foster chick questions

[charmedbychickens]

I have a friend who was having trouble hatching out eggs and/or keeping the little ones alive. He asked me if I could stick some eggs under my broody chickens. I now have 3 peachicks running around my growout pen with my other young chickens. Mama hen has been doing really well with them, protecting them from the cats and showing them food.

My questions would be- Are they ok with the 24% chick starter? Am I supposed to be handling them? I can't even catch them! How long do you think I should hold on to them before my friend should take them back? My pen is just a large chainlink fenced in area with a rabbit hutch for them to go into at night. Do I need to worry about them getting too big and flying away?

This has been a lot of fun for me to try out but I sure am nervous about taking care of other peoples elegant animals! Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[SunBaked]

I'm not sure on most of your questions but as far as the fence goes I know they fly pretty early so I'd cover the top. About handeling I'm not sure, mine don't like being picked up but will come up to me. Especially if there are treats involved. What a cool thing to do hatching the chicks for your friend

 

[MinxFox]

Yes SunBaked has a great point about you needing a covered top. This year I hatched out my first peachick, and it started flapping in only a few days and it is now about three weeks old and we have to leave a thin sheet over the top of the pen because it can now fly out of the pen. It can fly really really well, in fact I throw it into the air and it flies to the ground or to the chair. I think 24% is okay but anything over 24% might be too much protein for the peachick. A lot say you get into the problem zone when you give them too much protein because they can get leg problems because it makes them grow too fast or something like that but I think you would be fine.

I handle my peachick because it is imprinted on me and cries for me when I am not around so it likes it when I take it out of the pen and hold it,ect. It depends on what your friend wants...Do they want peafowl that are very friendly and used to people or do they want them to be a bit distanced from people letting you look but not touch. I think if the hen you have raising them is pretty tame that could help. The peachicks might be hard to catch and run from you, but if you keep picking them up and holding them I think they might get used to you. You could spend time with them individually or something. You don't have to handle them though if you think it would be too stressful for them or your friend doesn't care.

I am not sure when you should give them back to your friend...Maybe whenever you think they seem really strong and they are used to eating and drinking and they have learned enough from the hen...Maybe you should give them back when they grow their crest? I am not sure...What is the main age that your friends chicks would die when they had them? Maybe wait until they get past that age that they would die for your friend?

Good luck