10th August 2011

DO your hens lay fantastic eggs? The Dorset County show has four egg classes for people to show off their prize-winning poultry produce. Enter now for the classes on Saturday 3 September.

Thousands of people across the county now keep chickens. nearly three quarters of a million people in the UK own a chicken coop, a rise of 80 per cent in three years. Scores of people across Dorset have started keeping chickens as pets. The Show’s egg classes are becoming increasingly popular with new chicken owners.

Members of the public are invited to enter the Dorset County Show’s egg classes, held in the Farm Produce Tent. The four classes are as follows:

· four new-laid hen’s eggs (brown)

· four new-laid hen’s eggs (any other colour)

· four duck or goose eggs

· Contents of one hen’s egg, to be exhibited on a white saucer (provided) and broken by the judge

The judge, mrs Wendy Britton from just outside of Dorchester, is looking forward to judging the classes as they have become so popular.

She said: ‘Eggs from a free range chicken on a good varied diet will have a very good shell quality. A hen will produce her best eggs in her 1st or 2nd season. we look for four matching eggs, with similar size and colour.

‘when I look at the contents of one hen’s egg, I am really for a fresh egg. The fresher the egg, the more prominently the yolk will stand above the white. There should be no blemishes or spots on the yolk, and if you look really carefully, you should be able to see two layers of white.

‘it is the luck of the draw, when you enter your eggs into the final class, as you don’t know what is going to be inside. however, chicken owners will know which of their chickens lays the best, so they will have a good instinct for which egg they should pick to win!

 ‘I have been judging for five years at the show and have only mis-cracked a few eggs, but the pressure is there on show day.’

The winner of the first prize receives £4, the second prize is £3 and the third prize is £2. Judging begins at 9am on Saturday, 3 September. The closing date for entries is Wednesday 10 August. People can enter online (dorsetshowdownloads.co.uk/Homecraft/index.html) or pick up an entry form from the show Office.

In keeping with the poultry theme, special show ambassadors dressed up as chickens will be handing out leaflets and selling tickets throughout August – keep your eyes peeled for them on Dorset beaches and towns!

The poultry theme will also be celebrated with egg and chicken competitions on the Show’s Facebook Page (facebook.com/dorsetcountyshow) along with top tips, such as how to boil the perfect egg.

PICTURE: show secretary mrs Sam MacKenzie-Green

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