Pekin bantam thread!

[myguy77]

Wow. They are beautiful. Will definitely share the first egg photo. Glad to see some other pekin lovers out there.

 

[myguy77]

Hi all. Just wondering whether I will scare my 24 week pekin bantams by bringing them out into the backyard and having the kids their too? They have only just been home for 3 days and they haven't started laying yet. Will I scare them off laying? Look forward to your advice.

 

[Zimbabwefarmer]

Thank you for highlighting this adorable breed - I have a black rooster with white hens which has thrown out some lovely speckled and bluish birds - will snap some shots for you all when I have a mo... Does anyone know what is the, or if there is any, relationship between the Pekin and Cochin breeds (besides the obvious similarities in appearance), though the latter seem much bigger...

 

[Teila]

Hi all. Just wondering whether I will scare my 24 week pekin bantams by bringing them out into the backyard and having the kids their too? They have only just been home for 3 days and they haven't started laying yet. Will I scare them off laying? Look forward to your advice.

G'Day myguy77

To be totally honest, I do not really know and can only go on my experience, which does not include children. In my opinion, if they are happy and comfortable in their new home and are able to return to it if they feel threatened or scared, then I think they should be fine. My gals hate the lawnmower and hide in the coop but it does not upset their laying. I guess it depends on if the children are going to chase them or scare them.

There are a few favourite places in the garden that the girls seek sanctuary if spooked and I think your gals will also find some spots. Having said that, I would wonder if 3 days is long enough for your gals to feel safe. If spooked they may try and jump fences or run somewhere which is not a good place to hide.

If it was me, I would probably leave it just a bit longer until they have their 'safety' spots picked out

Thank you for highlighting this adorable breed - I have a black rooster with white hens which has thrown out some lovely speckled and bluish birds - will snap some shots for you all when I have a mo... Does anyone know what is the, or if there is any, relationship between the Pekin and Cochin breeds (besides the obvious similarities in appearance), though the latter seem much bigger...

Looking forward to the snap shots

Again, no expert here, just someone who loves her Pekin Cochins. In my reading of many posts/threads I believe it depends on where you hail from as to what the breed is called. There are experts out there who can correct me if I am wrong but I think 'Pekin Cochin', 'Bantam Cochin' and 'Pekin Bantam Cochin' are one and the same; as I said, depends where in the world you are.

I think all of the above are basically small Cochins, same as Bantam Leghorns, Bantam Langshans etc.

I am happy to be corrected and also interested to know if it is just dependent on locale.

 

[Zimbabwefarmer]

Sorry guys, some pretty aweful pictures here - but you get the idea - small fluffy round chickens!
My wife promises to take some better ones with a camera soon..
okay so I lied about the speckled (there aren't any)(that survived) You can see the blue one... following her dad with sister by the wall (middle pic) ...and her mama sitting on some more eggs (top right).. yay...

y

 

[Teila]

Sorry guys, some pretty aweful pictures here - but you get the idea - small fluffy round chickens!
My wife promises to take some better ones with a camera soon..
okay so I lied about the speckled (there aren't any)(that survived) You can see the blue one... following her dad with sister by the wall (middle pic) ...and her mama sitting on some more eggs (top right).. yay...

y

Aaaw, they are beautiful! I could look at pictures of 'small fluffy round chickens' all day! I have nicknamed my matriarch 'feathered beach ball'

 

[Zimbabwefarmer]

Thank you Teila!
Herewith below some info copied from poultrykeeper.com regarding our beloved Pekins and their origins and relation to the larger Cochins (I now understand that a Pekin and a Cochin Bantam (not a full size Cochin) are very similar...

Cochin chickens were originally imported into the UK from Cochin-China, a French Colony that is present day Vietnam around 1843. They are in fact unrelated to the birds we know as Cochins today and all they left was their name. They were large birds with feathered feet. In 1847, some large feather legged birds were imported from Shanghai. Poultry keepers were used to calling these large feathered legged birds from Asia Cochins or China-Cochins and this was how they became named, even though they were technically unrelated to the original Cochins that were imported.
The 'new' imported Cochins were very similar to what we have today but there was less foot feathering and their colours were not stable but on arriving in the UK, the Buff Cochin was soon stabilised, shortly followed by Partridge.
The Cochin Bantam came from a different place (Peking) in China and was really quite different to their larger counterparts. In the UK was renamed to the Pekin Bantam after much debate over many years. Around the rest of the World, Cochin Bantams are very similar in appearance to the British 'Pekin Bantams.

 

[Teila]

Thank you Teila!
Herewith below some info copied from poultrykeeper.com regarding our beloved Pekins and their origins and relation to the larger Cochins (I now understand that a Pekin and a Cochin Bantam (not a full size Cochin) are very similar...

Cochin chickens were originally imported into the UK from Cochin-China, a French Colony that is present day Vietnam around 1843. They are in fact unrelated to the birds we know as Cochins today and all they left was their name. They were large birds with feathered feet. In 1847, some large feather legged birds were imported from Shanghai. Poultry keepers were used to calling these large feathered legged birds from Asia Cochins or China-Cochins and this was how they became named, even though they were technically unrelated to the original Cochins that were imported.
The 'new' imported Cochins were very similar to what we have today but there was less foot feathering and their colours were not stable but on arriving in the UK, the Buff Cochin was soon stabilised, shortly followed by Partridge.
The Cochin Bantam came from a different place (Peking) in China and was really quite different to their larger counterparts. In the UK was renamed to the Pekin Bantam after much debate over many years. Around the rest of the World, Cochin Bantams are very similar in appearance to the British 'Pekin Bantams.

Thank you

Still a tad confused .. think I will stick with 'feathered beach ball'

Seriously now, so, if I read that right, our Pekin Bantams are, in fact, not mini-Cochins, just similar meaning: Cochin = LF; Bantam Cochin = just that and Pekin Bantam = something else again but similar to a Bantam Cochin?

 

[myguy77]

Hi all. Just a quick one. My Rosie is still being pecked by Peach. They have been in their new home for a week now. Still no eggs. They are still deciding to sit in their nesting boxes to sleep. What can I do to change this habit? Will the pecking stop soon. Another question, how often do you handle/ pickup your hens? Just don't want to scare them. Thanks again.

 

[Teila]

Hi all. Just a quick one. My Rosie is still being pecked by Peach. They have been in their new home for a week now. Still no eggs. They are still deciding to sit in their nesting boxes to sleep. What can I do to change this habit? Will the pecking stop soon. Another question, how often do you handle/ pickup your hens? Just don't want to scare them. Thanks again.

G'Day myguy77

Peach is probably going to be the boss on the pecking order. Cilla, my flock matriarch, pecks everyone and down the order there is pecking depending on where they are in that order. As long as Peach is not being hurt, it should be OK; just getting established. Cilla still pecks everyone at bed time so she can make sure they are all tucked up before she goes to bed ... basically, if she is tired, everyone else has to be in bed also

I am guessing you have a roost for Rosie & Peach that they can easily get to? It is preferable that the roost is higher than the nest box as they will normally perch on the highest roost they can get to. Each evening, as they are getting ready for bed, pop them on the roost; if they hop down, pop them back up again. Eventually they will not hop down because it is too dark and once it is dark, they do not move. If you do that for a week or so, they should get the idea

Personally, I do not pick my gals up unless I have to. They will jump on my lap or sit on my feet but I do not force it by picking them up; even though I can. It depends on their chickenality, some like to be patted and cuddled, some do not. They will get used to being picked up but I would not chase them to do that. If you try the above with the roost, they will definitely get used to being picked up. It is basically a trust thing. Once you have earned their trust by spending time with them and not scaring them, they will be comfortable with you ... treats is always a good bribe

Give them time, they will learn to love and trust you, especially if you feed them

With the eggs, it may take them a little while to settle. A good sign that they are going to lay soon is a nice red comb. Also, if you are free ranging them, if you walk up behind them, they may squat as they would for a rooster, another good sign that an egg is not far away.