It's been so long since I was last on the forum that I think I ought to reintroduce myself and catch up a bit.
My name is Malcolm, though most friends call me Mal, Mally or Magic. I am a carer for my disabled wife and we used to live in a small village on the Isle of Axholme in North Lincolnshire, where we had a decent sized garden full of fruit trees, a vegetable plot and runs for my “collection " of chooks.
Since I last posted, a lot has happened. Just after the pandemic started, I lost all my birds to predators. The two-legged kind. I went down to “The Land Beyond the Discovery Tree" as we named that strange, secret realm at the bottom of the garden where time ran in a completely different way, and found all the runs’ gates open, the coops open and totally empty. There weren't even any eggs left. I put on a brave face, picked myself up and got busy with the incubator, having decided to concentrate on Heritage breeds of French table and dual purpose breeds.
I managed to get hold of LaFleches, Crevecouers, Bressé and, best of all this wonderful, huge breed called Barbezieux. Everything went well, then, just as they began to mature, breed and lay, predators struck again, in the form of foxes this time. Again, I lost every single bird and I don't mind admitting that I cried my heart out at the sight of my beautiful birds, or what the fox hadn't managed to carry off, ripped apart.
That was when I stopped visiting the forum. I had nothing to talk about, didn't need help from the forum members. I restocked again. I managed to find the LaFleches and Crevecouers, including quite rare Cuckoos, but due to foxes again, couldn't replace my lovely Barbezieux. For those who don't know of this breed, they are huge. The biggest breed in Europe with proud carriage, beetle black plumage, large, gentle, brown eyes and large white earlobes. They are also held (by some) in even higher esteem than the far more famous Bressé as a table bird. Eggs, like the bird, are BIG. I regularly got eggs upto 115gr.though 85-90 were more the norm
Since then, we have moved down to Ilkeston in Derbyshire so that we are nearer to family and help should we need it. The garden is smaller and more manageable and the chucks have been moved to our eldest lad's smallholding near Belper in the magically named “Amber Valley.” We get down there as often as possible –it's only 15 minutes away and our caravan is parked up there should we choose stay , which we often do. It's a really happy place and a happy time surrounded by most of the people we love. I spend a lot of time teaching the great-grandkids about nature. Last summer I could normally be found trekking round the farm with the Famous Five,- the four great grandkids in tow, followed by Wonky the Crevecouer.
Now something wonderful has happened. Thanks to help from various groups on Facebook, I have finally managed to track down sources for my much missed Barbezieux! Ì have 2 dozen eggs winging their way to me as I type! I am a really happy bunny and I have things to ask about and tell again! These eggs are pretty precious, so I shall be relying on the wisdom from this great forum for help and reassurance! There are, of course, several more breeds on our wish list. Houdans, Gauloise Grise, Faverolles, Chaussades, Icelanders, and, if there are any remaining anywhere, Ixworth Bantams. It's great having all this extra space down the farm! The photo is our La Flėche boy, Russell (Crow.) He's 10 months old and around 4kgs.
I think that's about it. I'm all caught up for now! Cheers!
