Higher Oak Farm; Where We Are Now

So over the past year our farm has changed tremendously.

January 2020 we started the year off with a barn, a temporary house 4 X ‘50’ houses, 7 breeding runs, a poly-tunnel and an incubator that could fit 60 eggs in. My how we’ve grown! Our smallholding in Lymm now consists of a barn, a temporary house, 2 laying houses, each housing 150 birds in, we’ve got 6 of our ‘50’ houses, 2 of our ‘100’ houses, 7 breeding runs, 2 brooding sheds, a holding shed, a poly-tunnel, 2 new incubators pushing our capacity up to 1300 eggs at a time, a wildflower meadow, 10 beehives, a shepherds hut and a dog!

This past year has been the weirdest one for all of us. Never in my life did I think i’d see a pandemic, let alone run a business during one. Luckily for us, our business was one of few that actually thrived during the pandemic. People stockpiling all sorts of stuff meant that shops were looking sparse, pushing people to change the way they shopped, sourcing more stuff locally, learning about food miles and what this means to our planet and all in all becoming a little bit more self sufficient.

At one point last summer we had waiting lists of weeks for both our eating eggs and our hens. People were spending more time at home, in their garden; revamping chicken houses or just building a run from scratch. It was honestly, madness - in THE best possible way! The selling of our eggs and our birds continued right through the summer into the beginning of Autumn. At this point, we opened ‘The Shepherd’s Hut’.

We opened the hut for the first time on the 26th November 2020. In the weeks running up to our opening, we had so many people speculating what it was, and what it was going to be used for. Once we opened our doors, it gave so many more local people the opportunity to learn about us and what we do on our farm. We took this opportunity to educate people on the poultry industry and the advantages of buying local, naturally farmed eggs and produce. We started putting some of our own baked treats and and they were flying off the shelves. It was almost impossible to keep it full!

We genuinely couldn’t believe the reaction that we got from local residents and people from further afield. Hearing such positive feedback only spurred us on more. We sourced local produce like our Apple juice and even started to make jams using local produce too.

After a few months, we deiced the only logical next step was to put a coffee machine in the hut, who doesn’t love a coffee or a cuppa with a slice of brownie? You’d be mad if you didn’t!

I honestly can’t believe how much our business has changed in the past 12 months, the support that we’re getting of local Lymm residents and the time it takes to feed chickens! We’re super excited to see where we’ll be this time next year.

Is Your Hen Lonely?

If you’ve got 1 hen on it’s own, then chances are it’s lonely!

Chickens have a social order. Each chicken takes on an individual role within the flock which is the basis for the pecking order. This starts from the chick hatching all the way through to adult-hood. It’s what keep the peace within the coop.

The cockerel or the top hen looks out for the flock. They keep and eye out and sound out when there’s a predator near the flock. They are also the first to eat and drink before any other member of the flock. You’ll often find 2 or 3 hens grouped together on a daily basis. A lone chicken has no emotional or physical support and they become bored and lonely which can cause stress and can affect their egg production.

Having one lone hen makes them a great prey for predators. It can also effect the during the winter. The hens cuddle up to each other during the colder months to keep warm.

So whats the magic number?

The smallest ideal flock size is three hens for not only egg production but also in case one of them becomes sick or dies, it always leaves two together.

If you find yourself with only one chicken, what should you do?

The best option is to get some flock mates ASAP. Until then, you will need to find adequate protection for your hen, some people opt to bring them in the house, but a predator proof cage works just as well. Plan some entertainment for your chicken by putting new things to eat in the cage or by moving it around to different areas.

How to introduce a new hen

When the happy day arrives that you have found a couple of flock mates for your chicken, it is best to follow some rules to keep the bullying down in the coop.

First, it is best to quarantine the hens for a few days and/or have it checked by your vet to make sure they are healthy before introducing them to your coop.

Then place them in a smaller pen inside of the coop so they can get to know each other before they can physically peck at each other.

Once they are happy enough in each others company, you can let the new hen out and there should be minimal issues and you’ll have a happy flock!

Scaly Leg Mites

We took in 2 hens that a friend of ours was looking after to keep his single hen company. The hens were recently brought back to us, but with Scaly Leg!

Scaly Leg is an infestation caused by a small parasitic mite known as Cnemidocoptes Mutans. This tiny mite lives in the ground or sometimes the floor of the henhouse in damp conditions. It then burrows under the scales of the bird's legs or feet, where it causes great discomfort. It may also infest other areas such as the comb or wattles of chickens.

It doesn't only affect poultry, any scaly-legged bird is susceptible e.g. small garden birds, and these birds can often carry the mite into your chicken run.

The mite causes a multiplication of the tissue cells and the secretion of a serum. The scales are raised, the legs become thickened and have a rough lumpy appearance, often showing what would appear to be a white growth on the leg.

The infection is easily recognised because of the raised scales although the mite are hard to see with the naked eye, they look like tiny white spherical creatures (approximately 0.25-0.5mm in diameter in the early stages).

Scaly Leg Mite is highly contagious and affects birds of all ages, although older birds and feathered leg breeds tend to be more susceptible. It is most common in flocks kept on bare earth, damp ground or in dry litter runs.

In the early stages it would appear to cause very little problem, but should it be neglected the birds lose condition, go lame and have difficulty in perching. If left untreated then further infections can occur and the bird could die.

Any treatment of a bad infestation will not be quick, it will require a number of weeks of constant treatment until finally the encrustations fall off and the scales return to normal. We use a spray that is made of natural materials that really works!

Country Smallholding - Big Smallholder Interview

A few months ago my dad and I were interviewed about the farm and how we came to be. Here’s the whole article for you to read!

If you’re loving this article, then why not look at signing up to a monthly subscription?

My Hen Laid A Weird Egg..

If you’ve had hens before, you’ll know that occasionally your ladies can lay some weird looking eggs! This blog is to help you understand why your hens are producing abnormal eggs.

Double Yolkers.

These are such an amazing find! There’s nothing better than cracking open your egg to find 2 yolks. This can happen when an existing yolk combines with another and the shell forms around both. It’s a hens version of twins. Young pullets and older hens tend to lay these are their egg cycles are just beginning or coming to the end.

Super Tiny Eggs.

Also known as wind, fairy or fart eggs, tiny eggs can be a sign that your hen has just started to lay or that something might be wrong with their production system if they keep laying them. If they are constant, ensure you speak to your vet.

You should always consider the age of the hen if you experience any of the below:

Thin Shelled Eggs

This is usually a sign that your hen needs a bit more calcium in their diet. You can add this in by providing them with Oyster Shell. The hen will then ingest as much as she needs.

Bumpy Eggs

These are abnormal for both young and older hens. This can be caused by excess Vitamin D or Vitamin C in the hens diet.

Very Large Eggs

These tend to be laid by hens coming to the end of their laying cycle.

Stress, Diet or Disease can cause the below abnormalities:

Shell-less or Thin Shelled-Eggs

These are normally due to stress, which causes the eggs to be laid before it’s been completely formed.

Wrinkled Eggs

These are funky looking and can be induced by rough handling of your hens, causing a second yolk to be prematurely released and bumping up against the egg, causing the wrinkles. Another factor that can cause wrinkling is a respiratory infection in the hens.

Eggs with Healed Cracks

These start with a break in the shell during formation but mend during the laying process. The hen experiencing stress during the calcification is the main culprit for this type of egg.

Egg In An Egg

This happens when an egg gets backed up and not laid in a timely manner. The egg actually goes through the last production stages twice. Extreme stress to your poor hen is probably the reason. She may need a spa day complete with a dust bath and mealworms to nibble on.

If you find that you’re experiencing any of the above and have tried to fix the issue but had no luck, make sure to contact your vet to make sure your lovely lady is ok!

Coloured Eggs- Find Out Who Lays Them!

If you follow us on social media, you may have seen our photos of all our beautiful coloured eggs. We have so many people asking us who lays which eggs as they’d love to source some of their own.

A little more info on coloured eggs:

The colour of the shell is down to the genetics of the chicken itself. One hen will lay the same coloured egg throughout her lifetime, although the hue may darken as she gets older and comes to the end of her egg laying cycle.

Even though the colour of the shell differs on the outside, on pretty much all colours, the inside of the shell is white. This isn’t the case with blue eggs though, these are blue all the way through! The colour of the egg doesn’t change the nutrients of the eggs and will all taste the same providing they are all on the same feed in the same environment.

How does a hen lay a coloured egg?

The journey of an egg through the hens oviduct takes approximately 26 hours, the shell takes about 20 of those hours to be complete! Hens that lay the blue eggs have the pigment oocyanin deposited on the egg as it travels through the oviduct. This pigment permeates the shell which enable to shell to be blue all the way through. Hens that lay any other colour of egg deposits the pigment protoporphyrin on the eggs much later in the process which stops it permeating the whole shell, therefore leaving the shell white inside.

So who lays which colour?

Blue Eggs -

Our eggs are laid by our Araucana Hens. The Araucana on the farm originated from other members of the British Araucana club. We keep all the best birds in small breeding flocks of up to 10 hens with one cock. We hatch all our stock on the farm for each new season. The best birds are kept to improve the breed standard and other birds go into our laying flock for their lovely blue eggs.

We also have a new hybrid to the farm called Cream Legbars. They are a cross between a Plymouth Barred Rock, a Golden Leghorn and an Araucana. It was developed in Great Britain as an auto sexing breed, the ability to easily distinguish between a cockerel and a hen as soon as they hatch.

Green Eggs-

Our green eggs are laid by a breed that we created on the farm. We crossed an Araucana Cockerel with a Copper Comet Hen. The genetics of the araucana which lays the blue egg crossed with the genetics of the Copper Comet which lays a dark brown egg creates a hen which lays an olive coloured egg. A lot of people refer to them as ‘Olive Eggers’. We’re calling ours the Hi-Oak Olives.

Dark Brown Eggs-

Our really dark brown eggs are laid by a hybrid Maran hen called a Copper Comet. These very attractive hens have black plumage with gold markings on the neck and chest. The amount of markings will vary from hen to hen within the breed. The iridescent black feathers have a stunning green sheen in the sunlight.

 They are very calm hens who will reward you with lots of lovely eggs. They are very hardy and will want to be outside in all weather.

White Eggs-

Our white eggs are laid by our Silver Spangled Hamburgs. The Hamburgs on our farm originated, a number of years ago, from the eggs of a well know exhibitor and judge Ian Allonby. We have a small breeding flock and we hatch all our stock on the farm for each new season. They are one of our most popular breeds for hatching eggs and pullet sales but are very limited in their availability. 

We also have our Old English Pheasant Fowl that lay a white egg. The OEPF on our farm are one of the first rare breeds that we brought to the farm. I was interested in a breed that is local to our area and was kept by my grandparents on their farm in Lancashire in the early 1900’s. It’s so long ago I can’t remember who I bought the original hatching eggs from. I have over the years introduced a couple of different cock birds, from other specialist breeders, to keep the line fresh. We have a breeding flock of about 10 birds and a number of others in the laying flock. We hatch all our stock on the farm for each new season. 

As well as our rare breeds, we also have our Hi-Oak White hens that lay a large, white egg.The Hi-Oak White is a hybrid hen bought in as day-old chicks from the Hendrix Genetics. We raise these birds in exactly the same environment as our rare breeds to Organic standards. They begin to lay at around 19-20 weeks old and have a superb shell quality. These hens are adaptable to all types of housing systems, they are very docile and equally happy free ranging or in a small coop.

Brown/Tinted Eggs-

Our tinted eggs are laid by a few different breeds:

One of our rare breeds that lays a tinted eggs is the Norfolk Grey. The Norfolk greys on our farm are all originated from some hatching eggs I bought about 10 years ago. We have a breeding flock of about 10 birds and a number of others in the laying flock. We hatch all our stock on the farm for each new season. 

Another of our rare breeds is the Light Sussex. Both hens and cocks are large, well-built and very friendly. Our breeding stock originates mainly from the retirement sale of Nick Smith’s flock (Nick Smith, from Herefordshire is a legendary breeder of the light Sussex). The Cock birds on the farm are large and very strong birds fortunately they are easily handled and can be quite tame.

We’ve also got two hybrids that lay a tinted egg. The Hi-Oak Brown is a hybrid hen bought in as day-old chicks from either the Hy-line or Joice & hill hatcheries. We raise these birds in exactly the same environment as our rare breeds. It is one of the world’s best brown egg layers. They begin to lay around 19-20 weeks old and starts to lay with some of the largest size pullet eggs we’ve ever seen. The birds have been brought up outdoors from an early age and they are fully hardened to our weather in the North of England. They are great free rangers but are equally happy in a small coop.

The Muirfield Black Rock is a hybrid hen bought in as day-old chicks from the Crosslee Farm in Scotland. We raise these birds in exactly the same environment as our rare breeds. She begins to lay brown tinted eggs at around 20-22 weeks. Having been brought up outside and bred specifically for the outdoors they are fully hardened to our weather in the north of England are equally happy in a small coop or free ranging.

If you’re looking to add some different colours into your eggs basket, just get in contact and we’ll let you know our availability!

Chicken Vocabulary; What are you on about?

Since working on the farm, i’ve become accustomed to the chicken ‘slang’ that so many breeders and poultry experts use in their everyday lives. I, being a designer, had absolutely no clue what they were on about. I spent a lot of time googling, so for anyone who is in the same situation that I was in 6 months ago, i’ve made it easier for you. Below is a list of words that are used everyday in the world of chickens.

Hatchery - A company that specialises in hatching chicks and providing the farms with the day old chicks.

Pullet - A female chicken that’s not quite a chick and not yet laying eggs. They are the chicken equivalent to a teenager.

Chick - A baby chicken.

Cockerel/ Rooster/ Cock - A male chicken.

Hen - A female chicken that is old enough to lay.

Bantam - A smaller version of different breeds. They are normally about 1/2 the size of ‘large fowl’ chickens.

Production Layer - Chicken breeds that lay an abundance of eggs consistently. Normally used on egg farms.

Broiler - A chicken that’s been bred for meat and no egg production.

Layers - Hens that are laying eggs.

Straight Run - A batch of chicks that is unsexed and contains both male and female birds.

Sexed - When the sex has been determined on the birds.

Chicken Anatomy:

Shaft - The hard thing that the feathers grow out of.

Comb - The red/pink fleshy bits that sits on the birds beak and forehead.

Vent - The omni-hole that chicken poo and the eggs come out of.

Gizzard - A hard muscular stomach that grinds down food.

Crop - An organ in the chest that stores food to be processed by the gizzard.

Leg Scales - The dinosaur like scales on the hens legs down to your chickens feet.

Spur - The big scary nail that sticks out of a cockerels leg. They are used as daggers when fighting.

Wattle - The things that dangle down from your chickens beak.

Hackles - The feathers on the neck that are raised when the bird is getting ready to fight.

Saddle Feathers - The long, lovely feathers around the cockerels bum.

Chick tooth - chicks are born with this on their beaks to help them break through the shells. It’ll drop off in time.

Down - the super fluff that a chick is born with

Chicken Health Terminology:

Mite - Insects that live in the coop and feast on the hens, they are a blood sucking insect and can be a real nuisance to your girls.

Coccidosis - Super horrible parasite in the digestive tract, can be fatal to the birds.

Marek’s Disease - A virus that can cause a chickens eyes to change colour, can cause paralysis and lesions.

Bumblefoot - An infection on the bottom of a chickens foot.

Egg Bound - When a hen has trouble getting her egg out and it gets stuck.

Dust Bath - This is how your chickens keep themselves clean, they roll around in the dirt and flap their wings about.

Molt - Chicken shed some of their feathers and grow new ones.

New Castles Disease - A Contagious poultry virus that can be passed onto humans.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) - This is a super dust that is great for dust baths and treating chickens for parasites.

Hopefully these definitions will help you understand ‘chicken people’ a little bit more!

Why Are My Hens Eating Their Eggs?

We’ve all had a few times when we’ve gone into the coop to collect the eggs and they’ve disappeared, with only a wet bit of sawdust to be found. Well chances are, either you’ve got some pests visiting your coop or you’ve got a hungry hen!

What makes hens eat their own eggs?

An egg that’s been laid in nesting box can sometimes be broken by a heavy footed lady. If that is the case, they’ll take advantage and eat the whole lot. This is not a good habit for them to get in to!

Boredom can also be a factor, especially during winter when hens spend more time inside the coop. Chickens are naturally curious, so any new ‘toy’ will become an obsession.

The nesting box size could also be causing the issue. If there isn’t ample space for the hens to lay then they can jostle and fight to get into the boxes. This can break the eggs that have already been laid and they’ll munch on them.

Nutrition can also be a factor. If the hens are lacking in calcium or protein, the hens will seek out food sources where ever they can. Since the eggs are readily available, they are the first thing to go!

How do I save my eggs?!

If you remove the eggs at least twice a day it means that the hens have less time to seize their opportunity and eat the egg. You can also get a nesting box that allows the eggs to roll away to ensure they can’t reach the egg! Below is how our nesting boxes work.

You can also make sure you have an ample supply of nesting material in the boxes, giving a soft, squishy layer means that there is less chance of breakage. If an egg does happen to break, make sure you remove all eggy nesting material and replace it with clean bedding.

Make sure that you have plenty of room in your coop and some toys to keep them entertained and hopefully leave your eggs alone!

Make sure that your flock have the correct diet and nutrients that they need so they don’t look for it elsewhere. We also give our hens an extra container filled with Oyster shell to help fulfil their calcium and grit needs.
Taking these few extra steps should help reduce the egg eating and help increase the happiness and healthiness of your flock!

Light Sussex - 'A Breed With Character'

In February we were featured in the ‘Landscape Magazine’. We were interviewed about our experience with the Light Sussex breed. We’ve finally got the article that was featured in the magazine so i’ve popped it below for you to have a read!

If you’d like to find out a bit more about the Landscape Magazine, have a look on the link below!

What Can't I Feed My Hens?

In the UK it’s actually illegal to feed your hens any kitchen scraps! In the good old days, they were a perfect output for all the bits of vegetables that were left after the Sunday roast. However, nowadays there’s nothing stopping you from giving your hens the extra bits of veg straight from the garden. We often feed our hens the grapes and extra bits of vine off our grape vine when we trim it and they go nuts for them!

We’ve had a few people ask us what the definitely shouldn’t feed their hens, so thought i’d let you guys know what’s actually poisonous to them:

1. Avacadoes:

   The peel and pit of an avocado contains persin which can be toxic to birds. So definitely steer clear of this one! The fleshy part is ok to feed them in moderation.

2. Chocolate

   Normally speaking people wouldn’t necessarily think to feed chocolate to their hens, but if you ever thought about it, don’t! the compound that is toxic to dogs, Theobromine, is also toxic to birds.

3. Potato Plants

   Green potatoes contain Solanine which is another substance that is toxic to birds, don’t give them sprouted potatoes either as they have the same toxin. It’s bad for their nervous system. The leaves and stems are also toxic so keep them away from the plants too.

4. Dried beans

   Dried beans contain hemaglutin which is toxic to birds.

5. Moldy or rotten food

   Stale or overripe food is fine for the hens, but don’t give them moldy food, it’ll upset their tummies and they could get bacteria from the food.

6. Tomato, Pepper or Aubergine leaves

   As members of the nightshade family they contain Solanine, but they can eat the produce, just not the leaves!

7. Rhubarb leaves

   They contain Oxalic Acid which can cause calcium deficiency in the hens. Prolonged exposure can lead to kidney failure.

8. Raw Eggs

   These are actually ok for the hens to eat, but if they get wind of how tasty they are, then you might experience them eating them straight out of their nest boxes! Not ideal for you.

9. Onions, Chives and garlic

   A small amount is fine, but too much can alter the flavour of the eggs! Too much can also cause them to develop Heinz Anemia.

10. Raw Meat

    It can carry pesticides and disease. It can potentially lead to aggressive behaviour and cannibalism within the flock.

11. Dairy

    Chickens aren’t able to digest lactose so it’s best to avoid anything dairy. If you want to increase their calcium, just feed them crushed up egg shell.

12. Grass clippings and pulled weeds

    Eating bits that are too big can lead to an impacted crop so it’s best to just let them forage for themselves.

It may seem like a lot that they can’t have, but there’s so much that they can have, so don’t feel put off by this list, it’s just a helping hand to ensure you give the hens the correct foods!