Peachicks going outside?

[KalikoFarms]

I know I read something on putting the peachicks outside but I cant find it.. Anyway, what is a good age to put peachicks outside? I have 5 that are about 2 months old and they are all feathered and making a big mess in the spare bedroom....LOL I dont have a garage! I would like to put them outside in a tractor. Is it safe?
Thanks
Rita

 

[zazouse]

I don't know where ya live but mine have been outside sence hatch day.

 

[JP101010]

Kalikopoodles we are in the same boat.. our peabuddy is 2 months and growing by the minute. I also dont have a garage ..I have done alot of research about peafowl in regards to putting them on the ground> I have learned that a peafowls immune system isnt fully active until about 3-4 months which is why they suggest a wire bottom with no ground contact until that age. alot of people do raise them on the ground but there is a 50% mortality rate due to the naturally occuring organisms in the soil that can wreak havoc on a young peafowl with no immune system- thats also why the peafowl association reccommends feeding medicated feed. When i purchased our peababy he was on the ground with mama and the breeders said they hiked the price up because only a few "make it" each season.
so to sum up everything i have read from credible websites:
off the ground for 3-4 months if you want to reduce the risk of illness and mortality
or
put them on the ground and let nature take whatever course it might take..

I dont want to assume the risk because our only peachick is non-replaceable to us. If he got sick i wouldnt be abled to forgive myself
we are going to hang in there for another 4 weeks before we put him in an outside run. We are thinking of using an Xpen for the next month as an upgrade from the graco playpen- but we arent sure what we will do for the bottom to protect the floor- im thinking they will scratch up any plastic laid out.... perhaps the plastic drop cloth with a thrift store sheet over it.....

Its nutty! and messy and a lot of work but its something i knew i was taking on and im going to stick with it for just a little while longer to be safe

 

[DMFarm]

Rita
At 2 month old you will be safe to put them outside I put mine on the ground at 6 to 7 weeks been doing this for years. We have 10x30 pens we put the peachicks in. Peachicks need room to exercise and they can't get this in a little wire cage. When we move chicks outside we worm them ever 3 to 4 weeks and put metronidazole in the water once or twice a week. I have around 100 peachicks on the ground and not one has died. I know alot of the bigger breeders put them on the ground around this age. Here is a picture of a few peachicks that been on the ground sence 6 to 7 weeks old
JP101010
Never heard someone raising prices because only afew will make it raised with there parents and I not sure where you found there is a 50% mortality rate on chicks raise on the ground. Go to Brad website this is the way to raise peachicks http://www.leggspeafowl.com/peachicks.htm

 

[trailchick]

DMFarm,
Thank you for your post about this! Going out right now to put my young peas (2 & 3 months old) in an outdoor run. I have some metronidazole & I will keep them treated frequently.

 

[antiquebuff]

Hi, I am new to peachicks also and I have 5 that are in a pen but they can go to outside run with the adult peafowl. Is is safe to run them with the adults at 2 months old? Also, what is the metronidazole for and what do you use for wormer on the chicks? I have so many questions! Thanks in advance for helping me out. I have 1 adult India Blue male and 5 adult Cameo hens so I have been told the offspring will all be India blue and the male crossed with Cameo...no idea what that may look like!

 

[kristianhope18]

Guys I need help please! I've hatched and raised 3 peachicks that's came from 3 different states! I've kept my peachicks inside since they were born and now at 15 weeks old (almost 4 months old) I went ahead and moved them in their cage outside! It's late October and I'm in eastern Kentucky so it's starting to get pretty cold out especially during the nights! Tonight's only the second night they've been out by themselves with no artificial heat! Will they survive?? I'd be totally devastated if I lost them due to me not keeping them warm! I've read many ppl put theirs out at 6/8 weeks old but I'm assuming that's in the summer time! This is almost winter time (fall) and I'm just freaking out I won't be able to sleep until someone reassures me that my birds are gonna be ok in this weather here's a picture of how big they are

This is their play pen btw!

 

[zazouse]

Pretty baby's

As long as they have a way to get out of the weather/wind when they choose they should be fine, i raise mine outside from a couple days old and by winter time they are acclimated to the changes in the weather, have never lost a chick to the cold and we had ice on some of them up in the trees earlier this year, i was so afraid they would hurt themselves trying to fly down from the trees but they were smart and waited till the thawed a bit.
What kind of roost do they have? it is important it is wide enough to allow them to cover their feet, some forks use a 2X4 turned flat or log from a tree. What kind of winters do you have over there? snow? temps below Zero ?

Have you wormed your peas recently and if so what did you use? it is important to have them in top shape going into winter

My poor pea cycles

 

[DylansMom]

Guys I need help please! I've hatched and raised 3 peachicks that's came from 3 different states! I've kept my peachicks inside since they were born and now at 15 weeks old (almost 4 months old) I went ahead and moved them in their cage outside! It's late October and I'm in eastern Kentucky so it's starting to get pretty cold out especially during the nights! Tonight's only the second night they've been out by themselves with no artificial heat! Will they survive?? I'd be totally devastated if I lost them due to me not keeping them warm! I've read many ppl put theirs out at 6/8 weeks old but I'm assuming that's in the summer time! This is almost winter time (fall) and I'm just freaking out I won't be able to sleep until someone reassures me that my birds are gonna be ok in this weather here's a picture of how big they are



This is their play pen btw!

At 15 weeks with a proper perch and (as Zaz suggested) properly wormed, they should be able to handle temps down to 25 degrees. Start at 100 and deduct 5 degrees for each week of age, 100-(15x5) 75 = 25 degrees. I have 14 & 16 week-olds in the barn without heat and we are in PA. 38 degrees right now.

 

[KsKingBee]

It may give YOU comfort to provide them with a 125w bulb for a while. If they need it they will use it, if they don't they will perch and not use it. When you see them not using it I would pull it. If they are going from the warm enclosure to the cold cruel world I would definitely give them the option for a while. I tried to remove the light from my grow out pen and the chicks would cry themselves to sleep. They don't need it but I put a 7 1/2w brooder bulb out there and it makes them happy, the little babies. They are just like little kids, afraid of the dark, go figure.