Incubating peafowl

[kuntrygirl]

Thanks!!!!!!!!

 

[casportpony]

I'm sure you could find it cheaper, but I was too lazy to look, lol.

 

[Joe.G]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A9W41GI/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

I got this.

 

[casportpony]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A9W41GI/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

I got this.

That looks like a good one, too.

 

[annabell254]

I just candled my 21 purchased eggs, that I had to drive 3 hours each way to get, they are at 8 days and looks like 19 developing.

Where did you get yours? I also traveled to get mine

Hi Peaexperts. I'm Mary Beth, and I need help with a peachick hatch. I have had a breeding trio since last fall, and they've been laying for about two weeks. Each hen laid 3-5 eggs in a clutch, then sat.

The hen on 3 eggs abandoned her nest on about day 10. I watched her for a day to see if she would return but she did not. I candled the three and found 2 clear, 1 had progressed but I could not see any movement. She had been off of it overnight and for the bettter part of the day, I believe, and our nights are still cool here. I quickly stuck it in my brinsea 20EX. I laid it on its side and set the temp to 100 and humidity to 60%. I also have it autoturning. I just candled and there is definitely development and lots of movement. By my count, this should be day 18.
My first question is, how do I date for 'lockdown'? The peahen sat on May 9. So I was planning hatch out on June 6. I think everyone ususlly says a day 25 lockdown for peas? I'm just wondering since the egg was not progressing while she was off of it and she was off of it for at least a full day and night, maybe more, should I give the egg a couple of extra days to develop or just go with the usual 25 day lockdown?
Question 2: I've read that peachicks don't hatch well with humidity pumps. True? Should I remove the pump and try to use the 'peapad'/maxipad method you guys talke about or another method to try to increase humidty?
Question 3: If it does hatch, what the heck will I do with one solitary peachick? I have chickens hatching ttoday, but I doubt the broody will take a peachick later. I also have turkey chicks, but they are 4 weeks old by now. Suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

WOW! that is AWSOME... if you have a hen that is known to go broody I would fill up a next box with eggs so she will start to sit.... then take away the real eggs and replace with dummy eggs.. then when you chick hatches stick it under her at night after it has fluffed up
I also have a brinsea 20 advanced... and I keep an extra piece of sponge filled with water to keep my humidity up at 60% as I do not have the pump and with out the sponge my humidity is only at 54% from the water wells only ... I have not heard that the pump is bad on pea eggs

so you know why that might be? .... I have 13 eggs on day 5 right now and my settings are 100.1 and 60% and I am hand turning 180 degrees 3-4 times a day along with the turner on

 

[Momhunter]

Annabell254-- I bought mine in Oklahoma just south of Moore, I live in Ponder, Tx. Just north of Ft Worth.

 

[casportpony]

Annabell, can you post a picture of your Brinsea with the 13 eggs in it, I'd love to see it!

-Kathy

 

[annabell254]

the bag in the back holds my sponge slice for the extra humidity (I did not want the moist sponge toughing my eggs! )


thought this pict was cool with the mirror image in the back ground

 

[mbfarms]

Quote:

That's a great idea. The hen who abandoned her nest hasn't started laying again and seems to be co-brooding with the hen still on eggs. Go figure. So maybe tucking the baby under her will work. I also have three chicken chicks who just hatched and their mom is a goofball. So worse case, if they aren't thriving with the clueless chicken-mom, I'll put them all together. By then the chicks will be bigger and can hopefully teach the pea how to eat/drink, etc.

Quote: I read that the pumps are bad for peas on this on the UPA site: http://www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/13/ Here's what the article says: "The second common cause of oxygen starvation is the use of automatic humidity systems. I am fully aware that many will cry "foul" at this, but I will stick to my guns on my position on it in analyzing what my problems and the solutions have been. In my experience, it has worked better to fill the water pans by hand because the process of opening and closing the incubator door floods the incubator with invigorating fresh air. The worst hatching season I ever had was when using automatic humidity. Though I view other factors as contributing, the automatic humidity in my opinion played a key role."

I have a humidity pump bc I live in the desert, so keeping humidity high is a real problem. I have not been hand turning, only running the turner. Maybe I will start hand-turning. That way I'll be exposing the egg to additional oxygen a few times a day in addtion to what's coming in through the air vent (which I'm keeping fully open).

ANOTHER QUESTION: Do you wait to turn off the turner and up the humidity til the peas pip? Or do you do that on a certain day (26?)? Have you had issues with peas not being able to hatch out once they've pipped? I did break open the 2 eggs that were not fertile, and holy moly, those are some hard egg shells.

Thank you so much for your advice and the photos. My 7 yo son got these peas for Christmas (it was all he wanted!) and now he has his heart set on this peachick. Fingers Crossed!

 

[mbfarms]

Err, one more thing, annabell254....We are military, which is why I live in the desert of So Cal, but I'm actually from Savannah! I just saw you're from SE GA! Love all the GA peaches on BYC!