New Peafowl owner with ?s (Updated Pics on Growth Changes)

[BooBear]

Thanks ZaZouse

I am enjoying my new peachicks. Skyflower I am hoping is a girl cus she is so sweet and nuturing. I do not mind if the other is a boy. Would love it if they turn out as boy/girl pair. This weekend I will get more pictures of them. We are supposed to get rain but hopefully we will have 1 nice day for the weekend.

Got plenty of fresh eggs to scramble as the hens are laying good right now despite 3 of em' being broody.

 

[zazouse]

Your welcome,
i wished it was not raining i have to have my husband in Houston at 8 AM thats over a 100 mile drive and i don't do well on the road in bad weather, i pray it lets up enough to get me there safely ya know how Houston traffic can be.

I love babies and love raising them up.

 

[FoulFowl]

Do Peafowl dust bathe the same as chickens?

They love dust baths. When we had the peacocks in a completely closed pen we had one of the plastic kiddie pools in the filled with dirt, sand, diatomaceous earth and they would bathe forever. But they were only in the pen until they learned where they lived. Then they were allowed out .
But they love it even more if they can roam and dig their own holes.
What is a good book on Peafowl to add to my library for reference?
I have looked all over and haven't found any that are of any use. They don't have the details that are needed for someone to raise them. Find a farmers or veterinarian guide to turkeys because they are medically treated AS turkeys. In Spanish they are called Pavo Real which means Royal Turkey. Contact a local college that works with animals and get their recommendations for turkey information or find a turkey grower .
Do they like fruit such as blueberries n watermelon?
Peafowl like 'whatever' We had one group of four babies who would KILL for peas. We have others who won't go near a pea. I wouldn't get them 'HOOKED' on unnatural and non-nutritious things like watermelon or blue berries. I say unnatural because even though they MIGHT come across blueberries there is no way they would ever even try to eat a watermelon. Non-nutritious because they are basically sugar and water. Peacocks are grazers. They nibble here and then wander to the next nibble spot. They love seed heads, flowers, cherry tomatoes, bugs. They need and want a varied diet. But if you get them started on 'junk' food you can corrupt their palate just like our own palates have been corrupted. We have 20 acres of woods and pasture. Also two commercial greenhouses. The peacocks graze but they never over-eat any one particular item so it's safe for them to go in with the commercial plants. The only place where they cause any damage is the flower boxes around our front porch. They nibble the flowers but then they turn the boxes into bathing pits'

I just got a couple of peachicks that are around 2 to 3 weeks old. 1 is a black shoulder and 1 is a pied. The pied is more curious whereas the blackshoulder one is the shyest. Got them on chick start for game birds right now.

How long do you feed them the chick start for game birds?
Since they are actually turkeys (internally) they should be on turkey feed. Ours only have feed in their house and they only nibble on it. They prefer to eat whatever is growing or crawling around. And of course their daily treat of raw shelled peanuts and sunflower seeds
When do they need to be switched to adult feed?
And, can they eat flock raiser for the adult feed or do I need to keep them on a game bird feed?
Some people feed them commercial stuff their entire lives. I only provide it as an extra and in the winter when there is not much growing. Of course I am for natural for my animals and for myself. And you can't really experience living with peacocks unless they can roam free (and hang out on your front porch like a herd of dogs)

 

[BooBear]

Thanks

Ok it has been a week so I got some new pics. But first I want to post a better pic that I got last week of them.
The yellow chick is now Phoenix (Hope I spelled it right).



Yeah it is a bit fuzzy but you get a really good body view.

Ok, so here they are today.
The first picture is Phoenix, who has changed the most this past week:


2nd Pic, Skyflower is head deep in dinner and has decided not to cooperate with the photos. This is the best still shot of Skyflower. Surprisingly, Phoenix is being a better sport about the photos.



and the last pic. Skyflower is about a week younger then Phoenix so she is at the stage Phoenix was last week:

 

[BooBear]

Sorry I missed my last update, but here they are today:


Both Skyflower & Phoenix were checking out the new space added to their hutch. They flapped, flew, fanned their tail feathers, and shaked them at each other. Then they had fun with the pile of sand I put in the pen. Ofcourse the best pics I got today was when they were in the hutch part.

They are starting to get crown feathers I think by the new feather pens coming in on their heads. The pic above it looks like dots on their heads.
The picture below is my favorite as they are being so sweet to each other. They are super bonded to each other.

 

[zazouse]

They are beautiful! your doing a good job raising them up, keep up the good work!

 

[BooBear]

thanks,
They are cool pets to have and fun to watch grow.

 

[zazouse]

thanks,
They are cool pets to have and fun to watch grow.

Yes they are, i love mine and as they grow older they get more and more friendly.
Mine know i am there to protect them, when something enters the safe zone they start calling, i go out grab the fireworks and start walking, they will get in front of me and lead me to the problem, they know i will watch out for them, if it is a hawk i will fire off a bottle rocket and the peas are not afraid of the sound ,once the culpret is gone i head back with a dozen peas behind me it is soo cool.
All of mine eat out of my hand now and that in itself is pretty cool.

 

[BooBear]

I love your Peas zazous they are just stunning.
Yeah mine are not fond of being handled but they love to watch me watch them. When I talk to them they tilt their heads curiously. I think they know they are gorgeous.
I want to get a picture of them displaying at each other when they are playing but still missing that shot (they are too fast for my camera). It is so cute to watch them display and shake them feathers.

 

[zazouse]

I know, if you don't keep the camera wityh you 24/7 it is hard to catch them in a photo.