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My OH promised me a couple of chooks for Christmas but I haven't chosen yet. I really like Partridge pekins but wonder if they would be all OK with my full size hens. I have 2 Warrens(ex-batts) 1 Welsummer, 1 Black Star and 1 Speckledy. The Welsummer has become a terrible bully and now even bullies the ex-batts that once bullied her.(justice I suppose) Could pekins stand up to the bully? My niece tells me yes, but she has acres of grounds so there's plenty of hiding space for newbies to hide. I only have my back garden. I also wonder if the pekins are much more likely to go broody as I have no wish to ever hatch again.
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My pekin banties live alongside my large fowl od different breeds and get along fine, you would have to introduce them slowly as you would any newcomers.
Pekin bantams are the dearest little things, friendly and cuddly as well as beautiful.
You won't get a lot of eggs from them and they go broody easily but you can put china eggs under them if you don't want chicks.
Two words of warning though! I shouldn't have a cockerel if you have young children, they are as aggresive as any cockerel(though never get their spurs further than your wellies but make you jump!) Also, you will get hooked and when you see the many different and beautiful colours you will want them all!!
Good luck with them! -
Yes Pekins will go broody, I also think they need different management to large fowl.
Their little feathered feet soon get muddy, its best to keep them mud free say on hemcore, or they really suit gravel gardens.
They are lovely little creatures but obviously they only lay in the summer season and not while broody or in the winter.Comment
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Polly, I can't keep a cockerel as the neighbours are too close. Shame as I think a cock might sort the bulling out. I am already hooked on chickens but lack of space means I can't have one of everything! It's the friendliness of the pekins I love so much. On a visit to my niece hers practically leapt into my arms.
Motherhen, my garden is quite muddy at the moment and the big girls have muddy feet. I have to admit I hadn't thought about the leg feathering. Didn't realise they are fine weather layers either although I should, as my Wellie hasn't laid for months. It might be better to rethink and look at large hybrids. Although 2 of my hybrids go broody at the drop of a hat, so not much different to pekins.Comment
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I have a black pekin & she is bullied by the ex batts but is able to get away from them. She is 9 months old & began laying in the winter & I get about 3-4 eggs a week. My garden is also quite muddy but its not a problem. She is very friendly & always runs to greet me.Lets teach kids to cook.
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Two of my Pekin boys are staying with a friends warrens and cream legabars at the moment and they are fine with them. I'm sure the fact they are boys makes them feistier but the girls don't have a go at them. If anything else can tempt you, apart from their cute looks, cheeky character and ease to tame, take a look at pekin mille fleur, red, cuckoo or silver partridge colours, they are gorgeous!Comment
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our bantams live happily with the large fowl no problems at all, just as long as theres space to get away if they need to.
If you like partidge pekins but want large fowl what about partridge cochins!!Comment
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If anything the Cochins are calmer and friendlier than the Pekins and you can get them in bantam size.Originally posted by Bramble-Poultry View PostComment
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I thought that they were essentially the same - ie Cochin is the large version, Pekin the bantam.Originally posted by Polly Fouracre View Post
Goes to check ................yeah, a Pekin is essentially a Cochin bantam. They are called Pekin here in the UK but Cochin bantam in the USA.Comment
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Forget the American sites, the Pekin is a TRUE bantam, i.e it has no large fowl equivalent.
The Cochin is another separate large fowl breed without a bantam equivalent. The american nation, in an effort dumb it down (probably) refer to the pekin as a cochin bantam as they look similar. using that logic we may as well refer to the BMW Mini as a Rolls Royce bantam... they are both shiny cars at the end of the day!
The Pekin Club of GB clearly state that the pekin is not a Cochin bantam, and the Cochin club of GB clearly state that there are no Cochin Bantams.
Its just our good old friends from across the pond confusing mattersComment
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They are, as you say, definitely unconnected breeds, they just resemble each other to the same degree that bantam and large of the same type do (hope that is clear, basically a Light Sussex bantam is {in appearance} as much like a large Light Sussex as a Pekin is like a Cochin.) I can see why Americans like to simplify the situation, but it do confuse!Originally posted by Bramble-Poultry View Post
I love Cochins!Flowers come in too many colours to see the world in black-and-white.Comment
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I stand corrected!Comment
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I love pekins! Everyone should have at least one! They love sharing your tea and crumpet and like tv!Comment
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There's not many places around here selling chickens so will probably go to same place I had last 2 from and see what they have. The last 2 were a Black star and a Speckled. Both have been healthy although very different characters. It's the Welsummer, hatched at home that is the problem. She's much bigger than the others and such a bully, I worry about her picking on a really small hen. She gets on top off the Black star and holds her down. It doesn't bother her too much and she just gives herself a shake and carries on. The Speckled is terrified and runs away squealing like a baby. This has been going on for 8 months so she's not going to change. I wonder if a pekin will be able to take her weight on their back or if they will be able to get away. I will be putting the newbies in a pen on their own at first before mixing and wonder whether to put the Wellie in a pen on her own for a while? Eventually they have to mix as I haven't really got room for umpteen pens and it has to easy for neighbour to look after them if I go away.Comment
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such a shame you can't have a pekin cockerel to keep the peace - ask your neighbours?Comment
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