HATCHING PEAFOWL EGGS AND REARING UNDER NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AT BASHKHALI, CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH

Abstract

The study was conducted on the management including housing, feeding, productive and reproductive performance of peafowl in an intensive peafowls farm at Chittagong, Bangladesh. In Chittagong a peafowl farm has been established from private since 2013. Data were collected for a period of five months from 12 June to 12 September on all age and sex group. The owner brought 20 eggs of which 18 eggs were hatched out after 30days of incubation by using an automatic incubator. During brooding about 3 chicks had been died due to faulty management and feeding. From the observation of 2 years records more 4 adult peafowl’s got dead due to same reasons. the peafowls were reared in modified Natural environment by wire fence from different four side and top with net cages. For the movements of peafowls, area of 40 x 45 ft was provided in the farm. Available feed supplied to the peafowls were banana, papaya, vegetable leaf, wheat, mustard oil cake, germinating gram and lentil as grain mix and oyster shell, broiler redimate feed, dicalcium phosphate and salt as mineral mix. The supplied diet containing 180 g crude proteins,11.3 millijoules metabolizable energy and CP (11.3 %) and 30 g calcium per kg diet (Islam et al., 2002).. there was significant difference of body weights between male and female peafowls. It was observed that the age of maturity, incubation period and productive life were ranging from 2-3 years, 28-30 days and 20-30 years respectively. The production of chicks was ranging from 3-6 per year. Mostly prevailing diseases were New Castle disease, fowl Pox, Mycoplasma, Coryza and Parasitic infestation accordingly. From the study, it was observed that the owner of that farm reared peafowls as his hobby and the body size level was also satisfactory. Presently the population among of 4 males and 7 females. Now they are in mature stages with color full feathers and good attractive to peoples.As there is an increased demand of peafowls as ornamental birds in this Bangladesh .So, he can take the chance to earn money.In the future, further extensive studies on peafowls of larger population and of different areas should be done to know the management practice of individual.