peacocks,hawks etc!!

[gaza]

hi group!!
my babies are 4 months old!
they are trying to breakout of their pens!!
have,so i have been told! hawks!!!
am thinking on keeping them caged till they are 6 months old?
when the time comes??
do i just open the cage?
leave the cage open?
i have 3 birds.
1 is sooooo tame.
do i let him out,and see what the others do?
i have spent ALOT of money on these guys!!,BUT,this is not a factor!!!!
i kept peacocks in england,and wanted to keepp them here[CA]
nieghbours/lawsretc!!
findout ,its all in the nieghboursanimal control etc!!!!
gaza

 

[6littlechickies]

It is probably okay to let them out now. Open it in the afternoon and let them in/out at their choice. Have food/water in the pen with a roost and they will probably come back in at night. Close up until the next afternoon. As they get more familair with the surroundings they can become more aware of predators and become less likely prey. THey should be getting fairly good sized now so also limiting the problem. Good luck

 

[lilchick]

My peas are in a barn with lofts and have outdoor dog kennel runs. Netting on the runs because they like to fly out! Last years peas will wander around the yard and stay pretty close to the barn when let out to free range. My babes from this spring are not let out yet. Hopefully next spring I can let them out with the older ones.
A few years ago I had 2 hens given to me. The neighbors male peacock must have heard them calling because he showed up and stayed! Slept on chimney of our house at night. I could not catch him so neighbors said to keep him....

The 2 hens that were given to me free ranged into woods and pastures and slept in my pole barn.
I like having them contained in barn and pens.
Once yours get used to your property you could let them out with close supervision. At 4 months old they are still small enough to be eaten by hawks.. My chicken hens are out free ranging with the peas and when they go in my peas do to..