HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-08-11, Page 12,
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Page 12 -Citizens News, August 11, 1970
Peacock leaves nest
Hatch ander electric blanket
Playing mother isn't the easiest
thing in the world, to do, especial-
ly when the babies are five
unhatched peacock eggs, but
that is just what Barry Cleave
of Bayfield had to do.
For some reason the peacock.
hen was frightened off the nest
and refused to return. In an
attempt to save the eggs, Barry
took thein inside and put them
under an electric blanket, set at
7, and waited. Three days later
they hatched and Barry was the
proud owner of five tiny peacocks.
As Barry works during the day,
he was unable to care for the
peacock babies so he turned then
over to Mrs. Vyrne Weido of
Dashwood. The babies are doing
just fine and it is no wonder as
Mrs. Weida has been raising
peacocks for 10 years.
The four male and one female
peacocks are two weeks old now
and already they can fly right out
of the box they live in. During
the evening and nights the five
babies are kept warm by a 100
watt bulb suspended over the
television box they live in. Dur-
ing the day they are allowed to
run in the grass in a fenced in
arca and this they seem to love.
The babies will be fairly well
able to take care of themselves
by the time they reach the age of
two months but R is four years
before they reach maturity.
Peacocks are raised much like
turkeys and are fed medicated
turkey mash for the first six
months. Mrs. Weido had to
teach the peacocks to feed but
it didn't take too long.
"For a while I hid to go and
pick up food and let it drop in
front of them to give them the
idea."
Her idea worked as they are
feeding well now,
After six months, they go on
straight grain only receiving the
mash once a month or so. How-
ever, medication is continued on a
regular basis as peacocks are
susceptable to blackhead which
affects the lungs killing the birds.
When they reach maturity the
danger is past and the medication
ceases. Mrs. Weido also feeds
the babies finely chopped clover
leaves and fresh lettuce which
they love.
However, the five babies are
not the only peacocks on the
Weido farm. Petey is an eight
year old male who was raised by
Mrs. Weido from the time he was
just a baby.
"Pctcy is a better watch-
dog than the dog," laughs Mrs.
Weida. "He hears everythin
and has a very loud call. It
sounds like someone crying
'`Help"
Petey has staked out his terri-
tory on the farm and he reigns
over it with an iron beak. The
area is between the house and
the barn and unfortunately in
eludes the clothesline.
"If I'm hanging out clothes we
have to pen him up. The sheets
flap and he goes after them if we
don't." says Mrs. Weido. Also,
for some strange reason, Petey
has taken a certain dislike to
Mrs. Weido. While her husband
can pick Petey up and stroke him
or make him show off his tail
feathers almost on command,
Petey will peck at Mrs. Weido.
His bite isn't quite as hard as
it used to be though. Mrs.
Weido was using some shears
for trimming one day and Petey
' got his bill just a little too close
and lost part of his upper and
lower bills. This doesn't semi to
have affected his eating habits
much as he is as dainty as ever
according to Mrs. Weido.
"You wonder how they ever
get enough to eat they are so
dainty., You hardly ever see
Petey eating unless it is to have
his breakfast of scrambled eggs.
He loves those."
In another month Petey will
start losing his beautiful tail
feathers and by September will
have little more, plumage than
that his mate wears year round.
It is Christmas before the adult
AT TWO WEEKS OF AGE baby peacocks are fairly large and can
fly two or three feet in the air.. Mrs. Vyrne Weido holds two baby
peacocks she is raising for Barry Cleave of Bayfield. Mrs. Weido
has been raising peacocks for almost 10 years. Photo by McKinley
male begins to grow his new plu-
meage and his tail is full size
again by May or June.
The female stays pretty much
with the offspring in a pen.
Petey is the father of four young
peacocks now two months old.
However, he pays little or no
attention to them.
When the males in his family
reach the age of four years, the
Weido's will have to sell them or
put up with peacock fights as
each one stakes out a territory.
Until then, the only cries of help
you will hear at the Weidos will
be Petey talking to anyone who
will listen.
* Top Selection!
* Top Value!
BABY PEACOCKS are not an unusual sight in this area, but these
Look pretty. Petey will soon begin to lose his tail feathers and by
but Warden Jack McCutcheon did ask a few pertinent questions on
However, she is quite happy to receive a cheque from Ron Heim -
two and one-half hours a day on her hobby. Photo by McKinley
Harr
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