Peafowl Pros!!!!

[babylady4]

Hi! I have a friend who is thinking about getting peafowl. There is an individual who has some baby chicks for sale, and she was wondering if there was a way to determine the sex at such a young age. One of the babies 'shows' like it is a male, but since they are babies, is thisan accurate way to determine the sex?

Thanks!

 

[chickenzoo]

How old are the peachicks and what color? That has a lot to do with sexing some baby peafowl. In IB you can tell because the males will have more of a burnt sienna color flight feathers, where the females have darker brown..... but it can take a good eye with very young chicks. About at 3 months old many colors of peafowl can be sexed by the barring pattern on males backs and the lack of barring on females. Whites and I'm sure a few others are very difficult.

 

[babylady4]

Not sure of the age, just a month possibly 6 weeks? I'll have to get back to you on that one.... they are all brown looking to me, like pheasants, or wild chickens.

 

[MarlaKaye]

Quote:
WE have a peahen and a peacock. From day one it was pretty obvious which gender they were.

Now I have two baby white peachicks. Now five days old. I can tell which is male by the longer tail,longer torso, and his legs are longer. he seems as though his legs are very awkward to walk on. when contrasted with the female it is obvious. If you have several hatch you will be able to see it. We sit with our birds everyday, so we are very familiar with all thier intricasies.

Also even in the babies the male is much heavier, but just as sweet. cuddle them alot, because when they are grown they can get nasty mean. We see a huge differance in the ones we have raised in hand so to speak. If you can take naps with them, talk and even sing to them, so they are very familiar in a pleasant way with your voice.

Never pick up a peafowl by putting your hands around his back and wings. Always put your finger or hand down for them to climb onto. Use your other hand to provide balance. My husband carries even the large male this way. They are quite imprinted on him. I don't see how to put pictures on here. The older peafowl are Blue and blackshoulder. Two females and one male.

I'm so excited about these baby white ones. They are sleeping on my lap while I type. I know I won't be able to lift them when they are grown, hubby does that for me. So it's best for them to stay tiny a long while.

Again it makes all the difference when they are grown. You will have peafowl, that you can introduce to children.

I would be sure the child has sunglassses or protective wear glasses on. Those sweet shiney eyes are irresistible to peafowl.

Enjoy your peafowl,

MarlaKaye

 

[deerman]

Quote:
WE have a peahen and a peacock. From day one it was pretty obvious which gender they were.

Now I have two baby white peachicks. Now five days old. I can tell which is male by the longer tail,longer torso, and his legs are longer. he seems as though his legs are very awkward to walk on. when contrasted with the female it is obvious. If you have several hatch you will be able to see it. We sit with our birds everyday, so we are very familiar with all thier intricasies.

Also even in the babies the male is much heavier, but just as sweet. cuddle them alot, because when they are grown they can get nasty mean. We see a huge differance in the ones we have raised in hand so to speak. If you can take naps with them, talk and even sing to them, so they are very familiar in a pleasant way with your voice.

Never pick up a peafowl by putting your hands around his back and wings. Always put your finger or hand down for them to climb onto. Use your other hand to provide balance. My husband carries even the large male this way. They are quite imprinted on him. I don't see how to put pictures on here. The older peafowl are Blue and blackshoulder. Two females and one male.

I'm so excited about these baby white ones. They are sleeping on my lap while I type. I know I won't be able to lift them when they are grown, hubby does that for me. So it's best for them to stay tiny a long while.

Again it makes all the difference when they are grown. You will have peafowl, that you can introduce to children.

I would be sure the child has sunglassses or protective wear glasses on. Those sweet shiney eyes are irresistible to peafowl.

Enjoy your peafowl,

MarlaKaye

Have to disagree , the IB don't get nasty mean......may not be tame, out of all my peafowl only mean one i have is a hand raised (by himself) that is imprint. then only during the breeding season. My 4 yr old grandson can walk around in my large flight pen with over 50 peafowl. none will even think about attacking him.

 

[DMFarm]

babylady4
They sound like India blues like chickenzoo said look at the flight feathers male are tan and hen are chocolate brown. Blue are the only one you can tell at a young age.

MarlaKaye
The whites there is no way at 5 days old you will see that much differents 3 to 4 months minimum

 

[deerman]

Babylady4 you say one 'show' as a male ,if you are talking spreading his tail, all do that peachicks,peahens,and peacocks. Yes check the color of the outside flight feathers.

Agree Doug no one can tell sex by size of week old peachicks. They come in different size ,just like eggs are.

 

[MarlaKaye]

If the week old baby peafowl are white and are from the same batch, you can include size in differential.

obviously if they are white you can't tell by color. There are many ways to tell by color, I think two very good ones have been mentioned here.

Telling males from females is much easier if you are looking at a good sized hatching, say at least five. Even better if it is looking at the chicks of several pair at a time. Then it is easier to put males and females together. It also helps to know if any had difficulty hatching, don't include them in the differential.

B4, when you say there is no way to tell whites at that young, please speak for yourself. I presumed I was talking to an intelligent lady here. She had enough smarts to come ask you guys for your input

I had to readback, and she did not mention white peachicks. But it is my experience with peafowl and other fowl, that we can look a look closer than we have been looking, and without harming the chick in the process. This and the fact that I have been right 98percent when guessing gender, leaves me wanting to stick to my guns. I would invite you to put me to the test. I haven't kept files to present to you. Actually I have only raised 150 fowl, so my rate could go down. But I expect experience to teach me more... Like don't give away the cat with the farm to cast in the mold kinda peops. Telling all one knows in five minutes means one doesn't know much anyway.

Thank you for taking me to task, I have learned a lot from this interaction. Sorry I couldn't be more specific about the reasons for my confidence in guessing gender in early peachicks. I failed there.

Deerman, thanks for the info on peafowl and children. I guess the ones who are raised by hand wouldn't be as shy about coming right up to a child and therefore putting thier two faces in range for a curious peck. I will keep what you say on my mental shelf and see what I can learn.

Now, If I have said anything else stupid here, I reserve the right to take it back...grinning and bearing it.
Sincerely,
MarlaKaye
MarlaKaye

 

[babylady4]

The chicks in question are 3 weeks of age. Thank you for all the replies! I do appreciate all of the help, I know the knowledge base here is so much more than I could ever find in a book! Experience speaks volumes!

I will let my friend know your thoughts.

 

[deerman]

Yes as white peachicks from the same age and batch. as they grow the males do get longer legs and taller. Now peachicks have not grown much ain a week.

Guess how many pennies out of 20 will be heads, then throw them down. I have guess 90 % sometimes. Thats all it is a good guess.

When selling pairs of birds. mine are never guessed. Just fact i know. Vent sex of dna are better. but heck vent sexed are only about 90% right.

Lot of people swear they can sex by eggs shape, by holding bird by the legs, heck even the cork on a string.

Yes people that raise alot of birds can sex them better , AS they age.

My point at a week old , its only a guess and not a very good guess.




Yes a tame peafowl can be more danger to small children, just feed one from your hand, hurts like heck. The toe nail can tear up your arm. They don't have to attack to hurt.