What to feed peachicks?

[peafowl_Lover]

Hi, I'm planning on hatching some chicks from my peafowl next year. The plan is to keep them in a brooder for the first few days then have them on wire to help stop them getting sick. What should I feed them, I read medicated starter crumb is best but I don't think I can get that in ireland. Is there any medication that I could add to normal feed or water?
Thanks

 

[Waterfaery]

Don't feed them medicated starter. It won't help peachicks. You need to get some Toltrazuril in case of coccidiosis. You should be able to get some from your local co op. There are a few brands available here but this is one example. All of the ones you can buy are for cattle but they will be fine. I can help you with the dosage amounts if you need it at the time. There is a poultry version but you need to get it from the vet and it will cost you a whole lot more.

The best thing you can do is keep them regularly wormed with Fenbendazole and observe them vigilantly. I know KSKingBee treats his with Toltrazuril monthly as well as worming but that's with large amounts of birds. On a small scale, if there's no build up in your land, you can proabably manage with just keeping the Toltrazuril on hand and only using it if you need to rather than doing it every month. You definitely need to have it on hand though. Don't wait for them to be sick before trying to order it.

I fed mine this turkey / game bird starter from Red Mills. I was able to get it ordered in by my local co op. They order in the turkey / game bird grower regularly for me for my adults. There is also this from Kiernan Milling but it's hard to get unless you buy bulk quantities. Both brands are only available seasonally so you could check with your co op when they can get it.

The one I used for the peachicks was 30% protein but mine were out and about with the peahens. If they are in a brooder they can develop leg problems if they have too much protein and not enough exercise. @KsKingBee I'm sure you know what amount of protein is ok for peachicks raised in a brooder?

 

[KsKingBee]

Don't feed them medicated starter. It won't help peachicks. You need to get some Toltrazuril in case of coccidiosis. You should be able to get some from your local co op. There are a few brands available here but this is one example. All of the ones you can buy are for cattle but they will be fine. I can help you with the dosage amounts if you need it at the time. There is a poultry version but you need to get it from the vet and it will cost you a whole lot more.

The best thing you can do is keep them regularly wormed with Fenbendazole and observe them vigilantly. I know KSKingBee treats his with Toltrazuril monthly as well as worming but that's with large amounts of birds. On a small scale, if there's no build up in your land, you can proabably manage with just keeping the Toltrazuril on hand and only using it if you need to rather than doing it every month. You definitely need to have it on hand though. Don't wait for them to be sick before trying to order it.

I fed mine this turkey / game bird starter from Red Mills. I was able to get it ordered in by my local co op. They order in the turkey / game bird grower regularly for me for my adults. There is also this from Kiernan Milling but it's hard to get unless you buy bulk quantities. Both brands are only available seasonally so you could check with your co op when they can get it.

The one I used for the peachicks was 30% protein but mine were out and about with the peahens. If they are in a brooder they can develop leg problems if they have too much protein and not enough exercise. @KsKingBee I'm sure you know what amount of protein is ok for peachicks raised in a brooder?

As long as our chicks are in the brooders we only feed a 23% non-medicated chick starter. Once they are put on the ground at around ten to twelve weeks they get 28% gamebird feed and treated monthly for cocci with Toltrazuril and dewormed with albendazole until winter.

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Thanks for that @Waterfaery, do you keep your chicks on wire?
@KsKingBee is there any brands of those medications that are better than others?
And what's the best way to incubate chicks?
I think when I hatch chicks that they will all look like indian blue but carry opal and blackshoulder patterns, seen as I have Indian blue peahens an opal black shoulder cock and a black shoulder cock.

 

[KsKingBee]

Thanks for that @Waterfaery, do you keep your chicks on wire?
@KsKingBee is there any brands of those medications that are better than others?
And what's the best way to incubate chicks?
I think when I hatch chicks that they will all look like indian blue but carry opal and blackshoulder patterns, seen as I have Indian blue peahens an opal black shoulder cock and a black shoulder cock.

The best incubators are peahens and chicken hens, especially game hens.

 

[Waterfaery]

Thanks for that @Waterfaery, do you keep your chicks on wire?
@KsKingBee is there any brands of those medications that are better than others?
And what's the best way to incubate chicks?
I think when I hatch chicks that they will all look like indian blue but carry opal and blackshoulder patterns, seen as I have Indian blue peahens an opal black shoulder cock and a black shoulder cock.

No I don't. I only had one batch of peachicks a couple of years ago and they were hatched and raised naturally by peahens and that's the way I would do it again if I wanted more.

The brands don't matter. It's the active ingredients that are important. Anyway, the brands available here are completely different to what's available in the US so you won't be able to get the same brand as KSKingBee.

 

[peafowl_Lover]

So I should leave it to the hens to hatch them themselves? When they're hatching them should I separate then from the 2 peacocks? Do they go broody easily?
Then should I leave them for the peahen to raise?

 

[KsKingBee]

A young hen is not as likely to go broody as an older hen. We let our breeder hens go broody late in the season once we are tired of incubating and brooding chicks. I also like a cut off date to not set any more eggs because they need to be of good size and able to acclimate to the coming winter conditions. The cocks in the pen almost never hurt the chicks, if anyone would it would be any yearlings in the pen but most mothers will protect the chicks. Having the hen brood and raise the chicks relieves a lot of the hassle late in the year.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Thanks for that @Waterfaery, do you keep your chicks on wire?
@KsKingBee is there any brands of those medications that are better than others?
And what's the best way to incubate chicks?
I think when I hatch chicks that they will all look like indian blue but carry opal and blackshoulder patterns, seen as I have Indian blue peahens an opal black shoulder cock and a black shoulder cock.

I raise chickens, and have had quail in the past. I don't know much about peafowl, but birds should not be housed on wire in a non commercial setting. the wires can be sharp, and if they cut their feet on the wires then step on poo, they can get bumbles and other infections.

 

[peafowl_Lover]

A young hen is not as likely to go broody as an older hen. We let our breeder hens go broody late in the season once we are tired of incubating and brooding chicks. I also like a cut off date to not set any more eggs because they need to be of good size and able to acclimate to the coming winter conditions. The cocks in the pen almost never hurt the chicks, if anyone would it would be any yearlings in the pen but most mothers will protect the chicks. Having the hen brood and raise the chicks relieves a lot of the hassle late in the year.

I might let the peahens hatch their own chicks but then move the hen and her babies into a smaller pen until they get a bit stronger. Say if the hen lays the eggs in a place that isn't safe, what do I do? Should I move them into their coop to keep them safe from predators?