Eggs offer

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I have just been offered some Pekin eggs by another member on a tortoise forum I belong to, just wondering if I am able to get a couple of slightly older Pekins, would they accept the chicks when they hatch? or should I just stick to the eggs and chicks when they arrive?
Laine
 
The pekins should.accept chicks as long as they have been broody long enough,if you only want a few why not incubate under her too? Have you kept poultry before---I would be cocerned about anyone raisng chicks without some
Prior experience? Ros
 
Do you mean - could you mix slightly older chicks with the day old chicks when they hatch?

If so, you shouldn't really mix the age groups although if I have one or two that are a week or so apart, I will sometimes mix them. The older ones will trample the little ones because even a week apart there will be a diference in size and they can easily become bullies.
 
I'm reading this as would the Pekins accept chicks to rear when they hatch? If this is what you meant then no, not a chance. They would probably kill them. If your girls are not broody (I read elswhere you were going to get POL) its no point trying anything like that. Even if they are and they are sat on eggs and you then pop newly hatched chicks under them it is not a definate they will accept them. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Every time I tried it it didn't work and I reared the chicks under a heat lamp and so on.

I'd recommened keeping your POL and starting with those and then once you have gained a bit more experience and one of your girls goes well and truly broody, then letting her sit on eggs to hatch out.
 
podstable said:
The pekins should.accept chicks as long as they have been broody long enough,if you only want a few why not incubate under her too? Have you kept poultry before---I would be cocerned about anyone raisng chicks without some
Prior experience? Ros
Click to expand...

Not raised chicks but over the years have raised and bred other small animals while my daughters were young, and now care for little shelled friends (tortoises), including some delicate species.

thats a good suggestion about letting the Pekin adult do the incubating. I have some time before any eggs would be ready, their hens have not resumed laying yet.

I know my stuff on other species but still sketchy on chickens, which is why I may ask lots of seemingly daft or obvious questions before I take the plunge, I need to get it right so no creature is put at risk. Its one thing reading a book or articles on the Internet (people just cant learn everything they need to know from a book or article) and quite another asking other experienced keepers for their advice. Which is why I joined a suitable forum, to learn and to ask for help and advice.

Just wondering why are so many eggs for sale on Ebay that could to go to inexperienced homes?
Laine
 
Hi Laine, no questions are stupid :) everyone has to learn and no one knows everything ( some think they do- that's where the problems start!) If you are seriuos about having some hens then i suggest you read all you can- use the internet, ask as many questions as possible, buy a good book. then decide what you want to keep, how many, whether to hatch your own to start or buy them as youngsters, POl or adults- once you decide- find out all you can about your particular breed requirements- ie rearing, fedding, housing, how much space, possible ailments, etc As long as you know what they require it should be very rewarding and fun :) If you hatch your own they will need heat for at least 6 weeks- either a brooder or heat lamp and a dry and draught proof house. Pekins are a good starter bird- small, freindly and laid back, not flighty like some breeds. If young enough they can become very tame.
Hope this helps you a little :) Any questions just ask, regards, David
 
Thank you so much for your reply David. My lovely man wants to build a home for the chickens rather than buy one, so have been trawling the internet for ideas and plans, found this one that we both like, the website we found it on includes some instructions and some great photos of the different stages of building.
Laine

chickpad2.jpg
 
Hi, that house looks great! They will do well in there :) If you get pekins i would make the ramp up to the house as long as possible( not too steep) they are not the most mobile of chickens :lol: also, you will need low perches for pekins- they cant fly too well. apart from that it looks wonderful- good luck and enjoy your birds when you get them :) regards, David :)
 
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