The Poultry Keeper

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1122 Location: Clawddnewydd

(runs for cover quickly Wink

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milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6622 Location: isle of lewis

it's just i find it a lovely piece of folk law Embarassed

jaydee67 · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:51 pm Post subject:

Probably the same story as the 'Shetland' hen Suz.

1880's to 1930's the Chilean nitrate trade - tall sailing ships plied their trade from Northern Europe to Chile to collect "white gold" - valuable nitrate now desperately required for agricultural land. These ships carried poultry for fresh provisions and there are plenty of stories in the Hebrides and the Shetlands of trading ships carrying blue egg laying hens which were exchanged for other provisions. This trade had been going on for centuries - Viking / Hebridean connections are well documented. It was said that the Araucanas were preferred to European birds as they coped with the changes in climate better

!940's - during the war plenty of anecdotal evidence of supply ships moored of the west coast of Scotland - in the Inner Hebrides - which carried trays and trays of blue and green eggs. These some folk hatched and have told me of these funny tufted hens. They were so common - but can find none left UNLESS YOU KNOW DIFFERENT !! It is most likely that these eggs came from the extensive egg producers of Shetland and Orkney - now long since gone but I understand that blue eggers on both groups of islands used to be very very common

There's more here:

http://www.araucanas.co.uk/history.html

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6622 Location: isle of lewis

that sounds like some of the stuff i've heard also of spanish ships being washed up on the shore ,as they run from the amada (spelling )and a storm Cool

,there are definitely none here
next door was chuffed as she had heard stories and when she saw the blue eggs she said it takes someone from england to show me what blue eggs look like Wink

Woodburner · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 6:27 pm Post subject:

This thread looks like it's heading for the 'most hijacked award 2008' Very Happy

Has anyone got utility LS or Dorking hatching eggs available?

debcat · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:57 pm Post subject:

has anyone got any blue or splash pekin eggs please

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1122 Location: Clawddnewydd

I had to go back to the top to see what we were wanting!!

Lavender or black pekin eggs please

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1122 Location: Clawddnewydd

OK, just black ones now Wink

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 453 Location: Manchester

I'm looking for LS eggs too - anyone?

Anyone know of a good ebayer for them?