INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

Pea fowl.... Now I have a question.

Do you house them or do they roost in the trees outdoors?

In our old home...in town... a pea showed up one day. Hung around the neighborhood for about 6 mos. Roosted in the trees behind the houses way up high. It finally left in the spring when I think he went looking for female companionship.

But that has me wondering. Since he wintered outdoors all on his own, is that advisable (to let them roost outdoors) if I got one or 2 to just wander around the property?
@indyshent @jchny2000

 

[Lengerich Farms]

@Indyshent
Thank you for the plethora of information!!' I just had one of these moments:

 

[Indyshent]

@Indyshent
Thank you for the plethora of information!!' I just had one of these moments:

 

[Lengerich Farms]

I would love to have a peacock, but finances and space, and spousal permission are limited hahaha. Maybe some day

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Ok. I'm on a hunt for turkeys. Anyone have any excess they are looking to sell?!? It's that time of year for me that I have to make the move. I have 1 tom and 1 poult (hen) that are of different breeds and I do not want to move forward with breeding them. I prefer blue slate. I have midget white and a Royal palm (I believe). So....Anyone? I'd like to add atleast a common pair and any Toms anyone has to offer. Yes, I would be making them dinner. So obviously if that's an issue please don't take offense, however that's my plan.

There's a guy selling lavender (self blue) Palms in Middleton. I'm not looking to sell, but I have an oddball assortment of types here. Only one who isn't going to make it past the holidays is the BBW jake "Princess" who's the typical BB sweetie, but they just don't live long enough, and I hate being so attached to him. The RK in Bloomington has heritage breed turkeys, so ask ahead before you make the drive as to which they're carrying. $14/ea, but get slightly older poults. If I bought day-olds there, they always got sick right after coming here (might have been all the rain), but the older Spanish Black I bought are super-healthy and really came around without much effort in socializing them. Go for the ones that run away if you put your hand in. So far, I'm batting 100 on gender using that method. From that RK, I have two Black Spanish, one chocolate, one lavender/self-blue slate, one bronze (all girls). Black Spanish and chocolate have never been sick--incredibly healthy and sociable, no matter what was going here. Both of the baby Bourbons and the Palm died, but if you pick out some older poults when the temps are more stable, you shouldn't have a problem. I have a Midget tom already (from racinchickens), and the Holland and Bourbon hens came from jchny2000 (Porter's originally). The Midget isn't sociable at all--despite extensive effort--but he's also not aggressive. He's topped out pretty small, which is what I was kinda looking for because I'm a "weirdie" (my daughter's term). I like little feed-efficient long-productive-lives turkeys (with a preference against pure white birds--come on, where's the color and variety!?), but I'm looking to select more for small size and tons of eggs (which is why I really wanted Palms to work out here). I don't have any big birds here (except Princess, of course)--> all of my big birds have self-destructed, and this is my first year with heritage breeds. So, an unrelated but related question: How long does it take toms to figure out how to mate "properly"? Poor Major Tom's super happy to have ladies around, but all he seems to be doing is standing on them awkwardly. He's yet to properly "get down with his bad self". Anyone think he'll figure it out by spring?

The fella in Middletown is David Bradley. Very good friend, have known him about 5 years. He is a FaceBook BYC Member.

My Peacock has decided the geese are his new friends. He still looks a bit rough his molt hasn't completed yet.

I've always wondered about peacocks..... Do they lay eggs regularly ? Are the eggs edible ? Or are they more of a colorful addition to your flock?

Peafowl and the eggs are edible. They are a low quantity layer typically. I keep them for flock alarms, and eye candy. Just love how stunning they are. There a a few other members that can discuss pros and cons, I have limited experience on them.

Pea fowl.... Now I have a question.

Do you house them or do they roost in the trees outdoors?

In our old home...in town... a pea showed up one day. Hung around the neighborhood for about 6 mos. Roosted in the trees behind the houses way up high. It finally left in the spring when I think he went looking for female companionship.

But that has me wondering. Since he wintered outdoors all on his own, is that advisable (to let them roost outdoors) if I got one or 2 to just wander around the property?
@indyshent @jchny2000

They are pretty hardy. Mine did fine last winter. Just a shelter out of the wind is fine. I know the chicago zoos have them wandering around, or used to. My first encounter as a 1st grader, I was so amazed by how beautiful they are. Wanted to have my own ever since! Peacocks stay put better on a large property with plenty of interaction. And other peas, of course! I am planning ro get my fella some buddies. He is getting spoiled and free ranging until I get him set up, and introduced to his new friends. Kicking myself for not letting him out sooner! He is a real sweetheart. Loves the geese and ducks. They do help alarm the flock about arial and ground predators. Loud honks if something isn't right.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

A little more info on Peafowl and Turkeys.. Very similar birds. House well together if they are raised together. Both offspring are fragile in the beginning. Both are broody, so if you want more eggs, take them daily! My bourbon turkey hen would brood 2 eggs! What a pain. Daily interaction from he beginning is important. Especially with the females.
Some other members such as @pbirdhaven @racinchickins @ellymayRans to mention a few have kept one or both species and can discuss their experiences as well.

Having issues posting, hopefully the member links are working, ugh.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I had trouble posting tonight too. I think it's a BYC-wide problem. I finally found the "@" link thingie in the limited editor that is available tonight. Look at the top and right next to the link sign is the "@". If you click on it you can enter the names there. You could edit your post and re-do the @ links that way to fix it.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I'm thinking how fun it would be to have a couple peas wandering around over the 4 acres that are fenced. But wonder if they'd stay or if they'd just go somewhere else.

What do you feed a pea?

 

[Leahs Mom]

@jchn

I'm hoping I might have a home for the goat bros. One of the VPs at the company I work for has a farm in IL. He commutes every week and his wife stays at home. They have horses, cows, have had hogs and donkeys. ALL ARE PETS. Even the cattle. She just has them because she enjoys them as pets. I told him about the boys today and they're going to discuss. If they go there they'd have a good pet home. No woods but pasture acreage and a barn with stalls in the winter.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

@jchn

I'm hoping I might have a home for the goat bros. One of the VPs at the company I work for has a farm in IL. He commutes every week and his wife stays at home. They have horses, cows, have had hogs and donkeys. ALL ARE PETS. Even the cattle. She just has them because she enjoys them as pets. I told him about the boys today and they're going to discuss. If they go there they'd have a good pet home. No woods but pasture acreage and a barn with stalls in the winter.

Oh thats wonderful news!