Winter grow-out housing for unintended peachicks (Minnesota)

[StPaulieGirls]

Hello peafolks,

Once again, I'm embroiled in the drama of our local feral peafowl. A stray peahen laid eggs on our farm, right where our solar array was being installed in June. I rescued the eggs from the wheels of the Bobcat and incubated them thinking the hen might come back around (she didn't for a long while, but now she's gone and hatched a second clutch on our farm).

So, we have four peachicks that are two months old. They've pretty much outgrown the 4'x4' brooder in our garage and we quick threw together a predator-proof pen in one of our tractor sheds. It's about 12'x8', with east-facing hardware cloth for light and air.

Are they old enough to move out to that shed? The next two nights it'll be 67 degrees overnight. Starting next week, our nightime temps will be in the high 40s. I'll put a sweeter heater in there once I figure out where they roost on the perches.

Also, we mean for them to free range when they're old enough. Should I wait until warm temps in the spring or can I let them out of this pen once they reach four months old in December? (This is MN, and they say it's going to be a rough winter...) Please keep in mind that I never intended to have peafowl on our farm. I'm just trying to be hospitable. They are fun to see roaming around, though.

Thanks for any advice.

Kerri in Minnesota

 

[KsKingBee]

For us here in Kansas this is the time to get those chicks adapted to the weather, 80's and 60's at night. Within two weeks it will be much lower temps. All of our chicks except the last batch that hatched on 8-19-21 are outside getting acclimated. I suggest that you get them used to the chilly nights and wean them from any external heat source as soon as possible. We provide a lamp at night for about the first week then take it away. Give them high protein feed so they can manufacture a good heavy undercoat of down for good insulation.