'Fowl fanatic' to display award-winning hen
Born on July 1, 2014, 'Marmalade' - the hen that made the Guinness Book of Records for laying a total of 181 chickens in just over four years, will make an appearance at the Tullamore Show on Sunday.
Unfortunately, Marmalade passed away in February of this year, but loved so much by her owners John Dolan and his family in Banagher, that they have managed to keep her memory alive through the art of taxidermy!
Speaking to the Offaly Independent ahead of the Tullamore Show, where Marmalade as well as some of her children and granddaughters will be on display - all of which share the same "laying gene", John recalls the chicken who had three world titles to her name.
"She made all the top news items and appeared on Big Week on The Farm as well as Countrywide," explains John. "She was a champion, and a kind and loving animal.”
"Marmalade's line goes back to the late 1970s, there was a serious bloodline in that gene.
"My mother brought the Wild Baton hen to Banagher, mixed with Red Jungle Fowl. She brought them here and mixed that breed with the one we already had on the farm and they did nothing else only hatch 12 months of the year.
"Normally," John says, "Hens would have one clutch in 12 months, 85% of hens don't hatch at all.
"The Baton Hen has three clutches in 12 months - that's a record! But Marmalade had five clutches in 12 months," explains John who adds that he used to feed Marmalade with Flahavans Porridge and meal.
"All her daughters are great - Little Chip had 20 chickens in May this year, and then a further 21 at the end of July," adds John who keeps around 20 hand-picked hatching hens on his farm in Banagher.
"My interest in chickens goes back to when I was two or three years of age, I used to feed them, and I always dreamed of breeding a world champion laying hen," he says.
"In England and America this game is very competitive, they are fowl fanatics, so Marmalade put Gortagowan, Offaly, Ireland on the map," says John, who likens Marmalade's achievements to that of Shane Lowry winning the Open Championship in Portrush!
John who farms with his brother Vincent, have sheep and suckler cows, but "the fowl is my hobby," says John.