Ben's Rheas


Adult Rhea
Ben’s Eggs is a free range enterprise run by Ben Pimlott, from Loggerheads. It is a continuation of Ben’s interest in poultry and ducks. Starting off with six bantams when he was seven years old, and moving on to rare breed hens and then ducks. He even dug out two ponds in the back garden at the farm for his Mandarin and Carolina ducks. There was always something hatching out as his hobby took over.

His first batch of Black Rock hens arrived at the family farm in September 1997, and sales of his eggs went so well that he invested in more hens and started to look for an outlet for his extra eggs. Following due inspection and measuring of the hen house, perches and nest boxes the Ministry of Agriculture Inspector gave him a Packing Station number and told him that he could trade as Ben’s Eggs, selling Free Range Eggs.

His first outlet was Sherwoods Wholefoods Shop in Market Drayton and over the past five years he has Increased his flock to 400 birds and as well as his original outlet Sherwoods, he now supplies Plant and Wilton in Newcastle, Baldwins Gate Stores, Blackbrook Farm Shop and Hungersheath Fruit farm. Not to mention many satisfied members of the public to whom he sells direct.
Ben’s Eggs have proven very popular with his customers who all say the eggs are like they were when they were children; Golden yolks and a great taste. This is because the hens are housed in traditional hen houses and are free to roam the field as they please. A combination of natural feeding, freedom and fresh air give the eggs a rich and delicious taste.
! week old and 8 week old Rheas

A Rheas Eggs

A Rhea Egg ready for decorating
  • Rhea Facts
    Some general information about the Rhea:-
  • Rheas are native to South America from the Pampas of Argentina.
  • They are members of the ratite family of flightless birds, which include Ostriches from Africa, Emus and Cassowaries from Australia and Kiwis from New Zealand.
  • May live up to 20 years.
  • Are between 4’6” & 6’.
  • Weigh from 25-35 Kgs.
  • Are very inquisitive.
  • Mature at 2 years.
  • Lay 30—40 deep yellow eggs in the spring.
  • Incubate for 38 days.
  • Chicks are about 7”.
  • Chicks are striped.
  • Male incubates the eggs and rears chicks in the wild.
  • Are very hardy in all weather conditions.
  • Will not go in to a shelter when mature.
  • Produce; meat, eggs & feathers.

 

Ben’s Rheas (A Personal Note)

I purchased my first rheas in September 1999 from Jeremy Harris of Newport, Shropshire. He delivered my two pairs of rheas to their new paddock in a field off the Mucklestone Road. They were four grey rheas and soon settled into their new surroundings. They were fed on a special ostrich feed but will eat clover, alfalfa, flaked maize, turkey feed and waste cabbages. They also eat grass in a browsing way.
The rheas were 18 months old and I was lucky because they started laying at the end of March 2000. I did not have an incubator at that time so for the first year I sold the eggs to a local craft centre for decorating.
In their second season they laid their first egg at the end of April, it had been such a horribly wet and cold spring. I was able to set some eggs, having purchased an incubator over the winter. Six chicks hatched out, five grey and one white, a bonus. They all did well and have found a home in Camarthan, all together on a Welsh hill farm. I had 72 eggs last year.
This 2002 season started well, the first egg came on 28th March and have had one hatch so far, five hatched out, one has died but the remaining four are doing well and are two grey and two white. The adults are still laying well and so far have laid 80 eggs.