Interesting notes about our peas...

[chicknmania]

We have had our two India Blue cocks for ten months now and they are endless entertainment. I have not regretted having
them at all. Have noticed in the past few days that they seem to be a sort of guard bird (like geese) for the chickens,
and I wonder if anyone else has noticed this? Our chicken flock free ranges and the peas go with them. They often bully the chickens
when there is food around, but I have noticed that when hawks are around, the chooks seem to stay close to the peas and lots of times
the peacocks will put their tails up and stand looking around when it appears they know there is a hawk in the area. Is the tail display
an attempt to intimidate predators? Or is it just coincidental? Also in the evening they will stay outside the barn with any chicken remaining outside.
Once the last chicken has gone in (but not before they are all in); the peacocks will come in to the barn too and they wait for us to close the barn, then they roost with
the chickens, but they are always the last ones in. To me it looks like they are trying to be protective of any chickens remaining outside when it is close to being dark.

We have a small hill on our property which slopes to the barn door, and the entrance to the area they live in. the peacocks like to "play" on this hill; they will get a running start and fly several yards down the hill, calling "hahahahahahahahah" all the way down, sounds as if they are laughing. and I really think they are! They do this a couple of tines a day.

For anyone having doubts about getting peas, I just have to say... they are beautiful and we love them~even if they do have a thing about sitting on my car...

 

[KZ]

Now I don't know if this is accepted as fact, but I have this peachick who puts his tail up whenever he thinks I am getting too close. I think this tail business serves not only as mating behavior but also makes them
look bigger and more threatening (at least in their mind). I am veeeerrry scared of that giant scary chick, by the way.

 

[chicknmania]

 

[NeoRoey]

Quote:
*giggles*

Erm, anyways, I have also noticed this with my peacock. Whenever we get near the chick, he/she would put up a threat stance and peck at us. Although, he/she will let us pet him/her instead.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

That's why they are so addictive, our oldest IB male will wait at the gate for me every afternoon as he knows I always bring him something good. We were sitting out back eating peanuts one day and Mr P decided he wanted some to. I wish I would have had a camera as there are 4 good sized dogs begging and right in the middle a 5 year old peacock. I was waiting for him to start wagging his tail just like the others.

Steve

 

[chicknmania]

Quote:
*giggles*

Erm, anyways, I have also noticed this with my peacock. Whenever we get near the chick, he/she would put up a threat stance and peck at us. Although, he/she will let us pet him/her instead.

Huh? Not quite sure what the joke is. A male peafowl is a cock, a female is a peahen. Wasn't trying to be funny......or offensive, for that matter.

 

[deerman]

Oh yes peafowl will chase hawks away, for sure the small cooper(chicken hawk). Now a greathorn owl with take a full grown peafowl.

They will also kill snakes and mice. Good watch birds also sound alarm if strangers get around the pens.

 

[chicknmania]

Well, that's good news, that they will be protection for the flock. Snakes I'd rather keep around; they're good in their own way, but
chickens will kill those, too. Certain times of the year we have lots of problems with hawks; not so much other predators. Hawks are awesome
to watch but I wish they would kill more rats and less chooks...