Please read...When Peacocks loose their tail feathers, are they MOLTING? Does their personality chan

[sseabass]

Help! Does anyone have experience with their Peacock getting aggressive with grown thurkey hens or other larger fowl?
He is about 6 and lost his mate a few years ago. He is free range with a turkey hen, mallard drake, 6 yr. Emu hen, little pig, grown Turkey hen and him, my beautiful, gentle Peacock, I thought.
He is not tame enough to to eat out of your hand but loves to come around where we are and show off, sit on the porch and is fine with me about 15' away. Closer than that, he just very casually moves
I have only witnessed it this year but have suspected him trying to breed our turkey hen since his mate was gone?

I feel that it is a very periodic behavior and am wondering if anyone has noticed this and possibly when they are losing their tail feathers? Maybe some kind of hormonal surge?
Any thoughts out there?

seabass

 

[Birdrain92]

Help! Does anyone have experience with their Peacock getting aggressive with grown thurkey hens or other larger fowl?
He is about 6 and lost his mate a few years ago. He is free range with a turkey hen, mallard drake, 6 yr. Emu hen, little pig, grown Turkey hen and him, my beautiful, gentle Peacock, I thought.
He is not tame enough to to eat out of your hand but loves to come around where we are and show off, sit on the porch and is fine with me about 15' away. Closer than that, he just very casually moves
I have only witnessed it this year but have suspected him trying to breed our turkey hen since his mate was gone? I feel that it is a very periodic behavior and am wondering if anyone has noticed this and possibly when they are losing their tail feathers? Maybe some kind of hormonal surge?
Any thoughts out there?
seabass

There have been times when peacocks will try to mate with other animals as well as other things. When he looses all of his train and days get shorter he will stop until days get long again. Very important to have a peahen with him.

 

[sseabass]

New title:
"Behavior changes in Peacocks during loss of tail feathers (molting)"

Thank you Birdrain. I am wondering if I have offended peafowl lovers? No one other than you has responded to my post. I am not wanting to attack Peafowl or accuse them of being mean and aggressive by nature. I have had Mr. peacock for too many years not to see this behavior as totally out of character. I have not been home during the day before so have not witnessed anything firsthand.

I am really struggling with my Emu chick's death because I love my Peacock. He is free range and has always been and has never been any trouble that We were aware of, except for noticing Mama Turkey looking like a weed wacker had done a number on her feathers! I thought it was possibly one of our guard dogs or possibly the Mr. Peacock? This year I am home trying to retire and not leaving during the day, so I am home most of the time and more aware of what is really going on. I have also decided to get some new friends for the single birds here at the ranch so I am caring for day old chicks, another batch of day olds that fortunely Mama Turkey adopted (all 18 day old chicken chicks) and she is in heaven. Earlier I bought 2 Royal Palm chicks at our local feed store, so now she has some new turkey friends and so on.

I agree with you about him needing a Peahen here and I am working on that. I just hatched out my first Peachicks, but on top of losing my Emu chick I lost my two Peachicks to a feral barn cat, all in a few days of each other.

I am not giving up, I am expecting some new Peafowl eggs this week and hoping that I am on a learning curve about raising baby feathered friends with other breeds of feathered friends. Also, tightening up our coops against predators.

I was on a real downward spiral there for 2 days and then decided that I either let it crush my attempt at raising friends fo my current family here, or I accept the fact that I have a lot to learn and that I just need to keep at it and learn more.

I have been trying to find another Emu chick for Ayleth. He is quite distraught. I have a barn large enough to lock Mr. peacock in until his disposition changes. I think I will be ble to get another Emu chick soon, if I am lucky. Hopefully I won't have to drive 14 hr. To Washinton, but will if that is my only choice.

Fortunely I found BYC. I am sure that if I hadn't, that by now I would have given up. I have yet found a good book on Peafowl? Do you have any recommendations?

So, back to my original query. Any ideas about why or when Peacock's personalities nosedive for a bit? I have read about this happening during breeding season, but that is over, so, why Is he trying to, what looks like, breed my turkey?

I really felt it must have something to do with losing their tail feathers since all of this was happening at the same time. I thought maybe a hormonal surge or something? I couldn't find anything related to that on the Internet. I keep looking there and for posts on BYC, but nothing.

Then today I found some articles, mainly about pet parrots, whose sweet dispositions disappeared during MOLTING!!!! Since parrots are hand held a lot and very intimate with many of their owners, it was easy for their owners to put two and two together.

I also read that when peacocks lose their tail feathers that they are molting? Is this true?
So, I now feel that IT IS connected to his train falling out. (Molting?)
What do you think?

I wish others who read this would let me know if they have noticed a chang in their peacocks personalities during this time.
I am really wanting to understand my Peacock friend and not judge him as a bad of mean guy because of what has happened. If there are others out there who have noticed similar personality changes please write bout them. I love Mr. Peacock and Edwina, my Emu. I just want them all to have friends of a common feather~~~

Here is a post that I borrowed from an article about parrots:

"Argie also lost his “sweet disposition,” becoming irritable and aggressive. Corbo writes, “To those of us who knew him, it was as drastic a change as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

Thanks to all who have read this.
Carol

 

[Birdrain92]

New title:
"Behavior changes in Peacocks during loss of tail feathers (molting)"

Thank you Birdrain. I am wondering if I have offended peafowl lovers? No one other than you has responded to my post. I am not wanting to attack Peafowl or accuse them of being mean and aggressive by nature. I have had Mr. peacock for too many years not to see this behavior as totally out of character. I have not been home during the day before so have not witnessed anything firsthand.

I am really struggling with my Emu chick's death because I love my Peacock. He is free range and has always been and has never been any trouble that We were aware of, except for noticing Mama Turkey looking like a weed wacker had done a number on her feathers! I thought it was possibly one of our guard dogs or possibly the Mr. Peacock? This year I am home trying to retire and not leaving during the day, so I am home most of the time and more aware of what is really going on. I have also decided to get some new friends for the single birds here at the ranch so I am caring for day old chicks, another batch of day olds that fortunely Mama Turkey adopted (all 18 day old chicken chicks) and she is in heaven. Earlier I bought 2 Royal Palm chicks at our local feed store, so now she has some new turkey friends and so on.

I agree with you about him needing a Peahen here and I am working on that. I just hatched out my first Peachicks, but on top of losing my Emu chick I lost my two Peachicks to a feral barn cat, all in a few days of each other.

I am not giving up, I am expecting some new Peafowl eggs this week and hoping that I am on a learning curve about raising baby feathered friends with other breeds of feathered friends. Also, tightening up our coops against predators.

I was on a real downward spiral there for 2 days and then decided that I either let it crush my attempt at raising friends fo my current family here, or I accept the fact that I have a lot to learn and that I just need to keep at it and learn more.

I have been trying to find another Emu chick for Ayleth. He is quite distraught. I have a barn large enough to lock Mr. peacock in until his disposition changes. I think I will be ble to get another Emu chick soon, if I am lucky. Hopefully I won't have to drive 14 hr. To Washinton, but will if that is my only choice.

Fortunely I found BYC. I am sure that if I hadn't, that by now I would have given up. I have yet found a good book on Peafowl? Do you have any recommendations?

So, back to my original query. Any ideas about why or when Peacock's personalities nosedive for a bit? I have read about this happening during breeding season, but that is over, so, why Is he trying to, what looks like, breed my turkey?

I really felt it must have something to do with losing their tail feathers since all of this was happening at the same time. I thought maybe a hormonal surge or something? I couldn't find anything related to that on the Internet. I keep looking there and for posts on BYC, but nothing.

Then today I found some articles, mainly about pet parrots, whose sweet dispositions disappeared during MOLTING!!!! Since parrots are hand held a lot and very intimate with many of their owners, it was easy for their owners to put two and two together.

I also read that when peacocks lose their tail feathers that they are molting? Is this true?
So, I now feel that IT IS connected to his train falling out. (Molting?)
What do you think?

I wish others who read this would let me know if they have noticed a chang in their peacocks personalities during this time.
I am really wanting to understand my Peacock friend and not judge him as a bad of mean guy because of what has happened. If there are others out there who have noticed similar personality changes please write bout them. I love Mr. Peacock and Edwina, my Emu. I just want them all to have friends of a common feather~~~

Here is a post that I borrowed from an article about parrots:

"Argie also lost his “sweet disposition,” becoming irritable and aggressive. Corbo writes, “To those of us who knew him, it was as drastic a change as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

Thanks to all who have read this.
Carol

You haven't offended anyone that I'm aware of. It's really hard to offend us, unless you hit the right topic. There have only been a few discussions on BYC that I've seen get little heated but other than that none. I just tend to be on more often for now. When I start college I don't know how often I'll be on but I'll still be around. If you were attacking peafowl for being aggressive you wouldn't be the first person. That topic we tend to be used of hearing, or at least I am. Mainly because people ask why I will perch them on my arm when they are known to be aggressive. Most times when there's aggressive peafowl is a zoo environment. Small children trying to pull feathers, people wanting to get close and touch them, or people just bothering them. Also some zoos clip their peafowl's wings, which tends to lead to aggression. We know that peafowl can be aggressive but we also know how to keep them friendly and how nice it is when they're friendly. Here are some photos of me with my males. I show peafowl through FFA.


I have to wear those leather braces otherwise their claws will go pierce through my skin. They don't really mean to, it's just their grip is very strong and they have sharp claws.

As you can see I'm not afraid to put my face near them.

For a good book on peafowl I recommend "Let's Get Started Raising Peafowl!" There are a couple points in there that I wouldn't recommend but other than that it's perfect for someone new to peafowl or wanting to learn more about peafowl.



As you've read usually peafowl changes are during breeding season. For here in Idaho from the end of September or beginning of October to February my males are not fanning to court the hen. They're trying to grow their train feathers back in. My hens have stopped laying but only my White male is molting but he's still trying to court hens. My Indian Blue male is not molting but he isn't fanning since his hen has chicks. Has your male lost his entire train though? The reason why I ask is because I've seen males still court and sometimes even breed when they've lost most of their train. When they begin to molt hormones begin to decline steadily.

Peafowl's attitude usually begins to change towards the beginning and end of the season. Watching my peafowl, the males become most intense with their display at the middle to later end of the breeding season, when hormones are at their peak. Once the hens stop laying or have chicks, daylight hours begin to significantly grow shorter, hormones begin to decline. My males start with molting their wing feathers and then their train along with other feathers. Sometimes they're still trying to breed during this but when they loose their entire train they usually stop fanning. Just from what I've observed from my flock. Maybe one of the other breeders have had different experiences. If your male still has somewhat of a train, he still has some hormones left, enough that he still wants to breed.

Molting is when they shed any feathers. Molting is just like a dog shedding their fur.

Some of us just become prepared for breeding season and behaviors to change and then adjust when the males are done molting. With peafowl it can be a bit of a guessing game when things will change such as the month, that's why we give ranges since peafowl choose when. Some seasons we get peahens laying early like in February, other years they are laying in April or May, and sometimes they're laying in June.

 

[KsKingBee]

I have a mature cock that is the sweetest bird. He will beg for peanuts and keep me company while I work around the yard. BUT, when he has a train he is an absolute butthead. He will run across the yard to get in front of me and challenge me and if I don't back down he will fly up and flog me. If he wasn't so beautiful he would be history.

 

[Midnightman14]

When breeding season approaches the levels of testosterone in their bloodstream increase so they get more scrappy. My boys are fine with me but will chase cats, rabbits, and pretty much anything smaller than them. If a male is very tame he can also be more aggressive during breeding season as he isn't afraid of people and can sometimes attack them. They also can get rough on their hens so if you do confine him for the breeding season with hens make sure there are at least 2 though more is better.

 

[sseabass]

I think I have an idea why my Peacock killed my Emu chick.
I feel that when the Peacock is mating he becomes more aggressive and all that goes with the testosterone zipping through his body.
I also feel that when he starts and is in MOLT that they even become more crazed. He was fine until he started molting. i don't have a hen but just alot of baby chicks, 2 emu chicks, a turkey hen, etc.
He is in prison now, locked up in the barn. When his molt is over I am going to let him out and watch him closely and have the little ones in a pen next to their coop.
I will let you know what happens when I turn him loose.
sseabass

 

[Birdrain92]

I think I have an idea why my Peacock killed my Emu chick.
I feel that when the Peacock is mating he becomes more aggressive and all that goes with the testosterone zipping through his body.
I also feel that when he starts and is in MOLT that they even become more crazed. He was fine until he started molting. i don't have a hen but just alot of baby chicks, 2 emu chicks, a turkey hen, etc.
He is in prison now, locked up in the barn. When his molt is over I am going to let him out and watch him closely and have the little ones in a pen next to their coop.
I will let you know what happens when I turn him loose.
sseabass

I can't remember if you've already stated this or not but, do you have any peahens that had chicks before or at the time of molt.