Show off your Peas!

[zazouse]

I live in west central Illinois. South of the town called Pittsfield in the great county of Pike! If you're a farmer or hunter or nature enthusiast, no better place on earth; if you don't like being somewhere isolated (nearest Starbucks is 40 mi away, thats how few people live here, lol) or where there are few people then its not for you. Fortunately I love it!!

I would love it there, i am secluded where i am but land is getting developed real fast out here sense hurricane Ike's storm serge bought 6 to 8 foot of water into neighboring towns and caused major water damage or worse to 75% of the homes, it is getting lots of noise in the distance, i hear chain saws and dozers all around me, makes me sad but i am here till i die i guess

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Isn't FBC in east central Illinois? That's frenchblackcopper, if you want to check his profile...

 

[RuzichFamily]

I would love it there, i am secluded where i am but land is getting developed real fast out here sense hurricane Ike's storm serge bought 6 to 8 foot of water into neighboring towns and caused major water damage or worse to 75% of the homes, it is getting lots of noise in the distance, i hear chain saws and dozers all around me, makes me sad but i am here till i die i guess

actually, our county population decreases every census, there is no industry here and most people leave after school. I think we have an average of 20 people/sq. mile across the county, lol. Pike is considered the whitetail deer capital of the world, there are thousands upon thousands here and when I was a kid we were the pork capital although we lost that title about 15-20 years ago. Needless to say, its awesome here, lol

You seem to be the resident free range specialist on here Zazouse, is it possible to let your peas free range in the day then coop up at night like I do my chickens? I hate the thought of them being penned all day unless it's necessary, and if it is I will but I would like to see them able to be out & about the yard if possible.

 

[RuzichFamily]

Isn't FBC in east central Illinois? That's frenchblackcopper, if you want to check his profile...

I did look his profile over yesterday actually! He's only a couple hours east of me I think. I will definitely contact him, maybe he can help me get some young hens lined out.

 

[nate1the1great1]

I free range my peas and at ngith they either roost above my goat and chicken pens or about 50 ft up in a giant tree that next to my barn.

 

[zazouse]

actually, our county population decreases every census, there is no industry here and most people leave after school. I think we have an average of 20 people/sq. mile across the county, lol. Pike is considered the whitetail deer capital of the world, there are thousands upon thousands here and when I was a kid we were the pork capital although we lost that title about 15-20 years ago. Needless to say, its awesome here, lol

You seem to be the resident free range specialist on here Zazouse, is it possible to let your peas free range in the day then coop up at night like I do my chickens? I hate the thought of them being penned all day unless it's necessary, and if it is I will but I would like to see them able to be out & about the yard if possible.

Well when i first turned my first 4 month olds loose back in 2010 they went back into the coup for a couple months then took to the trees, i tried everything to get them down and just gave up, so IMO NO

When i am done hatching and my last of the hatch turn a month old i open the gate and let them loose, the smallest will still go into the pen on their own till the older ones take to the trees and they did the same last year.

 

[RuzichFamily]

Well when i first turned my first 4 month olds loose back in 2010 they went back into the coup for a couple months then took to the trees, i tried everything to get them down and just gave up, so IMO NO

When i am done hatching and my last of the hatch turn a month old i open the gate and let them loose, the smallest will still go into the pen on their own till the older ones take to the trees and they did the same last year.

Gotcha. I'll have to talk w/ my neighbors and see if they are opposed to the occasional wandering peafowl before I free range them. My chickens never leave my 2 acres but I'm sure the pea's will and I don't have many neighbors but the ones I have I don't want to aggravate.

 

[zazouse]

Take it from me they will visit any neighbor they can see or hear, they can be trained to stay in a large area but if something catches their attention via site or sound ( THEY GONE)

I pretty much shepherd mine as i am home 24/7 353 days a year , i have had to leave for days at a time when my DH was hospitalized 120 miles away a few times and always found everything here and unharmed but i have a pack of dogs that take care of my bird and i have a pup that will go where ever the pea flocks are at all times so they are well protected from predators.

 

[zazouse]

PS this may cause a problem with your neighbors

or folks that come to visit them

I told the workers not to park there, they did not listen, that truck now has a custom scratch job.

They love trators

they love the farm truck

 

[autumnmfisher]

Well what do you think? Male or female? He sure is getting dark all over! His tail is black!

I think male looks pretty young and that's a lot of dark, congrads