Hello...Chicken Breeder, Cecily.

Introducing...my little sister Cecily, 20 years old and the brains behind 'Chicken Corner' based here on our family farm. Cecily has had chickens for most of our childhood and they have rather taken over the farmyard over the years. I took 5 minutes to have a quick chat with Cecily to find out why she is quite so passionate about Chickens! 

How long have you had Chickens?
I have kept and bred chickens since I was 7, so this year marks 14 years. My first breed I had were bantam buff Orpingtons, since then I’ve had a number of different breeds from Cochins to Japanese frizzles.

​How did you first get into them?
You (Izzi) started with silkies and so I was inspired to get some of my own!

​What is your favourite thing about chickens?
​I like to watch them potter around the garden because it’s funny watching them interact with one and another and the world around them. From a cockerel’s fascination with a twig to a hen chasing the black birds at feeding time, they really do have amazing personalities.

What breed is your favourite?
My favourite breed is the large buff Orpington. I recently expanded my stock when I purchased a quartet (1 cockerel and 3 hens.) They have very beautiful orangey-gold feathering. They grow quite large but generally maintain a stocky-looking figure. I like their inquisitive yet laid-back nature. A close second, is the Light Sussex that are a similar build to the Orpingtons but slightly leaner. Again, they are very pretty with white feathering and black-laced neck and tail feathers. They are a very sturdy breed, keeping themselves to themselves, but once they know you they are very friendly.

Cecily with her Buff Orpington cockerel and Light Sussex cockerel.

​How many different breeds do you have?
At Chicken Corner, there are five different breeds, we have Pekins, Gold Silkies, Buff Orpingtons, Light Sussex and Lavender Araucanas.

What would be your top tip for someone thinking of getting chickens?
Check your breed- generally they are all quite passive and happy-go-lucky creatures; but there are the odd breeds that are notorious for being flighty and not recommended for beginners such as Sumara, Asil and Lakenvelders.

Ensure you give your chickens as much as space to roam as possible because they really do appreciate having the opportunity to explore and peck about. If you do have limited space, maybe consider a bantam breed such as pekins because the world seems bigger to them anyway. Also…there is no need to dose them with healthy supplements, because they will find what’s good for them by pecking around in their environment. A happy hen is a healthy hen.

Cecily holding a Light Sussex cockerel and hen.

Key facts from Cecily that might interest you.

• In most breeds, there are bantam and large versions but this is not always the case such as pekins- they are only bantam.
  
• For a hen to have chicks, the eggs must be fertile, which requires there to be a cockerel present when the hens are laying.
  

Key chicken terminology, you’ll need to know

• Bantam- mini version
  
• Large- big version
  
• Cockerel/rooster- male chicken
  
• Hen- female chicken
  
• Pullet- young female
  
• Broody- a hen sitting on eggs or with chicks
  
• POL (point of lay)- about to start laying ​
  

       Cecily holding her Light Sussex cockerel 'Zuccubar'.

If you would like to find out more about Cecily and 'Chicken Corner' then take a look at her blog >>> ​https://chickencorner.wixsite.com/chickencorner

Keep your eyes peeled to see how Cecily's chickens have inspired my designs...