AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Hi,
I’m completely new to raising Peacocks. I got my male bird Saphie about a little over a year ago and I picked up my two girls Mini and Chicka about 3 months later. All three have been penned since - they have a large 20mt x 4mt enclosure.

Saphie came to me as a "stray" so not exactly sure of his age but I think he is about 3-4 years old. The girls are now 2 and 3 years old.

We decided early on that whatever breeding took place with these birds would be done naturally – no incubators or separation of the chicks. At the start of the breeding season - one or both scratched out a nest in the straw and laid about 26 eggs - which they did not sit on. Later the older girl had another 4 eggs in a separate nest which she sat on and which has resulted in 4 little chicks. We emptied the first nest…but a few additional stray eggs have appeared…but again no one is sitting.

So far everyone looks healthy and they eat like little pigs. I had no clue though that they could fly over 100mts within the first two weeks. We have one chick who is constantly escaping the coop – out through the 10ft high roof last time. This is a problem here – as we have 4 cats and there are foxes on the boundary. So far he has made his way back home and no harm done.

So, now we have this happy little family I have some questions…

1) The birds were always intended to be free roaming, with that in mind when is a good time to let them out of the enclosure now that breeding season is over?
2) Should I keep the young birds penned?
3) How long will the mother look after the young? She is currently very doting.
4) Will the mother roost up high with the young ones if we build a high roost (cat proof) outside in the yard?


Thanks…its all a big learning curve…good thing they seem to know what they are doing.

I/m sorry I don't know anything about peacocks but just wanted to say congratulations on your new little babies it's alway a nerve racking time with new borns

Hi Bluebird. Ring me anytime on 0357769676 and I will help you with all your questions. Vic is more difficult than Q to raise chicks because of the cold and you are doing everything right in my opinion. I can ring you back if you are on a landline as we have a bulk bill thing going. Cheers, Pam

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 to everyone for comments and advice. The three baby Indian blue peachicks hatched in February are doing very well - it is difficult to tell them from the adults now they are almost the same size already.

We have one male chick and two females which now makes our flock up to 6. The birds have been raised completely naturally – mom Minnie hatched them and all three have been penned with the three adult birds. Both mom and dad seem to be very doting parents. The adult female who didn’t have any chicks has been picked on a bit and seems to be the last in the pecking order now, but basically all the birds seem to get on very well.

The six birds while penned eat between them each day - a bucket of mixed chopped greens (and strawberries, grapes, tomatoes, mung beans, bread and what ever else is available) and about half a bucket or so of mixed turkey grower pallets and game bird grains available to them all the time in an auto feeder. They are all very healthy and have not looked back from day one.

Nervously we let all six birds out to free roam today for the first time. It was always our intention for the birds to be free roaming. They spent most of the day wandering about the boundary and laying in the sun. It was nice to see that they stick closely together as a well bonded group (so far anyway) the two male birds clearly leading the way and the females following. They didn’t seem to have much interest in leaving the property (so far, so good). We put their food out in the pen late in the afternoon as usual and called them. They headed back towards their cage at dusk but did not go in or roost there. Hopefully tomorrow morning they will still be about – wish us luck.

Thanks for the follow up bluebird2, please keep us up to date on their progress.



Thanks
P.A