How Cold is TOO Cold?

If india blue type.....no worry mine are outside year round, they do have a barn to go in....but here in Ohio it get sub 0 every winter.

 

We've been down to the single digits lately here in PA.. My peas can be found either outside sitting on their roost during the night, and during the day they tend to hang out inside their shed. So far we haven't had a problem with the birds they've done just fine.

 

When I got my pair, they were about the size of leghorns. Within a month they went through a spell with -34 so I think yours should be good to go. Though I will add that just as with people, a lot has to do with what they are used to. If they are used to 90 degrees all of the time and are suddenly subjected to negative temps, then I would worry.

 

I live in Northern IL, temps get cold. I have 1 India Blue I rescued just this last year, he already has missing toes on one foot as I think the prior owners let him walk around outside in the snow and his feet froze? He's a little over 2 years old and is housed with my newbie peafowl which is White. I keep a heat lamp up by their roost to ensure at least their feet stay warm. They roost together and I leave them in all winter as I worry too much about them freezing as the temps and wind fluctuate so bad. They roost by a clear window where sun also can get in, so at night I can see them huddled by the light which tends to be their favorite spot.

You should be ok, but if they are used to being warm, you could put a regular light bulb lamp on them if you feel better about it. It depends on what they get used to and most likely they will appreciate the extra warmth. Up to you..........

 

I've always heard that they can take the low temperatures, but the cold wind can hurt them if those temps are really low. I've always used the windchill factor to decide whether or not I'll shoo the birds into their barns. Because I'm overprotective, that number is 20 degrees. For example, the temp right now is 18 and winds are 15-25mph. That's a lot of wind for this area. This makes temps feel like 5 degrees, so the birds went in their barns. The cool part is that they don't like the wind, so now they usually go inside on their own. Visualize a short, middle-aged lady in coveralls herding peafowl. That would be me. (You're laughing, right?) This is not a pleasant sight, so I'm very happy that my birds finally "get it" that the barn is a very comfortable place to be on cold and windy nights. They have started heading in without my "encouragement".

My oldest male, an IB who is about 20, came to me with a couple of missing toenails. Because the tips of those toes are an unusual color, it's possible he lost the toenails to frostbite.

 

The peafowl will be okay in cold weather given some sort of cover and an appropriate roost. With the roost, you want it so that when they sit, they cover their feet with their feathers, keeping them warm. If parts of the toes are incovered then they are susceptible to frostbite. In Northeast Ohio it gets real cold and we have tons of snow. The birds spend most of the time in the barn but venture out freely from time to time to check things out.

 

Mine are all doing fine (knocking on wood) - we tarped the entire north side of their pen - they are still in the "grow-out" run - so there is no cold wind on them. I put out 2 feeders & have been giving extra feed & making sure they had water. I WILL be thankful, however, when it warms back up this weekend! As a born and bred Louisianian, I am NOT cut out for cold weather!

 

I know its too COLD FOR LOUISIANA! The wind coming off the coast is freezing me! Anybody seen Rainbow Brite, its time for spring.