A little update for you all on my girls and boy
Well, we've had the girls 2 weeks today and I am so pleased with how things are going. I've now decided to call the little black one Pippa as I was calling her Pipsqueak anyway and she is really coming on. She is even holding her own now with the other Pekin pullet, Milly, whom I'm sure she thinks is mummy, as for the first week she was trying to get under her a lot of the time. Especially if she was trying to get out of George's way. Poor Milly. I'm sure she didn't know what was happening.
George has settled well and is a lot less precious with them and is happy to toddle off on his own rather than trying to keep everyone together and the girls are more relaxed with him. He's stopped picking on Pippa, well most of the time. He gets a bit stroppy when I put corn down and she gets a bit close to his but other than that he is behaving very well.
Pippa spends the night huddled up to Milly on a night and there are times when they will all be in one nest box together. So sweet
I know I'm supposed to get them to roost on perches and not use the nest boxes for sleeping in but they are soooo cute in them, and I don't mind cleaning them out every other day.
George is eating from my hand now and Dottie is almost there. I need to get Pippa on her own away from George then I'm sure she will soon be doing it. Milly is the shyest as doesn't really like to come close at all and when I pick her up she struggles like mad!! Any suggestions on how to combat this behaviour other than just keep up the routine of doing it. Pippa is very calm when I pick her up and my Georgy Boy, well George is just George. My lovely little boy. He really is soooooo cute and cuddly.
I also love the way the put themselves off to bed at about 7.30pm regularly.
They are totally free range once I have finished doing my dog grooming and the strange dogs are gone out of the way. Usually about 11am during the week. They can then wander to their hearts content all over the back garden which is all grass till bedtime. Unless we are going out of course then they have to go into their run with a lid on. Daren't risk anything getting into the garden and getting them
My dogs, 2 Tibetan Terriers, Tara & Safi mum and daughter, are absolutely brilliant with them and the chicks are much less wary of them. George never was bothered
In fact if the chicks are walking down the path and meet the dogs the dogs get off the path out of their way, and Safi just adores chasing rabbits and squirrels when out walking yet she is so calm with the chicks its unbelievable
I didn't want to just come on here to gain advice so thought I'd give you this little update.
I'd just like to say for anyone thinking of getting Pekin bantams, they are superb. A lovely little breed, and I just love their character and their feathery feet!!
Anne