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Hello,
Its taken over 5000 hours of
deliberation but the results of Omlet's Pancake Day 2007 King of the
Flippers competition are finally in. The sheer volume of
entries
(23) combined with the high quality of tossing set the judges such an
eggscruciatingly difficult task of choosing a winner. But the
dedication has paid off and with a unanimous vote the title of Princess
Pancake and a £20 gift voucher this year goes to Lorna,
congratulations from everyone at Omlet! Special mention also
goes
to Cleo who scoops 2nd place and a cheeky 3rd place to the man who
shall remain anonymous to protect his modesty, you have both won
£10 Omlet gift vouchers (enough for a pair of Omlet boxer
shorts
– just an idea).
Omlet a victim of Eggspionage!
Well it really has been a long
time
since the last newsletter and our apologies to all of you who rely on
it to keep you up to date with what has been going on in the outside
world. The delay in sending it can only be partly blamed on
the
pancake competition. The other event that you may have heard
about was the launch of the new eglu cube. Eagerly
anticipated
for over a year a children's newspaper called First News broke an
official embargo and printed top secret photographs of the cube in
March. The grainy snaps were enough to cause a flurry of
excitement on the Omlet forum and when the cube was officially launched
in April there was a huge rush to be the first in the queue.
No
wonder when the cube offers such eggceptional accommodation for up to
10 chickens. If you haven't seen it yet why not have a look
here
it really is a fantastic way to keep hens and with winter approaching
this could be a great time to replace that draughty old wooden house...
Living up to their name, the cube story was initially broken by a childrens
newspaper, FirstNews.
Another competition.
Did anyone see a ghost?
If you
carved a pumpkin for halloween we'd love to see it. Last
years
entries were really spooktakular and to win an Omlet gift voucher all
you need to do is send in a photo of your creation to johannes@omlet.co.uk.
You'll be pleased to know that we have a new panel of efficient
Transylvanian judges who promise to pick a winner by the next waxing
gibbous moon so don't put off sending your entry in.
Lots more in the Newsletter below
including the latest on the forum and of course egluowner of the week -
which features a great video. Barbara has some timely advice
on
keeping your hens safe and warm now that the days are getting shorter
and colder. You know we always love to hear from
you so if
you have something you would like to share with the other Newsletter
readers send it to us!
The Omlet Team
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At Last... A Winner!
1st Place: Lorna is this years
"Princess Pancake" A judge said " This is a scene depicting the momentous struggle for supremecy between woman and pancake."
2nd Place: Cleo impressed the
judges with her
pancake UFO impression.
3rd
Place: Anon.
The judges admired his cheeky style.
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Star Photos
Pop
down to Peck Savers for some
great deals on glasses.
Kids these days are out of control.
Someone should have told him that replacement roosting bar sets are
available from the Omlet Shop.
None Shall Pass! Omlet's new range of security guard chickens are proving a hit.
These unusual tomatoes aren't quite ripe
for plucking yet.
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Barbara's Weekly Diary
Phew, I'm so glad the wait to find out who won the Pancake competition
is finally over! It reminded me of the nail biting wait for
the
first egg when I got chickens. Three weeks two days six hours
and
forty two minutes after they arrived there in the nest was THE most
beautiful egg I’ve ever seen. Small, admittedly, but
perfectly
formed and the colour of milky tea. We’d waited long enough
so we
popped some toast in the toaster, got the frying pan out, and fried
that perfect little egg. Once it had been shared 4 ways we only got a
spoonful each but it was worth it! It was delicious and the yolk was so
bright that we almost needed sunglasses!
Of course at this time of year chickens that were born in the spring
are just starting to show tell tale signs of laying their first
egg. Things to look out for are a larger, more brightly
coloured
comb and wattle and frequent trips to the nesting box. Older
hens
will typically start to lay less now because of the shorter days but
provided with food, water and a bit of chicken spice they should keep
you in eggs throughout the winter months.
With the clocks going back its easy to get caught out by dusk arriving
so much earlier. I try to get into a routine and see to the
chickens before the children come home from school so that I know they
are safe in their run while I get on with the tea. Once the
girls
have gone inside to roost, I can lock the eglu door and know they are
warm and cosy for the night. If only it were so easy to get
the
children into bed!
When the temperatures are set to drop to around freezing, I like to
bring the drinkers into the house so that I’m not struggling
to
defrost them in the morning when I go to let the hens out. There is
nothing worse when you’re cold first thing in the morning
than
having to fiddle about with frozen drinkers, is there! The hens
appreciate the water being a little warmer too and usually make a
beeline for it and have a good long drink before they see
what’s
in their feeders. They always have their layers meal in the morning but
in the afternoons, I like to give them something to keep them nice and
warm through the cold winter nights. Wheat is a very good scatter food
and my local feed store sells nice big sacks of it so it lasts for
months but if it’s going to be really cold, the girls have a
bowl
of warm porridge with a handful of sultanas mixed in as a special
treat.
Only a couple of my hens have large combs but to prevent them from
getting frost bitten, I rub a little Vaseline on them in the mornings
as it’s very painful for the hens to suffer from frostbite on
their combs, poor dears. They are tough little creatures though and
their feathers are very insulating so even on the coldest, frostiest or
even snowiest day, they will be quite happy scratching around the
garden until it’s time to turn in for the night.
The hens won’t be bothered by all the trick or treaters
knocking
on the door but rather than waste all that lovely pumpkin flesh after
carving our lantern for the porch, we either make a nice spicy soup or
roast the flesh with some thyme in the oven.
Barbara is always
on hand to answer your questions about chickens - just pop her an email
to barbara@omlet.co.uk
Roast Pumpkin with Thyme
- Flesh from one pumpkin cut into
inch cubes if possible
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 230C/GM8
Place the pumpkin cubes in a roasting dish and drizzle with Olive Oil.
Sprinkle the thyme over, season with salt and pepper. Using a large
spoon, carefully toss the pumpkin cubes in the oil so they are all
evenly covered.
Put the roasting dish in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes or
until the flesh is soft and caramelised around the edges. To check that
the cubes are all evenly cooked, pierce with a skewer to see if they
are soft. If not, return the roasting dish to the oven for another
10-15 minutes.
Add more seasoning if necessary and serve as one of your 5 a day!
Do you have a recipe you would like to share? Why not put it on the Omlet Club Wiki here
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What's on the forum?
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Poor
Newlaidegg is having problems catching chickens
“Well, four days in and I thought I'd let the girls out to
free-range. Ginger, is point of lay and she is really friendly already
happy to feed out of our hands and was a doddle to pick up and place
gently in the eglu. However, the Blackrock (Doris) and Bluebelle
(Queenie) are a bit older and wiser to the ways of the farmyard. After
3 boxes of raisins they had had a great time but were not going back in
the run under any circumstances. It took me over an hour and I managed
to get Queenie back in but Doris just kept circling the eglu. By this
time it was dark and I went back into the house, for a glass of wine
and left the door open. Five minutes later, Doris appeared in the porch
and jumped up onto the windowsill at which point, cornered, I managed
to pick her up and take her into the garden. I placed her in the run
and she trotted straight into the eglu. So what advice can you give me
on getting my older, wiser hens to play ball? I am tempted to only let
Ginger out to free range until the others are a little more 'hand
tame'! Thanks!”
Nicki9 - I have an orange corn cup that the chooks
recognise as
holding treats. When they see me carrying it they follow me, I throw a
handful of corn into the run and they charge after it. Works every
time. Good luck with catching your chooks!
Snowy Howells - I agree - food in a familiar container!
They
very quickly learn if there is food involved! I have a silver metal dog
bowl. As soon as they see it, even the non layers come running. One
lady blew a whistle every time she took treats out in a bowl. Now they
come running to the sound of the whistle! (very handy if you need to
get them in quick, i.e. if you see a fox)
Laura & CTB - Same kinda thing here - I use a
shiny silver
bowl too- the girls will follow it anywhere even if it's empty. Spend a
couple of days giving them treats from a "special" dish and I think
your problem will be solved
Egluntine
- I like the whistle idea
Snowy! I use a silver dog bowl too. I also find
that sweet corn works
far better than any other treat to get them in the run. In fact they
only ever get it for that purpose. I scatter a bit to get
them near
the door, and then dash up to the Eglu end of the run and sprinkle it
through the bars. There is a mad dash as they all try to get
to it at
once. Makes me laugh every time.
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Olly - mealworms
always do the trick
for mine, but I agree they do recognise a familiar container and a call
or sound. I shout 'chook, chook' to call them back in to the
Eglu with
the mealworm pot in hand, and now if mine have disappeared into the
garden and I'm worried about them, I just have to shout that and their
little heads come popping out in hope of a treat!
Chocolatedog
- Snap! I have a little pot which I bring out and shake and they
usually come running - and yup, a handful chucked into the run usually
does the trick - although having said that, Pepper is getting to be a
bit of a rebellious teenager, and is dragging her feet a little ("ah -
just a little bit here I neglected to scratch - just give me a second
to check for slugs will you, mum? Oh and look - I missed this bit
earlier too.........") But I can usually persuade her in the end......
Newlaidegg
- Thank you all, I am feeling much more confident now, but will build
in the 'special bowl' thing before I let them out again! The whistle
sounds good too... just need to find a whistle...
Couperwife
- ours just seem to come running when they see us. When they have been
free ranging I call them down and then lob a hand full of something in
the run and they go charging in after it. We have had fun
hours
playing round and round the mulberry cube though!
Hazel
– Sometimes I deliberately wait until they're both out of
sight
and blow the whistle - it’s like something out of Top Gun - 2
chickens running towards me, full pelt, wing assisted. Then I
walk to the run, 'playing a tune' on the whistle and they march along -
we call it the marching band!! They get the treat bowl in the run and I
close the door - everyone is happy. I'm planning to video it
some
time – it’s so funny.
If you aren't an
eglu owner then you can have a trial access to the forum, simply by
clicking this link here -> forum
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Eglu Owner of the Week
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About You
Your
names: Rhodri Williams & Helen Williamson
What
do you do? Rhodri is a Sports Broadcaster
& I'm a TV Producer/Director. I started work as a
researcher on the BBC series “The Human Animal”,
then did an MA in Film and Television Production at the University of
Bristol. Since then, I’ve made TV programmes for
the BBC, Channel4, more4, five, Discovery, TLC, and NHK. I
directed over 50 films for the BBC’s flagship popular science
show Tomorrow’s World.
When
and where were you born? Cardiff, 1968 &
Reading 1971
When
and where did you have your first kiss? We first
kissed in Manchester in May 2000.
What
is your greatest extravagance? Fine wine
& travelling. I'm lucky in that my work has taken me
all around the world - from Japan to America, Canada, France, Spain,
Italy, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana and South Africa. Looking forward to
exploring China, Russia, Australasia, East Africa and more of the
Middle East at some point.
Do
you have a hidden talent? Possibly, but neither
of us have unearthed it yet…
Who
or what inspires you? Tiger Woods &
David Attenborough – and nature…
Who
would play you in a movie of your life? George
Clooney & Cate Blanchett
What’s
your most annoying habit?
Rhodri’s is stopping mid-sentence and not…
finishing what he was saying! Mine is turning the TV off at
the box so Rhodri has to walk to turn it on.
It’s
Sunday morning, what song do you most want to hear?
Rhodri likes “Easy Like Sunday Mornings” but
I prefer “Sunday Morning” by The Velvet
Underground
You
can go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
New Zealand – working our way back via French Polynesia,
Micronesia, Indonesia, Thailand & overland through
Asia…
Would you
like to be egluowner of the week?
Each week we will be featuring an
eglu owner of the week. If you would like to be featured then
please email johannes@omlet.co.uk .
He'll send you the form and remember photos will
increase your chances!
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About your chickens
How many do you have? 3
Where
do they live? In a green eglu in our garden in
west London.
How
long have you had them? Since 16th December 2006
Do
they have names? Cilla, Fergie and Zsa Zsa
(they’re Gingernut Rangers so we named them after famous
redheads)
How
many eggs do you get a week? On average 10 a
week… you can’t beat a soft boiled egg.
What's
the most surprising thing about keeping chickens? How
much time you can
spend talking to them but even the chickens get annoyed when Rhodri
doesn't finish his sentences.
Do
you bake more cakes now you have your own chickens? They
don't normally last long enough to be turned into a cake.
What
do your chickens like more than anything else in the world?
Stilton – they would do anything for cheese.
What’s
the funniest thing your chickens have ever done?
Cilla jumps up on my
shoulder and stays there – I think she was a
pirate’s parrot in another
life.
If
your chickens could speak, what would they tell you?
“For goodness sake, let us in when we peck on the kitchen
window… We
want more cheese.”
Can
you imagine life without chickens ever again?
Without chickens, the world would be a duller place
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Featured
Product
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Keep
Your Egg Warm This Winter
Smart Toast Takes the Bus to
Avoid Traffic Jam
Corny, but very pop-ular with
chickens.
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Egg
Cosy - Pack of 4
Turn you
breakfast tray into a stylish cat walk with
these stripy winter warmers. They'll give your eggs the confidence to
come out of their shells and keep them at a toasty temperature.
Straight from the Paris fashion show where they were worn by such Super
Coddles as Naomi Scramble, Mishell Pfeiffer and Yolko Ono.
One Size Fits All ( Including double yolkers)
Includes one of each colour
£8.50
- Find Out More Here
Toast Rack Camper Orange
Breakfast
time can be a commuter nightmare for toast, so why not take the easy
route and use this convenient new park and ride system? You can easily
parallel park 4 slices in this stylish ceramic camper which can then
travel round the table using a special bus lane ensuring everyone gets
there slice piping hot. And if you live or work in London then it gets
even better because its exempt from the indigestion charge.
£7.50 - Find Out More
Here
Mini Popcorn
Not only a chicken treat.. brilliant fun as
well.
Each pack has 5 mini corn on the cobs.
You can either hang them up dry
for your hens to peck at, or for lots more fun you can put them in the
microwave and watch them magically turn into popcorn!
If you do put them in the microwave,
be sure
to follow the instructions on the packet:. Microwave for 15 secs at a
time until the corn pops, then stop. Allow to cool for at least 30 mins
before feeding to your chickens. Never leave the microwave unattended.
£3.25 - Find Out More Here
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Chicken
Horoscopes by Mystic Pegg
Mystic Pegg stares deep into her crystal egg to tell you wattle happen next.
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Scorpio: Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
So much for remaining anonymous. Your success in the nest box makes you
in great demand with everyone suddenly wanting to know you. Mercury's
enthusiastic progress and Jupitor coming out of the shadows this month
make keeping out of the spotlight even harder. With so many invitations
to breakfast, lunch and dinner you need to manage your diary carefully
and with eggspectations running so high you need to poach a few moments
for yourself as well to avoid over boiling.
And now I predict a bad yolk:
Q: Why was the mother hen disappointed with her chick?
A: He wasn't all he was cracked up to be.
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www.omlet.co.uk
info@omlet.co.uk
0845 450 2056
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