Lonely peahen on property

[KiwiPeahen]

Hello!

I am currently housesitting a lifestyle block with a range of animals including chickens and ducks. The owner mentioned he recently saw a peacock and when I arrived yesterday I found it in the top of a tree (and determined it was a female).

She eventually managed to get away without the dog getting a bite, but today I went to feed the ducklings and chicks and found her hanging out nearby. Gave her some of the chick feed which she was pretty keen on. She went roaming around a bit after that.

Anything I can do? Owners don’t know where it came from.

May be important to note that I am in the Southern Hemisphere and it’s the start of summer here.

Thanks!

 

[KiwiPeahen]

Oh, and there nothing really dangerous here - not sure if rats or possums or stoat-like animals would be a threat?

 

[cleoandtheflock]

Have you checked nearby to see if it might be someone else’s peahen? If she isn’t anyone’s escapee, are you or the people interested in keeping her because if not you will want to find her a home.
She sure is a pretty hen Though

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I'd keep her around. She'll probably eat some snakes. They eat lots of small creatures; spiders, crickets, small mice, etc. I imagine that its attracted to the other birds and that there are a lot of creepy crawlers for the peahen to eat in New Zealand.

 

[KsKingBee]

Feed her if she needs fed and leave her be. She likely belongs to someone who would like her to wander back to them, if not then she will find a home where there is shelter and food.

 

[KiwiPeahen]

Snakes are illegal here actually :-D

I had no idea they eat mice - but actually chickens do too so it makes sense.

The owners are interested in keeping her. I’m happy to keep feeding her for the time being, and last time I saw her she was hanging around some empty stables.

Owners seemed to have no idea where she comes from. It’s quite a large property but would assume they know their neighbours at least!

 

[Dany12]

http://ceskyfousek.co.nz/

 

[KiwiPeahen]

Found her at the second house on the property last night but she was too scared to come and eat this time.

Lucky I went because on my way I found out the chicks’ hen house had blown open in the storm yesterday and they’d all escaped - managed to coax them back inside thankfully.