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PEAFOWL
I am creating this page as a running log for a new project I am undertaking for a couple who have 2 pair of Peafowl.
May 6th 2003.... Luke and Terri Holsonbake arrived at my office and asked if I would undertake hatching pea eggs for them. Although I have incubated many eggs over the past 5 years I have never had pea eggs to hatch so this is a new experience. I have heard from others this is quite difficult but that is all I know at this point.
May 8th... Put 3 eggs under my best broody silkie hen in my barn. This actually is not a well planned event as I will be out of town during this hatch, but Brian will be on "duty" so hopefully all will be well.
May 13th.... 4 more eggs arrived today, set these under my silkie hen that is sharing a nest with 2 others. The Silkie is a banty chicken and seeing them trying to hover 3-4 eggs is hysterical but they sure are trying hard so I have high hopes.
May 15th.... Gone out of town on my planned trip home to visit my family. Will not be back now until May 31st.
May 31st.... Brian had received eggs while I was out of town and set them under another silkie hen in the barn, unfortunately we had a snake visitor some time shortly after and lost as best he thinks 5 eggs.
June 2nd.... 7 more eggs waiting for me at the office when I showed up today, brought these home and set in my Hovabotor incubator, not going to chance loosing them to snakes and predators this time.
June 5th.... had to leave town again. Left Brian with strict instructions to monitor barn as eggs under silkie chicks are due to hatch.
June 6th.... Brian calls and announces he has one yellow peachick what does he need to do. There was several silkie chicks hatched to so he took them all to the house and put them in the brooder under a 60 watt light bulb. I had him check the other eggs but non were pippin.
June 9th.... I candled the eggs left under the silkies in the barn they were all clear except 2. There was no signs of development in the clear eggs. So I removed them except for the 2 showing signs of development and gave the hens some guinea eggs to sit on to keep them broody while I wait for the next eggs to arrive.
June 10th.... Checked my silkie hens tonight and found one egg pipped but couldn't find the chick, hunted every where and finally found it under another hen. It was pretty weak and looked like it had been pecked. I took it to the house and put it in a brooder box with heat and water and feed. I kept trying to encourage it to eat but couldn't get it to understand what I wanted. I put a small silkie chick about the same size in with it in hopes it would teach the peachick how to eat and drink. Unfortunately it must have been to weak as it never survived 48 hrs. This is really a trial and error on my part with more error it seems than anything else. I am getting quite frustrated thinking I am letting the Holsonbakers down. The other egg under the hen never pipped, I candled and it looked like it was fully developed so not sure at this point what went wrong.
June 13th got 6 more eggs have put these in the hovabotor so I can monitor more closely what is happening with these eggs. I have found a message board site with helpful information on it so am busy reading all I can find in hopes of getting a better hatch. What I am reading is you should help the chicks out of the egg. This goes against everything I believe. Not sure what to do at this point.
June 20th.... 6 more eggs today, have put these under my hens plan on leaving them for a week and then put them in the incubator from what I am reading maybe this is the best route. The one lone peachick is still in with my silkie chicks and seems to be doing well. I have noticed it doesn't eat as much as as the silkies. I find this odd as it is a little larger than the silkies. Not sure if this is normal still reading and learning.
June 28th.... Well today I watched an egg pip and hatch wow finally a chick now to keep it alive. I have 5 more eggs I have candled they look developed will leave them till tomorrow.
June 29th.... no signs of pippin or movement in the other 5 eggs. I listened with my stethoscope and then candled there is no movement. The message board I have been reading said to open the egg at the air sack end and see if I can assist the chick. I did this only to find all the chicks were dead. This is so frustrating all were fully formed chicks. What could have gone wrong this time? I took a bunch of pictures and have forwarded them to this expert I have found on the message board I have been reading hopefully he can shed some light and help me prevent this from happening in the next hatch.
I have added a link here with the pictures for those interested but please note they are graphic and quite heart breaking so Please do not go here if this is going to upset you in any way. Egg pictures
July 1st.... Have 5 eggs in Hovabator due to hatch 5-6th. They are candling okay and show good signs of development. I will take these out of the incubator on the 3rd and put in the hatcher. Going to candle and monitor more closely. I have been encouraged to "help" these eggs in the hopse of not loosing them all. Lets hope and pray it doesn't come down to that and these all pip and hatch okay by themselves.
July 3rd.... Just was delivered 4 more eggs. Now which is the best route to go with these egg/ Back to the message board for guidance I think. For sure set under my broody hen for at least a week. Might try to lay them completely on their side this time and not set in the automatic turner when I place them in the incubator. I am told to try a dry humidity hatch, so the eggs can have more oxygen. This was advice from some one in Central Mo this is more my climate so might try this. Talk about a science project. hate that I am loosing life though. There has to be a better way.
July 6th.... Day 26th eggs candle okay one chick pippin, as planned I started to help them out so they wouldn't suffocate this time. First chick to help was in a big hurry to get out and came out like gang busters in my hand, 2nd chick was slow going. I removed a small amount of shell and membrane and left it to it's own devices. The other 2 eggs when I cracked them I discovered they had not completely developed look like they died several days ago. Wish I could figure out what is causing this. As the day progressed the first chick was on it's feet and doing well but later in the evening it was seeping blood from it's backside. I dipped it in sugar to stop the bleeding. The other chick has pushed itself out of the shell but has not completely absorbed the yolk I have placed the shell close to it's body and set it next to the incubator side so it can't just flop out. Have put a towel in the bottom of the incubator so it is not so rough on them and will hope they make it through the night.
Pictures of chick coming out of egg..
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