Eglu Cube, auto door, walk in run for sale South West London

[scarlettohara]

Very excited As I only have big girls and bantams will be between 6 and 10 weeks (choosing on Sunday) what should I be getting ready ? I have a small feeder/drinker and chick crumbs and will get growers tomorrow. Can they have a dustbath/small pecka block ? I can either section off my WIR (below) with the classic just for them but then they wouldn't be isolated from the big girls except by mesh, on the other hand they would be safer. Or in the eglu and run on their own but next to WIR and can they free range in a little pen or do they need to be bigger ? Sorry lots of questions

Edited July 11, 2010 by Guest

[Jools]

They need to be as far from the others as possible for the first couple of weeks for quarantine purposes. After that, it's better if they're within sight and sound so everyone can get used to each other. They can't be mixed with the grown ups until they are ready to lay themselves though.

 

What sort of bantams are they? Mine are minatures of LF (Marans, RIR, Sussex) so they get on fine with feeding from peanuts and drinking from gravity drinkers (anything up to about 4l).

 

At that age they need growers not chick crumb. I wouldn't give them a peckablock yet as they need the nutrition from the correct food to help them develop properly.

 

Yes they would love a dust bath.

 

Apart from that, enjoy!!

[scarlettohara]

Thanks - eglu and run it is then, they would get fed up anyway in a small area of WIR until they were big. Also they may have to stay on their own for size reasons although I know jellykelly has mixed her bantams and LF. I think one will be a lavender pekin and possibly another pekin or wyandotte

[docsquid]

I can't post anything helpful, except to say I'll be in the same position in the next few weeks, so I'm watching with interest. My plan is to put them in the WIR with a divider (the WIR is coming on 22nd), and a cat carrier initially. If they don't integrate with my girls, then an Eglu might be on the cards.

[Janty]

We have pekins, mini RIRs (son's choice), a mini Orp, a blue bearded silkie and a mini vorwerk.

The pekins are definitely my favourites though.

[The Dogmother]

See how they get on when you're ready to finally integrate them, and do it in a larger area, or while free ranging if possible. Pekins are feisty enough to stadn up to larger fowl, but be prepared that you might end up with two distinct flocks in the long run; I have known more cases of bantams/large fowl mixes going wrong that on happy endings.

[Space Chick]

I have integrated bantams and large fowl, it takes a little while longer but worth the effort

 

How exciting about getting some new girls I can't wait to see the pictures when you have them

 

I love pekins and silkies (and have been craving a frizzle) the Wyandotte bantams are gorgeous too

 

Exciting times for you, I'm not at all

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Ooo Congratulations, baby pekins are adorable

 

I have five 6 week old Pekins still with their mum in the nursery....they have just gone on to a mix of crumb & growers this week...........either get the same food as they are used to from your supplier, or ask to buy a bag from your breeder to mix with the stuff you can get so their little tums aren't too upset by a sudden change

 

I'd have them in the separate eglu & run, as said before...if you just have 2 or 3 the standard run will be fine for them........mine have half of the Pekin pen fenced off for them for limited FR during the day as their mum is starting to get a bit restless & making it know that she needs more space

 

I have only just in the last 2-3 weeks started to integrate my Pekins with the big girls....after I acquired Blossom, my COF & first Pekin a year ago...mainly due to a mistake when I left the back gate in the Pekin Pen open and an Orpington was found in their closed run when DH had shut the bigger chooks & Pekins back into their runs to let the babies out for a run!! I have a fairly big garden which gives everyone room to move away from each other...they all still have their own runs though & I'll keep it that way...if they want to go for sleepovers that's fine, if FR is the only integration they want to stick with, then I'm happy with that too

 

Regarding the dustbath....I've just watched one of my babies try very hard to empty the dustbath in their run with some very enthusiastic digging ..they love their bathing sessions, though obviously a hole they have dug for themselves in the garden is always best, a tray in the run is a perfectly acceptable alternative

 

The only treats mine have are the occasional dose of mealworms, some crushed mixed corn which they eat from my hand and a few green leaves/broccoli if there are any available, they do like a bowl of crumb mixed with water too....I wouldn't bother with a peckablock, they should be busy enough with their food.

 

Good luck with your choosing........I wonder just how many you come home with ...and pictures are obligatory as you know

 

Sha x

[Cooks]

I have LF girls normally but recently introduced a Cream Legbar and Bantam WyndottexOrp together with no problems at all. I used a slow introduction where they were initially inside with me (as too young for outside) then they went in their own eglu with run, in their own Free range area, so they could come out the classic run and stretch their little legs.

 

Doing it this way meant that for quite a few weeks (due to their age) they were living side beside the big girls (which are 2 LF Orps and 1 LF Black Rock). The younger girls kind of introduced themselves as they were bouncing the netting, seperating them, trying to get over to the bigger girls.

 

My Bantam Wyndotte is roughly the same size as my LF black rock girl, shes just shorter

 

Take things slowly and dont intro them with the big girls until they are at least 18 weeks ish you should be fine, just dont be afraid to backtrack a bit if things look/go wrong etc.

 

Good Luck!

[scarlettohara]

Loads of good advice - thanks for advice re treats as wasn't sure what they could have. I think I am going to be very over-protective. I have already done 2 slow intros with my big girls and will do the same with the babies. They will have their own fr area as I too have a largish garden, my girls are generally well behaved and quite placid and I have never had any injuries with newbies. It would be lovely if they could end up together in the WIR but separate won't be a problem although I might need another WIR

 

Claret - I have found with the other intros fring together first worked really well, easier to intervene if there were any squabbles

 

I am going to get 2 don't tempt me

[Mollie333]

I have 2 Warrens with a Silkie x pekin bantam and a Pekin. Pekin is top of the pecking order.

 

 

 

Molly

[chick wiggle]

Oh how exciting!!

I have intergrated bantams with big girls but very very slowly so it can be done. I have 4 (was 5 ) bantams and they now live together with 11 LF so do try it. My smallest icklest chook is Pickle my black Pekin and she can really look after herself, Pekins may be small but they have a huge attitude and dont take any nonsense from the big girls, she even jumps up to have a go at my Brahmas! and they run!

Cant wait to see the pictures

[Valkyrie]

I love our Pekins (formerly Egg Lou's), such little characters. Ours run with one silkie (also one of the Eggy Babes), two big fat Orpingtons, a Cuckoo Maran and a Buff Sussex.

The silkie and the Maran are at the bottom of the pecking order - I also have to say they are the naughtiest at getting into the veggie patch, while the pekins won't take any nonsense from the big ladies. And they talk to you. You can have quite a good conversation with the pekins. And the way they run like they have their knickers around their ankles! Have fun - you will be watching them for hours - where did the time go?

[scarlettohara]

Sorry it took so long - no internet access - must be people with no new chooks to watch I am totally besotted

 

Got them from a lovely lady - took me ages to choose as so many beautiful bantams to choose from. Finally chose a lavender pekin and gold laced wyandotte (hope I've got that right). My mum said on the way home - you can just get the millefleur/cukoo/black pekins next - there is no hope

 

They are 6 weeks old and called Duck and Chick (my sons named them from Friends and obviously Duck is the Pekin - sorrry )

 

I swear they posed for their pics

 

Duck

Chick

And just to show how tiny they are

 

I have since added a wooden step into the eglu

 

My male cat would like them between 2 slices of bread

[Isabel]

Gorgeous

[Tutti Frutti]

Awwwwwwwww so CUUUUUUUTE! And handbag sized too, that's very kind of you - when can I visit?

[ClaireG]

Awwwwww they're lovely

[karlotta]

Adorable!!! I've got some 7 week pekins at the mo - so cute at that size!

[scarlettohara]

Awwwwwwwww so CUUUUUUUTE! And handbag sized too, that's very kind of you - when can I visit?

 

You can visit anytime but I will have to search you before leaving

[quickcluck]

Lovely, lovely, lovely...... of course you will go back for the others, best do it quickly, so no intro problems. Where did they come from?

[Plum]

Lovely, lovely, lovely...... of course you will go back for the others, best do it quickly, so no intro problems. Where did they come from?

 

We can see what you are up to, not named quickcluck for nothing

 

Those babies are so adorable, I am really jealous.

[Snoxy]

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous

[quickcluck]

lol

[chick wiggle]

OMG! They are gorgeous

[Cooks]

They are totally gorgeous! I love the names