Peahen spending the night with the chickens. Should I remove her?

[Benelli]

I've had my peahens for about five months. They've always roosted in a tree at night. About a week ago, one of the girls decided she was spending the night with the chickens in the coop. I didn't take her out because we'd had about four straight days of rain and figured she'd had enough. Well, now that's where she wants to spend her nights, period. I tried shutting her out of the coop twice with time left for her to fly to the tree with the other peahen. She would'nt go roost with her. She just walks around the coop looking for a way to get in. Then I feel guilty and don't want her running around at night on the ground. We have tons of predators. I even tried putting her on top of the coop so she was off the ground and she jumps down. I keep my coop pretty clean, but it's small. Any thoughts or ideas? I plan on making a bigger coop in the spring so I'm guessing I need to take into account the peahen?

 

[deerman]

I dont mix my peafowl with chicken. If your are free ranging with the chicken, not much more harm in letting her roost with them, I like mine roosting inside, better for those toes. Less odds of a greathorn owl picking them off also.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Is there a possibility she has an unnoticed injury that is preventing her from roosting with her sister. My Tom Turkey did that because he had a cut on the bottom of his foot we had not noticed. Maybe?

 

[Benelli]

She's always been interested in the coop when they go in for the evening. I wouldn't let her in tonight and now she's bedded down in the woods. Hopefully, she'll come out in the morning. They don't let me handle them unless it's dark out. They get out of my way when I get about two feet from them. Maybe she's got a bumb wing. They don't typically flap their wings like chickens do so I've not noticed. I've been watching them both and otherwise they seem normal. My peacock that got eaten was the only one who let me handle him. Otherwise, maybe I'll put a roost in the run for her at night. The coop is not real big and she ends up on the floor or chickens with their bootys on top of her. Thanks for the info/thoughts.

 

[Benelli]

Well, I tricked her into allowing me to pick her up. Her wings appear fine. She did have a little bit of a dirty hiney, but it's not on or around her vent, just stuck in her feathers. Not sure if this means anything. She's eating, drinking and acting normal. She's never been as outgoing, so to speak, as the other one. She's always been laid back. She seems happy to be in the coop at night, but I don't like it. I'm going to put a poop bored up because she's laying right under the roost for some reason. I wormed them a week ago so that's not an issue. Is she just a little "slow" or am I?

 

[jhm47]

Just let her spend her nights wherever she pleases. Sounds like she'd be safer inside than outside anyway. Maybe you could try putting her up on a roost next to the chickens at night.

 

[Benelli]

She passed away last night. No rhyme or reason. I wondered if she was sick or had worms. Wormed them last week thinking that might be a problem. No one else is having issues. Cleaned out the coop top to bottom, put DE everywhere and went ahead with a 2nd worming on everyone just to be safe. I've not had much luck with the peafowl. I love them, but I think I'm going to pass on the new batch in the spring. The remaining hen cried for her last night. It about broke my heart to hear her. At least she likes free ranging with the chickens.

 

[chickenzoo]

So sorry.

 

[NateinFL]

If that peahen was healthy before you wormed her possibly you overdid it? That "dirty hiney" made me wonder if she was healthy as far as I know a healthy bird will always keep its feathers clean. I wouldnt let the death of one bird deter you from keeping peacocks, they are wonderful animals and so cool to have around. I have learned that peacocks are a tiny bit more complicated than chickens but its well worth learning the tricks to keep them. -Nathan

 

[Benelli]

I don't think I over did the wormer. I even had a pharmacy friend break the math down for me for the right dosage. She had a little dirty butt back then, but was acting fine except for wanting to stay with the hens. She's always been a little "slow" compared to the other two I have/had that made it to adulthood. All my other hens and peahen seem fine. I give them de in their food, rotate with cayenne pepper once a month and apple cider vinegar in their water. I also clean the coop out every evening. I've been praised by my vet for three years how non-wormy all my critters are so she may have had something else going on.

I love them, just hate to keep losing them. I don't have any money in them thank heavens, so it's not a real financial loss but it just really bothers me when they die. I cried last night while burying her and then started again when they other started crying for her.