Pekin Bantams?

[sourland]

They may lay daily, but will quickly go broody so overall egg production is general on the low end. They are more for 'pretty' than production.

 

[User395221]

They are more for 'pretty' than production.

Yes, somebody once described the fancy bantams as "silly chooks". I love my silly chooks, but if you want lots of eggs, there are better choices. Also, the bantam eggs are smaller, so you might use 2 where you'd use only 1 of a giant breed's.
Don't be put off though. Everyone needs some silly chooks.

 

[Maddison]

thing is I have to breed what the public wants for this to work, and everyone wants pekin bantams but no one is breeding them enough, the hens alone can go for more than $35 each easily, so I figure I can sell the chicks for $15-$20 and make a good buck. any other breed I try just flops, which is proven since I'm still stuck with my japanese bantam frizzles and naked necks, I cant sell them for more than $10 if anything even though there worth so much more than that. I'm aiming to breed a maximum of 64 chicks in my 64 egg incubator which can be done if I store eggs for 10 days from 6 hens, should I cave and buy more hens to reach my goal? my coop can handle it since they'll be free range at day.

 

[Pjacct]

Mine are the bossiest girls very cute and just so fluffy and cuddly.
The eggs are nice poached or soft boiled as they are more yolk to egg ratio.
But.... they aren’t kept for their egg laying. More their character and entertainment

 

[Pjacct]

H

thing is I have to breed what the public wants for this to work, and everyone wants pekin bantams but no one is breeding them enough, the hens alone can go for more than $35 each easily, so I figure I can sell the chicks for $15-$20 and make a good buck. any other breed I try just flops, which is proven since I'm still stuck with my japanese bantam frizzles and naked necks, I cant sell them for more than $10 if anything even though there worth so much more than that. I'm aiming to breed a maximum of 64 chicks in my 64 egg incubator which can be done if I store eggs for 10 days from 6 hens, should I cave and buy more hens to reach my goal? my coop can handle it since they'll be free range at day.

mmmm can see your dilemma here.... I always tend to think breeding of any animals is a labour of love which is why I can’t go there yet working full time in the corporate world!
From 6 hens you would get a clutch to incubate within say a month and be on your way. I guess the hardest part is you may not have 100% fertility, some may not hatch and then you run the lotto on male/female ratio
Perhaps start with your 6 hens for a hatch and see how all of this goes. You can always keep one or two pullets from a hatch to increase your breeding stock?

 

[Ponyfeather]

I'm glad you asked these questions I want Pekin Bantams and this is a good info thread. As far as breeding a wish you luck, I think from what people are saying you would have seasons of laying I would think a few extra hens wouldn't hurt if your yard can handle it. BUT you could always wait on the buying and keep a few pullets from the first hatch and buy another rooster to keep them with.

 

[PekinFluff]

We have 2 Pekin hens that hatched some of their own chicks. When they were in the routine of laying, one of them would lay on average 5-6 eggs a week. The other was not as reliable with about 4 a week. This was when they were in the middle of their laying season though. Ours only lay through spring to early autumn and at the begginging and near the end of this time, they weren’t laying nearly as many as usual. They also went broody easily and took a while (up to 2 weeks) to start laying again.
Basically it depends when you want to incubate the eggs and the reliability of the hens you have that are laying and are not broody. 6 hens may be enough for 64 eggs but you never know because of all the other variables.
Best of luck though!

 

[PekinFluff]

I forgot to add that we are in Victoria, Australia and ours handle the heat fine with plenty of shade and water.