What would you recommend, buying adults or buying chicks?

[ChickenHwk]

I need help! I bought 4 peachicks from a reputable breeder and they survived for about 4 months until yesterday. I went out to feed and water the birds and saw that the male was looking lethargic. He was moping around and wasn't acting like his normal skiddish self. I picked him up and he was very skinny, I could feel all of his bones. I didn't even notice a change in his health until yesterday. So I mixed up some antibiotics with their water and put some down his throat for an extra boost. So I went about my business. I went back to check on the bird and he was DEAD! I have three left, but I fear for their health. I'm crossing my fingers!

Do you think it is better to buy adult birds or to buy young chicks and is there anything I can do to help with their survival?

 

[TerriLaChicks]

I am still new at this too, so "bumping" it up in hopes some of the more experienced breeders will have some advice for you.

Have you wormed your chicks since you got them?

How do the rest of them look? are they thin & emacipated too, or seem healthy? I had one of mine get some flight netting stuck in her throat - we got it out before it did any harm to her, but you never know -- did you check inside its' beak & down its' throat to make sure nothings' stuck down there?

I would've done the vitamin thing like you did, also. Personally, I prefer getting younger ones that I can tame down to be friendly to us, instead of older birds, but ours are just pets anyway, so it depends on what you plan to use them for in the future, I think.

I hope your other 3 will be OK.

 

[shchinchillas]

When I got my peafowl I didn't want chicks. Through my research I saw that peachicks tend to be fairly touchy for new owners. I ended up going with a pair of yearlings to start out. For me this was the "perfect" age. They were old and mature enough that I didn't need to keep them in a brooder and could release them right into their pen. They've been VERY healthy. I wasn't looking at getting peafowl so i had a bird to "cuddle" with or "perch" on/near me so the tame factor wasn't an issue. I can't touch my peas, however they will come right up to me for treats and food. This is good enough for me.

 

[deerman]

If you got them to 4 months , you did good as the first 3 months is the hard part. Need little more info, did you raise them off the ground until lately. Did you feed a medicated feed, protien % of feed.

Yes even when peafowl are sick ,these don't show it untill amost to late. That age my guess would be worms,or cocciidiosis.

 

[ChickenHwk]

I did not worm them, the breeder that I got them from said that she never had to worm her birds before they turned a year old. So I thought that I really didn't need to do this either.


I feed my peas a 24% chick feed and have beed since they were purchased as day olds.

However I put them in an outside pen when they were about three months old, do you think that this had something to do with it?

I do raise other poultry including chickens, geese, ducks, ect. A lot of people that I have talked to say that raising peafowl with other poultry is not recommended because of blackhead and other diseases, eventhough I have them in a separate pen.

I did check his mouth and throat, when I gave him his antibiotics and it was all clear...

The other three look well they are eating normally and are actively moving around in their pen. I am giving them antibiotics as well just to give them an extra boost.

I am trying to do everything humanly possible to keep these birds alive. If anyone has any imput on the death I would greatly appriciate it...

 

[deerman]

Yes at that age i would worm them. Use Safeguard for goats 3 cc per gal of water. Give for 3 to 4 days, then repeat in 14 days.

I worm mine after 3 months. First they will get worms from eating earthworms and other bugs.

Worms would be more deadly to peachicks than Adults, so don't understand why someone would wait untill they were grown to worm them.

 

[zazouse]

Sorry you lost you baby.

I purchased my first peachicks in aug of this year, the breeder told me to worm them at 3 months and every 3 months after that.

After watching them grow up i can see why they need to be wormed so often, they eat their poo when it dries, dirty shavings and other gross stuff and they have a full bowl of feed and vegetables

I love raising up my own stock because i am totaly free ranged here and i think it would be harder to turn loose any flying bird that did not grow up here for fear of them flying off and never comming back

 

[MinxFox]

I am sorry for your loss.

I first got an adult pair (three year olds). I didn't want to wait for the male to have his first train and to wait for eggs. It depends on how much time you want to wait. Peachicks can be less hardy then adults and after my adult pair I got yearlings, which really is a great age to get them at. For one thing, they are fully grown and so are hardy, and they are still a bit young and will have an easier time of getting used to you. Also they can be more easily free-ranged if you want to go that way...I hope your other peachicks survive!

 

[AndysPeafowlSanctuary]

I agree with deerman, I would use something other then chicken starter on them. I start my peachicks off with Medicated Turkey Starter And Game Bird Starter. The combination of both on your growing peackaroo's protects them from many disease that don't bother most chickens. If you put them on the ground I would recommend worming them out. Your description of the bird points to the worms and i would agree that safeguard for goats is the best wormer to use, it easily dilutes in water and the birds don't mind the taste. Its an easy method of keeping your bevy healthy and beautiful. I cover the ground of my pens with sand and throw a little straw and hay for them that way worms aren't much of an issue and clean up is a breeze. The birds love dusting in it which is good to keep bugs off your birds.

Its a sad day when you loose any peafowl.

 

[ChickenHwk]

Thanks for all the advice... Luckily I have goat dewormer on had so I will start them on it right away!

Unfortunately, Tractor Supply doesn't have a Turkey/ game bird feed. I tried to get the higest percentage that I could which was 24%. I am going to look around for and see if I can find a different starter feed. Does anybody know where to get a good starter feed for my peachicks?

I do like the idea of putting sand in the pens to lessen the birds chances of getting worms, I think I might try it.

It's hard to loose an animal when you worked so hard to keep it alive.

If I were to bring in an adult pair next year do you think I should keep them away from the other (that is if they survive into the spring) or do you think that I could move them all into one pen?

Thanks for all the help!