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What is happening at the Estate? Find out in our blog below!
All of the team at Upper Brook House Farm and its partner organisations were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. She has contributed so much to the fabric of society and devoted herself as a servant of the nation for 8 decades. For this reason, all of our logos will only be seen in Black and White until her funeral.
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31/8/2022 20 Comments Our Secret Project is Revealed!Dear all,
It’s time for the exciting news to be announced… for the past few months, the entire Upper Brook House Farm team has been working on our upcoming book, Caring for Ducks. The time has come for it to be released, and the initial print run copies were delivered yesterday. The eagle-eyed among you might have noticed that we have added a new page to our website (the ‘Store’), and we are working round-the-clock to make sure that this is completed as soon as possible. The current plan is for the Store to open on 1 September (tomorrow!) and we will keep you updated of developments. Copies will begin to be posted out on 7 September to duck-keepers across the country! Below is a short description to give you a flavour of the text: Written by the expert team at Upper Brook House Farm and with contributions from some of the UK’s foremost poultry breeders, ‘Caring For Ducks' (2022) is the perfect guide to help you look after your feathered pets. Suitable for both complete beginners to fairly experienced duck-keepers, Caring For Ducks is engaging, informative and full of fantastic photographs to support your learning. Caring For Ducks includes information on the following topics, as well as many more: - Some of the most popular breeds of duck and their characteristics; - Housing, Bedding and Feeding your Birds; - Daily, Monthly and Long-Term tasks; - Breeding and Exhibiting (Showing) your Birds You can place your order via our online store as soon as it opens, or alternatively email us for a direct purchase. Many Thanks! Upper Brook House Farm Dear all,
I am pleased to once again be writing a blog post for Upper Brook House Farm, the first one (I’m ashamed to say!) in exactly a year! These past few months have been unique to say the least, and strangely satisfying. For the first half of the non-marketed period, it seemed like we had disappeared from the poultry industry entirely; in fact, we had been working harder than ever to ensure that we returned with a bang. And return with a bang we did! To provide you with an update, we are currently organising a plan with more longevity than our typical year-to-year format. We feel that this will provide our much-loved clients with more security as their go-to poultry company. Despite our previous reluctance to breed chickens, we are currently reconsidering, and may add them to our 2023 breeding list. It is also likely that we will begin to focus on our National Sourcing and Distribution service, which some of our clients will already be familiar with. This year we have been focusing on the supply of our brand-new Saxony Ducks. The demand for these birds has been simply unprecedented, to the point where we have had to (sadly) reject orders. We would like to thank every client who has supported the re-establishment of such a rare European breed. I would also like to take this opportunity to briefly introduce our new Management team. As mentioned in our previous blog post, I will continue to play a role within the business, albeit a more passive one. One of our current staff members, Amelia, will become Head of the Office, dealing with more client enquiries than at the current time. Another of our team members, Felicity, will become our Head of Rearing - the specialist in charge of the quality of the birds and breeds we sell. Clearly I will be keeping her on her toes! Regrettably, we will not be able to offer any Mallard ducklings for the foreseeable future, however we hope that our partnership with Marchington Mallards will be able to recommence next year! We are also pleased to announce that we have opened a temporary second breeding site in Yoxall, Staffordshire. This site will not be open to the public for viewings but will instead allow us to manage a smaller flock of high-quality birds more carefully, to ensure that we supply only the very best ducks. Finally, I take great pleasure in announcing that Upper Brook House Farm has been undertaking a secret project for the past several months. This project has now reached its culmination and is ready to be announced. Further details will be released tomorrow! On that note, leaving you to ponder on what our ‘Secret Project’ might be, I wish all of you the best and hope that you are pleased to finally have an update to read! Thanks once again, James MD, Upper Brook House Farm 30/8/2021 15 Comments Show Report: Stafford Show 2021On Wednesday 25th August, the Upper Brook House Farm team attended Staffordshire County Show at Stafford Showground. After two cancelled shows and one-and-a-half troubling years, it was fantastic to be able to attend an exhibition of this calibre, along with over a hundred exhibitors (including National-winning breeders) and thousands of visitors. Our team always knew that bringing home a haul of prize cards would be extremely difficult, due to our birds moulting at an earlier date than originally planned (ironically, all of our best birds were in the heaviest moults!) and this was certainly true. Moreover, breeders from across the country were in attendance, with better birds than ever before; this put us at a fairly significant disadvantage! We exhibited the following birds at the show: - White Call Duck Drake - Yellow Belly Female - Yellow Belly Male - White Call Duck Female - Light Sussex Bantam Pullet After penning the birds at 7:30 in the morning, we waited anxiously for the results, which were eventually unveiled several hours later. We were extremely pleased with the results, considering the moulting issues - a first, two seconds and a third, out of a total of five entries. Sadly, our Yellow Belly drake was not placed, although there was fierce competition from the other birds in the class. Perhaps the most surprising result was the 2nd place awarded to our Light Sussex Bantam, which has never been exhibited before and forms part of our private collection of laying hens. She will certainly be exhibited in the future! However, the most pleasing result by far was the 2nd place awarded to our White Call Duck male, which fended off competition from renowned breeders, even beating a bird that has won at a national-level show. The Show was an excellent opportunity to meet some of our previous clients, and we also handed out a phenomenal number of business cards, which is fantastic. We have created an album of photographs from the Show for your perusal - please feel free to share your thoughts! The Upper Brook House Farm Show Team 23/8/2021 35 Comments Upper Brook House Farm in 2021Dear all,
You may be surprised to read another blog post from the team at Upper Brook House Farm, after we supposedly ceased trading in September 2020. To begin with, that was, indeed, the plan! However, a solution was proposed to us which was beneficial for all of our staff members, and a buyout was organised. As a result, Upper Brook House Farm is still trading, and has been since the start of the year. For clarification, I am still responsible for Operations and running the main proportion of the business until September 2021, after which the organisation will temporarily cease trading until some point in 2022 - this is likely to be in June or July. During this period, our team will be working around-the-clock to ensure that the transition is smooth and effective, and that we can continue to bring you the best quality birds possible. I will continue to have a role within the business, albeit a more passive one, dealing with the operations faction, as well as devising the overall strategy and financial arrangements going forward. However, I am pleased to confirm that every other member of our team is continuing in their post. More details will be communicated to you in due course. Furthermore, we are pleased to confirm that our first show since the pandemic struck will be Staffordshire County Show on Wednesday 25th August. Several of our team members will be present, so please visit us and say hello! We will have a small number of birds available to purchase (subject to very favourable discounts), in addition to the main exhibition. Should anyone wish to meet with us at the show, please contact our Customer Support team in advance. It promises to be an enjoyable day for all of the family. In summary, it is fantastic news that Upper Brook House Farm will, once again, reopen its doors and supply some of the country’s most eager poultry-keepers, as well as international clients. We hope to release further information relating to the takeover in the coming months, so please ensure that you follow this blog page! Kind Regards, J W Shilton Managing Director, Upper Brook House Farm Tuesday the 1st of September marks half-a-decade of Upper Brook House Farm trading in the industry, supplying clients from around the world with exhibition poultry and waterfowl. It also marks the date of our closure. Over the last five years, Upper Brook House Farm has established itself as one of the United Kingdom’s leading exhibition poultry and waterfowl suppliers, ensuring that we have always focused on the level of support we offer our clients, as well as providing exceptional ducks, geese, guinea fowl and chickens to members of the public. Upper Brook House Farm is also trusted internationally, and has gathered clients in 14 countries over the course of the last five years - including France, Germany, Bulgaria, Thailand and even China. We are incredibly proud to be loved as a business around the world, but the success of UBHF and the Group as a whole would not have been possible without the help of a number of very special individuals. We would like to take this opportunity to thank these individuals publicly. Firstly, we would like to thank Susie Page at Pages’ Poultry, without whom we would never have created a poultry business. We would certainly recommend contacting her if you wish to purchase chickens, coops, or feed and bedding. Secondly, I would like to thank Alison Lovell. Alison introduced us to the Exhibition world, and supplied us with a small number of extremely-high-quality call ducks. This catapulted us into corporate success, and we were able to supply the wider public with exhibition birds. We would also to thank every, single one of our clients, without whom Upper Brook House Farm would never have become the success it is today. Over the last half-a-decade, we have received the opportunity to supply ducks, chickens and geese to hundreds of clients, and my team will sorely miss greeting them, collecting their soon-to-be treasured pets. We would like to thank every individual who has commented on our blog posts, recommended us on social media, or spoken to one of our friendly members of staff over the phone. We would like to thank every individual who has emailed Upper Brook House Farm, or any of its sister companies. We would like to thank YOU. Finally, we would like to thank the breeders continuing Upper Brook House Farm’s legacy, the businesses taking it upon themselves to strive to breed and supply high-quality, premium birds which are accessible to all. We have provided you with some additional information on these breeders, and you can find this information below. 1. Silver Birch Exhibition Waterfowl - Chloe Bibby is our successor in the sector, and breeds a vast number of call duck colours, including Silvers, Abacots, Blue Appleyards, Yellow Bellies and Blacks. She also breeds Black East Indians and Miniature Appleyards. She holds a number of our lines, and her other strains were directly sourced from some of Europe’s most renowned breeders. Her website is www.silverbirchwaterfowl.com - you can purchase birds through her online store. She is based in Ellesmere Port, but can arrange for a courier to deliver birds nationally. 2. Croft Waterfowl - Breeders of Exhibition Silver Appleyard, Cayuga and Rouen Ducks - Samantha Jennings is a breeder of pedigree heavy ducks, and is located in Warwickshire. She holds our Silver Appleyard lines. You can visit her website - www.croftwaterfowl.co.uk. 3. Simon Tarry - Simon Tarry is a breeder of Pekin chickens (lavender, mottled and lemon, among several others), Indian Runners (including fawn-and-white and blues) , Chocolate Muscovies and a variety of call ducks. He holds our Black East Indian and Silver Call Duck bloodlines. I would also like to thank my exceptional team, who have never failed to amaze me with the support they offer our clients, and the birds they are able to provide. On a closing note, I have decided to create a gallery of photographs, compiled from our archives, captured over the past five years. We hope that all of our clients, as well as the visitors to this website, enjoy this. Please stay safe in this difficult time. James Shilton Chief Executive Officer, Upper Brook House Farm 3/9/2020 0 Comments Upper Brook House Farm ClosureTuesday the 1st of September marks half-a-decade of Upper Brook House Farm trading in the industry, supplying clients from all over the world with exhibition poultry and waterfowl. It also marks the date of our closure. Over the last five years, Upper Brook House Farm has established itself as one of the United Kingdom’s leading exhibition poultry and waterfowl suppliers, ensuring that we have always focused on the level of support we offer our clients, as well as providing exceptional ducks, geese, guinea fowl and chickens to members of the public. Upper Brook House Farm is also trusted internationally, and has gathered clients in 14 countries over the course of the last five years - including France, Germany, Bulgaria, Thailand and even China. We are incredibly proud to be loved as a business around the world, but the success of UBHF and the Group as a whole would not have been possible without the help of a number of very special individuals. We would like to take this opportunity to thank these individuals publicly. Firstly, we would like to thank Susie Page at Pages’ Poultry, without whom we would never have created a poultry business. We would certainly recommend contacting her if you wish to purchase chickens, coops, or feed and bedding. Secondly, I would like to thank Alison Lovell. Alison introduced us to the Exhibition world, and supplied us with a small number of extremely-high-quality call ducks. This catapulted us into corporate success, and we were able to supply the wider public with exhibition birds. We would also to thank every, single one of our clients, without whom Upper Brook House Farm would never have become the success it is today. Over the last half-a-decade, we have received the opportunity to supply ducks, chickens and geese to hundreds of clients, and my team will sorely miss greeting them, collecting their soon-to-be treasured pets. We would like to thank every individual who has commented on our blog posts, recommended us on social media, or spoken to one of our friendly members of staff over the phone. We would like to thank every individual who has emailed Upper Brook House Farm, or any of its sister companies, or written us a review. We would like to thank YOU. Finally, we would like to thank the breeders continuing Upper Brook House Farm’s legacy, the businesses taking it upon themselves to strive to breed and supply high-quality, premium birds which are accessible to all. We have provided you with some additional information on these breeders, and you can find this information below. 1. Silver Birch Exhibition Waterfowl - Chloe Bibby is our successor in the sector, and breeds a vast number of call duck colours, including Silvers, Abacots, Blue Appleyards, Yellow Bellies and Blacks. She also breeds Black East Indians and Miniature Appleyards. She holds a number of our lines, and her other strains were directly sourced from some of Europe’s most renowned breeders. Her website is www.silverbirchwaterfowl.com - you can purchase birds through her online store. She is based in Ellesmere Port, although she can arrange for a courier to deliver birds nationally. 2. Croft Waterfowl - Breeders of Exhibition Silver Appleyard, Cayuga and Rouen Ducks - Samantha Jennings is a breeder of pedigree heavy ducks, and is located in Warwickshire. She holds our Silver Appleyard lines. You can visit her website - www.croftwaterfowl.co.uk. 3. Simon Tarry - Simon Tarry is a breeder of Pekin chickens (lavender, mottled and lemon, among other varieties), Indian Runners (including fawn-and-white and blues) , Chocolate Muscovies and a multitude of call ducks. He holds our Black East Indian and Silver Call Duck bloodlines. I would also like to thank my exceptional team, who have never failed to amaze me with the support they offer our clients, and the birds they are able to provide. On a closing note, I have decided to create a gallery of photographs, compiled from our archives, captured over the past five years. We hope that all of our clients, as well as the visitors to this website, enjoy this. Please stay safe in these unusual and difficult times. James Shilton Chief Executive Officer, Upper Brook House Farm Almost one year ago, Upper Brook House Farm announced that it would cease trading and close down all operations in the UK and abroad. After consideration, Management decided to breed for just one more year, until our team had been operating in the exhibition poultry sector for half a decade, and to ensure that we exited the industry on a high note. We are, therefore, continuing to breed birds and, as of the 20th of June, we have received reservations for more birds than in any other breeding year. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, our parent business, the SIAE Group, has decided to suspend all international operations until our date of closure. As a result, we will not be supplying birds to our clients in countries around the world. However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our international clients, who have supported the venture with their loyalty and their trust in the birds my team breeds. Domestically, we are fully operational during this difficult time, in order to support our clients as much as possible, and we are also offering chick crumb, growers pellets and wheat to all clients who collect birds from the Estate, due to the current shortage of poultry feed. For more details on our coronavirus policies, please visit our ‘COVID-19’ page. We are expecting to close on September the 1st, exactly five years after our formation. My team will ensure that all clients, both old and new, are updated with a list of birds that we are available to purchase on a weekly basis. We would also like to take this opportunity to announce that we will be offering the first 10 clients or potential clients who comment on this post (they must include the words ‘YES!’) a 20% discount voucher, to redeem against our ENTIRE RANGE of Exhibition Ducks and Chickens! We have attached a number of photographs of some of our best birds, to celebrate our time in the industry - let us know what you think in the comments! Many thanks for your continued support! Take care, James Shilton CEO, Upper Brook House Farm and QCD Photograph Credits: Photos 1,2 and 3 were captured by Angus McDonald. Photographs 6, 8 and 11 were captured by Chloe Bibby (these photographs were not taken at the Estate). UPDATE- Unfortunately all of the discount vouchers were claimed within 15 minutes. We apologise for any inconvenience caused, and my team will be considering future voucher handouts in the future. Upper Brook House Farm has now partnered with Quackers Call Ducks, a local breeder specialising in Exhibition Call Ducks, so we can now offer an even more extensive range!
FULL BREED LIST for the 2020 SEASON: Ducks: Exhibition Abacot Call Ducks Exhibition Silver Call Ducks Exhibition Appleyard Call Ducks Exhibition Large Appleyards Ornamental Fowl: Mallards Mandarin Ducks Widgeon Geese: Exhibition Embden Chickens: Light Sussex Welsummer Cuckoo Maran Exhibition Barred Wyandotte Exhibition Brown Leghorn Gold Top Other: Pearl Guinea Fowl Royal Purple Guinea Fowl Please contact the Upper Brook House Farm team to purchase or reserve birds. Don’t forget that UBHF and QCD cease trading on the 1st of September (please see the following blog post), so order quickly! Many Thanks! Management 15/8/2019 18 Comments ** Closing Down Sale Auction **We have decided to dissolve Upper Brook House Farm (please see the blog post which will be posted shortly - our clients shall be informed by email before members of the general public) so we are holding an Exhibition Poultry and Waterfowl Auction at the Estate in the Formal Gardens towards the end of the following week.
A great deal of extremely well-known breeders and exhibitors from across England, Wales and Scotland will be attending the event, and we shall also auction birds over the phone, allowing our clients who live further afield (in Ireland and also Europe) to participate in the purchasing. Birds purchased over the phone shall be couriered to the purchasers within 48 hours. We shall be selling 95 birds, in 39 lots. The event is an exclusive opportunity to take possession of some gorgeous, top-quality birds. There will also be an opportunity to meet with other top breeders and potentially purchase some stock. Please email the team at [email protected] as soon as possible to book a place at the auction. Places are strictly limited to 70 people. Children are permitted to enter the Formal Gardens if supervised at all times. Any children who are not found to be supervised and are misbehaving will, sadly, be asked to leave, for the benefit and welfare of our clients, birds, other stock and also the Garden Staff. Only assistant dogs will be allowed on the site during the auction, for the benefit of those listed above. We look forward to seeing you in a few days time!! Management Upper Brook House Farm |
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