Peafowl pen landscaping?

[Ahavati]

Are there plants that are good for landscaping a little in the pea-pen? My husband will be done with our aviary today and I am excited to get our pair on the ground and more room. But I'd like to plant some things and make it a little more natural for them. Just looking for ideas or experience! Our two are now 9 months old and so pretty!

Also, what are people's experience with free-ranging? We free range our chickens for a few hours in the afternoon, do peafowl go back to their pens like chickens do? I'm super scared to free range just because I don't want to lose them.

 

[Ptera]

If you free range them they'll go all over the neighborhood. I'd keep them in the pen for safety. Birds will tear up practically anything you grow in the pen. Some upright bare tree trunks including the branches would be nice for them to perch on and give a natural touch. Some rock features would be cool. You could plant shrubs outside the pen.

 

[Midnightman14]

Compact conifers (NO YEW) and hardy vines such as trumpet honeysuckle work well.

 

[maryvan]

I do let all of my birds out for a while as often as I can, but I only do it when I am puttering outside and can keep an eye. Admittedly, while doing this I spend a large amount of time chasing them back into my yard. They are pretty good about following the chickens back into the pen at night. I make a point of not feeding them while they are loose and putting a smorgasbord for them to return into the pen for.

 

[maryvan]

I did some "coop scaping" yesterday to make it a true aviary. We had a lot of broken pine tree branches from the storm, so I used hay bail string to tie it up to the chain link in random spots, to give them something to play with (and add some pine scent) Then, I placed an old, interesting shaped stump in the middle of the coop. They like to pick at it, use it for a perch... and I hide treats in it. My perches are all made from stuff that came down in the storm. It looks awesome, they are loving it! And... it was all free!

 

[maryvan]

Are there plants that are good for landscaping a little in the pea-pen? My husband will be done with our aviary today and I am excited to get our pair on the ground and more room. But I'd like to plant some things and make it a little more natural for them. Just looking for ideas or experience! Our two are now 9 months old and so pretty!

Also, what are people's experience with free-ranging? We free range our chickens for a few hours in the afternoon, do peafowl go back to their pens like chickens do? I'm super scared to free range just because I don't want to lose them.

I have 3 that were raised as babies and go in with the chickens at night, with some gentle coaching from me... My other 2, it's a major project to get them back. I have to chase them all over the neighborhood... when I finally get them back in the yard, they perch way up in the trees and by the grace of God I can catch them in the morning, when they are trying to get back into the coop. (We spotted coyotes yesterday so I won't be letting them out again for a LONG while.)