What would you recommend, buying adults or buying chicks?

[delora]

Thank You to all who post to this site. I am a beginner. Our first two Peacocks were rescued from a wildlife center. As they are not native of Calif. they were to be Euthinized. We rescued rescued them. The next two were a young male and female that walked up our drive way and decided to stay with the big boys. Sadly, all the boys either flew away or were taken by preditors. The peahen stayed and is now cooped for her safety. She has been terribly lonely. Her first year after the boys left was spent inside a Chicken coop with the chickens. I rescued her from the chickens and set her up in a coop of her own. During her first spring alone, I replaced her nonfertile eggs with some fertile chicken eggs. One hatched. It was such a pleasure to see her care for her baby..unfortunately it was a rooster. Still had been looking for a male for our girl, when an Animal Control asked if we wanted one they had. Two months ago we reascued a stunningly beautiful and huge Blue. He seemed to be fine, and he and our Luna Lady were so very sweet together... I noticed though as the weather started to change he did too. He wasn't as eager to fly to the perch in their coop, but I just chalked it up to the bad weather and added hay to their enclosure, and then when the sun came out, he seemed to be enjoying the pleasant day, and the next day he was inside in the nest dead. It broke my heart.

Since then a Bird Rescue organization in San Francisco told me to check out your site. WOW! I am now spinning with the enormous amount of information! I feel so very guilty that I've been so complacent about these beautiful birds. I've been feeding Luna same as our chickens for past couple of years and then found Game bird feed and she seemed to look brighter. I haven't wormed her at all..nor have I given any vitimins, but I do give her fruit and veggies...and occasionally we've given all of our birds dry cat food.

NOW... I feel I MUST change my ways. Am heading for the Feed story for goat wormer (for our goats and the birds). Want to give Luna a better diet and am a bit confused right now as to % Turkey and game bird feed etc. I purchased some game bird feed at a different than usual feed store one day. Though they said it was same as I requested. When I started feeding it to the birds, I just didn't feel comfortable with it, and there were pellets in it. Now I suspect those pellets may have been soy , and it smelled like liquorish. Looking back, I'm now wondering if the feed along with all the stresses** killed our Blue boy? After reading ALL you've posted though.. I'm sure it could have been anything.

**The AC found him tied to a pole and he'd faught so hard to get away that he was tangeled and lost all his tail feathers. They kept him inside in a nice clean area, but weren't certain what to feed him and gave him some bird seed for several weeks. Then I picked him up took him from the City cage and into a cage in the country with a lady who told him what he could and could not do. He certainly was henpecked by Luna. She had been sitting on some eggs before he came and as soon as he joined her they were both cuddling with their necks wound around each other on the nest. The first morning feeding time, Luna came out of their house to see what goodies I had for her, but she wouldn't let Blue out..and he listened to her and stayed put until she said he could come out and eat breakfast. It seemed to me they were sharing time on the nest, but a short time later, they left the eggs so I took them out.

So sorry to be so wordy... I just want to say THANK YOU FOR THIS SITE AND YOU WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO ARE SHARING AND EDUCATING.... Another shelter has a Blue male that may be needing a rescue, and then a friend said she heard there was a Peacock roundup in her area because neighbors were threatoning to shot them. I want another bird for Luna, and myself, but I am not certain about how to minimize the stress on another speactacular creature. Any ideas? THANK YOU

 

[MinxFox]

Wow you really have been through a lot! It could be anything that killed him. He could have even just died from old age. That happened to a person we knew, they got peafowl and didn't relize they were already pretty old so they didn't have them very long before they ended up dying from old age. Worming the birds would help like you said. I can't really think of much, but it sounds like you are on the right track to me...Still someone else needs to say what they think cause I know some other member can really give you a better answer.

 

[JROOSTER]

 

[6littlechickies]

Delora


As many have said before, use wormer. For other items, make sure they have a nice roost. For feed, higher protein, mayn people will give many %'s, 18, 20, 24 etc. The main thing is feed higher than the 15-16% chicken feed. You can use 20% and give them some dry cat food for treats, they like it quite a bit. Seems most of what they need is a minimal shelter to escape severe weather and cold, a roost, food as described, room to move, and often a mate. As long as there are no animals directly stressing them then they are usually okay. If raised with chickens or turkeys and in direct contact (same food, potential to be exposed or eat droppings etc.) then beware of potential blackhead. Chickens are carriers and show minimal symptoms while turkeys and peafowl have more severe responses, usually fatal. (Have not had any cases but this is from reading info from experienced peafowl experts) Good luck and great that your saving shelter birds