I need opinions about my peachicks

[Amanda Patrick]

This week they should be hatching. I let the mother lay on her eggs for the whole time. she is in a pen with another hen and the male, should i let her hatch them out and keep them?

or should i put them in the house where nothing can hurt them?
its 93F today but then its dropping to mid/low 60F until saturday then back up to 88F

 

[Fowler Hencock]

Depends on your motivation for having peachicks. If you just like seeing the mother take care of the babies (which she may or may not be good at) and seeing chick rearing the way nature intended, then by all means, leave the chicks with mom. On the other hand, if your goal is raising these chicks to be breeders as a future revenue source for your farm, you'd be best served keeping your investment as safe as possible in a cage in an environmentally regulated place.

Peachicks can and do get treated poorly by other peacocks, including mom. They are also vulnerable to predators, in virtually any outdoor pen. They can die from temperature extremes, and from bacteria, parasites, and fungus present in bugs and other stuff they will eat. We keep our chicks in cages indoors for the first couple of weeks, then in cages in a temp regulated glass - walled greenhouse for several weeks. Then, when they've toughened up a bit, the go to a chick only pen (with a heated area)for the winter, and are introduced to the adults in the spring.

 

[Amanda Patrick]

Thank you

I just hate seeing things die and i have read about mothers stealing chicks. This is the first year of breeding for my hens and i want her to have a chance since she has sat through everything. I am mainly worried about the health. I have been thinking more about bringing them in to make sure the parents do not abuse them and with the temperatures moving up and down.

 

[NateinFL]

Remember that raising peachicks is a big chore.

I don't have the time to raise them so I have let the peahens do it, both have been very successful in doing so the last 2 years and it has worked out well for me but they are basically lawn ornaments I'm not breeding for hobby (not yet). Like Fowler said, it depends on what you plan to do with them.

 

[Amanda Patrick]

yea i have baby swans that i raise but i have also done the whole 4-H projects that have taken time. I also have family support