Pekin bantam thread!

[FourteenChicks]

soon i will be getting some pekin bantams

Be sure to post some pictures!

 

[loobyloo88]

I have two pekins and they are super friendly! One was broody and has just hatched a welsummer bantam chick and the other one is my daughters best friend!

 

[myguy77]

Hi all. I have just bought home two pekin bantams. Rosie (white) and Peach (buff). They are beautiful and are behaving at the moment. When do the Perkins start laying? Mine are 24 weeks, but have just been put in their new home (coop). Looking forward to the response.

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[myguy77]

 

[Teila]

Howdy myguy77

Beautiful little girls!

My little Pekin laid her first egg the other week at 23.5 weeks of age so once they have settled into their new home, any day soon

 

[myguy77]

Thanks Teila. I'm eagerly awaiting the first egg. How long should you leave them to adjust to the coop before letting them free range in the garden? I was told to leave them for 3 days for them to adjust and find food and water. Is this right? How do you know when they are ready to lay?

 

[Teila]

Hello again myguy77

I knew when Blondie was ready to lay as she started to semi-squat for about a week beforehand and her comb turned a beautiful rich red instead of pink. My Silkie, on the other hand, I had no idea that she was going to lay her first egg; she did not squat and has a dark comb. It came as a total surprise to me and I believe her also

Some people recommend a couple of weeks before you let them free range and some, only days. When I initially started out with my first two Pekin bantams I clipped one of their wings (we have low fences) and let them out for supervised free range after one week.

Now I have an 'established' flock, I do not have to clip wings at all as any newcomers appear to learn the boundaries from their flock mates and the matriarch.

Because of neighbourhood dogs and cats my gals only get to free range under supervision but they get to spend at least an hour in the afternoon and most of the weekend in the garden.

 

[myguy77]

Thanks for that. Very helpful. Looking forward to my first egg.

 

[Teila]

As I mentioned, you probably will not have to wait long. Keep us up to date and of course, pictures of that first egg are mandatory

 

[Teila]

I stalked my girls on the weekend armed with the camera so thought I would share some pictures:

This is Blondie, hatched here and now 6 months old; she is a bit of a Princess/Poser!:



Blondie's hatch-mum, Cilla, 19 months old who is pretty much telling me to get that thing out of her face while she is trying to sleep on the warm paver:



LuLu, Frizzle Pekin, 9 months old: