The Poultry Keeper

AngieC · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 71 Location: Dorset

I'm crying quietly into my keyboard here, probably partly because of ½ bottle of wine... my kids want to get into showing, and I have some chicks with a broody just now that would be great to start with - beautiful little Silver Wheaten Pekins. And I'm sure that showing is a great way to give my DKs a "stake" in poultrykeeping, IYKWIM, though it's not something I'm personally bothered about. BUT I have too many birds to keep these chicks - I hatched some chicks late last summer specifically for friends who wanted to start up, but then the wife got cold feet thanks to Avian Flu, so I was stuck with them. They are the prettiest little birds you've ever seen, and great layers, BUT they are crossbreeds, ¾Pekin, ¼Wyandotte. So my question is, are they likely to find a good home if I advertise them FTGH? I don't want them going for catmeat... Or should I sell the Pekins instead and tell the kids we'll stick to showing eggs?

debcat · Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 12:11 am Post subject:

that is a hard one Confused

it gets even worse when the kids get involved
I guess you could try advertising the pekindottes and see what happens, maybe explain to the kids that you will try but if they don't sell then you will have to advertise the pekins Confused

If your as soft as me you'll end up with a new henhouse, and yet another pet sheep Embarassed

AngieC · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 71 Location: Dorset

Debcat, that's the very solution I came up with in the middle of the night! Build, beg, borrow or steal some more accommodation... Thinking about it without the wine, I have rehomed 2/5 already, to another poultry-keeper who a) thinks they're utterly beautiful (those two are black, she's a Goth) and b) appreciates their laying/brooding qualities. So although they might not go to novices as they were originally meant to, if push really does come to shove it wouldn't be impossible to rehome them. In the meantime, this is their home & here they stay!

It would be easier if they had an "Interesting Crosses" category at shows - they're so pretty the kids would be bound to come home with a prize!

Timbo · Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 206 Location: Cranfield, Beds.

If you're this concerned about them AngieC ... then your heart is telling you to keep them! love4

Sounds like you should think about getting a new hen house! Wink

mojo · Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:23 am Post subject:

try posting in the mart there is sure to be someone near you who is looking for such birds

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Lots of people have cross chickens ~ as most of us keep chickens for fun and family not for showing. I don't think you would have any trouble rehoming them and if you can't then I just know you're going to keep them. In fact I think you just might keep them anyway because you appear to love them so much.
I have seen people offering and being taken up for rehoming pekandottes

Fenn · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 2292 Location: Shrewsbury

I'm sure you'll find new homes for them if necessary - if I were only closer to you I'd be beating a path to your door right now Laughing

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Me too, if I could have them now, they would be a pretty choice to have

CP · Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 12:32 pm Post subject:

Sure sounds like you'll be keeping them Angie! Very Happy

AngieC · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 71 Location: Dorset

Thanks, everyone - I think my mind's made up that they stay. Smile

And we go! Shocked

Heard this morning that a big housing development is going to take place in our little town, effectively doubling its size - we have been considering relocating for a while & I think this will tip the balance, as it will change from being a country town near a big conurbation to being a dormitory town at the very least, if not actually part of the conurbation. It's not going to happen overnight, we're probably talking about a time-span of a couple of years (kids in the middle of As & GCSEs) but there WILL be more space for chickens in the foreseeable future...

fenwoman · Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 8:28 pm Post subject:

I never give anything away for nothing not even crossbred hens. If it costs them nothing, they are of no value and the minute the owners get bored they chuck them all in the nearest auction. I personally charge a fiver for pretty crossbred bantams and have no problem at all with finding really nice pet homes for them at that price.

stamina · Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:53 pm Post subject:

Fully agree with you fenwoman.
If you sell them cheap, they treat 'em cheap.
Stamina.

mojo · Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 4:19 pm Post subject:

thats what must have happened to me tricia got me cheap