Getting peafowl shortly, need advice on feed!

[beesbeesbeeswoo]

Are vitamins or a higher protein content more important in feed? I am comparing two pellets. Also are the vitamin levels in the lower feed too high for peafowl?

One feed is for meatbirds:
22 percent protein, 1.2 lysine, 0.5 methionine, 3.5 fat, 4 fiber, 0.75 calcium, 1.25 max calcium, 0.6 phosphorus, 0.2 and 0.7 max salt.

One feed is for a mixed flock:
20 percent protein, 1.1 lysine, 0.55 methionine, 3.25 fat, 5 fiber, 0.5 and 1.3 calcium, 0.65 phosphorus, 0.2 and 0.7 max salt, but then it also has 8000 IU vit A, 2000 IU vit D, 30 IU/lb vit E, and 45 mg Niacin.

I will supplement them with other things, but wanted a good starting point. Please give advice. Thanks!!

 

[nuthatched]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/peafowl-101-basic-care-genetics-and-answers.67744/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-raise-peafowl-information-on-the-basics.67208/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/caring-for-peafowl.67363/


https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-pros-and-cons-for-raising-peafowl.67372/

 

[beesbeesbeeswoo]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/peafowl-101-basic-care-genetics-and-answers.67744/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-raise-peafowl-information-on-the-basics.67208/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/caring-for-peafowl.67363/


https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-pros-and-cons-for-raising-peafowl.67372/

I had read the intro, but the question seemed too specific. So would both protein percents be too low, or? I saw people saying 20-30% protein was OK other places online. Is the duck feed similar enough to pheasant feed, or are the extra vitamins too much?

 

[nuthatched]

I'm pretty sure they need gamebird feed, at least to start.

 

[beesbeesbeeswoo]

I'm pretty sure they need gamebird feed, at least to start.

Getting them as adults, someone wants them gone so they are cheap. Do adults still need gamebird?

 

[KsKingBee]

Getting them as adults, someone wants them gone so they are cheap. Do adults still need gamebird?

Gamebird or Pheasant feed is best for peafowl. We feed a 28% gamebird feed exclusively from the time the chicks hit the ground around ten weeks of age. Chicks confined to small spaces should not be given high protein feed as they will not have the room to exercise off the excess protein and may cause developmental problems, especially in their legs.

The physical attributes of peafowl have been ruined over the years from people feeding low-quality feed designed to fatten meat birds like turkeys. Peafowl in their natural state are long-legged, lean, and trim. We no longer see peafowl like that in the US as the industry is geared to producing cheap low-quality feed for the meat industry.

 

[beesbeesbeeswoo]

Gamebird or Pheasant feed is best for peafowl. We feed a 28% gamebird feed exclusively from the time the chicks hit the ground around ten weeks of age. Chicks confined to small spaces should not be given high protein feed as they will not have the room to exercise off the excess protein and may cause developmental problems, especially in their legs.

The physical attributes of peafowl have been ruined over the years from people feeding low-quality feed designed to fatten meat birds like turkeys. Peafowl in their natural state are long-legged, lean, and trim. We no longer see peafowl like that in the US as the industry is geared to producing cheap low-quality feed for the meat industry.

Okay, I will see if anyone has gamebird or pheasant available locally. Seems like the meat bird feed would not be a good option based on what you said.

 

[Midnightman14]

Feeding nutrient dense foods is more important than water soluble vitamins at least initially. I use Farmers helper chick crumble mixed with regular chick starter and dusted with some roasted mealworms.

The worms seem to kick some innate instinct in the chicks and they begin to peck at them swallowing both worms and mixed crumbles together. My losses plummetted after introducing the FH chick crumble and I believe it is because it is full of high calorie and nutrient dense food. Those babies are tiny little furnaces that burn alot of "coal"

Diced green food can be used if you don't want to spend money on the above supplement. You can do a mix of crushed sunflower hearts (unsalted), roasted mealworms, finely diced broccoli, diced kale, diced colllards, Soldier fly larva, gammarus shrimp, krill, etc. you don't have to follow this as a "recipe" these are just ideas. I know my chicks do go absolutely wild for both the FH chick crumble and soldier fly larva. Soldier fly are a BIT better for peas than meal worms as they have more nutrients and less fatty protein but both are good.

 

[KsKingBee]

Feeding nutrient dense foods is more important than water soluble vitamins at least initially. I use Farmers helper chick crumble mixed with regular chick starter and dusted with some roasted mealworms.

The worms seem to kick some innate instinct in the chicks and they begin to peck at them swallowing both worms and mixed crumbles together. My losses plummetted after introducing the FH chick crumble and I believe it is because it is full of high calorie and nutrient dense food. Those babies are tiny little furnaces that burn alot of "coal"

Diced green food can be used if you don't want to spend money on the above supplement. You can do a mix of crushed sunflower hearts (unsalted), roasted mealworms, finely diced broccoli, diced kale, diced colllards, Soldier fly larva, gammarus shrimp, krill, etc. you don't have to follow this as a "recipe" these are just ideas. I know my chicks do go absolutely wild for both the FH chick crumble and soldier fly larva. Soldier fly are a BIT better for peas than meal worms as they have more nutrients and less fatty protein but both are good.

This time of year we have kale growing in the greenhouse, what fun to toss a leaf of kale in the brooder and watch the chicks tear into it! Of course we also have to make sure they have a bit of chick grit to help them digest the greens.