The First Time!!!!!

[Kedreeva]

I have to post because I know there's no one here in my real world that gets how exciting first time poultry things are!

A little over a week and a half ago, I hatched out two little peachicks (baby peafowl/peacocks), and I knew that they CAN lift up their back feathers (which is where the train is, NOT the tail) around 1 week, males and females both. So ever since they turned 1 week, I've been sneaking up on the brooder trying to catch them fanning at one another or at the duckling in with them, but they seemed largely uninterested. I was going to be diligent though! And then I had my firstborn out, standing in my hand talking to me... and she did it! She dropped her wings down and lifted up her back and tail feathers! She stood like that for about 30 seconds looking at me and saying pi-WHEEP? Pi-Wheep?

I just had to share, I was soooooooo excited. I need more hands so I can take a picture next time!

 

[featherbaby]

Isn't that just the sweetest thing you could imagine?????? The first time I held a newly hatched silkie chick in my hand I fell in love! Now there's no turning back. Send us photos when you can....we all share your excitement and truly know how you feel!

 

[Cattitude]

*melts happily* That is SO neat! I second the motion for pics!

 

[GermanChick]

, ahhhh that is so cute.
I also would love to see some pictures !!!!!

 

[Kedreeva]

Well, I didn't get any pictures of her fanning- but I did get a short video! I'm not so sure she was fanning in the video (towards the end, she drops her wings and lifts her tail and walks up and down my legs) so much as keeping her balance, but it looks the same as when she was standing still and just started showing off for me. She is a CHATTERBOX every second she is awake!

And here's the favorite perch for sleeping while mom does chores... she's not even two weeks old and she's figured out how to balance perfectly while I walk around and take care of the ducklings! I have a feeling I will like this habit less when she weighs 20lbs....

And hopping down to my lap once we sit to watch the ducklings play.

I'm so glad there's people who get it. If I told my friends they would all think I was insane. I'm usually such a hard nose around them but this lil girl turns me to mush.

 

[littlemissjellyfish]

So cute! Did you use an incubator to hatch them? Just curious! I have a pheasant and was thinking *maybe* of getting peafowl for company. Are they hard to raise?

 

[Kedreeva]

I did use an incubator to hatch them! They have REALLY big eggs, I can't put 2 next to one another on my turner.

I don't know how difficult it is to raise them normally, but mine have been (I think

) doing well. I was told that they are exceptionally fragile between 0-8 weeks, and was advised to put vitamins and electrolytes in their water and feed them medicated chick starter, both of which I have been doing. I also feed them a warmed, wet mash of hard boiled egg, oatmeal, medicated chick starter, yogurt, and electrolyte water to soften it all. They actually get it because they are in with a duckling that needs special care, and it's made for HIM not them, but that doesn't stop them from eating it too. They have open access to game bird starter mixed with chick/duck starter crumbles, and a standing water dish made from a tuna can. I clean their brooder once a day and replace the standing water several times daily because the duckling makes a mess of it.

I don't know how fragile pheasants are, maybe some of the same stuff can be done for both.

 

[GermanChick]

Just looked at the video. She is soooooo adorable

 

[can't get enough chicken]

I looked at the video and she is the cutest thing!!!

 

[gryeyes]

ohhhhh, Gritsar NEEDS to see this thread!!



Mwahahahahahahahhahahhahaha!