I'm soooo bummed!!

[seabreeze]

I posted on here a few weeks ago that I had helped a lady with placing her numerous peafowl by taking some of them. I originally was supposed to get 3 hens and one cock from her but she brought EIGHT including two whites. She said to keep them locked up a couple of weeks and only let the males out and leave females in the stall since the males would not wander off and stay near the females. My boyfriend asked me if he could let the pea fowl out and remembering he was present when she said only one sex, I reiterated that to him but he let them ALL out and now they are gone!!! I live on acreage and even though one stayed around for 1-2 days on top of my barn roof, the rest haven't been seen or heard in days!

Is there a chance they will ever come back? I'm heart broken.

 

[little blue]

probally not they say to keep them locked up for alot longer then a few weeks more like 6 months before trying to free range.if you still had the hens you might have a chance but they are probally out breeding in the woods.good luck

 

[zazouse]

were they free ranged before you got them?

The breeder i got my last pair from lives 5 miles from me and told me to keep them cooped at least 3 months cause they could end up back at her place.

 

[seabreeze]

No, they weren't free ranged, they were cooped up for over a year at the previous owner's house because the birds were getting on neighbor's roof and he was not happy about that. She told me to keep them locked up a few weeks, not several months

 

[Glenmar]

I free range mine. I kept them locked up for 8 weeks after I got them.
Sorry.

 

[SuperPeacockman]

They might keep putting food out.

 

[MinxFox]

Oh my...

Not good news. Have you searched the neighborhood and listened for peafowl noises? You should put adds up ASAP to let people know to be on the lookout for peafowl. Since some were white it should be easier to spot those, so hopefully that will help. It is very hard to fight not letting them out to free-range but it is best to wait a loooong time! With my first peafowl pair I couldn't stand to keep them in the pen any longer and I let them out after a month and a half. They stayed for a month and all was good until one day the peacock was gone! The peahen stayed for a week then she too left! We asked around if anyone saw them and finally while searching a neighborhood across the street my mom spotted the peahen in someones yard. We were able to catch her. Some people said the male was there a week ago and they fed him and that he was roosting in someone else's backyard but he left. Then all around people were spotting our peacock but we were always too late. Now guess what every now and then we sometimes hear a distant peacock calling. We have no idea were he is and have not heard anything more about peacock spottings.

 

[ColbyNTX]

If you don't live too far from their old home, they might go back there.

 

[TinkleTurkey]

That's the thing about boyfriends. You have to be very clear about what is expected and supervise them at all times.

 

[seabreeze]

Thanks everyone. I have been listening and listening and nary a sound!! We live in a pretty wide open flat space (Willamette valley, Oregon) where sounds carry very well and haven't heard them. I've thought of putting up ads but I doubt anyone would come forward especially with the white ones

I will put up ads this weekend in hopes someone will contact me. I feel so stupid for letting them out too early. Is it better to raise them from chicks so they stick around or will they eventually wander away? Do they need periodic penning to keep them *grounded* or do you clip their wings or?