My first peacock

[Zanily]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and I'm due to get my first peacock tomorrow and I can't wait!

At the moment I have Pekin bantams and Golden pheasants. I have also hand raised orpington ducks and japanese quail. The peacock I will be getting tomorrow will be one week old and unsexed. I have reasearched into how to sex them by looking at their primary flight feathers (red rust coloured for male and dark brown for female) has anyone else sucsessfully sexed peafowl by using this method?

Can anyone give me any tips on how to care for one? (I've already done plenty of research but it's always good to get some tips from experianced owners!)

I plan to feed my peacock the same diet as my pheasants. My pheasants eat a mixture of layers pellets, wild bird seed, fresh fruit and veg as their base diet and then meal worms, peanuts and scraps from the dinner table as an occasional treat. My pheasants also love to eat the flowers on weeds I pull up from the garden too! Does all of this sound suitable for an adult peacock? What do most peafowl enjoy as a treat?

Thank you for reading!

 

[NateinFL]

Can anyone give me any tips on how to care for one? (I've already done plenty of research but it's always good to get some tips from experianced owners!)

The research you have done is good. If you have more specific questions, those would be easier to answer.

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Well, I have to jump in here and say your new guy might be lonely without a pea friend...

 

[DAS]

Most of my pheasants and peas are raised together and they do very well on the same feed. As adults, mine are given a gamebird feed along with treats. Along with the treats you've mentioned, I also give chopped up carrots, cat or dog kibble, safflower seeds, black oil sunflower seeds and a host of other fresh veggies from the garden. Tomatoes are a favorite along with the wild berries I pick.

Make sure you give your young chick a feed formulated for chicks. Mine are started on a medicated chick starter or turkey starter. Some choose not to feed medicated feed. It's up to you.

 

[Zanily]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I have a large outdoor aviary where all my birds are kept. The aviary is filled with natural perches, trees, non toxic plants, and tree stumps to provide hiding places, shelter and places to roost. There's a clear roof on the aviary to let in the sunshine but keep out the rain. My family and friends joke about me having what looks like a zoo enclosure in my garden!

All my birds are kept for ornamental purposes and I don't keep them to breed from. I love all my birds, they're part of the family. Because my birds are treated like pets rather than lifestock they seem to enjoy human company...Would a peacock (or peahen) not be happy with the company of humans, pheasants and the other birds in the aviary?

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Hello again,
It sounds like your new guy will have a lovely home!
Others with more experience will probably answer the question about pea's preferences for company.
In my own experience, peas are very sociable and want to spend their time with other peas.
I've seen them with chickens, and they don't seem too interested in being pals with chickens.

 

[Glenmar]