I Am Getting Peachicks!!

[OtterCreekRanch]

I have been wanting to get peafowl for years but I never could afford to get any because even the most common colored chicks sell for $40-50 each and up locally. The lady who hatches my chicken eggs for me also hatches peafowl eggs for a gentleman who sells his extras all to another lady who also hatches her chicken eggs with my hatcher. Turns out in this last batch three little peachicks hatched out with crooked toes and so the lady who usually buys them did not want them. I was told I could have them for $10 each if I wanted them. Heck yeah! I can't tell you how many chick toes I have straightened out successfully. These peachicks are about a week old so it won't be as easy as if they were only a day or two old, but still possible according to what I have read. Now I have a few questions.

I know it is best to keep peachicks off the ground for several months after hatching. I am going to keep mine in the brooder with my chicken chicks until they get too big and then move them outside to a larger hutch type cage until they are old enough to go on the ground, my question is, can they eat medicated chick starter or do I need to get them something else? I have that and flock raiser on hand. If they can't eat the medicated chick feed it is going to change my plans a bit as I won't be able to keep them with my chicken chicks, but I can figure something out. I read somewhere that a lot of people feed them game bird feed but I have not been able to find any locally. What is the best alternative?

Also, if I post pictures can someone help me with their colors? I am hoping at least 1 is pied, but I have not seen them yet. Apparently the guy they are coming from has a bunch of different types, so there is really no telling what they are.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am about to leave now to go pick them up.

 

[MinxFox]

They can eat medicated chick starter and it should be 20% protein or very close to 20%. We don't have 20% around here so we just get the 18% and feed the peachicks a few treats like some lettuce and bread.

It might be best if you don't keep them with chickens...Some do some don't. Some don't want to risk it because chickens can give peafowl things like blackhead which can be fatal. You may not know your chickens have it then they give it to your peachicks and that wouldn't be any fun so it might be best to keep them separate just encase. Some keep them together and have not had any problems so it varies. I don't know if chicken chicks would have it already so not totally sure...

Yep most of the people in the peafowl section can help you identify the peachicks and when they get older we can help you determine the sex too.

 

[cinders55]

Congrats on your new babies. Like you I have wanted peafowl for years and finally got four about two months ago. It is so much fun watching how quick they grow and change. Mine are about four months old now and just recently went out to the coop with our little chickens. Have fun!

 

[xlboergoats]

Good luck with your new peachicks. They really are alot of fun. We also raise, hatch, and show chickens. To me, they peafowl are more fun than the chickens. The colors and patterns are really fun to work with.

Where are you located in NE Texas? There are quite a few of us who post here that are from NE Texas. This group has been great to help us when we needed it. Welcome to the group. Let us know if there is anything that we can do to help you in anyway. Believe it or not, our IBs are still laying.

Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas

 

[Kedreeva]

You'd probably be ok keeping them with your chicken chicks as long as the chickens were hatched indoors NOT by a hen, and haven't been allowed access or been exposed to the outdoors where they might've been getting into soil or bugs or adult birds that could carry disease. Once they hit that stage (when you're putting them on the ground) you're going to have to either separate them from the chickens or be vigilant about your disease prevention etc.

They are fine on the medicated chick starter. They'll fare ok on JUST that, but if you want to give them a little extra protein (not too much though), hard boiled egg yolks, plain greek yogurt, and crushed dry kitten chow work great and can give you a little bonding time if you feed it off your fingers.

Please do post pictures! We all love seeing babies! Congrats on finally getting some, and I hope that you're able to straighten those toes! Take some pics before and after

 

[OtterCreekRanch]

I got my little peachicks. They are such cute little babies, but I am slightly disappointed. I am told they are probably cameo and that is one of the colors I was hoping for the least. I think all peafowl are beautiful and will love them either way, but the reason I wanted peafowl was because of their bright colors and cameos just do not have that. Here they are, what do you think?

Two of them only had a little crooked toe or two, but one has completely balled up fists. I tried to straighten them out the best I could and tape them up like I do my chick feet, but I am not sure. I will see how it goes. As long as they can get around pain free and perch and live a pretty normal life I do not care about crooked toes. They will be pets first and foremost so their well being is what is important to me.

Thank you all for the advice so far. I am sure I will have a ton more questions as time goes on. I did go ahead and put them with my chicken chicks because they were incubator hatched and have never been outside much less on the ground, so they should be relatively safe. The chicks are looking at these peachicks like that are alien monsters sent to steal their soles though. It is pretty funny. My biggest chick who is only a few days older than these guys (and a bantam, so smaller) is getting pretty cocky with them, trying to start a sparing match. I am thinking he is probably a rooster at this point. The peachicks are being good and just ignoring them. I am sure they will make fast friends until they have to be separated again.

xlboergoats, I am right outside of Canton, so not all that far from you at all. Do you ever sell peachicks or eggs? I am sure I will want to get more in the future.

 

[Tikkajazz94]

What lovely Peachicks you have.... Enjoy them!!

 

[OtterCreekRanch]

Any thoughts on their color?

 

[mangled]

Oh, they're so cute! I'm jealous.

Congrats on the new babies!!

Em

 

[zazouse]

Quote:
Congradulations you have cameos i believe.
here is mine at 2 weeks old,her father is a cameo and her mother is a buford bronze but the breeder does not know where the white flight feathers came from with this mating.

here she is at a week old