Peacock newbie with lots of questions

[dharmasister]

Two weeks ago my sister gave me four 2-day old pea babies after a bobcat killed their mama. She thought they would do better if I put them in with my new batch of chicks. Instead of sticking them in our "chicken jail" out in the coop where I had moved the peeps at four weeks, I put them in the brooder by themselves. I lost the first within 24 hours. The second died two days later. The only thing I could get them to eat has been crickets bought at the bait shop. I'm spending about a $1.50a day on them. Well, yesterday I lost a third baby. Now down to one, DH thought that it would do better out in the coop (where our now 6-week old chicks are out and about with the big girls and doing fine). I put in our now empty "jail" and she kept pacing back and forth and making that sweet, sad little whistling sound like she wanted out. I threw some crickets in with her, which she ignored and they of course have hidden in corners and under bedding. Reluctantly I took her out and let her mingle with the chicks and I stuck the big girls in jail So they can't harass her. Well, every time I go out to check on them, she's off in a corner somewhere by herself. I'm worried that she will get cold off in a corner by herself and I'm worried about how to get her fed. Any ideas?

 

[casportpony]

If you want her to live, bring her inside and keep her warm, watered and fed. Peachicks aren't as hardy as chicken chicks. At her age she will do best in 85 degrees, *maybe* 80 degrees, but I think you'll find her happier if warmer. Try wetting your finger and sticking it in crumbles and have her peck you fingers. Or make her a mash out of crumbles.

-Kathy

 

[dharmasister]

Quote:
Immediately after reading your post I grabbed my flashlight and headed out to the coop to get my pea-baby and bring her in the house. She's now snuggled up in the middle of the pack of ten chicks sleeping with them. If you're still up at this hour - should I get her or leave her with them now that she's finally settled in with them? will their body heat be enough? we are in south Louisiana and the low temps at night are in the low 70's

 

[Hannah15]

I hope someone else with more experience with pea's responds. But since at this time no one has I will say this: my chicks are 7 weeks old, and they still get chilly at night if I don't close the window of the building they are in. They have heat available, but they choose to roost instead. We have been getting a little colder than you at night, but I just can't imagine a 2 week old being okay without supplemental heat at night. My two 3 week olds are still using a great deal of heat inside, and our house is kept at 70 degrees. As Kathy said, pea babies are not terribly hardy.

 

[Yoda]

She should be fine in with all them, but will do better with a heat lamp. The thing is being without a mamma means no one to teach them. At 2 days they need heat so a heat lamp is good. Also at 2-3 days they need water so you need to dip the beaks into water so they know it's to drink. Dip the beaks into the crumble so they will eat it. Me I always hatch a baby chick cause they will teach the baby pea to eat and drink. The pea will copy the chick and it will soon be eating in no time. Granted I would still have some type of heat lamp on a 6 week old chicks but then again I live in CT where it is cooler. Let it be with the baby chicks and see how itr is in the morning. The heat from the others should keep it warm tonight. Watch the chick tomorrow to be sure it does drink and start eating. I would say in my opinion not to give it crickets only because you do not know what is in with those bugs, what are they eating and if they are carrying any disease harmful to the chick. It is different if the crickets are wild for them to eat then those housed in a smelling not clean fish tank. Good luck with the little one

 

[dharmasister]

I hope someone else with more experience with pea's responds. But since at this time no one has I will say this: my chicks are 7 weeks old, and they still get chilly at night if I don't close the window of the building they are in. They have heat available, but they choose to roost instead. We have been getting a little colder than you at night, but I just can't imagine a 2 week old being okay without supplemental heat at night. My two 3 week olds are still using a great deal of heat inside, and our house is kept at 70 degrees. As Kathy said, pea babies are not terribly hardy.

Thanks, I'm going to go get her. I really want her (or him) to make it. It's the sweetest little baby.

 

[casportpony]

Bringing her in and keeping her warm is your best bet. It's also a good idea to get a baseline weight on them as they should be growing every day. Average weight gain per day for mine is about 7-12%. Any less or a loss is a sign that they aren't well. At two weeks of age mine weigh around 120-140 grams (4.2-4.9 ounces). FWIW, I have kept a few alive on a diet of crickets and meal worms from pet stores.

-Kathy

 

[ChicksnMore]

I also hatch a chicken along with pea babies so the chicken can teach them to eat. If I'm given a peachick and have no newly hatched chicks to put with it, then I use a cortinix quail hen. The male quails can be too rough, but the hens are perfect little companions for peachicks. Before I thought of using quail, I'd sometimes use an older chick. If you know anyone with quail.....? Whether it's a quail or an older chick though, I bring them inside and use a big enough brooder that the older bird can stay out of the heat if it wishes and the peachick can stay toasty under the lamp. I hope your little one makes it!

 

[Yoda]

Thanks, I'm going to go get her. I really want her (or him) to make it. It's the sweetest little baby.

bring in one of the chicks to so the pea is not alone

 

[MinxFox]

Medicated chick starter around 20% is good. Peachicks love it when you wet the chick starter. They will eat it like crazy when it is wet, but just make sure you dump out the feed once it sours and replace it with fresh feed. To teach the peachick to drink you can put a few marbles in the water dish. The peachick will peck at the marbles then learn to drink. Having a chicken chick in with the peachick will help like Yoda said, especially if the chicken chick already knows how to eat and drink. I keep a heat lamp on for my peachicks for a looong time. I like to baby them but when they get well feathered I will turn it off during the daytime. I do turn it on when it rains though, because sometimes the rain splashes in at them and they get a little wet and that makes them cold.