AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Hi!
I have a bunch of peafowl questions...
I rescued 2 baby peachicks that were thrown in my neighbors yard recently. They couldn't have been more than a couple weeks old. There were actually 3 but I didn't get to them until the second day and by then one was gone. I have them in the kitchen on turkey starter. I handle them a lot and they seem to like it. They will burrow in my hair or under my arm and go to sleep. They are charming little birds!
I have chickens and guineas. The guineas I raised from eggs. Do I basically treat them like the baby guineas? Inside for 6 weeks, then outside in the chicken house for a while...separated but where they can see the other birds and then outside during the day? I bell trained the guineas with millet so I can ring the bell and they follow me and I can lock them up at night. I have a nice size bird house and a 12 x 30 foot outdoor pen with a wire roof, predator proof. Can I do the same with the peachicks? Will they all live together nicely? They have roosts in the chicken house and in the outdoor run. There is room in the outdoor pen to add a higher, wider perch for the peafowl to roost. We have foxes in the area so I like them safe at night but want them to be free roaming during the day.
I bought and read 2 books...Wacky World of Peafowl and Living with Peacocks...both nice books but I could use more information. Any other books to recommend?
Should I give the peafowl separate housing?
I read something about vacinating peafowl? Any thoughts on that?
Also, is there any way to tell the male from female when they are chicks?
I also read they should be kept away from adult chickens and guineas for 6 months because of disease? My guineas and chickens total 24 birds but I have a broody chicken hen sitting on some guinea eggs so there will be a few more.

I am full of questions! Any input would be grately appreciated.

Gay from Virginia, USA

Hi yag113, Welcome to A.P.F. The first rule of thumb is to quarantine the chicks from all other birds and wash your hand before handling or touching your other birds or equipment. Quarantining all new birds is a basic "must do" as they may be carrying disease. Quarantine them for a minimum of 14 days (30 days is our recommendation) If the chicks are only 2 week then they will need a heat source particularly over night. Below is an Article we wrote some time ago that you should find helpful. If you can take some Photos and post them this will help identify them and the sex. Please let us know how they go.

PEACHICK RAISING & CARE "OUR PROCEDURES"

Incubator Hatched Chicks.

all Incubated chicks stay in the Incubator for 36 hours after hatching, they are then moved into "Brooder Boxes" as a group. Our brooder boxes are located in the "Brooder shed" which we believe is very important for Peachicks, the boxes have 50% fully enclosed shelters with one or two heater lights (75w) in each shelter. These heater lights stay ON for the first 2 weeks 24/7, then they are put on timer to come on 5.00pm, off 8.00am(subject to weather) The floor of the "Brooder boxes" is completely covered with "Turkey Starter" we also have 4 auto feed hoppers filled with "Turkey Starter" in each box. We ONLY feed "Turkey Starter" for the first 6 -8 weeks depending on growth rate. We strongly recommend you do not feed the Peachicks foods that can contain Bacteria, such as kitchen scraps. Fresh water is given twice a day without fail, this is very important as their immune system is yet to fully develop. The Peachicks will stay in the "Brooder Boxes" for a minimum 10 weeks usually longer. We then move the chicks to our "Juvenile Pens" (subject to weather) these are one third the size of our normal pens (including height) and have 50% shelters, with 6 inches of wood shavings in each. We do not mix Peachick batches, this means Batch no1 will go in "Juvenile Pen" no1, Batch no2 will go in "Juvenile Pen" no2 and so on.. The Peachicks will have NO contact with any Adult birds, especially Peafowl, Chickens, Guinea Fowl ect... they stay in the "Juvenile Pens" for 5-6 months minimum and are vaccinated (usually at 3 months of age) within that time.

Hen Hatched Chicks:

We do not allow Peahens to Incubate or raise chicks, we will and do use Chickens (Including Pekin Bantams) but under strict conditions, all our "Peafosters" as we call them are kept away from all other birds especially Poultry, they are penned away from all other Chickens and at no time in or out of the breeding season will they come in contact with other Poultry. They are not allowed to free range at any time, and are kept on a strict diet and like all our birds they are vaccinated with Baytril, Emtryl, and wormed, but they are given one additional dose prior to incubation of Peafowl eggs. All "Peafosters" are set in our "Brooder Boxes" in our "Brooder Shed" and are treated the same as Incubated Chicks including heater lights where needed.

Important points:

Peachicks are very susceptible to a couple of diseases and must be treated like a new born human baby (sterile conditions) "Turkey Starter" will help build their immune system and vaccinate them. They should NOT have ANY contact with Adult birds, particularly Peafowl, Chooks, Turkeys (excluding the foster bird of course) this is one of the most important points and will help to insure your Peachicks stay strong, healthy & disease free. Peachicks are most susceptible from age 0 - 20 weeks so it's important to give them the best start in life. Over the years we have developed these procedures (above) which in turn has improved our success rate to 90%. (including Hatching) We cannot emphasize enough that a good breeding plan is accentual to breeding success regardless of what you are breeding and remember "Prevention is better than cure". Peachicks MUST have heat for at least the first 6 weeks, they are very happy in 35c and need the heat to aid growth and mobility. If you have more than one batch of Peachicks, you should wash you hands from brooder to brooder and anything in one brooder should never go in the other, including Chicks. Do not mix Peachick batches, do not allow them to have contact with each other or any birds. Do not introduce a juvenile bird to the flock until they are at least 5 months old (6 or more is better)


The above is a Guide only.


Article by Peacocks Australia / January 2006


Thanks
P.A

Hi yag113, should have added this link http://www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/2/ due to your location U.S.A it may list more health issues to look for.




Thanks
P.A

Thank you...I think! I just read the article about possible diseases. It's a bit overwhelming but better to be on top of the situation. Your first email said you vaccinate peafowl at 3 months when incubator hatched but it doesn't mention this under hen hatched. I was told just yesterday that these birds were hen hatched but deposited out in the wild in my neighbors yard at 2 days old! I rescued them the next day and they were tiny but I figured them at about a week. They had some wing feathers but the rest of them was fuzzy...and still is. I have had them about 2 1/2 weeks. I am just starting to see a little dot on the top of their heads where that "feather" comes out? Would that be an indication of age?

Later today I will attempt to send a photo and perhaps you can tell me what variety and sex they are. I am delighted to have entered this forum. I also joined a guinea fowl forum last year when I got my guinea eggs and they were extremely helpful in hatching and raising a fine group of birds. The internet is an amazing thing. Thank you so much. I will be back with photos and probably more questions.

One more thing! The article (or your email ?) said no table scraps. At this young age can I give them anything in addition to the turkey starter? Clover from outside or lettuce or swisschard from the garden? Cucumber or squash? Thanks yet again

Gay Frazee...USA

Thanks
P.A