My Orphan Peachick

[Cookie5]

One of my peahens went broody and disappeared for a month, we thought a coyote got her but she returned with three chicks. two of the chicks died and she abandoned the last peachick. The little guy was found in my horse water trough. It hardly eats or drinks we are looking desperately for help. We are trying everything to help, but we've only raised chickens from egg to adult never a peacock. One of out silkies (Blue) has taken it in as her own, but we fear the peachick won't last long. We need as much help as posable to keep this little peachick!

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Hello and

!
Don't worry, you can definitely get some help here! I'm no peachick health expert, but we have plenty of them around...

First of all, the more information you can provide the better, and a picture would help too.
For example, how old is the chick?
Where is it now, do you have it inside/in a warm place?
How is it acting? Fluffed up? Listless? Eyes open or closed?

Also, did the other chicks have any kind of symptoms before they died? Their deaths could be related to whatever is going on with your little guy...

 

[MeepBeep]

Really not that different from a baby chicken with the exception they are not inherently born with the same type of "I know everything I need to know to survive in life" instincts...

Peas need some instruction and some parenting until they figure things out... Show them how to feed by pecking at the food/water with your finger until they get it, or better yet if you have a chicken mom that has taken to them let her do the instruction, as they will copy her actions just fine... They are very fast learners but they need the initial instruction... Also be sure to use a medicated feed as peas don't have the tolerance that chickens do to many thing and being around chickens that are carriers can be deadly... I would also recommend you supplement the chicken starter with some brewers yeast (1 cup yeast to 5 lbs starter mash) because they need more protein then the chicken starter provides, the yeast will help with this plus provide a lot of vitamins...

Beyond that keep them warm and safe and if they are healthy they will thrive...

 

[Cookie5]

This chick is about 8 weeks old, the pea chick is inside with my silkie they have a heat lamp and cuddle together, it is flying around the crate i suppose because it was once a wild chick and wants to stretch it's wings, it's some what fluffed up but mainly stays under the silkie to keep warm, the peachick sleeps a lot but it is also stressed. My silkie is a very good mother to the little guy and the other two peachicks had no symptoms before they died they just appeared dead the next morning. They were all happy eating there food drinking there water mother was keeping a very keen eye on them nothing abnormal. I will try to post pictures of the little guy later, but my phone is being replaced tomorrow so it will happen soon.

-Thank you for the help I appreciate it very much.

 

[Cookie5]

The chick has a special "soup" as the vet called it that has plenty of protein and our chickens are debugged every weekend so there are no mites or worms. We have a very clean pen for them and we even have two turkeys with them to keep warm over the winter. We have mad it so other (wild) birds don't bother with our beloved birds and we try to prevent our peafowl from escaping, but my baby cousin doesn't understand the meanings of don't open, or touch. But I am happy to say the peachick is perky and active this afternoon! The silkie is being very gentle to her foster chick even though she was never broody...or layed her first egg. She is a great mother to the peachick and incurred it to eat more and drink more! The peahen of the chick is back in her pen with her mate. I just hope the peachick lasts about a month with the rate it's going! We're on an escalator that only goes up with this little fighter.

 

[MeepBeep]

our chickens are debugged every weekend so there are no mites or worms. We have a very clean pen for them and we even have two turkeys with them to keep warm over the winter.

The parasites that carry Coccidiosis are EVERYWHERE, no matter how clean you keep your coop or how often you treat your chickens... Chickens build an immunity pretty fast and then become carriers, once their immunity is built up the 'normal' levels of parasites carrying Coccidiosis in your immediate area no longer bother them, on the contrary Peas are VERY susceptible to it and it can/will kill them in short order... The same with Blackhead disease... You asked for help and starting a mediated feed for the Pea is IMO a near necessity in your case...

 

[Trefoil]

If this chick is 8 weeks old, I would really like to see a picture of the silky keeping her (it) warm

. Also at that age you can worm both it and the silky. What you are feeding is obviously working, my pea babies like even their starter "soupy". Pea chicks seem to need additional warmth longer than chicks or keets. Flying is normal. For future reference medicated turkey or gamebird starter at ~ 28% works well for pea babies. Good luck with your baby.

 

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