Beardo Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Do they go broody all the time and can they fly??? no and not well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted March 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 no and not well Sounds good to me then, now to find a breeder :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 These were my two (along with my light Sussex) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshLamb Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 We used to have 2 speckledys, 4 light sussex, 2 black rocks and 25 rhode island reds. I preferred the speckledys out of all of them very tame, and would quite happily be picked up. The rhode islands were also very good. I didnt like the black rocks, very aggressive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted March 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 These were my two (along with my light Sussex) that`s the exact cage/run that i want to buy and was thinking it would be fine for 4 chickens, also that drinker is the type i was looking at building. I`m poultry viewing on Thursday so i`ll see what there is available and i`m hoping she has those pekin bantams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil w Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 used have hens , about 40 at one point . mostly isa browns laying machines until they go to moult . started off with 8 and in no time you end up with 40 odd . good eggs , and lovely roast chicken at about 8 months old plus 180 degree for 90 mins .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storme37 Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) we have as i said 11 they stay on our land there are no plants at all. 3 of them are ex batts great layers. heres a pic the lawns long gone now and the run is now used to divide the garden if i wanted to. Edited March 5, 2012 by storme37 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harpoonlouis Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Glad to see I am not the only to have lost his garden to chickens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedwards1966 Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 I'd strongly suggest considering ex battery hens. They come to you in a very sorry state and you'll find it's quite nice to watch them regain their feathers and enjoy a nice life after what they've been through. They're docile and easy to keep, and as I say it's nice to give them a good home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storme37 Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) my ex batts look amazing now Edited March 5, 2012 by storme37 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodcock11 Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 When my children were younger, we had 6 ex battery layers - Warrens - and I agree it was just great to see them adapt to a natural life and grow feathers, get proper red combs etc. We had six and, what a treat, they first each laid an egg [six in total] on my daughter's eighth birthday. However, one of them subsequently took ill and I was encouraged to take her to the vet - she subsequently got better but the bill was around £50 [this was in i1988] I suspect we could have had our eggs delivered weekly by Harrods or Fortnum & Mason at a far lesser cost..... Nevertheless, the feelgood factor was really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Harry Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Sounds like they took you to the cleaners! I don't think I would bother taking them to the vet. Sounds harsh but they are not really pets that we are attatched to. They are more livestock there to lay eggs. I still have 6 of the original 12 left that I paid £14 each for 3 years ago. The others either died or I knocked them on the head for various reasons. I think they must have laid over 900 eggs each in that time and that pays for their keep. That's about £150 worth of eggs each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storme37 Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 you cant beat chickens great fun lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 here's another shot of the pekins... That moveable run will be fine for 4 - i just move it once a week, so the grass doesn't get killed underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted March 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 here's another shot of the pekins... That moveable run will be fine for 4 - i just move it once a week, so the grass doesn't get killed underneath. purely by sheer luck when i built the garden i built a border just wider than those runs that is raised the height of a railway sleeper so i have chucked down wheat, barley and ryegrass seed densely along the entire border to start growing so that when i put the run on and move it along they will have a good load of stuff to pick around in plus it will bind the mud together. My wife and daughter both like the look of your Pekin Bantams, they look more interesting than regular chickens so we`re going for them due to the not so good flying aspect and also that they are friendly, i`m hoping the breeder i`m seeing Thursday has them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty7247 Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 If you get stuck with your local Supplier, you could always try 'Happy Chicks' I have bought from them, and can highly reccomend them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted March 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 If you get stuck with your local Supplier, you could always try 'Happy Chicks' I have bought from them, and can highly reccomend them. £35 delivery to me apparently :blink: picking up the house on Thursday on the way back from my drugs & alcohol, then hopefully will find this breeder lady has some birds my daughter likes, especially the Pekins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debo Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 have you tried this poultry auction http://lambertandfoster08.evolvin.com/auctions/poultry24thmarch2012.pdf its in maidstone kent on the 24th of march looks like they have a good selection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted March 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Went out yesterday with my daughter picked a cuckoo pekin bantam, a gold lace bantam and a white lace wyndot bantam, got them home and my daughter decided that the Pekin Bantam was a lot cuter and friendlier, sooooo.... yesterday afternoon i phoned the breeder asking can i swap 2 over and this morning i found myself taking 2 back and picked up a gold partridge pekin bantam and a silver partridge pekin bantam and all 3 are taking bread from us and starting to let us stroke them already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I'm sure you'll be happy with the pekins, they're lovely. Upload some pics when you can. How old are they? Bread isn't a great food for them. Chick crumbs if young or a good quality pellet if older with some corn as an afternoon treat are the best bets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted March 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I'm sure you'll be happy with the pekins, they're lovely. Upload some pics when you can. How old are they? Bread isn't a great food for them. Chick crumbs if young or a good quality pellet if older with some corn as an afternoon treat are the best bets. they are 6 months old, they are on layers pellets but i need to see one of my farmers and raid his corn store. they have only had about a quarter of a crust cut off of 1 side of a slice of bread so isn`t going to clog them up but gets them used to my daughter, i`ll go out tomorrow and get some pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren m Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 lads , i,m looking for ideas for a home made chicken run , cant afford a fancy ark etc . so does anyone have a pic of there homemade effort etc, i have 3 raised beds in the garden that are not used so was thinking if it was mobile i could alternate its siteing . thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 they are 6 months old, they are on layers pellets but i need to see one of my farmers and raid his corn store. they have only had about a quarter of a crust cut off of 1 side of a slice of bread so isn`t going to clog them up but gets them used to my daughter, i`ll go out tomorrow and get some pics. For some odd reason chooks love Marmite on toast as a treat plus the yeast is good for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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