4 out of 4 hatched today!!

[CARS]

A bit of back story: On Fathers day I was awoken to our dog barking. But this time I heard other dogs too. I found 3 Bourbon Red Toms dead, my eye candy Rooster missing his tail feathers, and my Peacock sitting on top of the barn's roof. Mrs. Pea was missing and presumed Dead.... I found the dogs owners through the cops and we met and settled on $50.00 each for the Turks and $75.00 for the presumed dead Peahen.

2 weekends ago, I went into the lean-to on our barn to get some fire wood for the weekend. I was startled to find Mrs. Pea had made a nest! After a couple weeks had passed, we see she had 4 eggs. Today I went to check on her and wouldn't you know 4 little ones sitting along her side!!

Now, I don't know if they were actually hatched today because they were pretty active. But what do I know about any of this, right?

Well, where I go, the dog goes. And the cats... so I grabbed Mrs. Pea and my wife grabbed the little ones to be put back in their indoor pen. After she calmed down all 5 seemed content with their home.

The only reason I did that was that I read on BYC that you can increase their chances if they are in a brooder. Well, they are still relying on Mom for heat, but they are protected from all of my pet "predators".

Before I get to the pics. NO, I am not going to tell the neighbor that I found the hen. That whole ordeal cost me alot more than we settled for so if he ever asks I will just tell him I found another hen with chicks to replace the one his dogs killed.

Pics:

And the proud pa pa:

 

[CARS]

I should have asked. What should I be feeding them? I feed everything (including the chickens) 19 to 20% grower. Should I get a bag of gamebird starter or just chick starter?

 

[SunBaked]

How cute they are! It will be fun to watch the mamma with her babies. They are such good moms. I feed mine chick starter.

 

[deerman]

medicated starter 20% ,ok for peahen also.

 

[Kedreeva]

Especially if they are outside (even in a pen), get them medicated chick starter. It's ok for mom to eat too.

Congrats on the hatch! That's so sad about the losses though

I hate when people can't control their animals.

 

[CARS]

Ok. Thanks for the Med. food info. I do that for chicks I get from hatches but I thought maybe since they came from my stock they would be fine.

 

[Kedreeva]

Well, it's not that they hatch with diseases or anything. Medicated starter is generally medicated with amprolium, which is used to prevent coccidiosis (and usually that's the ONLY thing it's medicated for, actually)... this is a protozoan disease that affects digestion and can be picked up from the feces of other birds (including wild birds). It is also the case that your adult birds may be carrying it but show no signs; as they get older they develop immunities to the effects and it would only show symptoms if the bird got sick with something else or stressed out enough to compromise their immune system. Unfortunately the little ones haven't had time to develop the same immunities.

 

[millebantam]

In the first pic, it appears that at least one of the little devils has a drinking problem already.

 

[CARS]

Quote:

I noticed that too after I posted. Do you recommend a 12 step program in addition to the medicated feed?