Do peacocks make good pets?

[zazouse]

Yes, coyotes woyld be a problem. And yes your peas would probably go into the woods to explore and roost in the trees. I think there is a thread here on free ranging...Zazouse and a couple others here do it, so talk to them. I know Zaz has dogs to protect her flock. I think others free range during the day and pen them at night....they herd them back in So you could train them to do that.

 

[goats rule 101]

We catch coyotes on our trail cams all the time, thats why I worried if they would go into the woods androost. None of my birds have ever left the ssafety of the fence. Do you think it would work if I trained them to come in at night? Has anyone ever done that? And if they like high places does that mean that they will go on top of mine and the neighbors sheds and houses and poop? Thanks again!

 

[zazouse]

My birds have always come home to roost with the exception of the peafowl, one night they decided to spend the night in the woods and they never did it again, I think it scared the bagesus out of them.
I don't worry bout them unless the hens are nesting and I haven
t found them yet, but I think this will come to pass as it did with my guineas, they nest all over the place and I snatch up the keets as soon as they bring them out, then I go back to their nest and pull the left over eggs and hatch whats left

 

[zazouse]

PS my birds have never been able to see a neighbor except my daughter and have been able to teach them to stay away from there.. well until something new is going on over there then I have to fuss at them when they go to cross the driveway but they do listen to me most of the time or I will put my aussie dog on them and drive them back, they don't like to be rushed

 

[goats rule 101]

I wish my labs were able to do that! They're not smart enough though! If i get them would it be ok if i got two peahens and a peacock? Or what would you recomend for starters? Thanks for the help so far!!!

 

[3BirdGirlz]

Two hens and a peacock would be fine. I only have a pair, but they are pretty easy and if I added another hen it wouldn't be a big deal.

 

[zazouse]

Sounds like a great idea, if you are wanting to free range them it goes much smoother starting out with around 5 babies at least that is how I did it, and I started with 5 because if I lost a couple I would have some left, I did end up loosening a hen at 16 months of age to a respiratory infection but still had 3 hens left and now that I have hatched my own this year and have 20 imprinted pest

 

[goats rule 101]

Okay thanks I think ill look in to getting some after winter!

 

[zazouse]

 

[msmolly]

I free range mine, and I have dogs who run out the dog door barking at the first sound of Vermin, so the Coyote have not yet ventured into our yard...knocking on wood. My Peafowl are bonded to the chickens, so they roost close to the chicken coop if not in it. I trained them all to a call and treats- to come in at 5pm or so. You establish a consistant routine from the time they are young-,call and give treats- and both chcikens and peafowl come running. Even when trained though....Breeding season, all bets are off, so you want them as well trained with all the odds in your favor well before that. Breeding Season shouldn't be an issue for the first year or two (though i can't really remember) . I would definitely not recommend free ranging them as youngsters. My peachicks go out with their very protective mother when they are young, and they still get picked off by Hawks etc... An adult Peafowl is fine with Hawks etc... but the youngsters really shouldn't be out unprotected till they reach almost adult size.... which for a spring baby is....now? Some one help me out here, all my chicks went to other homes, so I don't know how big they are now. Again, this is just my experience and there are others that know a lot more. Also, your land, lay out and predator situation may be different than ours, so your right to ask lots of different people and then come up with your own combination. I must say, I lost quite a few peafowl through my first years of learning. Ps, neighbor dogs can wreak havoc aswell! Good luck, and its all worth it.