Coals to Newcastle

Michael who visited two days ago, amongst others has Chabo (Jap) bantam chickens, which was how we met him - he had taken a few of our Chabos in the spring.

Both his and our Chabo's have this summer again been very busy brooding and we both have too many. So Angie & Michael set off in the very early morning with a car load of Chabos to the weekly hobby "Small animal" society's market in Buchloe. Angie managed to sell all 11 she took and Michael returned not having sold any - and his were the better looking!

To be able to sell poultry at the market, one needs, by law, to have treated the animals for Newcastle's Disease and have a certificate from a vet that they are healthy. Not sure if this is an EU rule but frankly for private people with a few chickens it is a ridiculous unworkable law. The vaccine is only available in doses for 1000 animals, most normal vets don't have it and getting a vet to come out to inspect 6 chickens is ridiculous. However we have a "country" vet who deals with farm and house animals so it wasn't a big problem. However I suspect 99% of those with a few chickens at home, break the law. Checking blogs/forums it is clear many would want to treat their animals but the difficulty of getting the vaccine and the ridiculous size makes "the law an a**"

To ensure I have enough work, Angie spent her fortune on buying 9 new "normal" farmyard chickens. To support daughter Kate, 3 of them were Speckled Hens, some blacks, greys and two "Green Egg" girls. There is quite a lot said about the green coloured shell eggs, claiming them to be low in cholesterol. There may be a little bit of truth in this if you are in the habit of eating 100 eggs a day.

Will be a few days or weeks before they start laying as they are all young but at least Angie may be able to supply more eggs for the work colleagues in Munich.

Another warm sunny day......