4-6 month old peacock showing aggression/dominance

[annarogetta]

Around June this year I got 2 peafowl that were around a month and a half. I got an Indian Blue male and a Purple female. They are both inseparable, and when I got them, my ducks were already 2 months old (15 ducks).
They all do fine together, the ducks will occasionally pick on the peacocks, but everyone free ranges on 4 acres.

Just a few days ago I was charged by my peacock, I assumed it was because he saw the food scoop, He didn't hurt me, just caught me off guard. So ever since then when I bring food out I see him eye me and it looks like he is about to charge. I usually stop and stand my ground and keep a good distance from him and he doesn't bother me.

BUT today when I was herding my ducks (peafowl were with them) from my neighbors yard to mine, my peacock started to gang up on me and we had a stand off. When I back off he started charging, and if I came towards him and he backed up. This went on a few times until I flared my shirt to mimic peacock behavior of fanning out, and then he totally backed off. He did chase my cat after that, but never charged or attacked him.

Is this behavior going to continue and is what I am doing to back him off okay or is just going to encourage him? I done a little bit of research about peacock aggression and read that they treat you like an equal, or it is dominance/pecking order. My peahen is so sweet and docile, maybe he trying to protect her. Should I get more peahens? He is still a baby so I thought it was weird that he would be aggressive this early on? Also my ducks are starting to get hormonal, so I maybe that he is feeding off of that.
This is him. I looked online to see how old he exactly could be but I don't know for sure. When he came to me he was so tiny i could cup him in my hands, and now he is a big boy.

 

[DylansMom]

Around June this year I got 2 peafowl that were around a month and a half. I got an Indian Blue male and a Purple female. They are both inseparable, and when I got them, my ducks were already 2 months old (15 ducks).
They all do fine together, the ducks will occasionally pick on the peacocks, but everyone free ranges on 4 acres.

Just a few days ago I was charged by my peacock, I assumed it was because he saw the food scoop, He didn't hurt me, just caught me off guard. So ever since then when I bring food out I see him eye me and it looks like he is about to charge. I usually stop and stand my ground and keep a good distance from him and he doesn't bother me.

BUT today when I was herding my ducks (peafowl were with them) from my neighbors yard to mine, my peacock started to gang up on me and we had a stand off. When I back off he started charging, and if I came towards him and he backed up. This went on a few times until I flared my shirt to mimic peacock behavior of fanning out, and then he totally backed off. He did chase my cat after that, but never charged or attacked him.

Is this behavior going to continue and is what I am doing to back him off okay or is just going to encourage him? I done a little bit of research about peacock aggression and read that they treat you like an equal, or it is dominance/pecking order. My peahen is so sweet and docile, maybe he trying to protect her. Should I get more peahens? He is still a baby so I thought it was weird that he would be aggressive this early on? Also my ducks are starting to get hormonal, so I maybe that he is feeding off of that.
This is him. I looked online to see how old he exactly could be but I don't know for sure. When he came to me he was so tiny i could cup him in my hands, and now he is a big boy.

Your bird is a Spalding ( a cross of the blue and green species of Peafowl) and it actually looks more like a hen than a male to me. I will try to find some pics of my Spalding male at that age and post them here. Any kind of peacock that is imprinted on people can show aggression toward humans, because they will see you as a rival for their position as dominant male. It is a bit more common in green and Spalding birds I believe. This is quite early to see the aggression, though. I have a very imprinted spalding male who is 15 months now and he has not displayed any aggression toward us yet. I have not actually dealt with this problem myself (yet) so hopefully some members who have more experience can give you some advice.

Here is a pic, see the reddish primary flight feathers, does your's have those or are they dark brown? My bird is around 6 months in these pictures.

 

[Pfauenfreund]

At the beginning you wrote, it is an IB male, but the one on the picture is for sure a young spalding male. Just based on the picture I expect he is approx. 5 months old.
If he starts to attack you already in this age I’m sure he will continue in future and his aggressions will increase in the next years until he is adult.
As I wrote he is a spalding and it looks that he got the character which some greens are having. You have to keep always a distance between you and him and never show him the back.
Another recommendation from my side is, do not show to much attention to the female, he don’t accept this in his territory.
Regards

 

[DylansMom]

Pfauenfreund knows much more about green Peafowl than I do, if he says male then that is what he is. I would heed his advice regarding the aggression as well.

 

[annarogetta]

Thanks for the help and correcting the color of my male. A little disappointed because I wanted no emeralds at all and I got a mix of one. I got them from Bow's peafowl farm, I'm guessing they might of mixed up the orders a bit, or tried to get rid of their spaldings even though they sell them at a higher price than their I.B.s


This is my purple pea, a poor picture sorry. I also start to think that she could be a he. Even though this pea is much more docile. Probably the mos docile bird I have. Correct me if I am wrong, I have done a lot of research before getting peafowl, and these are my first ones so I'm still learning

 

[DylansMom]

Thanks for the help and correcting the color of my male. A little disappointed because I wanted no emeralds at all and I got a mix of one. I got them from Bow's peafowl farm, I'm guessing they might of mixed up the orders a bit, or tried to get rid of their spaldings even though they sell them at a higher price than their I.B.s


This is my purple pea, a poor picture sorry. I also start to think that she could be a he. Even though this pea is much more docile. Probably the mos docile bird I have. Correct me if I am wrong, I have done a lot of research before getting peafowl, and these are my first ones so I'm still learning

She is definitely a "She". I have 2 Purple hens and she looks just like them.

I really like my Spaldings, but as I said they haven't acted aggressive yet, if they had I would probably feel differently. This is my imprinted boy "Chirpie"

 

[Garden Peas]

How attached are you to this guy? Sadly, you might want to think about whether to re-home him -- he may get significantly worse. I would be worrying about children around him... maybe try again with a less aggressive bird? I've read about things folks have done to get aggressive peas to back off, but do you really want to spend a decade or two dealing with his aggressiveness? You may be able to train him to stay farther away, but I doubt you will be able to change his temperament. Peas are such a long-term commitment... Hard choices, ouch!

 

[zazouse]

How attached are you to this guy? Sadly, you might want to think about whether to re-home him -- he may get significantly worse. I would be worrying about children around him... maybe try again with a less aggressive bird? I've read about things folks have done to get aggressive peas to back off, but do you really want to spend a decade or two dealing with his aggressiveness? You may be able to train him to stay farther away, but I doubt you will be able to change his temperament. Peas are such a long-term commitment... Hard choices, ouch!

I agree and ....

 

[zazouse]

Thanks for the help and correcting the color of my male. A little disappointed because I wanted no emeralds at all and I got a mix of one. I got them from Bow's peafowl farm, I'm guessing they might of mixed up the orders a bit, or tried to get rid of their spaldings even though they sell them at a higher price than their I.B.s


This is my purple pea, a poor picture sorry. I also start to think that she could be a he. Even though this pea is much more docile. Probably the mos docile bird I have. Correct me if I am wrong, I have done a lot of research before getting peafowl, and these are my first ones so I'm still learning

She is a beauty sorry about you spalding being so mean.

 

[Pfauenfreund]

I have sitting here both types of males sweet and aggressive once. But I never thought about to give away one.
The aggressive boys are pride and it is a pleasure to observe them. I have greens and maybe they are even a little bit more badly than spaldings but based from my experiences I have to make two statements.
1. You cannot free-range such a boy the risks that foreigners will be hurt is too big.
2. Never let children alone together with such a male.
If you can keep him under this conditions than it will be possible to arrange it. First thing you have to accept is, the aviary is his territory and you are only a guest. In the nature a wild green male lives as a single and if a second one is entering his territory they will fight and the loser has to flee and leave the territory. If you go in and start to fight with him you can never win in his eyes, because finally he stays and you will leave. This is the basic for all the rest.
Every day when you take care to him, you have to follow exact the same procedure, then he learns that you will not try to fight with him for the territory. But you never should show him your back.
Based on this it is possible to deal with an aggressive male.
Good luck