4-6 month old peacock showing aggression/dominance

[MinxFox]

I want to know more about the aggression. I only say this, because my 3 year old peacock, Peep, will run at me and then he pecks at my foot trying to mate with it. Do you always move or push the bird away before he gets right up to you? I just don't want you considering selling or giving away the peacock if he is showing mating behavior instead of aggression behavior. When Peep runs at me I could see it looking like he wants to attack me, and when he runs up and pecks me and scratches at my feet it could seem like an attack, but he is trying to mate with my foot. He normally charges like this after he has displayed or while he is displaying, but sometimes he will all of a sudden just run at me. Normally I just walk out of the way and he quits. When a peacock chases a peahen because he wants to mate with her, if the peahen keeps running the peacock stops following her usually after just a few feet of pursuit so I just do what a peahen does.

If it is aggression then I agree with Pfauenfreund, you will probably have to pen him just incase.
Since you didn't want a spalding to begin with, if you do end up wanting to sell him or give him away, definitely let the new owner know what they are getting into. Tell them that he could turn out to be aggressive and let them know to keep an eye on him. When entering the pen it is probably best to know where he is, when putting food out, etc. I think aggressive males tend to be aggressive just in the breeding season (Spring-Summer) and then calm down the rest of the year.

Also like the others have said, Spalding peafowl can sometimes be more prone to being aggressive because they are not as domesticated like India Blue varieties. They see you as a threat to their territory.

 

[annarogetta]

today he was good. I got food and fed everyone, and he ate his food at my feet. He is also very jumpy today, running, jumping, and flying around the yard.

I usually round everyone up in the evening and they all sleep in the same shed. The peas are usually good and know when it is time to come in, but sometimes they don't want to go and have a sitting protest. I usually go up to them and put my hand on their belly to stand them up and then they go ahead in the shed. When he first went at me, I wasn't hurt just startled and I had no idea what was going on.

Another thing too is that he's not on the top of the pecking order. My ducks established it, since I had them before the peas, but they don't aggressively enforce it. When they go somewhere and my peacock notices he runs/flies to the front of the herd so he can "lead" them. and my ducks do bite them but it doesn't seem to hurt my peafowl since they seem like they don't notice it or when they do it is usually because they were startled by it.

I read everyone's suggestions, and I think so far I'll keep an eye on his behavior. I could also think it is hormones because he does mount my female considering they are so young, but again my ducks are getting sexually mature so there is a lot of hormones going on. Even if I get to the point where I do have to pen him, I don't want to have to put my female with him, and in that case should I get more peas or pheasants?

 

[Garden Peas]

Even if I get to the point where I do have to pen him, I don't want to have to put my female with him, and in that case should I get more peas or pheasants?

Lol, more peas, of course!

Besides, if you end up penning him up, but not your hen, she'll be lonely... And so will he.

So glad today went well, hoping it continues

 

[annarogetta]

UPDATE: if anyone is interested, it has been a while. Sadly my beautiful purple peahen was taken by a fox a few months ago, I was so sad and my peacock was so distressed. He now hangs out with the ducks all the time now and got overly protected, i thought about getting chickens to stir him away from my ducks. There were times where his aggression had gotten worse. But fortunately over time he has gotten less and less aggressive. He is pretty smart and can tell if we bring food or water, he can probably understand that people provide with food and essentials. He does a lot less eyeing up people, and is more lax around them. Thanks for everyone's help in this thread!

 

[thndrdancr]

I am so sorry to hear about your beautiful hen, but glad to hear your boy is less aggressive. I had one that was not even imprinted on me, but I had him inside all winter as a youngun. He turned aggressive to us. I was so sad about it, he wouldn't let us now the lawn, I had to take a broom out to feed chickens etc. It got bad enough he started flying at our head. He was scared of men so I finally ended up rehoming the boy to a family where the guy said he did most of the chores. I never heard how it turned out for him. I advertised him on Craig's list with full disclosure and only asked $10. It was really heartbreaking for me. Mine was a full India blue.

 

[Trefoil]

If it ever comes to that (rehoming), you won't have much trouble finding someone who will trade you for a nice, tame IB.

 

[LilyAlmeyda]

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"

any update on aggression... I have two 50-50% spaulding and IB peahen one might be peacock.
I have two kids and I want to make sure they are protected. So I would have to make a different enclosure.

 

[KsKingBee]

any update on aggression... I have two 50-50% spaulding and IB peahen one might be peacock.
I have two kids and I want to make sure they are protected. So I would have to make a different enclosure.

It saddens me to inform you that Dylansmom passed away years ago, she will not be replying to you.

 

[LilyAlmeyda]

It saddens me to inform you that Dylansmom passed away years ago, she will not be replying to you.

oh noooo, that is so sad to hear

 

[Tpaxton]

today he was good. I got food and fed everyone, and he ate his food at my feet. He is also very jumpy today, running, jumping, and flying around the yard.

I usually round everyone up in the evening and they all sleep in the same shed. The peas are usually good and know when it is time to come in, but sometimes they don't want to go and have a sitting protest. I usually go up to them and put my hand on their belly to stand them up and then they go ahead in the shed. When he first went at me, I wasn't hurt just startled and I had no idea what was going on.

Another thing too is that he's not on the top of the pecking order. My ducks established it, since I had them before the peas, but they don't aggressively enforce it. When they go somewhere and my peacock notices he runs/flies to the front of the herd so he can "lead" them. and my ducks do bite them but it doesn't seem to hurt my peafowl since they seem like they don't notice it or when they do it is usually because they were startled by it.

I read everyone's suggestions, and I think so far I'll keep an eye on his behavior. I could also think it is hormones because he does mount my female considering they are so young, but again my ducks are getting sexually mature so there is a lot of hormones going on. Even if I get to the point where I do have to pen him, I don't want to have to put my female with him, and in that case should I get more peas or pheasants?

Because the ducks have established dominance he may be acting out. At some point you may have to build a pen just for the P foul. They may be happier that way at least just for them to sleep at night and then let them out during the daytime to free range. The place where I had my horse did that. It was one male and three females and they were allowed to free range during the daytime and then just before dark the owner's wife took food and put them in there pen for the night and it seemed to work out well for them. You're young male peacock is like a teenage boy and is learning to deal with hormones but you should keep the peahan and the peacock together because they will get lonely without each other and that way they'll be allowed to bond with each other. If you do at some point decide that you cannot keep him I would contact a zoo or someplace because they have peacocks all over the zoo here in Phoenix or a farm where they raise peacocks and they seem to do quite well at the zoo. If you do decide to get more peafowl I would recommend just females because the males get very Territorial and you don't want them fighting with each other but that's just my opinion. I hope it all works out well for you I love peacocks