newcountrygirl Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Can anyone tell me what sort of age a pekin cockerel would be when he started to crow or is fully mature. I have a chance of one but she says he has only just started crowing but isnt sure how old he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Well pekin boys can start to crow from 8 weeks I got my Monty when is was 6 months and he seemed pretty much full grown. You can tell by their feathering ie tail, neck and hackle. But he will need to be about that age really to cope with older hens. Can you go see him first?? I feel in love with Monty the first time I clap my eyes on him He was SO handsome!! Also ask about his temperament as not all cockerels are nice natured. My Monty was a sweetie!!Also,I've heard sometimes lavender pekin cockerels can be mean, something to do with the colour? I hope you get a lovely boy, they really do add something to a flock!! Oh and piccies please?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 The lady has sent me some photos. She also has a Poland and a Silkie cockerel to rehome. The trouble is they all look gorgeous. I would love to put some pics on but i have tried numerous times following instructions that Shabbychic sent me but cant seem to make it work. The little pekin looks gorgeous as does the Poland. I already have two Pekin ladies and a Plish frizzle and two Wyandottes (all Banties) but have been lusting after a cockerel for ages and OH finally said yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Ah Lovely!!! What colour is the pekin boy? If you want to breed (I did this year....what an adventure!!!) If you get boys...which you will, I got more boys than girls!! Anyway pure breed boys are easier to re-home. I managed to re-home all my 4...but then wished I'd kept one when I lost Monty. Totally your call!! Keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 He is sort of brown and black and speckled from the photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 He sounds like he could be millefleur, but needs to mature more as he should have a beetle green tail and golden neck feathers and hackle feathers. My Monty was a millefleur he was gorgeous and I still miss him!!!! He also had a lovely disposition If you look up my post about him in chickens ("Off to the vets with Monty", I think) you'll see one of my favourite photos of him What colour are your pekin girls? You may want to go for a boy in one of these colours, then they should breed true to colour. But if you're doing it for you and don't mind mixtures, you might get some interesting non standard colours!! You're bound to get a broody pekin or 2 at some point!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Just had a closer look at the pictures. He has bright rusty coloured feathers on his shoulders. A dark petroly green tail and speckeled breat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 That definitely sounds like a millefleur. I think that colour pekin cockerel is very striking, bit like a rainbow!!!!(Monty certainly was!! ) Can you go and see this little boy and find out a bit more about him?? Oh and Monty's crow wasn't too loud......only trouble he started at 4.30am in the summer!!! Have you ........got neighbours?? Thankfully when I asked mine they were fine about me getting a boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 I am going to go and see him in the next couple of days. No doubt he will be coming home with me if he looks big enough. We live in the country and although we do have some neighbours about they all have chickens and some have cockerels so no-one can say anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Oh how exciting!!!! Hope you like him?!?! If you can and he is with other "girls" watch him and how he is with them. Please keep us posted!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I'd guess around 12 weeks if he has just started crowing but he could be any age. I've had to 'deal with' 3 boys I hatched this year and have 1 pekin boy left... I was hoping the parents wouldn't notice but they have The neighbours apparently said something but there are dogs either side and there's a cockerel somewhere over the back so I don't see why I can't keep a pekin boy! Would save me buying loads of eggs again this summer, which a lot tended to be infertile after going through the post anyway. I'd ideally want a frizzle pekin boy like Quigley who lives with Redwing as frizzle chicks are toooo cute but we'll see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Thanks everyone - well the update is the lady who had advertised the cockerels sent me some more photos and I dont know what it was but something just didnt seem right. They seemed to just be in a mud filled run. She said she had realised she couldnt keep chickens in a built up area and that she was getting rid of them. She had three cockerels plus some Warrens. The thing I found odd was that she didnt know how old they were - as most of us on here can usually say how old our chickens are. It made me wonder if she was just getting them to sell on or something. Anyway - whatever I decided that I would not go to see them. I want to know a bit more about my chickens than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Oh shame about that, but good call, you may have saved yourself some trouble?! You could always hatch??? Bound to get a boy or 2 or 3 or 4 like me!! But atleast you would know what their temperament was like!! Maybe try preloved? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 Thamks mimi5 - that's where I was looking. I noticed she seemed to have quite a few ads. I am going to wait until Spring so they can have much more time outside. Shall probably go for a Pekin though cos they have lovely temperaments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 You'll have no problem finding a pekin cockerel - maybe have a look for a colour you like the look of and that could help you find a local breeder who may be putting together breeding pens at the moment and have extra cockerels available. You can quite often get show quality birds which don't quite make the grade, which are looking for homes too. I really want a frizzle pekin boy for a couple months over Summer to breed with my lot and luckily a really good friend has Quigley the Lav frizzle I hatched and so I may be able to borrow him again, out to stud?! If you post a wanted ad on the Practical Poultry forum you may find breeders local to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 Thanks for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
