Peach Peafowl any health or genetic problems?

[DylansMom]

I have a friend who has a couple of peach hens who seem perfectly normal, but he also has a yearling peach male who is not acting right. It looks like it could possibly be a vision problem or even neurological it has been going on since he was purchased 8 months ago, so whatever is wrong it is chronic not sudden and he seems to be otherwise healthy. Have there been any health issues reported in the peach so far? I know Cameos had some issues and the peaches come from cameos correct? Just wondering if anybody has heard anything.

 

[DylansMom]

Unfortunately the only "Careful" breeding possible must include stringent culling. Cameo was known to have a "death gene" as it was called. Often the bird went completely blind, leading to starvation. I have not had this in cameo, but cameo has been around a bit longer, and was outcrossed a great deal. I stick to my guns, and if anything doesn't look good, definitely don't breed with it! There is no sense in trying to propagate weak stock, it wont help anyone in the end.... This is where the pedigree issue comes back again. Just like in dogs, one could have a guarantee on certain known ailments that are not present in a breeders stock. I'd go back to the seller, and ask for a mutually beneficial way to work out this problem....

If it was my bird there would be no question, I would not cull it, but it would not be passing along any genes. It would live out whatever lifespan it had here at Bachelor Land! Unfortunately it belongs to a friend and mutual Pea fancier who is just getting started, he made a decent investment in a peach trio, and having to tell him this is not going to be easy. He got this bird from a person who told him it originally came from Legg's, but that is a middleman and a lot of hearsay to sort thru.

 

[Peafowlssssssss]

And i think mine is coming from Texas peafowl farm.

 

[DylansMom]

Well - breeding of low quality is not going to advance him ... I would do the same - let it live out its life - keep notes on all life cycle issues - and look for another ....

I want to start - and to start with only peach - I am just starting my research now - and am 6 months to a year or more from purchasing a bird - I just can't wait !

Good luck, I am always leery of trying new things. I much prefer to let others test the waters first, because of that I will stay away from peach for awhile. Hopefully this thread will give you some good info.

 

[Arbor]

Does anyone know if crossing the less than genetically sound peach male with something like a standard IB, will eliminate those bad genes or is it a case where once the bad genes are there they, are passed on no matter who you breed with? Just hoping to give my friend options other than culling.

I'm not saying that your friend has to cull, just don't breed with him. Around here, I've got too many birds to pamper a weak bird that shouldn't be bred with. My birds are not pets, and I keep them for their genetic potential, and as soon as I don't need that particular bird, it gets sold. Breeding with an IB wont eliminate the bad genes. Likely it will make them resurface again, as you're going to want to use the offspring to get more peach.

For those interested in purchasing peach, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg. There are many breeders out there with high quality birds that don't cost what Legg charges. Check out the UPA breeder's directory, and maybe ask if any of them have a guarantee on them not carrying this ailment. I suggest Hopkins, Louden's or Big Creek Peafowl. I've also heard other rumours that the spalding peach (and Cameo) have never had this ailment.

 

[Metella]

Never heard of this coloring - can you post pics ? Hope all goes well.

 

[DylansMom]

Never heard of this coloring - can you post pics ? Hope all goes well.

I didn't take pics of the peach, the next time I visit I will be sure to and I will post them. It is one of the newer recognized colors for Peafowl, so I don't know a lot about them.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

My first peach peahen went blind so we have a new 2 year old peach hen to replace her with this year.

 

[DylansMom]

My first peach peahen went blind so we have a new 2 year old peach hen to replace her with this year.

That is what I was worried about. I have a cameo who has some of the same behaviors, with her I am pretty certain it is a vision problem. She is approx. 19 now and her problem just started about 5 years ago so I had wondered if it was age related for her. It will take her 5 mins to fly down off a perch even though you can tell she wants to. She paces back and forth and looks at the ground from every possible angle then paces some more, she usually overflies when she does finally come down and she will have to pull up so she doesn't hit the fence. Reminds me of a depth perception problem. This Peach male is much worse, we watched him for 30 mins and he never did fly down. My friend said he worries about him missing out on meals because he is always the last off the perch. And he is only a yearling. This bird was purchased for breeding eventually, so any info would be helpful, if this is congenital we would not want to perpetuate it.

 

[Arbor]

The peach male I bought last year had similar issues. I refused to fly down off the perch, so I had to chase it down. It would go directly to the food, devouring what it could. Bad genetics, and I suggest a cull. Mine died through the winter, guessing he didn't eat enough, as his habits were peculiar. I've got several birds in my last import that are either peach or split to peach (total of 5 I think). I've never had any luck with any surviving for more than 1 year, let alone to breeding age. In my last import, I purchased a peach bs hen, who happens to be the first one to lay eggs for me this season. If my luck is as bad with the eggs as my previous dealings, they'll likely be infertile. One day I'll finally have a pair of peach in some form or other, just hope they don't have to be ones mounted on the wall or something....