Duck laying on peafowl eggs

[Newfowler1]

My Saxony hatched 4 keets last year. Comical.

 

[Newfowler1]

She’s a damn fine momma too. Her personality is larger than life. I am always greeted with love and submissive head bobbing. She’s a little doll

 

[SolarDuck]

one of the pea eggs pipped!!!

 

[SolarDuck]

Both pipped now!! How long does it usually take from pip to hatch?

 

[DukesDucks]

How exciting for you. I have found peachicks take a long time to actually hatch especially if you keep checking on them. Seems to be lots of resting with the tip of their beaks poking out. Patience but I have not been above giving a little assistance. We have lost several after pipping. They cracked the eggs but seemed unable to tear the tough membrane. Now I use tiny, sharp scissors to help increase the slit in the membrane.
Last year my ducks killed the first 2 that hatched but this year I found a peachick safely under a duck one morning. I would still recommend removing them as soon as they hatch.

 

[SolarDuck]

One is out!!!!

 

[SolarDuck]

So should I move the one into a brooder immediately? Or should I wait for the other to hatch so they aren't alone? Also I'm posting a pic of the brooder I setup so it anything is wrong let me know.

Also how long after they hatch before they have to eat? I ordered some mazuri gamebidd starter on chewy but it won't get here till tomorrow or Sunday, wondering if I will have to get some from a local feed store instead.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Congrats. I don't have an answer for moving the one to a brooder, but if peafowl are delicate, I think I would. I hatched polish and mixes under a duck and didn't realize how tiny polish chicks are. I feel their delicacy combined with the natural instincts of a duck aren't a match.
I know chicks don't eat after hatch for 24-48 hours - again my experience is only with chicks and ducks.

 

[DukesDucks]

Wow. Great news. I would move it now to your brooder. You could put a stuffy toy, or bunched up towel in for company, and a mirror until the other ones joins it.
Checking pic of your brooder it looks like my set-up. I hang my heat lamp between 2 ladders and put it closer to one end. I keep temperature at 35C/95F for at least the first week. The chicks need to be able move away from heat source if they feel too warm. I keep a thermometer in the area under the heat lamp. The sides look pretty high so you need to be careful it is not too hot.
You need to show it how to drink. Holding it gently, but firmly, dip the beak in the water several times pausing in between. It just needs a drop of the end of the beak, not dipped so the nostrils fill. You will probably need to repeat this several times at intervals until you see it drinking by itself. When the next one hatches do the same thing, but if it sees the other one drinking it will catch on faster. I change the water twice a day because it fills with shavings and get to warm.
I believe they are fine without food for 24 hours but you need to have some tomorrow morning. You also need to teach it where and how to find the food. Dip the beak in water, then the food crumbs, then water. This also needs to be repeated at intervals. Do with each chick but they learn from each other as well.
Once they get the idea, I found that they got very excited if I agitated the water and food with a stick to imitate their mom.

 

[DukesDucks]

I found that at first their toes look like cooked, cold noodles. They straighten out after a day or so. There is a treatment if this does not happen. I have only had one with splayed legs, legs that went sideways, but got some great advice on byc and was able to treat it. Give them a couple of days to get control of those huge feet and gangly legs before getting concerned.
You are going to be amazed how fast they grow. Within a week they can run like the dickens, and start jumping, and practicing flying. You should consider a larger brooder box for them by then. Mine were in my spare bedroom. After a week, I always let them out of the brooder to run around several times a day. Great cure if you are having a bad day.
Last advice is to be very careful of the heat in your brooder. I am sure I killed my first one because it was too hot and couldn't move away enough.
Enjoy. Send more pics.