Peafowl lost his crown

[ralgal]

Hello,

My almost 5 months old peafowl (2 males) are getting bigger and bigger. I built them a well isolated shelter in my back yard and always keep the temperature above 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) - most of the time it's around 15 Celsius (59 Fahrenheit) - using an electric heater- well out of their reach).

I had to leave for 3 days for Christmas and I left my aunt to come check on them and give them food and water. When I came back one of my peacocks was missing his crow! I asked my aunt what happened and she said she hadn't noticed it went missing. I am very worried. I attached a photo of them. The one in the front as you can see has very small feathers just barely growing while the other one has full grown ones. Before I left they both had long ones like the one in the back.

Should I be worried? Is it normal - do they shed their crown at such an early age? Do you think they could be fighting ?( they don't seem to be, they always sit next to each other and gently peck at each other's beaks - I have never observed any violence)

The shelter I built is just for the winter and its 2m x 2m (6,56 ft x 6,56 ft) - I built it so small so I can keep it warm easily and as I have said the temperature is always over 10 degrees Celsius - Do you think the space might be too small? Or too cold for them and that's why they lost their head feathers?

Thank you.

Raluca

 

[Peafowlssssssss]

It's normal, they will change their feathers many times in their first year, they are both hens by the way.

 

[Peafowlssssssss]

You are doing everything right.

 

[ralgal]

Really? I thought they were 2 males.I was convinced they were. They sometimes spread their (small) tail at me when they are outside running around.

here is another picture taken 2 weeks ago - you can see the long crown

 

[Birdrain92]

Really? I thought they were 2 males.I was convinced they were. They sometimes spread their (small) tail at me when they are outside running around.

here is another picture taken 2 weeks ago - you can see the long crown

Both hens. Males will have barring on the wings and have a solid blue neck with a white breast at a young age and then will go solid blue. Don't worry about the crest feathers.

Here's a male at 10 weeks old. I know it's an age jump but this is the only clear picture I have of a young male. Here's a picture of my 5 year olds.

Here's my male Colbolt growing in his train.

Here's my 5 year old peahen.

 

[ralgal]

Thank you very much for your replies!

I am happy to know they are females. I will get a young male for them in the spring so they grow together.

 

[barkerg]

Peafowl preen each other often and they will pull the crest/crown feathers from each other during the molt and usually eat them thats why you never really see a lot of those feather types on the floor. Chickens especially roosters will yank them everytime but they will grow back in a few months not an issue. I do agree that those two birds in the pics above are hens and very healthy looking might I add.

Gerald Barker

 

[zazouse]

Spindly crest or missing crest without new growth showing can be from internal parasites , when and how did you last worm your pretties?? I have never ever had another bird pluck a Crest off of another here not even in a pen and in all honesty if you did not witness crest plucking i would not rely on this as the answer..

I have green peafowl and they are chronic plucker's when they do not have a bit in and even they have never plucked each others crest

 

[barkerg]

 

[KsKingBee]

I have an IB Pied hen that has been in three different pens and every time she grows in new crest feathers they disappear. I think she likes attention and lets other birds pull them out.