CURRENT coronavirus restrictions could lead to less appetite for bigger birds to grace Christmas tables in Cumbria this year.

Although there is some suggestion that the 'rule of six' could be lifted for Christmas Day by the Prime Minister, some farmers are preparing for a potentially smaller celebration.

With less than three months to the big day, producers are growing increasingly worried they will struggle to sell the big birds which traditionally bring in the most cash, and have looked at putting their turkeys on a diet or slaughtering earlier.

But one Cumbrian turkey farmer, says it is now too late to grow smaller turkeys. The birds were hatched in the spring and have spent the summer being fattened up for festive customers.

David Knipe of Heartwood Poultry, near Tebay, each year offers customers a choice of bronze or white birds, with weights ranging from 9lb to 25lb. "I wish I had a crystal ball back in June and I could have polished it up and it would have told me what to expect, and I could have acted accordingly. But my poults were ordered back in May and June when we didn't have the rule of more than six people meeting."

High Carlingill Farm sits at 800ft at the foot of the Howgill Fells near Tebay, Cumbria, and has been producing free-range chicken – as well as turkeys and ducks – for around 11 years.

The birds are all slaughtered and dressed on the farm in modern processing facilities.They are then sold through farmers’ markets or direct to repeat customers.

Well experienced in producing poultry for the Christmas trade, the Knipe family’s move to High Carlingill Farm prompted the setting up of a year-round free-range system, alongside the farm’s sheep and suckler cows.

"Christmas is not cancelled. It is not all about the festive meal or giving presents," said Mr Knipe.

The farmer says each year he normally has around 250 birds, with 50/50 bronze and white turkeys, as well as his chickens and ducks. "A 14lb bronze bird would normally feed a family of six with leftovers for a few days. The white birds may see us carving up the bigger ones, if customers want crowns, or some may go for a bigger chicken," said Mr Knipe.

Every Christmas Brits eat around nine million turkeys. They can range from 3kg to 20kg, with a 6kg bird able to feed a gathering of 10 people.

It remains to be seen whether turkeys will be cheaper in supermarkets this year in line with the potentially smaller birds.

The popularity of turkey has slumped from 22 million birds in 2003 to 14 million last year.

The British Poultry Council is now encouraging the public to "take what's available, even if it's a slightly larger bird" to support farmers and make the most of Christmas.