Hatching Peacocks

[bikerbitty]

Hello I just signed up on this site and have a few questions. I have raised Button Quail, Chickens, Peasants and other types of Quail but never Peacocks. They are due by the end of the month and I was wondering what to feed them. I read some say give them sugar water, how much water to sugar? I also read somewhere not to give them medicated crumbles. Is that true? That is all I can find around here. Also I add small amounts of kitten chow to my newborn Button food for added protien, is that ok for Peacocks?
Any advice would be nice to help me into the Peacock raising stage.
Thankyou Sheri

 

[Paganbird]

It is recommended to feed them high protien game bird starter - around 28%.
The only thing available in my area is a 24% chick starter... it is medicated. The medicated starter helps with resistance to cocci.
The medicated 24% is working great for me.
Go to the UPA knowledge base... they have articles on raising peachicks:
http://www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/index.htm

 

[chickenzoo]

Raising peafowl is a lot like raising turkeys, most things apply. Keep peachicks off the ground, feed a good gamebird starter, and use sugar water if they have been shipped or stressed or for the first three days. After that reg water should be fine. When adults you can add wild bird seed, fruits, seeds, nuts, catfood/dog food as treats etc.

 

[the Old Rebel]

I agree with chickenzoo that raising peachicks is a lot like raising baby turkeys. They can be fragile like turkeys from what I've heard.

I mix a little boiled egg yolk in with the gamebird chick starter and grower. My Peabody loves it. I also peel and cut grapes in small pieces, but I didn't start that until he was about 3 weeks old.

Are you hatching yours in an incubator or are they coming by mail?? I don't agree with the sugar water unless they are not doing well. Sugar is not good for us humans, so how can it be good for them... unless you are using it to try to give them a quick burst of energy so they will eat.

I had to show Peabody how to eat. I've read that on the internet too. The mother peacock actually catches bugs, moths, etc and holds it in her beak. The babies run over and eat from her beak or she drops it in front of them. So I wet my thumb and forefinger and put it in the gamebird starter. Then I put them together to form a beak. Peabods learned very quickly to eat from there. Then I lowered my "beak" closer and closer to the food. Then I stirred the food with my finger. That's how he learned to eat it. This worked well for me.

Good luck with your babies. How many are you expecting?? Keep us posted on how it is going for you.

And welcome to the site. We have a lot of fun on here and learn a lot from each other too!!

Hope you have a GREAT DAY!!

The Old Rebel
Marianne

 

[bikerbitty]

Thankyou for your advice. I have 2 eggs in the incubator. They are due next week. This sounds like it will be fun, yet interesting.

I raise mainly Button Quail and they eat and drink from day 1 usually without guidance although I have had to help them figure out the pecking at the food thing and help them with the water on occasion.

I have never raised turkeys thou. Sound like I picked a good group to join.

 

[bikerbitty]

Chickaroo you said the red water should be fine. Are you talking about the stuff you buy for Homminbirds?

 

[Paganbird]

Quote:
chickenzoo posted "reg" water, as in regular water, not red water.
Regular tap water should be fine. (From your sink.)

 

[chickenzoo]

LOL, yeah it was regular water,(I short cut some times) although I will die their water and food with food coloring sometimes to get their attention.

 

[bikerbitty]

Ah ha I read wrong lol, I went back and re-read. Ok I see. Thanks