Cotswold Chatterblog

A real Cotswold Hen with very special ox-blood dark brown eggs

This is another special Cotswold Hen. The name originates from Cotswold farmers Tom and Mabel Pearman who moved to Westhill, Burford during the early 1900’s. Mabel earned pin money from butter and from the special dark brown eggs from the hens which were her pride and joy.

Mabel kept her hens in the Rickyard at Manor Farm and they were free to roam on the grassy slopes overlooking Burford High Street.

Their eggs were very special with a chocolate coloured shell and large deep yellow yolks and a super flavour. With their thick dark brown shells they soon became known as Burford Browns.

Mabel Pearman was Philip Lee-Woolf’s grandmother and the origins of her birds have been passed down through the family until he has reintroduced the breed through the ethical egg producer he founded - Clarence Court. Three years ago Mr Lee-Woolf, bred the first Mabel Pearman’s Brown Burford in 50 years. The hens were difficult to breed because the gene for a chocolate-coloured egg is recessive, meaning it would be swamped by any genes for other colours. Only chickens with a particular heritage produce the eggs.

Another problem is that the blue-black hens lay just five eggs a week compared with up to 10 from the average modern hybrid.

Clarence Court are donating 2p to HEN Aid for every pack of Burford Brown eggs sold between now and End of September.

www.clarencecourt.co.uk

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Tags: charity | eggs | food

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