It's going to be super cold.

[furbabymum]

My barn is very large so body heat really doesn't factor in to keeping my coop warm. Just not enough poultry in my space for that. I won't do heat lamps either. It's going to be around -15 here tomorrow. So my question is should I bring my peacocks into our garage? It's usually a fair amount warmer than the barn. I know they aren't really cold weather birds.

 

[Garden Peas]

Well, you know? Here we go again with the pages long arguments. I'm just saying. I was told by a poultry expert that catfood is not appropriate for poultry. I assume he knows what he's talking about, since he spent about the past thirty years and up to the current day in the poultry industry. I don't think he based it on a MYTH. He's considered an expert in the field by thousands of people. Am I interested enough to ask him to prove it in writing???? No. And as far as catfood itself, as I said...it does say catfood. It doesn't say catfood/ poultry food. Do what you like. Every body has their own ideas about what does and does not make their birds sick, and if you want to spend hours and hours trying to discredit common sense, I guess that's ok. I have better things to do. There's plenty of other things that can substitute for catfood. I don't intend to use it any more than I have been, and our birds don't miss it.

While speaking with your poultry expert, were you discussing nutritional requirements for poultry? As in for chickens?

Did you also happen to talk to him about peafowl? Is he familiar with their nutritional requirements? Peas have nutritional requirements that are somewhat different than the requirements for chickens. Peas require more protein, among other things.

The higher dietary need for protein is the primary reason pea owners give their peas catfood. Because chicken feeds and even turkey feeds do not necessarily contain sufficient protein to meet the dietary needs of peafowl. Adding catfood in appropriate proportions to other commercial feed products allows the peas to get the protein they need.

I am not aware of any food currently marketed specifically for peafowl. I do know that poultry food (chicken feed) alone is not enough to maintain optimum pea health. Even gamebird feeds often do not have as much protein as is recommended for peafowl. The nutritional needs imposed by growing long train feathers are very high, and actually suppress the immune systems of males while they are growing their trains. Pea owners typically have to cobble together an appropriate pea diet from multiple sources/kinds of commercial feeds. I am not aware of any knowledgeable pea owner feeding their peas a total catfood diet, even though some of our birds would like that.

Meanwhile, I am happy to feed my CHICKENS their layer pellets, with some cracked corn on the side (since it is winter) and the occasional catfood treat.

Maybe we are talking apples and oranges here....

 

[casportpony]

14°F here last night with fog .... they don't like it!

It's 22°F here now, this was my solution for my youngest ones living outside

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Has anyone here read how you can stack terracotta pots,holding them together upside down with a long bolt,and then placing a small candle under the pots,to generate heat all day long? The pots will store the candle heat,and the bolt holding them together transmits the heat between the 3 pots. It's very,very cheap radiant heat all generated by one or a few small candles.There is videos on you-tube how to build these.Each pot must be slightly bigger than the next,and the bolt needs to be long enough to be just above the candle frame.Granted around peas,you may need to construct a wire enclosure around the pots,but it's amazing how hot one small candle can create for many hours at a time.

 

[casportpony]

Here's one many of us have used:






Purina Gamebird Starter 30% Protein - 50 pound
Purina Game Bird Startena (30% protein) product is formulated to promote rapid growth through bone and muscle development. Feed Game Bird Startena for the first six weeks of life. How To Feed...Feed free choice to birds as a sole ration until 6 weeks of age. Start with a small amount on paper or cardboard to make sure that all birds begin eating.

Important Considerations:
1. Plenty of clean, fresh water should be available to the birds at all times.
2. A feeding program is only as effective as the management practices followed.

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein, not less than 30.0% Crude Fiber, not less than 6.5% Crude Fat, not more than 2.5% Lysine, not less than 1.5% Methionine, not less than 0.5% Calcium, not less than 1.0% Calcium, not more than 1.5% Phosphorus, not less than 0.8% Salt, not less than 0.25% Salt, not more than 0.75%


-Kathy

 

[Trefoil]

I know its confusing, but by raising the % protein available, it doesn't raise it to 37%, it would raise it to 25% + .12 x .25, or 28%, if I've done my math right. What fermenting does is make the protein more available.

 

[3BirdGirlz]

Go to Hopkins alternative livestock web page.... He has easy instructions. I used a 2x4 and on the wide side attached a thermostatically controlled pipe warmer tape. It's to keep pipes from freezing and turns on when it's under 32 degrees. Attached it using fencing staples. Then I used scrap carpet and covered it. I did it all myself and it was pretty easy

 

[MinxFox]

Goodness I think I would freeze to death where you all are. It is 49 degrees out and that is cold enough for me. I get cold very easily. I am glad I don't have to worry about rounding up my peas.

For those of you that have to worry about getting them to go inside at night so they don't freeze, I really am thinking what Josh from Rocking BAB told me was a really interesting tip about if you have a dim light on at night inside the peafowl's indoor area, they will roost where there is the most light so they will go inside if there is a dim light for the night. I told him we keep a light on at night near the pen incase if a predator gets in the peas can see their way around the pen to get away, but he told me not to have an outside light, just an indoor light. I just thought it was a neat tip although I sure don't have electricity wired to the pen.

 

[DylansMom]

Left Corinth Mississippi (did I get enough "i's"?) this morning and it was 54 degrees,,get into southern illinois about noon and the car says it's 77 degrees outside. Get to Champaign it's down to 55 again and check accuweather for tonight and theres another 5-8" snow coming,blowing tomorrow of 40mph,and a blizzard warning is in effect after 1am tomorrow morning. Wifey did a super job caring for the harem of peas inside the palace while I was gone,actually two hens wanted me to open my pockets to see if I had bread for them.I fear she has now ruined them. She told me she tried to bond with Thang and thinks they may have made a connection (this has yet to be seen) .

You better watch out, sounds like Wifey may have fallen under Thang's spell. It's kind of like the Dos Equis commercial only he's "The Most Interesting Peacock in the World".

As far as your forecast, you have my sincerest sympathies.

 

[casportpony]

I will never, never complain about rain but 6" is enough for this week!

I don't think we had six inches all last winter!

-Kathy