Woodlands Farm

The Lincolnshire Buff chicken, in common with many native breeds, faced an uncertain future in the twentieth century. By 1920 they had virtually disappeared from farms in our region having been replaced by the Buff Orpington and other more overtly commercial strains.

Today interest in the Lincolnshire Buff is growing once again. Although a relatively slow growing breed, it’s easily raised and makes a wonderful table bird. It’s also a great 'winter layer'. Descended from several different breeds including the Shanghai (or Cochin), the Dorking and Wheaten Old English Game, the Lincolnshire Buff has fiery flame-red feathers and the distinction of an extra claw on each foot (making 5 in total).

The Woodlands flock was created with the help of Mike Sumner, president of The Lincolnshire Buff Poultry Society, in 2008, our idea being to produce eggs as well as traditional, full-flavoured organic table birds. We expect to be offering the first of our table birds in time for Christmas 2008.

Woodlands eggs are produced by our small flock of Black Rock chickens. Sociable, sensitive and like the turkey, highly intelligent, our hens live with a cockerel in small flocks of fifty birds. Stella Easterbrook collects the eggs, waters and feeds and checks the solar-powered fox proof fencing twice a day. You can see the hens foraging from the farm trail…