Our Birds…

The Partridge Wyandotte – a double-mated variety

I absolutely adore the Partridge Wyandotte. I kept the variety in large fowl for many years, but these days bantams suit me better. What is ‘double-mating?’ Years ago, when the breed standards were drawn up, they were so precise that it was impossible to breed show specimens in both male and female from the same pen. So it quickly became apparent that you’d be best just focusing your efforts on either the show (standard) males or females. Their respective ‘breeding partners’ would have no official standard, and only knowledge passed through breeders would help determine which candidates best fit the role. We keep both varieties here – the exhibition females known as ‘pullet-breeders’ and the males ‘cock-breeders.’

Above: we were fortunate enough to appear on the cover of Fancy Fowl magazine twice, with Jed Dwight as Editor

Over the past 40 years, Grant has kept most poultry breeds in both large and bantam, and even created some new varieties of certain breeds. But these days, our main colours kept are the self-created Pile Wyandottes, Partridge Wyandottes (both the exhibition male and female lines) and Silver Pencilled Wyandottes – all in bantam.

It was difficult not being able to show properly for years. But we really enjoyed getting a few good results at Oswestry in 2021 and more recently in 2024 as well as the Federation show of the same year.

We pride ourselves on spreading stock around and letting hatching eggs go to enthusiastic newcomers. These pure breeds have suffered a major blow in the last few years, so need as much support as we can give them. If you are looking for stock or hatching eggs, we can try and help or if not, put you in touch with someone who can. Read on…

Above is our Virtual Poultry Show Overall Reserve Champion 2021

When poultry shows were banned for a few years, the next best thing was pictorial judging of submitted photographs. And although it’s never quite the same as ‘in the flesh,’ thousands of entries were received and we were pleased to get overall reserve supreme champion.

Our Ethos

When you have a variety of poultry with such intricate markings, it can be challenging to produce those markings on the desired type (shape). It’s quite simple – I want to be THE BEST. I want my stock to fill me with joy and be truly representative of its breed and variety.

I was fortunate to start with good stock from the best breeder, Club President – Mr Geoff Parker. Over the years I have been back to Geoff’s for further infusions of stock, but have put my own stamp on them. A Wyandotte needs good bone, is a ‘bird of curves’ and has a very distinctive silhouette.

Our birds now have years of selection for these desirable traits, as well as egg size, hardiness and fecundity. It hasn’t been an easy road, with much selection along the way, but we believe our birds now compete at top level with the best breeders out there, and we’ve had many compliments about them from accomplished fanciers.

Pile Wyandottes – a passion!…

Pile Wyandotte bantam male “Geordie” produced in 2024

Pile Wyandottes first came into my consciousness when I saw a photograph from Australian Wyandotte fancier, the late Ian Pollerd. He’d created Pile Wyandotte bantams and I LOVED the idea. I first made them in large fowl, and later, bantam. A couple of early attempts at the bantams were thwarted. A fox put paid to the first ones, and the second attempt, which saw an oversized but very promising male, didn’t produce any offspring.

The project was begun again in 2009 and by 2016 I had produced the famous “George” below, which was very popular across Social Media. By 2024, I had produced “Geordie” which is on the blue background above. To me, he’s very pleasing indeed. Over the years there have been many specimens bred here, but below are just a few of the notable ones.