Pen for peachick

[Frosty]

I have a quick question... my peachick is almost a month old now and will be in the house until at least March or April if we have a normal winter. Right now it's in a tub with a wire cover, but I need to get it some more space so I am looking at a large rabbit hutch like this http://www.tractorsupply.com/ware-manufacturing-heavy-duty-rabbit-hutch-large-2179342 I know that I could build something cheaper, but this would be quicker and that's attractive to me since I work close to 70 hours a week. My concern is that the wire spacing is 1 inch square. There won't be a predator issue (it's in my daughters bedroom - she doesn't live here anymore - and the cats don't have access.) The concern is, how likely is it that baby pea would try to stick it's head through and get stuck? Should I add hardware cloth or something?

 

[zazouse]

WOW that is a long time to keep a pea inside, will you be able to take it out in good weather and let it get some sunshine? it really is important for growing critters to get fresh air and sunshine to help them grow big and strong , they need the sun to help with proper bone growth.
I have mine in a ground pen but it does not get real cold here a couple heat lamps and something to break the wind if it is blowing when it is cold and all mine do fine.

Of course i say that and watch us get hit with an ice storm for a week like we had years ago heck i have seen snow here 2 times in 3 years recently

I don't know anything about peas in a cage but i would think wire could be very hard on a big peas feet because of their weight but mabe someone else will know about cages for peas.

 

[Frosty]

WOW that is a long time to keep a pea inside, will you be able to take it out in good weather and let it get some sunshine? it really is important for growing critters to get fresh air and sunshine to help them grow big and strong , they need the sun to help with proper bone growth.
I have mine in a ground pen but it does not get real cold here a couple heat lamps and something to break the wind if it is blowing when it is cold and all mine do fine.

Of course i say that and watch us get hit with an ice storm for a week like we had years ago heck i have seen snow here 2 times in 3 years recently

I don't know anything about peas in a cage but i would think wire could be very hard on a big peas feet because of their weight but mabe someone else will know about cages for peas.

Up here 'good weather' in the winter could end up meaning anything above zero. Last winter was exceptionally mild, and there were a few really nice days, but normal means at least 2 feet of snow on the ground all winter, and the wind constantly blows. About the best I could do there is put the cage by a window for those rare sunny days and maybe a sun lamp.

I went to my favorite feed store to see if they had any of those pens (thought I saw one there before), they didn't have any. But they did have some bunnies in a chicken hutch, and offered me a really good deal on it if I could wait until some guy picked up the bunnies (supposed to be within a week). It has half inch hardware cloth on the sides and no bottom. I'll have to put a mat of some kind under it... This is the pen: http://www.highcountryplastics.com/products/deuce.html

 

[Lil Zoo]

Is this your one and only peafowl? I have 2 born late in the season I'm also concerned about. I am going to keep them inside a few more weeks. I have a small shed. I have 4 earlier babies. I am putting a real secure heat lamp up under a cage, and a milk house heater for colder days. I have a cage that I have used to get the babies use to the older ones. First I stick them out so they are completely shut in it. The back side has bigger holes. I then pull it forward so they can go out the holes and back in. That gives them a safe place to get back in if the older ones pick on them. I think with 6 a heat lamp and I can turn on the heater when it gets below freezing. I want to build a little pen for them on the cement to get out in when the days are nicer. If they are like chickens they'll be out even in the cold. I'm sure hoping this will be enough for them this year. The chickens seem to get by, but young peafowl are so temperamental. This has been one of the weirdest years in Iowa. So darn hot then never seemed to have a nice fall. Next week is suppose to be real fall weather so hoping to get a lot accomplished. I thought I'd keep my first babies in the house longer just cause I enjoyed them so much. As it gets older I think you will find out why they didn't stay in the house longer. They were a lot more happy running around in a larger spot too. Good luck, I know I have concerns about these little ones too. They surely need coats.

 

[Frosty]

I have my original two and their two year old son (who may actually be the father, they were all together). When winter fully sets in, I could put a heat lamp directly above the water fount and it would still freeze... It won't just be below freezing, it'll be 10 - 20 degrees below zero or colder (coldest I have seen was -38F). I'm not worried about the mess... I doubt it'll be worse that when a hen came out of the weeds with 8 chicks behind it... In November. So I had all 8 in the house for the winter. Can one peachick make more mess than 8 chicken chicks?

 

[Lil Zoo]

I have my original two and their two year old son (who may actually be the father, they were all together). When winter fully sets in, I could put a heat lamp directly above the water fount and it would still freeze... It won't just be below freezing, it'll be 10 - 20 degrees below zero or colder (coldest I have seen was -38F). I'm not worried about the mess... I doubt it'll be worse that when a hen came out of the weeds with 8 chicks behind it... In November. So I had all 8 in the house for the winter. Can one peachick make more mess than 8 chicken chicks?

I guess you know what your in for if you wintered 8. You should be able to take one pea.