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- May 14, 2008
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Hi Chirpy,
Congratulations on deciding to get some. I really don't do much at all to care for them.
I bought a large automatic pet waterer by Le Bistro for them
It holds 5 gallons of water. I put some DE in it.
I get the big bags of feed for them and have it in the metal sealed trash can in their pen. I use turkey food for them which has 24% protein or higher. I also offer some layer food. I have also fed them cat food which has high protein levels. I supplement with grapes, diced boiled eggs, diced mellon, French Fries, hash browns, and table scrap occassionally as treats. They are attracted to foods of the colors yellow and red.
Their flooring is a gritty blend that seems to take care of itself.... It is directly on gravel on the ground. No wood boards underneath or you are asking for stinch.
They seem to be almost maintenance free. So I just enjoy them
I fill their 5 gallon waterer, toss out about a quart or 2 of food, and I may not go back for a couple weeks. Mine scratch to cover their own poop with litter like cats sometimes. Either that or it just dries out and turns to dust in an airy open space. Every few months I used to add some dewormer feed to their regular feed. Now I will just sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth on them, on the ground, and in their feed bin too. I have sand naturally around a creek near me. So I think I will bring a few wheel barrels up to top off their litter. I will add to that a couple bags of pelleted limestone available at Home Depot. It has been a about a year or so without doing anything to it! So it is time. I think that my giving them their independence is very important to them developing of their natural breeding instincts. That may be why some birds in captivity don''t breed well if they are constantly messed with.
Their space is somewhere around 15' x30' x 8' tall more or less. It is a large carport that I caged in with welded wire mesh. I doubled that with a layer of chicken wire around the bottom so that small things cant get in as easily. Also the tiny chicks can't get out. I have field stones around the outer perimeter to help to deter against digging predators. I also had sprinkled a few bags of cement around the outside and hosed it. During the winter I cover the habitat in clear plastic like a greenhouse to protect from the elements.
I see many metal carports for sale along the side of the road that could easily be converted into a habitat for them. Although those are metal and mine is wooden. I plan to build on to the side of it since the family is growing. They have a 2x4 board across the width at 5' off the ground for a perch. They fly up there to sleep at night. The mother sleeps on the ground for now as she has to cover her babies and they can't fly up there yet.
I do not let them free range because because of fear of predators. They enjoy being outside in their house and are very happy. Yesterday DH absent mindedly left the door open to their coop! I went outside hours later and found them inside their house with the door wide open with no desire to leave! I closed it and locked it well so as to not leave an open invitation to predators.
If you get some and if you like birds, you will love them.
PS Peafowl move very slowly and you should too around them and speak softly. They are sensitive
If you see them running about, they are probably scared or nervous. Mine are often nervous around stangers, particularly if the person has sharp body language.
PSS You should not even consider free ranging if you don't want them sleeping and pooping on your roof or attacking your metalic blue cars.
They could also venture on the road and get hit by a passing car. So like chickens, I think it is best to keep them inside a very large pen in most cases. Be that as it may, I would love to have them just walking all around outside. I just don't want to make the cats, foxes, owls, and hawks happy.
Hi Chirpy,
Congratulations on deciding to get some. I really don't do much at all to care for them.
I bought a large automatic pet waterer by Le Bistro for them
It holds 5 gallons of water. I put some DE in it.
I get the big bags of feed for them and have it in the metal sealed trash can in their pen. I use turkey food for them which has 24% protein or higher. I also offer some layer food. I have also fed them cat food which has high protein levels. I supplement with grapes, diced boiled eggs, diced mellon, French Fries, hash browns, and table scrap occassionally as treats. They are attracted to foods of the colors yellow and red.
Their flooring is a gritty blend that seems to take care of itself.... It is directly on gravel on the ground. No wood boards underneath or you are asking for stinch.
They seem to be almost maintenance free. So I just enjoy them
Their space is somewhere around 15' x30' x 8' tall more or less. It is a large carport that I caged in with welded wire mesh. I doubled that with a layer of chicken wire around the bottom so that small things cant get in as easily. Also the tiny chicks can't get out. I have field stones around the outer perimeter to help to deter against digging predators. I also had sprinkled a few bags of cement around the outside and hosed it. During the winter I cover the habitat in clear plastic like a greenhouse to protect from the elements.
I see many metal carports for sale along the side of the road that could easily be converted into a habitat for them. Although those are metal and mine is wooden. I plan to build on to the side of it since the family is growing. They have a 2x4 board across the width at 5' off the ground for a perch. They fly up there to sleep at night. The mother sleeps on the ground for now as she has to cover her babies and they can't fly up there yet.
I do not let them free range because because of fear of predators. They enjoy being outside in their house and are very happy. Yesterday DH absent mindedly left the door open to their coop! I went outside hours later and found them inside their house with the door wide open with no desire to leave! I closed it and locked it well so as to not leave an open invitation to predators.
If you get some and if you like birds, you will love them.
PS Peafowl move very slowly and you should too around them and speak softly. They are sensitive
If you see them running about, they are probably scared or nervous. Mine are often nervous around stangers, particularly if the person has sharp body language.
PSS You should not even consider free ranging if you don't want them sleeping and pooping on your roof or attacking your metalic blue cars.
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