Considering Peafowl : Need info

[BlossomSilkies]

Hi, We have just purchased a home with 5.5 acres, it is mostly pasture. Not fenced, but does have evergreens bordering 3 sides. I would love to have a few peafowl roaming our place, but have never had them before and want to make sure I know what to expect before I commit. We will also have chickens that will likely free range as well.

What do I need to know?

 

[Trefoil]

From my limited experience, if you want to free range you want to raise your peas from chicks. I have tried to free range birds bought as adults several times and even after being confined for months, they have always either taken off on me or been road kill. Unless you have no predators or a way to protect, free ranging is like setting out a buffet. If you have a dog, take the time initially to introduce it to the birds and make sure it isn't a threat to them, its a lot easier to do before they get into chasing and killing them than after. You are going to want the coop and a run built before you get any kind of poultry, just in case.

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Hello and

, well in any case, the Peafowl Department!

If you browse around here, you'll find that there are a number of threads on just this topic, for example this recent one:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/836176/new-to-peafowl

 

[chicknmania]

You have to keep them confined for a month at least when you get them. If you get a peacock, or more than one, if you want them to stick around, you need to get peahens. We bought two adult peahens...one was a year old when we got her, she stayed with us for three years, then disappeared. We bought a two year old peahen last year, and she just dropped off the face of the planet a few days ago. Apparently the hens wander just as much as the males can. I think the peachick advice might be good. Our peacocks, though, we've had them for four years, but they wandered a lot until we got them hens.

 

[chicknmania]

I love our birds, but if I had to do it over again, knowing what I know now, I would think twice before I got peafowl to free range....they have cost us a lot of anxiety, although they are beautiful and have many admiring fans.

 

[BYC-user-174785]

With my first attempts at free ranging birds, I lost all but the ones I raised. My white peacock that was free ranging before we got loaded with snow was purchased as a three year old, and was released after breeding season and did not wander. If you have penned peahens, your peacocks will stay around. Some people use charcoal peahens to keep their peacocks around, since charcoal peahens do not lay eggs, and if you are not interested in breeding them that will be perfect.

 

[chicknmania]

Charcoal peahens??????? That is exactly what we are looking for!!!!!! WE don't want broodies! Where do you get them and what do they look like?

 

[chicknmania]

Our peacocks have always hung around since we got peahens, though all free range. I wasn't counting on the peahens dropping off the face of the planet.....

 

[BYC-user-174785]

Charcoal peahens, from www.texaspeafowl.com. I know where to get them in NY state, but you are in Ohio, so you can go to the Mt. Hope auction. Many peafowl breeders have them.

 

[chicknmania]

OK, thanks. I will look there. I always worry about Amish auctions, we got some sick birds from one years ago, and it was bad. Don't think it was from Mt Hope though.