As you are aware, we lost three of our four beautiful hens, which left only Eloïse. She has been on her own for some time now and hadn't succumbed to whatever the others had. We felt that once she had got through her autumnal moult, she really needed some companionship. I think both Mr VVG and myself felt a certain amount of trepidation at taking on more hens after losing three so quickly. But over six months have elapsed and with the colder weather setting in, we all need someone to cuddle up to. So I set to on Google!
We have always loved our blue eggs, having bought the Clarence Court Cotswold Legbar ones, ever before we had and lost our beloved Sage. She was our only Cream Legbar - mad as a box of frogs; flighty and loud. When she laid an egg, you knew about it for the next thirty minutes! But the breed is at risk of Mareks disease and although the vet never diagnosed that (nerve issues), I did not want to take that risk again. So I looked at blue egg laying hybrids and lo and behold I found the Cotswold Legbar, from Legbars of Broadway. A true gentleman, Phillip Lee-Woolf met us part way with a crate of beautiful looking birds. Appearing to be in great health - I hate tempting fate - and young, but ready to mix with other chickens. Perfect! He is a most knowledgeable poultry breeder, running courses on "hen keeping" and even sells CDs on "chook speak"...
We had decided beforehand to take two Legbars, with a view to taking two more at Easter, in the guise of Black Burford Browns. In the crate were two black BBs...kismet! OK then four it was, until we saw a chestnut brown BB with a darker neck feathering...enter stage left Paloma "Chookface" Faith!!
The two black BBs are Carmen and Tallulah
Then we have our two true blue layers, Coco and Lola, owing to the feathers in their hair. They are showgirls...Cotswold Legbars of Broadway. Remember the name and check out the website to listen to Walking In Circles, a song about the intensive farming of a battery hen...I guarantee it will haunt you.
