How far will free range peas roam?

[2buckskins]

Hi! I don't own any peas, but have been considering getting them. I have chickens (mostly Buckeye), Ancona ducks, guineas, and Midget White turkeys that all free range our 5 acre property during the day and then go into coops at night. None of the birds ever leave the property, but I was wondering if peas would be the same? I'd like them to stay close by because on our property my dogs keep predators away and really keep them safe... How far do they normally go, assuming they have been raised up from chicks and are used to people? Any advice for a newbie considering free range peas would be great!

 

[Knix6468]

I can tell you my experience with my peas. Our property has no Large trees, and even though we have over 6ac, the birds wanted to roost right over my neighbors house, in his 100+ year old oak trees.
Our birds knew that we were home, came home to eat, but would not refrain from flying over and right above his house, calling to each other accross the valley (from right over his head) and pooping on his deck/porch. So we have them in pens now.

So I cant answer your question about range, but terrain i think makes a big difference.

 

[C&Rman]

I have never free ranged mine beofre, but there are 4 wild peacocks in my town and they normally stay in our block. Sometimes they leave to the next block but I have only seen them do that twice. So they usually stay in my block which is about 5 acres.

 

[Glenmar]

Mine usually stay within the 10 acres around the house. Sometimes they go across the street, but that is only because the neighbors also have free range peacocks.

 

[bandbaustin]

we have two acres and our free range pretty much stays around the pens. He may walk over to the neighbors once in a while but always returns after about an hour.

 

[MinxFox]

I think it helps that you have other birds free-ranging. The peafowl should learn from example were to stay by watching all your birds.
In any free-range situation it is always good to pen them for a few months in a good pen that they can look out and see the yard so that they get used to you and their new home. Get them to like you and give them treats and they will realize your yard is a pretty sweet place to stay.

 

[zazouse]

Mine cover about a 30 acre area so far and go on new walk-abouts about once a week, they seem to get use to an area then move to another never staying in the same place very long unless it's in the safe zone.

 

[2buckskins]

Thanks for all the info! I figured if I raised them the same way as my other birds, hopefully their behavior would be similar. I'll probably do the same thing I did with my keets- brooder, then nursery, then free range. When I move babies from the brooder to the coop they go into a "nursery" area where they can see everything/one, but they can't leave to roam and the older birds also can't reach them. After spending a few weeks to a month in the nursery I usually let them start to roam, but I'll play the peachicks by ear. Maybe I'll just keep them confined to the nursery much MUCH longer!

 

[MissMolly'sMom]

Our neighbor's peafowl come visit quite regularly. Sometimes both of them, sometimes just the Peacock, on the rare occasion just the Peahen. Sometimes they spend the night. I think they know we have food and water and chickens, so they figure it is a bird friendly house. I HEAR them everynight no matter where they are so I can tell if they have gone home or are visiting somehwere else. There is probably 10 acres between us and their home. the Peafowl at the little zoo in Gulf Shores free range. The zoo keeper told me that they are just happier that way. They even stop traffic on Hwy 59 and the zoo staff has to go herd them out of the road

 

[zazouse]

I started free ranging mine at 4 months.
I bought as 3 year old hen and a 18 month old cock and i kept them penned for six weeks then they joined the free range peas no problems with the exception of one being gone for 26 hours after being spooked and flying out of site but it has a happy ending..

I have a thread i post on about them being free ranged if you would like to read about how i started and how they are doing.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=421848