Lost my last peahen last night

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I have been trying to raise peafowl for the past 4 years.
I'm beginning to think I'm not destined to have them. I've not even gotten them to the laying age as of yet. I've been buying them at about 1 year old, and something always seems to happen to them. I haven't even bought them from the same people, so no genetic problem that I know of.

Several young hens got hung up in the electric fence that is in my pot-belly pig pen, some just disappeared. I penned this last trio in a 16 ft. x 16 ft - 8 ft. tall pen, to prevent any accidents, and my last hen died last night. No apparent reason. She had good weight, normal poop, no respiratory problems...seemed to be in great health. Just like the one before her, a few weeks ago.

I was so looking forward to hatching eggs next spring. DH said as he walked out the door this morning, "You're down to one peacock again", and went to work. He just doesn't understand the emotional investment I have in these birds. I've wanted them for so long and I've taken the time to get them tame enough to walk right up to them. Sometimes the hens even let me pet them. They would come to me for treats. This last trio are not as tame as the first ones I had. The first ones I could pet anytime I wanted to, and they would come when I called.

I normally try not to get attached to any of the birds, as they are here mostly as livestock. But I really wanted to raise some peafowl. I've wanted them since I was a little kid and went with my Dad to pick up some cattle to haul to the stockyards for a farmer. The owner's wife took me and showed my their peafowl. I thought they were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. They had hundreds of them.

I guess I will have to start saving money to try again.

I just needed to vent a little this morning. Now I need to go tend to her body.

Thanks for listening,
Jean

 

[SAORSA]

 

[evonne]

i understand.. i wanted them for so long... then i got some by chance and had to leave them behind after a yr... i have one of their babies chirping away in the bathroom now though.. need to get it a friend...

if i had birds laying i would help ya out.....

good luck with your next try.... and don't give up.... they are such amazing birds...

 

[chickenzoo]

Been there too many times.......

so sorry. I just lost one of my young Black Swans this morning... he drank some bleach water I left out....... stupid mistake. Try again when you are ready. If possible you might have someone do a necropsy if you lose any more, many times the States Dept of Ag do it for very little. Here in Fl it is $30 for up to 3 birds. Their should be a serge of peafowl soon, hope you don't give up on them. I hope both our dark clouds lift soon.

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

Thanks for the support!

My male is in with a trio of turkeys right now, so he won't be so lonely. I don't know how that is going to work out, only time will tell.
DH said I can't turn him loose again, because he gets after the hens with chicks, and we seem to have an explosion of game hens with their chicks running around!
The dogs give these hens a wide berth, but the peacock isn't scared of them one bit, so he will have to stay penned.
He was strutting awhile ago for the turkey hens...they weren't impressed!

I will run across another hen one day and try it again. Maybe I should try to get a grown hen that is laying, but they are so expensive.


Jean

 

[deerman]

Quote:
I had a tom turkey kill one of my peacocks. They were even raised together, untill breeding season. Yes nyou may want to get him some peahens. A 2 yr old will breed , with the chickens running around you may have trouble with blackhead, doesn't harm the chickens ,but will kill peafowl

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I guess I need to research blackhead. I've heard of it, but not familiar with it at all.

Off to do more research.

Jean