Neighbour making formal noise complaint.

[Luvachicken]

I have been looking into local breeders of Pekins and have found someone quite local that sells day old chicks.

I have also found another lady that sells Pekins of various ages (she is even more local)

I've only had 6 weeks + Pekins before.

The first lady will definitely take males back so that is not a problem. Last year she sold all of her day old chicks and didn't have any Pekins left to grow on.

The problem I have is, what if I pick say 6 chicks and 5 of them turn out to be male. I will then be left with one chicken that I wouldn't  be able to introduce to my others.

Also, what if they were actually all boys ? That would be so disappointing to have grown to love them and have to take them back.

How many would you have to buy to insure you got girls ?

I love the thought of having teeny chicks but would hate it to all go wrong.

The other lady seems to sell a variety of ages although I haven't contacted her yet. She only has a phone number and I didn't think it was fair to bother her over the weekend.

What would you pick ?

I'm quite excited at the thought of having either.

[mullethunter]

Knowing that the breeder will take back males (although I would check what she does with them first and make sure that whatever it is it’s humane) I would take the risk and get day olds. No number would absolutely guarantee you all girls, but if you had too many you wouldn’t find it difficult to sell them on. If I wanted up to 6, I would probably start with, say, 8 chicks - never say never but you’d be very unlucky to have 7 out of 8 boys.

I know you already will have done, but bear in mind you will need a proper heat source for chicks less than 6 weeks old.

Obviously there is a risk that they might not all make it to healthy adults, but as long as the breeder is doing a good job, you should be OK, and they’ll be so much more friendly hand reared from that age.

 

[Cat tails]

Babies!!!!

The chicken seller (yes the one with allll the breeds) advices 8 chicks as well. I agree with Mullet, that it’s very unlikely to be all boys, equally goes for girls.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks @mullethunter  and @Cat tails😊

I was thinking 8 would be a good number to get too. Maybe even 10 

I have given the lady my phone number and she has put me on the list to phone me when they are ready.

It will be interesting to see what the other lady has to say when I phone her tomorrow.

The chicks are £10 each - does that seem like a good price ?

What are the best heat sources for them ?

I know I'd need chick crumb and coccidiosis stuff and something on the floor so they don't slip but what do I really need ?

14 minutes ago, Cat tails said:

Babies!!!!

A tad excited maybe ? 

[Cat tails]

😂

Special chick friendly feeders and drinkers? 

[Luvachicken]

32 minutes ago, Cat tails said:

😂

Special chick friendly feeders and drinkers? 

Oh yes, I have those already from having my Pekins at 6 weeks.

I will have to fish them out from the shed.

[Lewis]

It looks like you've already decided chicks (bad influences!  ). I think you had 3 last time so don't underestimate the dust and mess from 8-10 chicks, especially as they'll need to be inside on heat for 8 weeks at the moment. I hatch most years and the dust always drives me mad!

£10 sounds quite a lot but just done a quick search and it does seem the going rate so I would hire an incubator and buy some eggs! I'd get an electric hen over a bulb, the Brinsea EcoGlow is great and would recommend.

That said, depending on the colour a breeder can likely sex Pekin chicks from 6 weeks so you could get sexed chicks/growers and not have the expense of a brooder, electric hen and paying £10 for half the chicks and their feed which will be boys.

[mullethunter]

£10 would normally be at least twice what I’d expect to pay but as you’re able to give back any boys I guess that’s why they cost more. I’d be expecting to pay around £20 for sexed pekins at 6 weeks so I guess it’s not a massive amount more than that and you get the advantage of them getting to know you so much younger.

For raising chicks I have the following:-

Brinsea eco glow brooder (about £40)

Jam jar lid with marbles in for their water for the first few days

Chick sized feeder and drinker

Chick crumb (i used medicated)

For them to live in I used a very big cardboard box and made a ‘lid’ out of chicken wire and bamboo canes. I lined the cardboard box with several layers of newspaper, then on top of the newspaper I put kitchen roll for the first week, then used easichick bedding after that. In the big box along with their brooder, feeder and drinker, from about a week onwards they had a brick that they linked to climb on, and a smaller box with a dust bath in.

I had the box in my (admittedly pretty large) shower cubicle in my downstairs bathroom so it’s all easy to wash the dust away when they move outside.

Various gangs in various iterations of the box!

[Luvachicken]

12 hours ago, Lewis said:

It looks like you've already decided chicks (bad influences!  ). I think you had 3 last time so don't underestimate the dust and mess from 8-10 chicks, especially as they'll need to be inside on heat for 8 weeks at the moment. I hatch most years and the dust always drives me mad!

£10 sounds quite a lot but just done a quick search and it does seem the going rate so I would hire an incubator and buy some eggs! I'd get an electric hen over a bulb, the Brinsea EcoGlow is great and would recommend.

That said, depending on the colour a breeder can likely sex Pekin chicks from 6 weeks so you could get sexed chicks/growers and not have the expense of a brooder, electric hen and paying £10 for half the chicks and their feed which will be boys.

You are correct Lewis, I had 3, 6 week old Pekins last time.

The thought of teeny chicks does seem very tempting.

My DS, who is 26 , is a big softy and when I told him that the lady we got Pekins from before only sells 14 week olds now, he was really disappointed when I said they wouldn't cheep.

You should have seen his face when I said I might be able to get teeny chicks instead.

12 hours ago, mullethunter said:

£10 would normally be at least twice what I’d expect to pay but as you’re able to give back any boys I guess that’s why they cost more. I’d be expecting to pay around £20 for sexed pekins at 6 weeks so I guess it’s not a massive amount more than that and you get the advantage of them getting to know you so much younger.

For raising chicks I have the following:-

Brinsea eco glow brooder (about £40)

Jam jar lid with marbles in for their water for the first few days

Chick sized feeder and drinker

Chick crumb (i used medicated)

For them to live in I used a very big cardboard box and made a ‘lid’ out of chicken wire and bamboo canes. I lined the cardboard box with several layers of newspaper, then on top of the newspaper I put kitchen roll for the first week, then used easichick bedding after that. In the big box along with their brooder, feeder and drinker, from about a week onwards they had a brick that they linked to climb on, and a smaller box with a dust bath in.

I had the box in my (admittedly pretty large) shower cubicle in my downstairs bathroom so it’s all easy to wash the dust away when they move outside.

When she is not over run with customers, she said she sells 5 week olds for £20 so you are right Mullethunter. 

I think that may be what I have paid before.

I loved seeing all the pictures you put on.

It makes you realise just how sweet raising them all is 😊

 

One question about the medicated chick feed - does that mean that is all they need food and medicine wise ?

[ellasflock]

Oh my goodness @mullethunter your chicks are gorgeous!!!!!!

I definitely think chicks are the way to go, but I wouldn’t get 10 unless you are prepared to keep 10 girls! I know it is very unlikely that the ones you choose would be all girls, but there is a chance. I know of people who have hatched mainly girls. So what I would suggest is ask what her hatch rate of pullets:Roos is, and judge how many you buy from that, because even her incubating temperature can increase the number of hens : roos. In terms of price, £10 is very good considering you are going to give her back any roosters.
 Good luck, Send in some photos when you get them!!🤣

[Lewis]

Medicated chick crumb is all they need yeah. If you feed unmedicated (I normally do) you might want to have a bottle of Coxoid at hand just in case.

6 would be a good number, not too many and you should get a good few girls  

[Luvachicken]

Erm, there may have been a slight change of plan..... 

I phoned the more local lady today, literally the next town, and surprisingly she had some Pekins aged about 6 weeks ready now.

She also does day olds but said I would have to be put on the waiting list for those.

I just assumed people always did chicks for the spring.

Well, she sent me some photos of what she has ...........

And then we went and bought them 😎

I came back with 5 little cuties.

How can I keep the smell down ? They will need to stay indoors for a while but I don't want to make hubby ill with pets indoors, like I did when I had guinea-pigs for just 24 hours.

They have made the newspaper soggy with their water - I think that is adding to the smell.

A nice new guinea pig cage is coming on Wednesday which has plastic all round the base so no need for the newspaper.

Can I hang up lavender sachets or something ?

Photos to come in a bit 😊

[ellasflock]

Lavender sachets are good, but I also recommend wood chips/saw dust from pets at home, it absorbs water and when they have droppings you can easily remove them. Be careful they don’t eat the lavender though! 🤣

[Luvachicken]

They have aubiose at the moment.

I think it is actually that, that I can smell.

I have some Yankee candles, do you think I could light those ?

[Luvachicken]

Here are 4 of them 😊

There is also a little chocolate one but she likes hiding under the others.

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by Luvachicken

[Luvachicken]

I will try and get better pictures tomorrow

They don't have any names yet but I have 3 smooth feathered Pekins and 2 frizzle Pekins.

They cheep so much and are still cheeping to each other now, when really they should be fast asleep.

[ellasflock]

Wow they are stunning!!! Congratulations, they look beautiful. Yankee candles are a great idea, just obviously don’t put them in the cage 😂. Tell us the names when you have come up with a few! 

[mullethunter]

11 hours ago, Luvachicken said:

One question about the medicated chick feed - does that mean that is all they need food and medicine wise ?

As long as they don’t get poorly, yes.

1 hour ago, Luvachicken said:

They cheep so much and are still cheeping to each other now, when really they should be fast asleep.

😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰😍😍🥰🥰😍😍

[Lewis]

A better solution I think!

Puppy pads are great for chicks as they can be taken out, binned, and the plastic tray sprayed with disinfectant. They don't smell too much, make sure there's enough ventilation in the room

[soapdragon]

Not sure if it's a trick of the light but the girls in the picture all look chocolate...namewise you could go for a theme, Bourneville, Cadbury, Lindor, Galaxy etc (you can tell where my priorities lie, can't you🍫!?) I love the whole naming thing....takes us ages with each hammy (though our banites were easy!) Hope they stopped cheeping and didn't keep you awake - did you get up to check on them in the nigh?

Edited February 2, 2021 by soapdragon

[Luvachicken]

2 hours ago, soapdragon said:

Not sure if it's a trick of the light but the girls in the picture all look chocolate..

Yes, the lady who sold them to me said they were 50 shades of brown 

I wasn't really after the frizzles but once she sent me the photos I was smitten.

I didn't really get to choose them apart from with their photos on my phone.

They were ready in a box on the doorstep.

We have turned the radiator off, they are in my dining room - I really need a utility room - and they don't seem to smell so much today, which is good.

Do you think they need a little perch ? 

Is there anything else chicks like to play with ? I'm thinking they are going to be indoors for quite a while and wouldn't want them to get bored.

[Lewis]

I wouldn't give them a perch until they're outside at 12+ weeks 'cos it can dent their keel as it's still soft. They don't need treats or toys  

[Luvachicken]

1 hour ago, Lewis said:

I wouldn't give them a perch until they're outside at 12+ weeks 'cos it can dent their keel as it's still soft. They don't need treats or toys  

Thanks, I thought that was the case with the perches.

The guinea pig cage has actually arrived today. It comes with a platform to make another layer. Do you think I should leave the platform in or take it away because I don't want them to perch on the edge of it ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07566MK5K/ref=twister_B08PLXMZ43?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 

[Cat tails]

Loooooove them!!! The frizzles look adorable! 😍

Now I want cheepers too!!! 

[Luvachicken]

48 minutes ago, Cat tails said:

 The frizzles look adorable! 😍

DD got in from work yesterday only to say, those ones are a mess, they look like they have been electrocuted 😮

I think they look pretty cool. I've never had frizzles before.

The guinea pig cage is now sorted and that will be their home until they can live outside.

So far it has kept the aubiose in pretty well - just have to see what my floor looks like in the morning