In over my head - need help with Peacock

[RedBugPoultry]

This may be a really dumb question but I have never had turkeys. How do you get fowl pox in your flock? Do you have to introduce it with an bird? We only allow eggs to come to you farm, no hatched birds. We are trying to hatch peafowl and turkeys right now is why I am asking.

 

[Kedreeva]

RedBug, Fowl pox is usually transmitted by mosquitoes or contact with infected birds.

 

[RedBugPoultry]

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Thank you! Humm, I am glad we live so far out in the woods now. I guess wild turkeys could carry it also?

 

[Kedreeva]

They could have it, and mosquitoes could carry it to your birds... but it's fairly unlikely. I don't think it's a rampagingly common disease that every bird has and gets by existing or anything like that.

 

[broodytood]

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Sorry I can't help but

 

[LedgeWoods]

Use netting or a landing/fishing net to catch the guy. I was told not to grab peafowl by the legs (something about their anatomy??). When I was handling my peacock daily, he got used to it. I would catch him right in front of his wings - sort of pinning his wings down and holding him firmly so he couldn't flap and thrash around. He quickly got used to the routine, although I can't say he "loved it"

The suggestion about covering their head is true also - use an old towel or even a thin dark sock over their head and they will mellow out in a hurry. (That works good for transporting any bird for that matter. Good luck!

 

[Kedreeva]

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The reason some will caution against grabbing them by the legs is because they can slip a tendon if you are doing it wrong. You cannot grab below the ankle (some people think "knee" but the backward bend in their leg is actually their ankle), you cannot grab just one leg, you cannot grab one leg in each hand etc. We grab firmly at or above the ankle, both legs in one hand, a finger between the legs to keep them from grating on one another. Done correctly the bird cannot thrash their legs and will not injure themselves (or you).

The reason I don't grab around or carry by the wings like I see some people do is because their wing bones are far more fragile than their leg bones. Over the wings, with the wings pinned to the body (sounds like what you say you do, Ledge) is safer but allows them to kick their feet around a lot, which usually ends up in me being injured instead. I don't use a net just because I hate untangling them from it once they are caught.