Eyren Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Thanks for all the suggestions! Unfortunately it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to get any pekins before this spring's hatch is grown up (someone seems to have beaten me to one lot and the other breeder has a hen with a nasty respiratory infection so I'm steering clear), so I'm in no hurry to choose names! I think I'll draw up a list of ideas so I don't forget, then see which ones suit the girls that I eventually get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Thornes have got pekins that will go on sale tomorrow if you can get to Letchworth. They have lots of black and a few buff, but no partridge left. They vaccinate their pure breeds too, in case that makes a difference to you and I think they are quite good value at £25. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Oooh! We can definitely get to Letchworth I was going to ask if Thornes sold pekins, but forgot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I went there yesterday and got a (very mouthy) silver laced wyandotte, a quiet but bold buff plymouth rock and their last partridge pekin. They were not supposed to be released until tomorrow but Frank took pity on me and broke the rules cos I lost a hen to a tumour earlier in the week. The black pekins are lovely, they have a fantastic petrol green sheen to their plumage. The buff ones are very pretty too, they'll look fantastic when they mature and their headgear goes a bit redder. I'd never considered pure breeds before until Frank told me he vaccinates them all himself and now that my walk in run is finished it was too much to resist. OH came in from the garden this morning and said "So when were you going to tell me you got more chickens?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 I went there yesterday and got a (very mouthy) silver laced wyandotte Tell me about it - such elegant little birds, but they've got mouths on them like fishwives!! a quiet but bold buff plymouth rock and their last partridge pekin. Grrr! The black pekins are lovely, they have a fantastic petrol green sheen to their plumage. The buff ones are very pretty too, they'll look fantastic when they mature and their headgear goes a bit redder. Black and buff are amongst my favourites, after partridge of course - I don't really like all the fancy mottled/splash/millefleur ones. Too fussy for my liking - I want chickens that look like real chickens, not seventeenth-century Dutch paintings I'd never considered pure breeds before until Frank told me he vaccinates them all himself and now that my walk in run is finished it was too much to resist. OH came in from the garden this morning and said "So when were you going to tell me you got more chickens?" I'm going to have to break it to mine this evening, so I can drag him down to Thornes first thing tomorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I went there yesterday and got a (very mouthy) silver laced wyandotte, She laid an egg for me today so is forgiven for being such a foghorn! Our first bantam egg! Obviously, it's the most beautiful egg ever. DD will have it for breakfast tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 a quiet but bold buff plymouth rock and their last partridge pekin. Grrr! You wouldn't like her, she's very dark for a partridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Somehow I can't envisage my teenage son being enthused about naming chickens! My teenage son Jack named our Bantam Welsummer Jeremy She is my best layer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 8, 2008 Author Share Posted March 8, 2008 You wouldn't like her, she's very dark for a partridge. Oh, I like them dark! (Decides to stop before she recites the entirety of the "Goodness Gracious Me" bride shop sketch - for anyone who hasn't seen/heard it, basically a rewrite of Monty Python's cheese shop sketch, but with mail order brides ) I'll just have to curb my impatience, I guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jman2007 Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I have only just got my 2 new black rocks and Eglu this week and am still trying to work out some names!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 8, 2008 Author Share Posted March 8, 2008 (edited) Well, I have them now, and I've decided to name them after Terry Pratchett's witches - their leg feathers remind me of Granny Weatherwax's layers and layers of bloomers and petticoats! Her namesake, Esme, is a plump black pekin with that lovely "beetle" green sheen to her plumage, and Gytha (Nanny Ogg) is a golden, almost buff-coloured lemon cuckoo pekin. They're currently in the dog cage in a sheltered corner of the patio, with a peanut full of pellets and some water (with a little AviPro for good measure), and my spare Omlet shade over the top to try and shelter them from the wind. I've seen them eat and drink, and they seem to be quite happy However... Pepper's nose (should that be beak?) is definitely out of joint - she's been squawking and pacing around the cage, and even had a peck at Esme through the bars - and when I was trying to hang up some pak choi leaves in the eglu run, she pecked my hand so hard it's left a mark! I'm now feeling rather reluctant to put the new girls in the eglu tonight - I'm wondering if I should put Pepper in the cage instead tonight and see how the pekins get on with the other two - maybe she will bully them less if they pick up the flock scent from Angelica and Nutmeg? Edited March 8, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 You could disguise the flock scent of them all , with tea tree spray, vinegar apparently or some hideous perfume that you have lurking somewhere. The latter worked well with some guinea pigs that I once had to urgently relieve a friend of. Super mnames btw...clever theme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 8, 2008 Author Share Posted March 8, 2008 Good idea! I don't have any hideous perfume, thankfully, but I could easily make up a spray with some essential oil - tea tree and rosemary, perhaps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Oooh, I'm so excited and they're not even mine. I'm a big sissy so kept my new big girls apart from but within sight of the oldsters for 10 days before chucking them in together. If you're going to put them in the eglu together, do you leave the door open so that the new ones can escape into the run at first light? Love the names, looking forward to seeing photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 8, 2008 Author Share Posted March 8, 2008 Photos will hopefully happen tomorrow. Today I was too busy keeping an eye on them whilst they pottered around the garden - Pepper has been making her status as top chicken abundantly clear, even jumping on poor Esme like she's a cockerel DH is already smitten with Gytha - she got into the salad garden through a tiny gap in the fence, and when he chased after her she was so much easier to catch and pick up than the other bantams, and she makes an endearing little honking noise rather than a cluck In fact, neither of them mind being handled once you have a secure hold of them, which is very P.S. Thanks a million for the tip-off - I wasn't looking forward to waiting four whole months for the new season's batch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I'm pleased you are happy with your new girls. I'm glad you didn't have to wait and I hope they settle in ok. I love going to Thorne's. I think their birds are wonderful and the guys there are a mine of knowledge. They obviously really care about their stock. Who served you, was it Frank, Karl or Rob? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 8, 2008 Author Share Posted March 8, 2008 Frank - we had a nice chat about chicken diseases He served a couple before us who were so ignorant, they were feeding their poor chooks on nothing but mixed corn I think he was glad to talk to someone who could discuss serious stuff like Marek's and mycoplasma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I wanted those Wyandottes! They are gorgeous! Still, I have the slight problem of enough hens, no more room and no intention of increasing their accommodation! Congrats on your new hens, mine are from Thornes and I've always been really impressed with their service, I wonder if SuperJules, Lisa, Boris, moonie and I should be on commission for the free advertising we give them on here!! Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 As long as Thorne's stay in business that's enough for me. I dread to think what I'd do if they weren't there for advice, food and supplements and (gulp!) more. The amount of time I've spent talking to them about my chooks, gaining from their knowledge, it just can't be worth their while, surely?! If I'd taken Marigold to the vet I'd have had a hefty bill and the same outcome eventually so I'm very pleased to be able to recommend them. I love Frank, he's ace, obviously very set in his ways and has strong opinions (very anti-ex-batt at the mo - we'll work on him ) BUT he thinks my 4YO DD is one of his best, most intelligent and chicken-wise customers (and he's gradually coming round to the eglu but don't tell him I told you!!) You wouldn't have wanted a Wyandotte as soon as you got one home, they're VERY LOUD - much more volume than any of my big girls!! There's a cockerel in the garedens that back onto mine and I think she gives him a run for his money. I was mortified when I got her home, instantly regretting my decision to get her and and I very nearly put her straight back in the box to take her back. She laid an egg later that day and won her redemption but I wonder what will happen when I let them all run together maybe in a month or so?! I've a feeling the teeny wyandote will be top chick overall, regardless of size. Frank whispered as much to her as he put her in the box when I was collecting her - he knew she was a bossy so-and-so, I thought "Yeah, right!" at the time, but he knows his chickens. Thorne's = won't hear a word said against them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hpops Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 where are you all getting these Pekins from - I'm desperate for some but can't find any!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Thorne's at Letchworth (Herts/beds border). Where are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share Posted March 9, 2008 After we had chosen our two, they had a couple of lemon cuckoo left and three or four black - most of their remaining stock seems to be silkies (not my bag at all). That's the trouble with pure breeds - no chicks between about October and February, so once the autumn hatch has gone, you have to wait until summer for the next batch of pullets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woffle Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 All the naming of our chucks has been delegated to my 3 year old girl - with predictable results: our original 3 were/are - Gingernut Ranger - Mabel Ms Pepperpot - Tallulah (Lula, now sadly deceased ) Ms Pepperpot - Pippin And our new additions (yesterday) - Light Sussex Bantam - Cinderella (Cindy) Light Sussex Bantam - Tinkerbell (Bella) (Oh - the nice lady, Michelle, who sold us the Bantams had a huge selection of chucks of every shape and size - she's in Kent and may be able to help if anyone's after anything specific - all vaccinated etc. Drop me a PM and I'll forward on her details) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hpops Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 superjules - I'm in billericay essex - but don't mind traveling - I really am desperate!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 If you're that far away it's probably best to call them before you leave!! I'll PM you their number. They are open on Sundays if you've nothing better to do today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
