free range peafowl not eating

[zazouse]

it is so much fun to watch them grow, you will learn alot about them and being raised there they will be homed in on your place even if they fly over the fence

 

[JoeCole]

I'm already amused by their behavior. They are very leisure minded on how their time is spent. The 2 pair will spend all their time in a tree for a day or two without ever coming down. Most of the time they will sit in one spot of the yard and preen all day. Today the Blue male came down and is spending the day under the giant pecan tree surrounded by shrubs, but I can still see him. The other three, 2 hens and the other boy are in the tree just enjoying the breeze. I don't blame them for not wanting to come down, those gnats are such a nuisance, they won't leave the birds alone not for one minute. Zazouse, you were right they can fly even with one wing clipped. All but one hen can not fly, I must not have clipped the one hens wings very good because she shot up onto a tree branch that was 7 feet high. She did let me pick her up the other day, but it was getting dark out and I just wanted here somewhere safe. I tried with the male but he kept fighting it and lost a few feathers and that was a disappointment. I've decided to let them have their way and won't interfere anymore, other than to feed them each day. I want them to get used to me, I even bought a bicycle horn that sounds just like they. It goes honk honk, there is hardly a difference and I honk the horn as I pore out their goods. Hope that will associate the horn with dinner time, but they're quite content to sit in the tree all day and ignore the food below. I know they saw me poor it out and heard the honk; that's fine as long as they feel safe and at home. Now I think I'll have more fun with the guinees

 

[JoeCole]

Sorry for how crowded the my reply looks; I'll double space next time thanks

 

[zazouse]

Don't worry about it we are not in english class

We got Pea brains here so folks really can't expect much in normal brians out of some of us

 

[JoeCole]

My Blue indian peacock really suprized me yesterday when he walked into the chicken coop, ate all the scratch and then sat

next to the occupied chicken nest box. The chickens were not too happy about this, but waited patiently till he left which was

4 hrs later.

However, before he left, he desperately called out to his hen for 20 minutes, who was up in a tree, but she ignore him

and refused to come down. She's been up there for 3 days now. I guess food isn't that important to them. They continue to

suprise me everyday. One pair is normal, the other pair is Black shouldered peacock and normal hen with very light breast

feathers. Some of her sister hens are not albino, but are all white. Maybe they'll throw some of that in their chicks; what do

you think?

 

[zazouse]

Mabe they are comming down when nobodys home

I am retired so i am home most of the time to catch mine doing things i might otherwise miss if i were away from the farm.

 

[JoeCole]

You might be right, I was gone for about 6 hrs yesterday. They may have come down then, but all the food in the bowl was untouched. I suppose when hungry enough they'll come down. Thanks, have fun out on the farm.

 

[ranit]

My peafowl have always surprised me how little they eat for such a large bird (guineas when penned however are pigs!). Also since they are not penned they have a variety of insects and vegetation to choose from so may not eat much of what you put out for them.

 

[zazouse]

That is true Ranit, mine are totally free ranged and the only thing they eat all the time like they are starving is scrambled eggs or scrambled eggs with oatmeal, they feed on grass shrimpand small fry in our ponds and ditches as well as stuff they find in the woods and pastures, sometimes i see them eating flock raiser but that is only when i am late getting them their eggs or eggs and oatmeal.

 

[JoeCole]

It's hard to believe you live in TX. Looks like a jungle out there, tall grass and running water. I have a few kiddy pools filled with water plants and I catch them standing and drinking out of the pool. Today both males are in the dog kennel/chicken pen and the female is just outside. Pretty sure she will venture in to see what they are up to. Her mate is laying inside the chicken nesting area; I don't know if he's trying to signal her as to where she should lay eggs? All the peas where raised in Dog kennel runs; they've spent all day there. It's something familiar to them and they seem comfortable there. You are right about the guinee pigs, I mean guinee fowl, they are pigs; I've seen them in action. They go through food so fast and most of it is wasted; they kick it out of their food dish, and in just a few hours there's no food left. By the way, how many peas do you have?