By Alison Younger
•
07 Jan, 2024
The tree is down, the tinsel packed away and the school clothes washed and ready for a return to timetables tomorrow. The kids may be reluctant to say goodbye to the festive sparkle but there is, from my tired kitchen at least, a hint of relief that normal operations are soon to be restored. I am a Monday morning sort of person, excited about the opportunity the week will bring to crack on and get things done. A New Year is then a bit like a Monday and I'm keen to get going. Top of the list is the retirement of our current Leckie Layers. Our chooks have been with us now since Autumn 2022 laying their fabulous eggs and keeping us all topped up with essential proteins. In full production mode our hens lay a large egg most days - at 70g this represents about 5% of their bodyweight. It's the equivalent of you or I growing an arm every 24 hours. So at this stage they are also feeling a bit like my post Xmas fatigue. They start to lay a bit less, and their shells become thinner and more brittle. As in previous years we are really pleased to work with the British Hen Welfare Trust . These guys are great as they help us find new homes for our ladies, so for the next couple of weekends you can think of us out in the hen houses in the wee small hours, head torches set to red lamps, so that we may quietly (and without stress) catch them up to send them off to backyard runs and gardens. What follows is then a full on assault on the buildings themselves as they are stripped down, washed and disinfected ready for the arrival of the new flocks the next week. The 16 week old pullets will arrive and get settled in before they come into maturity and start laying their own eggs at about 21 weeks old. And so where will our eggs come from whilst all this is going on? Corrie Mains Eggs are an award winning family egg producer, based in Ayrshire. They have a great set up and similar quality and, as in previous years, are able to provide an alternate supply over this changeover period. So from now until March and our new hens are laying it will be their eggs in our boxes. Without this partnership we would need to operate a third house and essentially over produce eggs all year round to deal with this short changeover period. So with our low waste policy it works great for us, and we thank you for your patience and support as we welcome our new hens. And as for the rest of the year? We hope 2024 is both a kind and tasty one for everyone - we're certainly looking forward to continuing to supply the very best in local produce to you and your family.