Stray Peacock arrived a week ago...now what?

[noraschickens]

About a week ago, a female (judging by color) peacock arrived on my property. She has made herself at home and hangs out with my guineas and chickens. She's got a band on her leg yet i've been unable to figure out where she came from. She seems happy and healthy but I've no clue what to do with her to keep her happy and healthy. I had originally planned on giving her away, yet that person never recontacted me. So....I believe I may now be adding peafowl to my zoo. Now what??? I've done some reasearch but can't figure out what type she is. She's HUGE and pretty. She eats more chicken feed in a day then all 20+ chickens that I have. She eats dogfood very well and will come eat out of my hand. She follows us around like a puppy and I just wish to make sure i don't inadvertantly kill her. So. Any advice would be appreciated as I believe she's not going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[Pavo Royale]

Sounds like she is eating WAY too much or you have unaccounted for guests. Peas do not eat as much as one chicken. Of course, she could have gone without food for a while. Are you sure it's not an emu? Hah!!!

 

[FarmGirl01]

Dang... thats alot of food. We had the same thing happen to us. Bird just showed up.

 

[ReiMiraa]

pic's?????

 

[deerman]

Must not be a peafowl, they don't eat much , more like a chicken, sure its not a turkey now they can eat......

 

[geebs]

I agree... I had 4 peafowl and they didn't eat as much as one of my hens.. They are very easy keep... dog food is actually not a bad choice for them... Fish meal and grains are good. Resolution is the one to ask as an expert on Peafowl. Email him for questions or follow his threads. He is the foremost leading expert anywhere on them. He doesn't hit this post much but he does answer his email periodically. Good luck and enjoy your new guest... They are fabulous...

 

[Kev]

I agree... peafowl do not eat very much. A pen of adults eats same amount of feed in a WEEK a pen of adult chickens go through in a day or two. Turkeys in just a hour!

I've gotten contacts from new owners worrying that their new peafowl "barely eat at all"... because they are used to chickens ducks or turkeys..

The exceptions are growing juveniles, from 3-6 months old, these do eat a fair bit for their phase of rapid growth.

 

[noraschickens]

After more and more research I am absolutely sure it's a peacock. From what ya'll have said and what I've read it seems to be very young and possibly starved when it arrived. She or he (being young I'm now not sure if it's hen or cock) does have mini versions of a male's feathers on it's head. The neck is a gorgeous green but I can see parts of the neck that are not feathered. This leads me to believe that either it's young enough that all the feathers aren't in yet or it's gone through one heck of a moult. Definately a gorgeous bird for sure though! I posted on craigslist trying to find the owner and driven to every house around me. I've gotten a lot of offers for homes for her but not her original home

after some of my reading I am hesitant about just giving her to anyone as i can just see someone taking her and selling her

What do ya'll think? should i keep her (still calling it a her for now) and hope that her appitite tappers off or should I risk giving her to someone that will just sell her to the highest bidder? I already have 18 chickens of various ages and 2 guinea's. what's one more LOL. She seems happy running loose with the guinea's and stays with them or stays close to my front door or close to the chicken coops.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

I know mothing anout peafowl, but I would keep her for a while and see how things turn out!

 

[Pavo Royale]

I kept my stray and never regretted it. Unliklely that it is a heavy molt. Sounds like he or she is beat up and had a very difficult journey, but it will come around. Both males and females have crests on thier heads. Good luck, and I hope you keep her for a while.