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[CatsCube]

well I have decided to get a couple of pekins as pets for my boys, and reading that they are good mums I was thinking I might have a go at getting some fertilised eggs for them at some point over the summer to see if they will hatch them. Thought it would be good fun and a good experience for my kids. I wont plan on keeping the off spring (although you never know ) but they do weekly poultry auctions near me, so that would solve the issue of moving them all on.

Just a couple of questions:

 

I would like to not have to kill off any males, and should be able to sell them at auction (or give them away) so I was just wondering at what sort of age do they generally find their voices? I just dont want to wake the neighbours before selling them on!

 

Also if mother hen is going to sit on them and raise them, I know I will need to seperate them from the rest of the flock, but does this mean I need to bother with the heat lamp and everything? or will they be getting enough warmth from mummy? (I know provisions need to be made in case she doesnt get the mothering urges.)

 

And finally where do I keep them, omlet houses have the roosting bars in which the chicks wont be able to walk on, so can I keep them in an elgu, with the roosting bars taken out and something non slip in the poop trays for them to walk around on. And if so, with the idea of having 12 eggs at a 50/60% success rate will the eglu and run be okay for them untill taking them to auction?

 

Think thats all for now!

[Redwing]

If you only get two Pekins you'd need to separate one for brooding so the other will need alternative housing and also may miss the company of her pal, if you plan to let both sit you'll need twice the necessary space and be prepared to keep them apart as they rarely sit and raise young together

 

One broody with six bantam chicks will probably need a space about 2 x 2 at hatching, 3 x 4 at two weeks 6x3 once the chicks are at rehoming size of 6 weeks and 6 x6 once the chicks reach 10 weeks

 

An Eglu with the bars removed is fine for a broody, use something around the bottom of the run as chicks can get wedged or try to escape

 

If you propose to hatch Pekins then they can be sexed early on, usually a few weeks. Boys find their voices usually from about 12 weeks

 

Many auctions will not allow sales of single cockerels as it attracts all the wrong people, single cockerels are usually sold for pence not pounds and face an uncertain future mostly in the unofficial meat trade, the market for bantam males is smaller still and for juvenile bantam males virtually non existant. To stand a better chance you would have to sell as a pair with a female - I think its fair to say though that many males go home to be dealt with by a dad while the female joins the family pet flock.

 

You could try to rehome cockerels privately which with patience and tolerant neighbours is the best option or you could consider culling them

 

Having read about the space you have available if you would like to hatch some chicks I'd recommend buying one single broody (people will sell broodies) or a broody breed letting that one sit, enjoy the chicks then either keep a female chick or buy in a new female to make your long term flock of two or three thats probably the best solution and avoids the problem of a lone separate chook/second broody and the space problem

 

Another option is to borrow a broody, many large flock owners get fed up with them and then retain the chicks, a large fowl broody will cover more bantam eggs which is a bonus as you are more likely to get the females you want (but then more boys to rehome too!)

 

Hatching is a great experience and I am sure your children will enjoy it

[Redwing]

I forgot to say - no you wont need a heat lamp though its worth having a back up plan (anglepoise 60w lamp and a cardboard box) in case the broody rejects or harms the chicks (rare but does happen)

[CatsCube]

Thanks for the advice, I should have said the two pekins will be living with two hybrids, so the non broody one wont be left on its own. I will sort out a second run and house for chicks and mum. I have a few more questions now!

 

All runs are to be on hard standing and I use hemcore as base material, I read about baby chicks having a problem with sawdust as they try to eat it and die, what should I stick in the run base?

 

Also how many pekin eggs can I pop under a pekin hen to hatch at a time?

 

And finally for now, the males, If I cant offload them, how edible are they?

[Redwing]

I guess you'd get a bit of meat off a Pekin, they'd need to be mature though - I dont bother as I cull them before they start crowing

 

The hemcore is fine, if they have a mum then she will show them what to eat so you'll be fine. In a brooder where there is no mum its best not to let them have such bedding at the start or they are likely to eat it

 

A Pekin can usually handle about 6-8 eggs, if you candle them at 7 days you can remove the duds so she is more comfortable

[CatsCube]

if I used a different house/run set up that had nesting areas for 2 chickens could I pop both pekins in there with a clutch of eggs each or would that pose problems?

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Hi CC, as a general rule each broody will need her own house & run to bring up her chicks.........the risk of one hen attacking another one's is not worth the risk imho

 

Good luck,

 

Sha x