jeshen Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Thanks to excellent advice from miller30 and sjp, my five pekin chicks (two now 9 weeks and three now 11 weeks) have merged nicely and are free-ranging together and sleeping together in my classic. I was going to delay merging them with the 4 big girls and Mr Darcy (all pekins, who semi-FR in a separate part of the garden, where they can see the chicks) until late October, when I'd hoped to FR them all together in the whole garden. sjp did say she thought it would be better to FR them earlier than this. My tolerant hub's agreed that they can all FR together in the whole garden, if that's the best thing to do. Am just a bit concerned that the 5 chicks are at risk of being 'attacked' by Mr Darcy. Aren't they a bit young? Might it be best to wait until they're 20 weeks before trying to merge? Advice much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Hi you wont know what your boy will be like until you put them together ive just put a broody back with her hubby Custard and she has taken her 4 little 6 week old girls his Daughters with her hes not to bad he will give them a peck now and again but they go off and do there own thing at night he and his other wife go to bed then the broody takes herself and the babies in the same house he will then get up peck each one then go off and settle back with his other girl and mum settles the other end with her babies its not a nasty peck I think he just likes to make sure everyones in before I shut up lol. I have another boy that loves chicks and will sit on them in the nestbox at bedtime I don't think your boy will attack them just make sure he doesn't try and tread them which will be rare if he has enough ladies already I have put my whole lemon pen on growers now due to babies being in there and the girls going into moult Leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeshen Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 Thanks Leanne. I might give it a few more days for the chicks to bond and then will try letting the mob out with them. At least they know all the hiding places now! I guess POL is about 20 weeks for pekins, so presumably it won't matter if Mr D has his wicked way with them after that.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 No one's told my Pekins POL is 20 weeks! They're 23 now and no sign of an egg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeshen Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 All my pekins have stopped laying now and probably won't start until next Feb. They're not prolific layers, although they've been great over the summer this year. I'm not sure the chicks will be likely to lay until early 2015 either. POL was a euphemism for 'old enough to be trodden by Mr Darcy!' Don't want him damaging them....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
