Peafowl?

[matthewschickens]

Will Peafowl weed my Berries and Grapes or eat them?
Are they friendly?
Do they eat a lot?
What kind of shelter do they need?
What are Peafowl good for?

Thanks!

Matthew

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Pretty much copy what they said to you in the turkey forum for peafowl as well. They do eat less than turkeys, and as for what are they good for? Ornamental purposes.
Mine dont tend to use shelters much, neither do my turkeys. I have 8x8 covered sheds with roost inside for them, but both the turkeys and peafowl always roost on the high outside roost, even in the nastiest of weather.

 

[the Old Rebel]

Peafowl, like chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc are friendly if you get them young and handle them a lot. Otherwise, they're prone to keep to themselves. They are curious creatures, though, and will sometimes come around just to see what you are up to or what you have in your hand.

As far as uses, they do eat a lot of bugs. But mostly they are just fun to look at.

My experience with them has been that they are gentle birds. But they will eat your grapes and berries...... if they like them. I have one that LOVES raspberries and one that clearly does not like them at all. They eat the ones they can reach or jump to and leave the high ones for me.

I really can't say enough about peacocks. They are beautiful and intelligent birds. Guinea hens are something else again.

As far as shelter, someone told me that, once grown, peafowl are pretty hardy. You can give them shelter or let them roost in the trees. But your young ones need to be protected from weather and predators or you'll definitely suffer losses.

Are you thinking about getting started with peafowl?? If so, let us know how it goes.

 

[chickenzoo]

They can be very friendly when raised up from very young, but watch the fingers. If i let them out to free range they come around to see what I'm doing and if my fingers are in reach - peck... they want attention. LOL

Mine eat fire ants, bugs, chase snakes, like to chase squirrels, harass the turkey Tom (it's a love-hate relationship) call at intruding cats etc.... mostly they are just pretty and fun.

 

[deerman]

My 3 yr old grandson, feeding a flock of peafowl, they will come to him , but I dont let them eat from his hands. These are breeders not pets ,but still tame.

One eat about the same as one chicken, no where near what a turkey eats.

 

[the Old Rebel]

Wow! What GORGEOUS birds, Deerman!!

 

[peachick]

aww deerman, cute pic of the grandson

)

I have a photo somewhere of my son (maybe 10 yrs old). he was eating crackers outside.... the peacocks started begging. So he held one in his teeth leaned forward, and the peacock took the cracker. They did that a couple times before I ran to get the camera

) I did get a good shot of it