Lonesome Peachick

[bdfive]

This has been the 2nd night my 1 month old peachick has been in the baby pen built up off the ground in the safe big pens. The wind is blowing like crazy so went out to check on it. Moved the lights closer for warmth and took off my light weight flannel over shirt for it to lay on. I have rubber matting over the wire floor so cold can't come thru from beneath but the rubber is a little chilly. I'll change out towels for it to lay on during the cool snap we have coming up. Some Live Oak tree limbs are beating on the metal roof so will need to get up there and trim them back today. The chick was sleeping on the roost in the little pen on the closed in back porch but it prefers cuddling up to it's reflection in the mirror. I feel so bad....know it's frightened all by itself. The older chicks do jump up on a ladder and visit it through the wire. I'm going to put a couple saw horses holding a wide board next to it....hopefully the older chicks will visit often. Maybe my baby won't feel so lonesome. I sure wish I could find a peachick about a month old. I'd gotten a couple chicken chicks but returned them a week later to my friend. I'm just not prepared to raise chickens at this time and was concerned about chicken diseases.

 

[featherhead]

Darlene, I just went thru the same thing. Doug M had a 4-wk-old charcoal chick that I wanted. Once I got her home, I realized she would get awful lonely during the winter because she's too young to live in the aviaries. So I got her a buddy the same age, and they are living in a poultry crate in the sunroom for the winter. I put the crate against the back of the fireplace because we run the woodstove during the winter - that should help them a lot. You might call Doug M because he has chicks the age you want. (It took about 20 minutes for those two chicks to start cuddling up and grooming each other. Perfect.)

 

[bdfive]

Featherhead, tell me again who Doug M is. I'll contact him. Thanks.

 

[bdfive]

Doug M is D&M Farms. I just called and left a message. Featherhead, I need another peafowl like I need a hole in my head, LOL!!! Hopefully he'll have a rare color, a high percentage Spalding or Java chick. D&M is in Texas....sure would like to drive there and see all his peafowl. Where are you? ~Darlene

 

[featherhead]

I'm in KY, but Doug and I met at the UPA reunion in Kansas City MO last weekend. He brought the charcoal chick to me there. Hey, I thought you were also in TX? You'll like Doug. And like you, I really don't "need" any more birds. Face it, we're addicts. Isn't there a 12-Step Program for this somewhere? Geez.

 

[bdfive]

Talked with Doug. The youngest peachicks he has left are 2 month old but so happy I made contact with him. Might be purchasing some of next years hatch. I guess this lone chick is going to have to make the best of it. He's cuddling up to the mirror so maybe he doesn't really think he's alone. I am in Texas about 35 miles north of San Antonio. Doug is about 6 hours away.

12 step program, LOL!! Let me know when you find one, I need help! I think you posted how many peas you have.....I have more. Need to sell some youngsters but will only give them up to a good home. I had some people calling constantly wanting my Spaldings but they didn't meet my criteria so had to remove my ad from Craigs List. Told them my sister and husband were taking them. Shame on me.

 

[deerman]

how much older is your youngest peachick next to him.....if under 8 weeks ...i would put one with him......just watch them...and place it in his pen, the older chick will want a buddy too..and the new pen he made not try to control.


I would watch see how they do at first.......my guess older chick will want a buddy just as bad. Try seperate the older chick from his buddies for a few hours first.....

 

[bdfive]

Next oldest are over 3 months so this little guy wouldn't have a chance. The 2 IB female will be going to another home eventually leaving me with my male Java chick. I tried putting them with 3 Spalding a little over a month older but the rough housing worried me.....don't want my Java hurt. I just got an email from someone not far from me that has 2 peachicks the same age. I'm giving her the 3rd degree questioning her motherly abilities.....might sell or give this little guy to her. I'll have to go inspect living conditions, LOL!!! They have 20 acres. Yea, I know...I'm a nut case, haha!!!

 

[featherhead]

Darlene, that's why I don't hatch chicks any more. Way too many people wanting to buy them who didn't have a clue about their care, and wouldn't invest the time or effort to keep the birds safe and healthy. And even though I explained that peas are social creatures that seek the company of other peas, some people just wanted one peacock to stroll their yard and make them look good. Very few were willing to do the worming. I got tired of it. So my birds remain pets and all are happy and safe. They have lots of space, secure barns, and daily visitors (deer, the next door neighbor's kitty, etc.) I'm happy to give their eggs away to people who know what they are doing. Glad you contacted Doug, as he's very helpful and knows a whole bunch. You'll learn a lot from him and he enjoys helping people with their birds.

 

[bdfive]

Featherhead, it's 45 out right now. Person that wants chick had just put their month old babies outside in the pen (on the ground). Questioned her about the safety of the pen and she said it's large enough the chicks can move away from the paws reaching in of a raccoon. We know how that may go. Mentioned it's going down in the 40's .... did they have heat for their 2 peachicks. She answered "NO, we'll do that when it gets cold". I explained about heat, 1 month old chicks on ground and them perhaps getting nabbed through the wire by a predator. Didn't hear anything after that. I'm hoping they were outside making better arrangements for the night. She did say it was in a building with one side open so maybe they can hunker down in hay to stay warm....also have each other to cuddle with. I just went out and my chick is ok... he's got 4 heat lamps....2 above and 2 on side. Regarding raising chicks .... my answer to that is let the mom's do it. Last year I left each free range peahen keep 2 chicks and they were wonderful mothers and what a delight it was to watch them on the property. This year predators would have gotten them. I have a Spalding raising 4 - 75% Java blood in a 12' by 30' pen....no trouble to me at all. Do you keep your girls penned during mating season? I have to or spend my summer egg hunting on 5 acres and beyond to neighbors property. They'd have been killed on eggs this year with so many hungry predators due to drought.

Do you eat the pea eggs? I don't think I'm going to hatch anything but Spalding and Java next year. It really is difficult to find good homes. I give IB chicks to folks that have bought from me in the past and still have the birds. I'm going to visit someone that has 3 from early hatching this year. He'd like to have a few more and I have a 4 month old pair I've turned down selling because of doubts. I'll probably give these to him. I have 2 good friends that would love to have more peafowl. One lady has 1,800 acres. She bought 22 peachicks from me last year but some died, some killed and most of the others ran off. Another friend has 60 acres but she refuses to dispatch predators that kill her chickens and peafowl. They won't be getting any of mine.

Doug is really a nice person. I enjoyed talking to him and look forward to purchasing Spaldings and/or Java chicks next year. Thanks for suggesting I call him.