legally) live in the houses and then asked lots of questions.
Molly even laid him an egg. Coco was sat on it, so I had to explain that it wasn't a Welsummer egg it was indeed a White Star egg, and yes they do lay brown eggs my girls not white ones as White Stars usually do.
We now have our very own Registration Number and our eggs can be traced back to us no matter where they wander. For all of you out there with only a couple of hens don't panic, you only need this if you are selling to the public and you have 50 birds or over.
We have only 19 at the moment, but that will rise to 44 by the end of April with the arrival of 20 more laying birds and my lovely little Lavender Pekin Bantams which have been born (woohoo) and are due to be picked up by us in two weeks. Four sisters and a cockerel from a different brood, he'll the first boy chicken on the farm, now that should be interesting.
I'll have to go now as we are out of milk and going for a pint of milk here is a 60 minute round trip (so you have to make it worthwhile and buy lots more shopping too!!).
Back tomorrow but I'll leave you with a question.....would you like to see pictures of the animals or pictures of the vegetables.....the choice is yours!!
Sue xx
I am going to be very greedy and ask for BOTH!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how people have negative vibes towards white eggs? When we had a White Star she laid beautiful white eggs yet people didn't want them. However, they'll snatch your hand off for a blue egg!
ReplyDeleteJayne
Well done Sue, that is amazing. I don't really mind what colour the egg is, as long as the hens have been looked after.
ReplyDeleteOh that is a long way to go if you run out of milk :-( you will have to freeze some.
Have a good Easter.
It gave me a little grin to think of Molly showing off for the inspector by laying an egg while he was there, and Coco playing hide 'n seek with it! :-) Glad it all went well!!!
ReplyDeleteAnimals I guess... although both really!
ReplyDeleteHow about vegetable art - you know where you make fruit and vegetables look like creatures. I'm sure you have plenty of time for that!
Glad all went well with Mr Egg Inspector...
xx
wow, what gorgeous girls you have! so beautiful, and you clearly love them very much so they are very happy chics!
ReplyDeleteI love my girls, (i only have four and I am so relieved someone won't be knocking my door and asking to measure the coop!)
hugs
I'm rather fond of 'Houdini' pig, aka Betty, so I have to sy...BOTh and be greedy!
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could alternate?
Well done on becoming 'registered'(or should it be 'certified' ?LOL!), of course it's all down to the girls, no girls =no eggs!
Mind you if the 'inspector had said the housing wasn't up to scratch, I would personally come over and kick him!
Sandie xx
I'm going to ask for both too plurlease :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your registration number, are you going to get your own egg boxes printed up?
Great news from the egg inspector chap! Glad all went well there.
ReplyDeleteYou might have to think about getting yourself a pretty long eyelashed cow so you don't have to go so far to get your milk! Clearly I am well up on my breeds of cow - must be pretty and have long eye lashes - that is what I think a cow should look like!
Take care
Sarah x
Your hens do look healthy and happy! I would like to see pictures of animals and vegetables!
ReplyDelete