How to add peahen for free range peacock

Nafalie

Songster
5 Years
May 12, 2018
69
169
146
Hi all!!

We had a random peacock show up and join our chicken flock last year in August.

Despite our best attempts to find his original home, he’s continued to live here and free range with the flock.

Now, it’s mating season and I know he would like a lady friend.

I’m happy to find one for him, but I’m not sure the best way to add her/introduce them.

Is it the wrong time of year to be trying this? I wish I had thought to do this in the fall, but I really didn’t think he’d stick around this long!

Penning him is not an option. He’s a free spirit!

Open to any suggestions!!

Added a pic of him for attention, because he’s so handsome!
 

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He is a two-year-old so he isn't fully mature but old enough to breed. If you can find a hen this time of year, good luck, laying hens are normally not available until after the season is over unless you want to pay extra. If you find one pen her for a few weeks until she is re-oriented to the new digs. If the cock is interested in going into her pen let him in. Once they start bonding for a few weeks she should stay. Start with a few days of supervised outings and always feed them in the pen. Look for a yearling hen, they are available and will cost less than a fully mature hen.
 
I would pen the peahen for a significant period of time before releasing her. I'm thinking months rather than weeks. @casportpony what are your thoughts on this?
Thank you for chiming in!!! This seems very doable, and probably like the best option. So I assume he’ll just hang out outside her pen and keep her company?? As a side note—we had three turkeys penned up before he arrived at our farm. He hung outside their pen all day and seemed really into them. When it came time for eating them, we decided to leave one for him as a friend. We let the turkey out and they did everything together! Slept together, foraged together, etc. for many months. Unfortunately, we had a fox grab her while she was laying an egg. 🥺 So now the peacock is all alone again. We do have humane fox traps up all around the woods of property now. So hopefully we can relocate the little bugger.
 
He is a two-year-old so he isn't fully mature but old enough to breed. If you can find a hen this time of year, good luck, laying hens are normally not available until after the season is over unless you want to pay extra. If you find one pen her for a few weeks until she is re-oriented to the new digs. If the cock is interested in going into her pen let him in. Once they start bonding for a few weeks she should stay. Start with a few days of supervised outings and always feed them in the pen. Look for a yearling hen, they are available and will cost less than a fully mature hen.
This is so helpful!! Thank you!
 

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