My first peafowls

[Wilchild54]

Yes I agree Dmom , I had to assist the one and only one I have after pipping for 24 hr. and no unzipping but others die after taking them out all I can asset it to is weak chicks .... I still have 3 live eggs in my incubator and its going on day 30 now with no pipps ....

 

[DylansMom]

Yes I agree Dmom , I had to assist the one and only one I have after pipping for 24 hr. and no unzipping but others die after taking them out all I can asset it to is weak chicks .... I still have 3 live eggs in my incubator and its going on day 30 now with no pipps ....

It is just so weird, because this is what I am hearing from all over. These are chicks from all different states, regions, varieties of Peafowl, and different aged parents. And the one common factor seems to be that they just don't unzip instead they slowly die in the shell. We all kind of think the harsh winter may have affected the parent birds, as we can come up with no other explanation. I do not try to assist any that haven't made that internal pip, I tried last year, but none survived, so it just isn't worth the heartache. But for the most part the ones I have assisted this year that made the int. pip have done okay. I lost 2 out of my first hatch at 3 days, but one of those was not assisted at hatch.

 

[zazouse]

Zaz...it probably has allot to do with the health of the young hens and others omit there 2 year and under don't lay as big of a egg as 3 year old which would support the theory of a weaker chick with a smaller egg. I have no doubt that there are breeders that have luck hatching 2 year and under hen eggs but the standard is a 3 year old hen is best....

These are eggs from the coming 2 year olds . i only had 1 hen lay a couple really small eggs but the third one was normal and she was from last years hatch, all my hens have laid

regular size eggs even the 1 year olds.

I think genes play a part in egg laying because folks come on here and post that some of their bids lay 30 or more eggs where as one of the breeders i got my first wee peas were lucky to geta dozen in a season and i think that was about what i got last year and it looks like most of them here are gonna give me the same this year.

I got 2 coming three year old peacocks full blown train and never tried for a hen, they just fought with each other and showed off to each other, they got the stuff but no brain to go with it i guess

Here are a couple different shaped eggs that are laid here

Silly boys to busy to notice the girls


some of last years eggs from comming 2 year olds

These are some from this years 2 and 3 year olds

I did have a rather small egg hatch from my 3 year old hen and her name is Dinky, so far she is very tiny compared to the other chick her age, i am watching to see if she catches up with the others before i sell her , sometimes small chicks suffer failure to thrive when they are small like this, they seem fine but never develop as they should and die an early age.
this is Dinky

 

[Peafowlssssssss]

If They have made the internal pip and you can hear chirping from inside the egg, they have enough oxygen to last 24-48 hrs. During that time they must break the shell or they will run out of oxygen and suffocate. If they have not broken the shell after 24 hours I will make a small air hole right in the center of the air space you can see when candling. Once you make the air hole they have oxygen and then I will give them another 24 hours to see if they do anything. If not I will start assisting them out by peeling away shell. There is a great article here on BYC about assisted hatching and it will tell you the dos & don'ts, lots of pictures as well. It is about chickens, but everything is pretty much the same.


PS. Not a stupid question at all.

Interesting, i will read more about it, i was going to save few chicks if i had known this earlier, Thanks.

 

[Wilchild54]

That Dinky is a cutie ZAS and LOL on dummies not going for it LOLLL maybe there gay

 

[new 2 pfowl]

A conversation stopper for sure!

I love that Dinky, Zaz.

I wish I had gotten a good look at Runty's egg so I would know if her egg was small, or if she is just small.

 

[nurse1]

Hi, this is my first year with peafowl. I have a pair of 3 year old what I believe are blue shoulder. My hen laid 4 eggs and started to sit on them 4 days ago. Can any one tell me how I will sex the babies

 

[Wilchild54]

Here,s another question on feed: what do think of adding dry cat food which is high in meat and at least 30% protein to your chick starter ?This Is very economical and To my knowledge has nothing in it to be detrimental to the chicks ...

 

[DylansMom]

Here,s another question on feed: what do think of adding dry cat food which is high in meat and at least 30% protein to your chick starter ?This Is very economical and To my knowledge has nothing in it to be detrimental to the chicks ...

I've never added dry cat food to my chick starter, but I always mix a 20 lb. bag of it into a 100 lbs. of my regular crumble feed I give the adult birds. It is very economical, compared to buying game bird ration to get the higher protein, and paying 3-4 times as much. Usually I don't let the young ones try it until they are at least 3 months old. I am just too concerned about diluting the medicated feed, and I have also been told by several people with more experience than myself, that too much protein in a chick under 12 weeks can cause leg growth problems. Again, this is just what I have been told and believe, I have no scientific evidence to back it up!

 

[Wilchild54]

Thanks for getting back Dmom, but most all game bird chick starter has a protein level of 30% or more. I have fed this mix as you stated with my Pheasant feed and they have done great on it . I raised them on it from chicks and now at just over 1 year old they are coming into full color which most don't till 2 years od age. I have a Himalayan monal ( Impeyan)

that already has blue in his first years feathers , which they don't even start turning till after the 2nd year. But Ill take your suggestion into consideration and maybe more folks will chime in on this question...