Lazy Peachick

[casportpony]

Quote: Medicated gamebird is hard to find in some places. Try looking for medicate turkey starter instead. FYI, the medication you want is amprolium.

-Kathy

 

[Birdrain92]

This is the feed I use for peachicks. Sorry it's blurry.

This is the feed I use for my adult peafowl. A mix between this feed and oyster shells.

 

[KsKingBee]

Medicated gamebird is hard to find in some places. Try looking for medicate turkey starter instead. FYI, the medication you want is amprolium.

-Kathy

My local Co-op produces their own feeds including a Gamebird starter/breeder 28% protein. However, they do not make a 28% medicated feed so we use the 23% medicated chick starter. Although you will read that they need the higher percentage protein, the 23% has done well in my flock. I do not believe that the name 'Gamebird' need st be on the container, what is important is the medication and the percentage of protein.

As a side note, the starter/breeder they make comes with instructions on cutting the feed to make different protein percentages. When I asked the largest peafowl breeder in the mid-west on what percentage he feeds his flock he told me, '20%, but that may be too hot'. I don't know that I agree as the yearling and two-year-olds had a lot of feather picking damage on their backs, but then again that may have been because of overpopulation in those pens, I don't know.

 

[RubyNala97]

I read two conflicting articles on the UPA website. One article stated that peachicks should not be fed more then 20-22% protein because too much protein leads to leg problems. Another article said to feed them at least 28-30% protein. I was surprised with the variance. I am currently feeding a staple of 20% medicated chick starter. Then supplementing with 23% plain Greek yogurt, 22% fermented game bird feed, and some store bought meal worms. I'm still looking for a higher protein medicated starter. (Thank you for the pic, I will look for it). I'm hoping that I am providing enough for them right now with the above mixture. My feed store has a horrible selection. So I'm looking online. Hopefully if I can find a brand then I can find a dealer. I had a little better luck googling "turkey starter" as mentioned above. Still working on it. Thank you.

 

[Argus]

When he said "20%,but that may be too hot" what age group was he referring to?

 

[KsKingBee]

Quote:
We were talking anything over 'chick' age. Certainly yearlings and older as I was not asking about chicks so I don't know where he draws that line between chicks and yearlings.

 

[Birdrain92]

I have a book call Let's Get Started Raising Peafowl! It's a great book. It's protein nutrition it lists with what age group. Peachicks need at least 20% and is medicated with Amprolium to prevent coccidiosis. 4-6 months need a 20%, 6 months to a year need to be on a grower feed until ready for breeding. Some peafowl breeders keep their peafowl with 20% protein year round and some start a month before breeding season. You can add oyster shells for extra calcium source. Corn can help build weight for the colder months but can harm the egg production during breeding season. My peafowl remain at 22% when 6 months old and after but I keep oyster shells with them almost all year except when my hen stops laying and my male is keeping his train. Once my male starts molting I put oyster shells in until his train is done growing. During breeding season I keep oyster shells with the hen to prevent egg bound.

 

[casportpony]

I worry that chick starter might not have the correct amount of some vitamins and minerals. Niacin is one. This is what Purina said:

Quote:

We fortify each of these products with considerably more than enough to meet the niacin requirements of each of the relevant species. Layer chicks need a minimum of 27 ppm for the first six weeks of life, less after that. Ducklings need 55 ppm, and gamebirds need 30 to 70 ppm, depending on the specie. Purina products are optimally fortified to meet the needs of these various types of birds.

Hope this helps - Let me know if you have other questions!

What he didn't say was how much was in each. I'm gonna guess that their chick starter has only 27ppm.

-Kathy

 

[KsKingBee]

Mine does not state the amounts of the trace minerals either.

 

[casportpony]

I just read something that says turkeys fed a diet too low in niacin can develop a condition that looks very much like perosis, so I'm gonna guess the same is true for peas.

-Kathy