A lone peachick

[Debbiesflocks]

I have all year old birds hatched last summer 2010. My single Ib male has no train but some how one of the 3 hens laid and set on a clutch of 4 eggs. she had the nest hid very well and i only found it a couple days ago. I went out that night with my mag light to candle the eggs 1 egg was solid black and the other 3 eggs glowed clear. I knew the egg had a live chick in it and last night she hatched a lone chick. So now that i have this lone chick should i let mother do her job or should i take the chick from her. I keep reading that they wil get sick and die if they are raised on the ground. but yet i know peafowl mate and raise chicks in the wild on the ground. I really was not wanting to set up another brooder for this chick and would really like to let mother do her job. All my birds are IB and free range no pens what so ever. what do you think? Thanks

 

[Kedreeva]

You can certainly let mom do her job if you want, and the chick may make it just fine (about half do) but there is a higher probability of losing the chick that way. Peafowl do hatch and raise their own young in the wild- but they do not do so without losses. They have 20 years to make babies, so losing a few every season does not inhibit their population from growing.

 

[zazouse]

Congratulations

I don't know where you are located but in my area snakes are the biggest threat to my young birds so i pen mine till the babies are bigger.

The biggest problem with peas is that they eat everything even if it is not food so they are more likely to get sick, especially if you have other types of birds.

 

[Debbiesflocks]

thank you. i left the chick with the hen. I guess now i will just let nature take its coarse. I was not expecting any chicks this year anyway.

thanks

 

[jimmythechicken]

we have one sitting on 2 we are just going to let her raise them herself we will see what happens hopefully they do o.k

 

[zazouse]

If you can post some photos of the mom and baby and dad too.

You should name that chick Miracle cause a year old pea without a train is not supposed to be fertile .

 

[Debbiesflocks]

That's why i was so surprised that i had a fertile egg. The young male don't even have a single eye feather yet. He is starting to get some green and blue feathers on his back between his wings. If i can get a better camera i will try to post pics.

 

[Debbiesflocks]

Well i don't know what went on but i found the hen dead and no chick. she was seen that morning with her chick in the backyard then we had a really bad thunder storm and then it rained like crazy. went out after the rain and found the other peafowl perching on the fence, went out to see what was going on and the hen was dead and no sings of the chick. Loosing the chick don't bother me but loosing such a young healthy hen really bothers me.

 

[MinxFox]

Could she have fallen out of a tree? I hope it wasn't a predator...I hope you can find the peachick. I am sorry it is too bad to lose your hen right when things were going so well with a peachick and everything.

 

[Debbiesflocks]

OK here is some pics of the father. He is the only male peacock i know of any where around us.

He was last summer hatch so at tops he could be 15, 16 months of age. as you can see he has no train what so ever. he is just now starting to get some color on his back right between his shoulders. sorry the pictures are not better but my digital camera is toast so had to use cell phone

And no his legs are straight he was turning in the picture so made it look like he has a bad leg