Advice needed!!

moonshadow_dancer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:59 am

Hi All,
Next weekend while at the Mt Larcom show I will be taking delivery of my breeding pair of white peafowl. I would have had them sooner except Mrs Peafowl decided to lay a clutch of eggs and go clucky, so now they have hatched I also have some peachicks to think about.

My question is what is the best food to give them all, I guess the peachicks will need something special, also do the peafowl eat laying mash/pellets etc, also I have heard they eat cat biscuits, is this correct?

My Chook pen has a roosting perch of the ground, but shoud I put some bedding hay in there for them also. I want to get it all set up ready for there arrival.

The man who is giving these all to me said they are moulting and look a bit straggly. I am hoping they won't loose all there feathers and freeze to death. Is there an additional way to keep them warm. I do think our chook pen has enough covered areas to act as a wind break and keep them dry if it rains.

Sorry for all the questions, I just like to know I am giving them all the best start in life at their new home. I am also looking forward to their noise they make, I still miss my Andy Peacock and his screeches letting me know he was back from his lady hunting :lol:

Thanks everyone in advance
Take Care
Deb

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

moonshadow_dancer wrote:

Hi All,
Next weekend while at the Mt Larcom show I will be taking delivery of my breeding pair of white peafowl. I would have had them sooner except Mrs Peafowl decided to lay a clutch of eggs and go clucky, so now they have hatched I also have some peachicks to think about.

My question is what is the best food to give them all,

BRINGING HOME YOUR NEW PEAFOWL:

Before you go out and buy your Peafowl please make sure you have the RIGHT pen to house them. What is the right pen? We recommend a pen no smaller than 8 x 4 x 3 Meters but NO larger than 10 x 4 x3 Meters WHY? It is VERY important that your new Peacocks GET TO KNOW YOU and in smaller pens this will happen must faster. The pen MUST be roofed or your new birds will go on a ONE way holiday you also need to have High perches in the shelter area and low perches out of the shelter. You can temporarily house them with other birds, i.e.. Chooks, ECT.. BUT check with the person you have brought them off FIRST as some Peafowl can be VERY aggressive, WHAT NEXT? Your pen is ready? (With Roof) Food and Water bowls Ready?

Your in the car and on your way home with your new Peafowl, WHAT'S THE TIME? NEVER release ANY birds in the late afternoon you should release them at FIRST light WHY? This gives them the whole day to formularize themselves with the new pen and to find their roost and will help limit stress. WHAT IF GET HOME AT 3 or 4 PM Leave them in the box or cage overnight and release them at first light.

WHAT TO FEED THEM?

Peafowl should be fed a Gain mix, you can mix you own or buy a pre mix from Pet shops Or Produce Stores ( Course Grain Mix) this should be offered at ALL times in a large bowl. They will also need Greens i.e.. Lettuce, Silverbeet, Cabbage, ECT.. Also Shell Grit should be offered, Bread and Cat Biscuits.

WHEN DO I FEED THEM?

You should spend as much time as possible with them or around them and food is a good way of helping the bonding process, Greens, Bread & Cat Biscuits should be fed daily

DO I JUST THROW IT IN A LEAVE?

NO go in the pen and sit on something low then starting with Bread, brake of small pieces and throw it about 15 feet in front of you keep doing this until all the food is on the ground stay seated as long as possible, and when you do get up do this slowly and move away (opposite direction) from the birds and the food do this EVERY day.

HOW LONG DO THEY HAVE TO STAY “LOCKED UP”

This will depend on the AGE of the Peafowl, if they are under 12 Months then a MINIMUM of 3 MONTHS if they are over 12 Months then a MINIMUM of 6 MONTHS remember the longer you pen them the greater the odds for success.

PREPARATION FOR RELEASE:

3 WEEKS Prior the “BIG DAY” (the day of release) you will need the clip ONE wing of ALL the Peafowl you are going to release, clip only the Primary flight feathers and ONLY ONE WING. Also while you have each bird it is a good idea to ring them using Plastic Turkey leg rings make sure the ring is ABOVE the Spur? WHY CLIP THERE WING AND WHY 3 WEEKS BEFORE? Clipping there wing will stop them from flying but still allowing them some lift for roosting at night. Clipping there wing 3 weeks prior to release allows the birds to re settle and to forgive you for doing it.

TIME TO RELEASE THEM “THE BIG DAY”

We recommend a Saturday and a weekend were you plan to be there the whole time WHY? If you own other animals in particular a Dog you will need to keep a close eye on he or she even if they showed no interest when the Peafowl were penned, it’s a different story when their out walking around. Other birds can be a problem like Roosters, Turkey’s ECT.. So just watch from a distance.

HOW SHOULD I GET THEM OUT OF THE PEN

Simply open the pen door making sure it stays open and WALK OFF you should NOT under any circumstances chase the birds out of the pen, if they don’t want to come out that's ok. Once the Peafowl are out leave them alone give them plenty of breathing space, let them explore. You may find as they leave the pen for the first time they brake into a Sprint and run to trees or bush area this is quite normal just keep an eye on them from a distance. Leave the pen door open at all times and continue to feed them in the pen this is VERY IMPORTANT as this is what they are used to and rely on, keep doing this for as long as possible or until you are successfully feeding them else ware. Initially they may return to their pen at night to roost you can close the door if Predators are an Issue and reopen in the Morning, usually this only happens for the first night or two then they find that BIG tree to roost.

TIPS: FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS

Never chase the birds or allow Children or Dogs to

Go about your business as usual i.e.. Mow lawns ECT…

Never corner the birds

Keep the Food & Water up, you should feed them the same as when they were penned.

WHICH PEAFOWL CAN FREE ROAM?

Any Indian Blue including White which is an Indian Blue Mutation.

WHICH PEAFOWL CANNOT FREE ROAM?

Java Green or Java Green Mutations.

The above Article is a Guide with the intention to help increase your odds for success but by no means a Guarantee

Good Luck

Peacocks Australia

ARTICLE WRITTEN: JUNE 2005

I guess the peachicks will need something special,

Peachicks
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) This is part of an Article from our Web Site ARTICLE WRITTEN: JUNE 2005

also do the peafowl eat laying mash/pellets etc, also I have heard they eat cat biscuits, is this correct?

My Chook pen has a roosting perch of the ground, but shoud I put some bedding hay in there for them also. I want to get it all set up ready for there arrival.

You can use Straw in the shelter area.

The man who is giving these all to me said they are moulting and look a bit straggly. I am hoping they won't loose all there feathers and freeze to death. Is there an additional way to keep them warm. I do think our chook pen has enough covered areas to act as a wind break and keep them dry if it rains.

Sorry for all the questions, I just like to know I am giving them all the best start in life at their new home. I am also looking forward to their noise they make, I still miss my Andy Peacock and his screeches letting me know he was back from his lady hunting :lol:

Thanks everyone in advance
Take Care
Deb

Hope that helps. If you have any more questions please just ask it's our favorite subject.

Thanks
P.A :lol:

Stt · **Joined:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:01 pm **Posts:** 3006

thats some awsome info p.a

bunyanuternie · **Joined:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:31 pm **Posts:** 2903

Thanks Peacocks

Great info once again

moonshadow_dancer · **Posted:** Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:41 am

Thanks P.A. I have been reading through your great advice and knowing that you are a top breeder will be taking your advice to make sure I have a happy troop.

I am just wondering, there are 4 peachicks, and the rest of my poultry are the greatest sticky beaks, I know once the newbies arrive I will have hell keeping them away from the chook pen. I also believe the Peahen has flown the coup and returned since the chicks have been hatched.

Would it be safer for me to toatally quarantine the chicks up in the house and hand raise them till they are about 6 weeks of age, or should I just observe them for now and decide one I see there health and how well Mrs Peahen is coping with them? Maybe I worry to much but I do want them all to survive and be happy and healthy.

Thanks again,
Take Care
Deb

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi Deb, as you will transport them separately i.e. the Peachicks separate from the Adult Peafowl you would be best to keep them apart once they arrive. As the Peafowl are going to a new location they will naturally be agitated and the Peahen may ignore the peachicks anyway. If you can quarantine them away from all poultry this would be the best option.

P.S During the week we will write an Article on White Peachicks as they are more vulnerable than Blues, so more care is needed.

PPS, please don't transport the Peachicks with the Adults (not in the same box) they will not survive, even over a short distance.

Thanks
P.A :lol:

bunyanuternie · **Joined:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:31 pm **Posts:** 2903

PEACOCKSAUSTRALIA wrote:

P.S During the week we will write an Article on White Peachicks as they are more vulnerable than Blues, so more care is needed.

Thanks
P.A :lol:

Now that will be something to look forward to

moonshadow_dancer · **Posted:** Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:04 pm

Thanks PA, I will let Dave know this when I call him the day before, I am more then happy to raise the little ones and I am very stressed about the kookaburras here and the other poultry, they are very curious and I know they will hurt them if they can.

I have a 100% sucess rate with hand raising animals so I know I will be able to do the best for these little ones. I have a small aviary close to the house which I will sterilize and add bedding hay for when they are older and able to enjoy the warm sun, but until spring or till I am satisfied the night are warm they will remain inside with me. I do thank you for your valued advice and will look forward to your articles on the white peafowl. Thanks again.

Take Care
Deb

Pam Turd · **Joined:** Sat Jun 18, 2005 7:21 pm **Posts:** 284

Hi Deb and PA. I always hand people that article when I sell stock. I have edited it a bit to suit Vic conditions. I don't advise ANYONE in Vic to buy young ones and keep them heated as it just does not seem to work. Everyone I know who has bought them loses at least one and specially the whites. It also sounds strange to me that the peas you are getting look straggly and are moulting. Is that a Queensland thing for this time of the year?? PA, you would know. Ours finished moulting months and months ago. Good luck Deb. Pam

moonshadow_dancer · **Posted:** Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:26 am

Hi Pam,

I have no idea about the moulting, all I know is around January I asked Dave if he knew where I could get some peas from preferably white. He said he knew where there were some, they were roaming around so I assume they were quite wild, he penned them and wormed etc. We have no idea of the age of the peas.
They are abviously breeding age as the hen laid a clutch of eggs and went broody, she hatched 4 chicks. The chicks are not that old.

I have read somewhere on the forum about older birds moulting later then the younger ones, so perhaps they are older.

I plan to hand raise the chicks, and once we knock down the stables we have a huge frame that we were going to use for a massive greenhouse, but now plan on making a very large peafowl pen that can be divided into different sections as we will cover the whole frame in galvanised iron that we also have here under tarps as it is new, then build a run out from that.

So to cut a long story short, the ones we are getting will remained caged for a very long time. The chicks will be different, I will see how they go to free range with the gang here. This is all new to me so will be learning as I go and will be asking lots of advice right here in the forum.

Take Care
Deb

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