Keeping Peafowl off ground - Pavers?

[alibabba]

I have 8 peachicks on wire in my garage. They range in age from 3 months to 6 weeks. I'd like to move them out to my outdoor 10x10 broody&chick pen.

I can use wire on the pen floor, but time consuming to have to add it. and of course $$$.

I can get some free pavers or slate tile to put down until they are old enough to range the yard. (maybe landscape fabric, tarp, plastic beneath and up the sides to keep earthworms out)

Does anyone see any other issues with this idea?

 

[bruceha2000]

I've not had peafowl but is 10x10 anywhere near big enough? I would GUESS a 3 month old peachick would be a fair bit bigger than a large fowl chicken breed of the same age.

Why do you want to keep them off the ground?

 

[KsKingBee]

Mine hit the dirt at 6 to 8 weeks, keeping them off the ground does not ensure that they will not contract cocci or worms, they WILL still get them. Even in your garage they will still get cocci from airborne or from your hands or clothing. I give mine regular treatments for cocci, one week on and two weeks off using sulfadimethoxine. Worming should start by the sixth week of being on the ground and done every six weeks by oral dosing. By following this procedure you will maintain healthy birds. Once hard winter comes the risk of contracting cocci or worms is greatly diminished.

 

[casportpony]

I use 4' x 6' rubber stall mats in my grow out pens.

 

[alibabba]

Thanks much folks!!! Yes Cocci... they are on medicated feed, and up off ground on wire so no wetness.

I am only planning on keeping a trio. Rest will be sold. And those three will hopefully have their own shelter and pen --- But they will at some point probably around 6 months? be turned loose in the fenced yard (about 1/2 acre) with the chickens and will have access to chicken pen, coop and all the poop that goes with it.

Rubber Mat Idea is interesting...easy to hose down?

In the mean time...
At $25 each. Don't want to be cavalier about it. My yard is damp and FULL to overflowing of earthworms.

Also, trying to figure out best worm schedule for them... EVERYONE suggests something different.

I worm the chickens (about) twice a year, with Strike III. And garden/poultry dust birds, nest boxes, dust baths, roosts and coop floor as needed, and sparingly.

 

[casportpony]

The mats are pretty easy to hose off if you have one of those pressure nozzles. For worming, get some Valbazen.

 

[bruceha2000]

I worm the chickens (about) twice a year, with Strike III.

Do your chickens HAVE worms? Do they HAVE cocci? I'm not so sure that just because one has chickens they have those problems.

 

[casportpony]

Do your chickens HAVE worms? Do they HAVE cocci? I'm not so sure that just because one has chickens they have those problems.

Peafowl get blackhead very easily, so many peafowl people deworm at least twice a year to reduce the chances of this happening.

 

[bruceha2000]

Is blackhead caused by cocci? I understand that turkeys are also susceptible to blackhead and people are cautious about keeping turkeys with chickens for that reason.

 

[KsKingBee]

Thanks much folks!!! Yes Cocci... they are on medicated feed, and up off ground on wire so no wetness.

I am only planning on keeping a trio. Rest will be sold. And those three will hopefully have their own shelter and pen --- But they will at some point probably around 6 months? be turned loose in the fenced yard (about 1/2 acre) with the chickens and will have access to chicken pen, coop and all the poop that goes with it.

Rubber Mat Idea is interesting...easy to hose down?

In the mean time...
At $25 each. Don't want to be cavalier about it. My yard is damp and FULL to overflowing of earthworms.

Also, trying to figure out best worm schedule for them... EVERYONE suggests something different.

I worm the chickens (about) twice a year, with Strike III. And garden/poultry dust birds, nest boxes, dust baths, roosts and coop floor as needed, and sparingly.

Ok, I'll try one more time. Medicated feed is useless as a preventative against cocci in peachicks. Being off the ground is not going to prevent cocci, they will still get it even in a dry environment. You need to learn how to orally dose your birds for worms and in emergencies tube feeding and medicating. Safeguard and Valbazen are the best two dewormers for peafowl and when used with sulfadimethoxine in the schedule I laid out for you your birds will remain healthy. Poultry dust and Sevin are hard on birds lungs, please consider using Ivermec pour on instead for lice.