Free Range Question

[Frenchman Creek]

For those of you who free range your peas I have a question. I keep my peahens inside large penned enclosures but during Spring, Summer and Fall the peacocks are allowed to stay out and free range. They range but never very far from the peahens. My problem is that I have had three males for the past three years and each year in May the two more dominant males chase the number three bird into the woods and will not allow it to come back onto the lawns and near the peahens until September when they allow number three to come back and join the flock for the winter. This year number three who is a three year old was driven out in May and I have seen him up until the July 4th holiday but have not seen him or heard him since. Not sure yet on whether he will return or not.

My question - Is it the two against one or if I increase the number of males will it just result in three against one or four against one and the low man on the totem pole always being driven out or could the low two or three males be driven out? Thanks in advance for any advice on this.

 

[Birdrain92]

For those of you who free range your peas I have a question. I keep my peahens inside large penned enclosures but during Spring, Summer and Fall the peacocks are allowed to stay out and free range. They range but never very far from the peahens. My problem is that I have had three males for the past three years and each year in May the two more dominant males chase the number three bird into the woods and will not allow it to come back onto the lawns and near the peahens until September when they allow number three to come back and join the flock for the winter. This year number three who is a three year old was driven out in May and I have seen him up until the July 4th holiday but have not seen him or heard him since. Not sure yet on whether he will return or not.

My question - Is it the two against one or if I increase the number of males will it just result in three against one or four against one and the low man on the totem pole always being driven out or could the low two or three males be driven out? Thanks in advance for any advice on this.

You would have to increase the number of females if you want to try and fix it. The males will try to keep an area reserved for them and try to chase away other males that walk into it. If you increase the number of males you will only make it so more males are fighting each other while very few are actually breeding. Peacocks will breed a harem of females. One male can breed from 1-5 females. That's why if you don't have enough hens to male ratio you end up with males being driven off or just fight each other. There's another member that will probably help you out more when it comes to free range peafowl. I just know some of the behavior of peafowl during mating season.

 

[Frenchman Creek]

You would have to increase the number of females if you want to try and fix it. The males will try to keep an area reserved for them and try to chase away other males that walk into it. If you increase the number of males you will only make it so more males are fighting each other while very few are actually breeding. Peacocks will breed a harem of females. One male can breed from 1-5 females. That's why if you don't have enough hens to male ratio you end up with males being driven off or just fight each other. There's another member that will probably help you out more when it comes to free range peafowl. I just know some of the behavior of peafowl during mating season.

Thanks for the input. I currently have five breeding age pea hens. I am interested in whether others have had this driving away of the least dominant male. Fighting does not bother me as that is a part of pea life but forcing a male to have to live in the woods is a problem as that could be a dangerous place for a peacock even though the first two years they returned unharmed. This year might not turn out so well.

 

[zazouse]

For those of you who free range your peas I have a question. I keep my peahens inside large penned enclosures but during Spring, Summer and Fall the peacocks are allowed to stay out and free range. They range but never very far from the peahens. My problem is that I have had three males for the past three years and each year in May the two more dominant males chase the number three bird into the woods and will not allow it to come back onto the lawns and near the peahens until September when they allow number three to come back and join the flock for the winter. This year number three who is a three year old was driven out in May and I have seen him up until the July 4th holiday but have not seen him or heard him since. Not sure yet on whether he will return or not.

My question - Is it the two against one or if I increase the number of males will it just result in three against one or four against one and the low man on the totem pole always being driven out or could the low two or three males be driven out? Thanks in advance for any advice on this.

Males spar for territory and when they have no hens to themselves they will spar just to spar, i see it here all the time, it don't matter how many hens i have some of the males always end up with out any, the hen chooses the males not the other way around, I have never had one male drive another completely away there are plenty of places to hide and they wise up and stay out of that males territory or get challenged till they do, your other males have claimed the lawn area and no other male will be allowed to ran in their area as it is taken as a challenge..
Were these birds brought up on your place or did you purchase them or some of them from else where?

Thee are the Brothers, they never have any hens and spend the entire season sparing with each other, then at night they roost out in the big pine in the pasture. when they are not sparing they will be preening each other, they are inseparable and this is the only reason i never sold them as i have many many males here.

These brothers also will take up for each other if another peacock tries to spare with one or the other, they claim no territory though just spend the entire season sparing with each other

 

[Frenchman Creek]

Zazouse. Thank you for your information. I was hoping you might reply as I know you have many free ranged males. I also know others with many males who have never had males driven completely away. That is why I asked about the number three. Because these males have been together for three years and the first two years it was a different male driven out but this year he has become stronger and is now the number two. His tormentor from last year was the one driven out this year. The one and two male gang up on the number three male and tag team him all day running him around the lawns and eventually into the woods. That is why I asked if getting more males might help as then it would not be just two against one. My hens are all penned 24/7 so the males do not have access to the hens until I allow the male into the pens. We are all forests here so many predators in the woods and that is why I am trying to get a handle on this problem. Very nice photos of your males. Thanks again.

 

[Birdrain92]

I have a wild peacock that walks around the property and my penned male will try to chase him from the inside of the pen but never works.