Ben & Cathy Wetherden
For Range Reared Certified
Organic Chickens
S.A. Cert.Licence AB18834
website by Cathy Wetherden updated May 10
All photo’s taken by the Wetherdens at Eastwood Farm
Black Rock pullets usually lay a minimum of 280 eggs in their first year and they are persistently good throughout life, although not a dark brown egg they are a large size. We have had customers with 14 year old hens. Shell quality will not deteriorate after the first year as many hybrids do. They are very well feathered and love being outside. The Black Rock is a first cross hybrid between selected strains of Rhode Island Red (male) and a Barred Plymouth Rock (female).
Beware of "short term" imitations
Brown Nick pullets, will lay 295+ beautiful large eggs in their first year of lay. It is known to be one of the darkest brown eggs of all the commercial layers. Feed intake is less than our other pullets (except the leghorn) as they have a slightly lower bodyweight.
Silver Link (nick) is a hybrid for the commercial organic/free range egg producer, being slightly heavier than the Brown Nick they should suit the organic producer well.. They have good feathering soft but dense. We have found them docile to rear. They produce a uniform brown egg and in their first year can produce up to 300 eggs. They are proving to be good egg producers for many years
Cuckoo Maran pullets are docile and are ideal for people looking for something a little special. Some have leg feathers. They lay approximately 220/240 eggs a year and their shell colour is dark brown with excellent internal qualities. Shell quality should be good throughout lay.
Utility Light Sussex pullets have been bred for better egg production than the Light Sussex, although still suitable for both eggs and meat. They will produce approximately 240 brown eggs in their first year of lay and are a large pullet, producing good quality eggs for years.
Blues are a large hen with an egg production of approx. 220 brown eggs a year. They have very subtle darker lacing. Their neck feathers being generally darker, occasionally with a tinge of red. They also have grey legs. A lovely gentle hen, with the potential of a long life.
Magpies are a Sussex type. Quite a large pullet, also with a lovely calm nature. They lay 220-240 brown eggs a year. They are well feathered with white lacing around the neck which does vary, a few have only small amounts whilst others are laced all over.
Copperhead Maran (Cuvree)another dark egg layer producing 240 eggs a year. They have a similar iridescence to their black feathers as the Black Rock, but they may also have feathering down the legs.
White Leghorn(commercial)
These are real credit crunch hens eating less than the other pullets that we keep but still laying a large egg. They will produce up to 300 brilliant white eggs a year for the first three years of life. Great at ranging and good at avoiding the fox!
Redco (also known as Columbian Blacktail) A proven good layer under organic systems, their feathering and colour is striking and they are good natured. They lay around 290+ brown eggs a year.
Rhode Rock. Due to the difficulties obtaining Black Rock day olds, we have started to do a few of these. They look the same as the Black Rock and are also very productive 290 brown eggs a year and are very easy going.
We usually have the following pullets on the farm at various ages. We keep a closed flock, only day olds are brought on to our farm, which are then reared to Soil Association organic standards. We would consider rearing other breeds to order, subject to availability. As our hens are reared to full organic standards they can be used in organic meat products, at the end of lay.
© 2010 Cathy Wetherden
