2015 Peafowl Hatching Support Group - Eggs and Chicks!

[casportpony]

Hello everyone!  I had 6 shipped eggs and 3 of them hatched  .  I set them under a broody hen for about 18 days and then transferred them to an incubator.  2 hatched yesterday on day 26 and 1 today, day 27.  They look great but they are really lazy, they are not standing much.  Should I be concerned?  They are in with my week old turkey poults and one chick who is the teacher for the turkeys.  I have meatbird feed at a 22% protein level in there for feed.  Any suggestions or insights would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

Is the feed a starter or finisher?

-Kathy

 

[Birdrain92]

Is the feed a starter or finisher?

-Kathy

Sounds similar to my feed for my adults. My adults is a meat bird feed at 22% protein. Even though I know that's not much to go off of, but maybe this is what they're feeding them. If so it's not medicated for chicks. I need to get a new picture of the bag. The bag says more stuff on it about adding probiotics and other stuff give me a few.

 

[trishlace]

The bag doesn't say it just says meatbird. This was suggested to me for the turkey poults and my coturnix quail. Should they be eating something with medication in it? They are inside in a large aquarium with a screened lid and a heat lamp in one end. I dipped their beaks when I introduced them from the incubator. They just seem really unsteady on their feet and sleepy. I am used to hatching chicks and within about an hour or so they are up pecking around.

 

[trishlace]

Sounds similar to my feed for my adults. My adults is a meat bird feed at 22% protein. Even though I know that's not much to go off of, but maybe this is what they're feeding them. If so it's not medicated for chicks. I need to get a new picture of the bag. The bag says more stuff on it about adding probiotics and other stuff give me a few.

Yes this is the bag the feed store recommended.

 

[Birdrain92]

Yes this is the bag the feed store recommended.

Sounded familiar so I assumed it was something like this. It's great for adult peafowl. When they are 1-2 months old switch them over to that feed. Can you find this feed?

 

[trishlace]

Sounded familiar so I assumed it was something like this. It's great for adult peafowl. When they are 1-2 months old switch them over to that feed. Can you find this feed?

The feed store I go to only sells Nutrena. They have a gamebird that is 28% protein but I don't think it is medicated.

 

[trishlace]

I have decided from some research here on BYC that they are splayed legged. I have read that this sometimes happens to incubated peachicks. So I taped their legs together with a bandage and wrapped them up like a burrito in a paper towel and I think I am supposed to keep them that way for about 24 hours. I will dip their beaks periodically and put some chick starter crumble in front of them to nibble on.
Hopefully this will do the trick for these three cuties. I have 3 more eggs under a broody bantam right now and I am concerned that maybe I did something wrong to cause this to happen. Any ideas? I took these guys away from the broody hen because she stopped sitting on them, so I added them to the incubator since I didn't have another broody hen at the time. I will be curious if this hen will stay on the new eggs until they hatch, I hope! So I still need to get the feed problem figured out, do they need medicated feed if they are inside and not on the ground?

 

[Birdrain92]

I have decided from some research here on BYC that they are splayed legged. I have read that this sometimes happens to incubated peachicks. So I taped their legs together with a bandage and wrapped them up like a burrito in a paper towel and I think I am supposed to keep them that way for about 24 hours. I will dip their beaks periodically and put some chick starter crumble in front of them to nibble on.
Hopefully this will do the trick for these three cuties. I have 3 more eggs under a broody bantam right now and I am concerned that maybe I did something wrong to cause this to happen. Any ideas? I took these guys away from the broody hen because she stopped sitting on them, so I added them to the incubator since I didn't have another broody hen at the time. I will be curious if this hen will stay on the new eggs until they hatch, I hope! So I still need to get the feed problem figured out, do they need medicated feed if they are inside and not on the ground?

I wouldn't do a sudden jump in protein has to be a gradual change. If it's a sudden jump in protein in can cause problems. How long did it take them to hatch out? Did these chicks come from birds in your flock? When you go to the feed store and look at the bag. Usually it will say medicated if it is. Rather that or look for Amprolium somewhere on the tag. The reason for the medicated feed is to help them build up their immune system to it. Coccidiosis likes wet, warm areas, making brooders the best place for it. That's why it's good to keep them on medicated feed. You might not have to worry about it so long as you practice excellent hygiene and good bio security. Make sure that you don't bring anything in from the outside world in until they get older. You can move them to a medicated feed steadily though depending on the protein. Significant changes in protein can cause stress to the body and cause more problems. For future generations I would advise getting medicated feed.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I have decided from some research here on BYC that they are splayed legged. I have read that this sometimes happens to incubated peachicks. So I taped their legs together with a bandage and wrapped them up like a burrito in a paper towel and I think I am supposed to keep them that way for about 24 hours. I will dip their beaks periodically and put some chick starter crumble in front of them to nibble on.
Hopefully this will do the trick for these three cuties. I have 3 more eggs under a broody bantam right now and I am concerned that maybe I did something wrong to cause this to happen. Any ideas? I took these guys away from the broody hen because she stopped sitting on them, so I added them to the incubator since I didn't have another broody hen at the time. I will be curious if this hen will stay on the new eggs until they hatch, I hope! So I still need to get the feed problem figured out, do they need medicated feed if they are inside and not on the ground?

I never hatch in an incubator and I still get splay legged ones sometimes. Never heard or wrapping up like a burrito. That is a new one on me. I give them 24 hours to adjust to the world and then I put a piece of tape from leg to leg, fairly long to start with but putting enough tension to still pull the legs together a tiny bit so they can walk. Each day I make it a tiny bit more tension and usually can remove it in a week with them walking fine. Now if they have crooked toes as well as splayed leg then there are headaches but I don't see that on yours.

 

[Kedreeva]

You don't have to do the leg binding that gradually. I tape mine at the appropriate width for a normal stance as soon as they are out of the incubator (or out from under mom) and the longest I've ever had one taped was a two days (and that was a REALLY bad one momma hatched). The longer you wait to tape them, the harder the bones are,the tighter the joints, and the more set the muscles get in the bad position, which makes it both more uncomfortable and take longer to fix,as well as inhibiting free mobility longer.