[HesterF]

My first lot of eggs are in the incubator and are looking good so ready to post out eggs if anybody wants.

Both will be £5 per half dozen plus £5 P&P.

I can put up photos of the parent stock if you want.

Cayugas are in a group of one drake and three ducks. All show great colouring - black with the green sheen - and the ducks are laying surprisingly well at the moment (daily). They're kept in our baby orchard so mainly on grass with a bit of mud thrown in at the moment! I have seven out of eight fertile in the incubator - due to hatch in 18 days.

Gold laced Orpingtons are one cockerel to three hens. Two of the hens hatched last year, one is from the previous season. The cockerel came from Priscilla Middleton who is renowned for her Orpington breeding (developed quite a few of the new colours). They're all a great colour - buff in the centre of the feathers with a black edge (not as precise as some of the other breeds but given the fluffy nature of Orps, they look gorgeous). As Orpingtons go, they're not huge because the new colours often take a while to get the size but by the standard of most 'normal' heavy breed chickens, they're big. From what I can see at the moment, all of the eggs seem to be fertile - due to hatch in about ten days.

I'll post via Hermes who have been more efficient than the post office when I've used them before but this will be the first time I've posted out hatching eggs so I'll be interested to get feedback.

Think that's all you might want to know but let me know if I've missed anything. I'm waiting on better fertility from the Silver Appleyards (I know a couple of you are waiting on them) and for the Buff Orps to start laying (grrrr) but should have both of them available soon as well.

H