KEEPING chickens is a flight of fancy for many, but for one Abergavenny couple, investing in poultry proved to be a proper little nest egg.

Five years ago husband and wife team, Andrew and Tracey O’Leary took the leap into the great unknown and purchased a rare breed chicken.

It was a ‘clucking’ good idea because that one chicken has now been joined by 99 others and the O’Learys now have a reputation as one of the top breeders of rare breed chickens in the UK.

As last week’s Royal Welsh Show for example, where the competition is fierce and you can’t get away with just winging it, the O’Learys’ birds scooped an array of top prizes.

And we’re talking big time here. How does two Firsts, five Seconds and one Third sound? I think you’ll agree, it sound eggcellent! And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The O’Learys and their feathered friends have been strutting across the length and breadth of the UK winning show after show.

The cherry on the cake however came two years ago when one of the O’Leary’s chickens was crowned Royal Welsh Supreme Champion. Now that’s a proud boast to feather anyone’s nest.

Tracey told the Chronicle, “My husband always wanted to keep chickens so five years ago he got one and it sort of snowballed from there. Now we’ve got 100!

“We have many breeds of chickens which include Indian Game, Faverolles, Naked Necks, Modern Game, Fresians, Russian Orloffs, but we mainly show Australorps and Gold Sebrights.”

Tracey added, “Wynne was the chicken who came first in his class. He was following in his mother’s footsteps who won Supreme champion in 2016. Our Gold Sebright called Eleri came second in her class.

“We don’t name all our chickens, but the ones that are named are named after Radio Wales presenters because when we pen train them that’s what we listen to.”