Temperatures for baby peafowl

[ralgal]

Hello,

9 weeks ago this Monday I hatched my first 2 baby peafowl using an incubator. They are lovely, very friendly and growing fast. However, I read that they are very fragile and sensitive to low temperatures.
I am currently keeping them in the basement(it has 2 windows) in a large space I am not using, with an infrared light in a corner when they feel the need to warm up (they don’t use it anymore though but I still keep it on just in case). When its sunny outside I let them stay in a special place in my yard to eat grass, sun bathe and run around. I live in Romania(Bucharest) and autumn is showing its first signs. It’s getting colder and colder outside and some days it rains. I am very worried that soon I will not be able to give them even a few hours of sunshine a day because of the low temperatures. Also, as they are growing bigger and bigger the smell has become a problem – I clean and wash the place they live in every day – but it still smells after just a few hours. Also I am worried they will not have enough space in there soon.
I also have a huge yard where I keep about 30 chickens free roaming, I have a special place for my peacocks in that yard, separated from the chickens but I am not sure they are ready to be taken there yet.

Please help me with the following information:
1.Given the fact that they are 9 weeks old, what temperature should I be keeping them at? Would it be possible to keep them outside now or during this winter since they were born so late in the summer? The temperature here in Bucharest is currently between 74°- 54° F (23°- 12 C) but it will drop to 58°-47°F (13° - 8°C) at the end of next week. During the winter months(December, January and February) we have temperatures below 50° F( 10° C) most of days with some days as cold as 23° (-5° C).
2. What temperatures do you keep peacocks at during winter?

Any suggestions on how to keep them during this winter until spring would be appreciated. (shed ideas, how to keep them warm, how to keep them inside the house if necessary etc)

Thank you in advance


Raluca

PS: you can see some pictures of them here https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1003207/gender/90#post_15908552

 

[Peafowlssssssss]

They will need to be kept in shed cause they are still young, you can see many examples on google, and you will need to put a big red heat lamp for them, 12 C is too low for them at this age, best temp is 25 C i guess.

ETA: if the temp in the shed was 15 and they have heat lamp they will be ok.

 

[Frenchman Creek]

You will need to get them out of the house and into a shed as suggested by Q8peafowl. You can put a heat lamp out there so they can get heat if they need it. If you keep them at inside house temperatures during a time that outside is getting colder it will be very difficult on them when you need to put them outside. At nine weeks they should be fully feathered so should do ok out in a shed with the heat lamp should they need it. My India blues are in a well built draft free poultry house and have to go through winter temperatures as low as minus 35F. Since yours are young they will need to a acclimate to the colder fall temperatures.

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Hello and

! Pretty peababies!!

Did you ever figure out what was wrong with your chickens? You will probably want to be careful about putting your peababies near the chickens or in the same environment if you're still not sure about the health of your chickens...

 

[ralgal]

Thank you all for your replies.

I figured out what was wrong with my chickens back then. I don't know what you call the disease in English. I made sure the new chickens are all vaccinated according to a schema recommended by a pharmaceutical guide on raising chickens.
My pechicks are also vaccinated according to that schema. I also give them vitamins and a rotation of antibiotics to prevent diseases a few days each month.

Your advice has been great and I plan to move them in a Small Garden Shed but I first need to build one/buy one and get electricity to i. Could you please tell me what would happen if I kept my chickens inside all winter long and get them out only in spring when the weather gets better and they are older? Is there any downside to that? Will they have issues adapting next winter?


Thank you

 

[Frenchman Creek]

Keeping them inside over this winter should not really hurt them but could be pretty hard on you when it comes to smell. Peafowl poop tends to be more smelly than chickens. Another problem is that they would be used to inside house temperatures so it might be hard on them if you try to put them outside on a nice winter day. As far as next winter, keeping them inside this winter wouldn't matter as once they are outside next Spring they will have time to acclimate to the following winter.