French Marans and Peachicks

[ruth]

Quote:
Yes I put coins in the waterer for the first day or two so that they will peck at the shiny coins and so that the coins will fill up the space and they can't drown in waterer. But for fun I like to say I do it "Cause they're rich chicks".

Not sure which pic you're referring to but none have had a crusty bum and all are doing great. The Marans have feathered feet so you may be seeing that.

 

[ruth]

Saw the cutest thing EVER yesterday. I had just finished puttin the Marans and Peachicks in thier outside cage when one of the yellow peachicks went over and grabbed the back of the neck of another one and put up its tail (like a male peacock would do) and fanned it in air a second. It happened so fast I wasn't sure I saw what I thought I saw. And as I'm standing there thinking, is that a male, was he just trying to mate and woo that female....no, can't be, they're too young." But then, immediately after, another little yellow peacock put his tail up, full fan-style, and strutted around with it waving in air for all to see. Fluttering it like a Geisha girl fan. It was soooooo cute. His little tail is only about an inch and half long but what he was showing off was 3 feet of pride.

 

[ruth]

Here's my little Marans Guy from first post. Just turned one month old. Isn't he handsome?

 

[hcammack]

wow I have farm envy ! I want goats and marans and peafowl !

Henry

 

[ruth]

Updated photo of Marans and Peachicks. They had been freeranging and took to roost for rest.

Look at wingspan of the peachick in flight in lower left edge of pic. They can really fly - and bite.

I had to curb the freeranging for the peachicks and put them back in hutch. I lost two due to their stuffing themselves on small pieces of hay and becoming stopped up. I was able to save one that passed a small portion out of vent and when I pulled on it a whole rope of twisted hay came out - about six inches long and as wide as pencil. That one recovered but other two died. I cut one open, gross I know but I needed to confirm it was not an illness and that the same thing had happened to it, and sure enough its little intestines were packed full and ballooned up with hay. So back to hutch for all where I can control what they eat till they get a little older. They are NOT happy about being caged up after all this freeranging but it is literally saving their lives. The remaining six are healthy and active. I am very impressed with the Leggs Peafowl Farm guys, Brandon and Brad Legg have called me twice to check on them and offer help. They raise their babies on wire cages till they are several weeks old to avoid this very thing - so live and learn - peachicks are more fragile.

The Marans Roo - getting bigger and more coppery every day. Turns out I do have another Marans roo but he doesn't have the copper coloring this one has.

 

[ruth]

Well the peachicks have been in the hutch since the last post on Aug. 19 and they are getting big and they have not been happy about being locked up. So today I let them out of hutch to run about coop.

I can't ever seem to catch a photo from the front view. Not sure if they are trying to tell me something but many of them do this as soon as I open their cage and let them out - they put their tales up, back up to me, and strut their stuff, giving me the rear view. I guess they are showing off to one another but I always seem to be on the wrong side.

The Leggs guys said the females strut as well so don't go thinking I have all males just because they do this.

 

[hcammack]

good I will be able to sex my marans buy a month that great news nice pic's one question Is that a toilet in one of the pictures?

Henry

 

[chickens4jojo]

What beautiful chicks you have!

I love your pictures and updates on them. I have never seen peachicks growing before so this is so much fun to see.

 

[ruth]

Hi Henry - yes there was a toilet in the coop when we moved here and I left it thinking it would make a unique nest box. Plus I can lower the seat and have a seat when I'm in there. It was never hooked up so I'm not sure why there was a toilet in there but when the people renovated this old plantation home in the early 70s they took out all the old toilets and they put them in the various old out buildings. There are also old sinks standing in gardens and old cast-iron, claw-foot tubs in patures and thrown in pond.

 

[deerman]

You got your peachicks from one of the top breeders. Checking out your pics. see some opal,pieds,purples, and blackshoulders. Yes they do the display as chicks. Males and hens. Your Blackshoulder may be a male.