Isabel Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 (edited) Okay, so it didn't take long to find out that Fudge is a boy. And it didn't take long for DS to become verrrrry attached to 'him'. Please tell me about the implications of keeping him. I haven't had time to think this through so have a list of dumb questions .... Firstly, what are Pekin boy personalities like? Is he likely to grow up being too fiesty to handle? Can he stay with the girls all year round or will he need to be taken out at certain times? If we run the little girls with the big girls, will he try to mount the big girls? If we do keep him, I'd get two more Pekin girls and a second hen-house (sorry, Tom they are sleeping together at the moment through necessity but no problems - separate during the day!!) If a cockerel is in with the hens, can you continue to eat the eggs - that is, perhaps, the dumbest question of all Pekins are lighter on the garden too, aren't they? So if I had to run two sep flocks, I could keep the little girls on the garden and the big girls could stay down in the orchard. Like I say, I'm typing questions off the top of my head. I've DH and DS trying to talk me round keeping him, my head says take him back but then I look at DSs' crumpled face .... If we do decide to keep him, I'll make sure we go the right way about it but I really do need knowledgable chicken-keepers to give me some guidance please. Thanks Isabel ps. it really is soooo addictive. I'm going to try adding some pics of Fudge & the other girls ..... Fudge - 12w approx?? Blackie - 10w (so we're told!) And the big girls ... Rachel Delia Nigella (behind Delia) And back to my original query, if anyone has any advice, I'd very much appreciate it. Having thought about this, and little else, all day, I've reached the conclusion that to keep Fudge means that the Pekins definitely won't be joining the big girls but maybe I'm wrong about this - I had hoped to integrated them eventually! Thanks again! Edited July 19, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue-DiamondChick07 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 The noise could be an issue? Think I bought one yesterday by mistake its a stunner, but may have to go back, as I live in a built up area fingers crossed its a Hen and I'm wrong. Sorry I haven't been alot of help with your other concerns. Plenty of good knowledgeable folk on here though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 Glad someone else came home with a boy too! Noise not an issue here - we live in the country and, whilst we have a neighbour one field away, he's pretty tolerant. More likely be be amused than anything else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue-DiamondChick07 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Glad someone else came home with a boy too! Noise not an issue here - we live in the country and, whilst we have a neighbour one field away, he's pretty tolerant. More likely be be amused than anything else Lucky you, I'd love to live in the country The more I look at it, the more I think she is a he Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 Something funny has happened to the pics -they were okay earlier! Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandkymberley Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Hi i would keep him, you are obviously attached and have the capacity to keep him, i would go for it! i dont know about the egg question tho, i would ask it too tho maybe type it in google? xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 we had a silkie cockerel (by mistake) who was an absolute delight. he kept all the girls in order (ranging in size from 2 silkie banties up to a couple of sussexes) and he was such a gentleman. HOWEVER, despite his size, he was dead loud and we ended up rehoming him to friends with more space/fewer neighbours. he is now a daddy several times over!!! if you think you/your neighbours can cope, not forgetting that cocks crow from dawn onwards and throughout the day, then I would give it a go. good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midori Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 They are all lovely! I would be tempted to keep him, but them I'd love a cockerel, but our near neighbours mean it's not a good idea at all sadly. I am pretty sure you can eat eggs from hens that are kept with a cockerel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 oh yes, you can definitely eat the eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 Okay, it's looking positive for him then! Now, the big question - with introductions done properly, can we free-range the Pekins and the L/F together within the electric-fenced area? Say, to make things easier, the Pekins have their own house. BTW, when I went to put them to bed, Rachel had jumped the fence and was in with the Pekins - don't know who was more put-out - her or them! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 yes you can eat the eggs He would be perfectly ok with the big girls, quite a few people have bantam cockerels to keep big girls in order as there is less of a risk of aggression or damage to the girls Pekins are feisty, I have had two turn nasty on me this breeding season but then mine arent pets and so dont get handled as much, of you have been handling this one you'll probably be just fine The great thing about bantam cockerels is that they are a little easier to keep under control if they do get a bit feisty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I love all my cockerels - they are darlings with their ladies. They really care for their own flocks so well & round them up & warn of any potential dangers. I think they stop them from wandering too far. They've never escaped to next doors veg patch through having the cockerels. All mine are housed separately with their own set of girls, but some can free range together with no problems. Except for ZFather & son, they just won't get on for some reason. My frizzle pekin cockerel Spongebob, is so naughty with just me - he jumps at my legs. His son Bingo does the same, but not as bad & only does it with me. However, pick Bingo up & he is the soppiest thing ever. I have no issues with me pekin cockerels - they are brilliant little chappies. Oh & Bingo does try to mount my Araucana lady. He looks like he's riding an Ostrich & I doubt anything is done. Their crows, well one is high pitched, the other sounds like he has a string loose at the end of his crow..it's cock a doodle doo...errrrrrrrr. My silkie cockerel is a gentleman - very very good with everyone, including me. He sounds like a trumpet when crowing - he is probably the best cockerel I have for friendliness. Then I have Boon, who is a gentle giant / monster partridge cochin. I would hate to be without him - I'm so very proud of him. He's quite frisky with the girls first thing in the morning. He loves us, but is not keen on our chicken sitters mum. Must be her red hair! Last of all, I have a little disabled pekin cockerel. He is my little sweetie. I'd say go for it. But then I am the one that loves my cockerels & would set up a sanctury for them if I could. Gosh I'd be popular! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 Thanks for replying Tasha & Emma .... all these cockerels sound fabulous DH and i have just been talking and, despite an earlier wobble, think we'll hang onto him. We're just debating whether to invest in an Eglu and keep Fudge & his (proposed) 3 ladies on the lawn near the house which would mean the children would probably have more of an interest in them (cos you can bet the DS's will get bored quickly although I can't keep the two girls away!) or purchase another wooden house and put them down in the orchard with the other girls. They really were terribly upset by Rachel breaking into their quarters tonight ... it took them ages to calm down although when I left the Pekins were snuggled up on the floor of the henhouse with the big girls all roosting on the bars. Hopefully with time theyd settle together. Now, what other colours of Pekin are nice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 People pretty much summed that up. I brought a '8 week' wyandotte as a hen. turns out it was a young boy, and is going to be rehomed hopefully with some ladies! He is called Alice.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 LOL Molly ... a boy named Alice - I love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Suppost to be a girl clearly a boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
