Thinking of adding some peafowl (Edit: Got 'em!)

[CARS]

I've got chickens (laying hens and broilers), quail, Turkeys (BBW's and Bourbon Reds), cats, and a Dog. What is another addition to the farm.

I do have a few questions about peas though.

1) How much square feet per bird is needed for inside housing? 1a) Hoping to allow them to roam when the snow isn't flying but if I have to pen them in a run, how much square feet per bird.

2) If allowed to roam, how destructive are they? Roosting in trees and maybe a roof is neat, but I don't want them on a vehicle. Do they destroy gardens??

3) What do they eat? (feed store protein % needed)

4) Do they eat alot? Compared to chickens, turkeys, etc. Do they eat more??

5) Better to start out with a hen and her young or an adult pair??

 

[Choctaw Valley Farm]

I will try to answer some of these for you, if I don't get shot down first. (Now this is my experiences)

1. 10x10 house with a 10x20 run is good for a breeding trio.

2. Mine have never got on our cars, and as of yet have never torn up the garden.

3. If they free range, feed them the same thing you feed your chickens & turkeys (20% is good) or you can put dry dog or cat food with the chicken feed for the extra protein.

4. They eat less. (mine do anyhow)

5. Yearling Pair would be the Best.

Steve

 

[evonne]

if you get anything other than chicks, you need to pen them for at least 4 weeks depending on who you ask...
and when you feel like they know where home is, only let one out at first so the other/s will call it back if needed....

mine roosted on the top of the house... big white streaks down the peaked roof at their favorite spots...

yes they played on the trucks.. nothing like pulling up to starbucks to find a big hersheys kiss on your hood...

do they destroy gardens? no, if you're lucky enough to get one started before they find it.... mine never got farther than about 4 leaves per plant before they found it and pulled it up.... so i technically never had a garden for them to destroy... lol...
on that topic, i read they don't like to stop on thin wire, like the hog wire fence.... if you keep it low, like 4', at that height they'll want to hop to the top, then hop down, but they wont becausee it's thin wire.... i read that somewhere, and tried it around some pots of herbs, it worked great to finally keep the peas out.. make sure there's enough buffer space that they can't reach the plants with their LONG necks streching through the fencing... but then my chickens found the wonders of herbs and they have no qualms about thin wires.. hell, they slept on the same type of wire fencing...
i've also read that the hose works well to deter them.. like the spraying the cat with a water bottle method...
the hose might work to deter fro the vehicles too....

but i loved having the birds (had to leave the adults behind, wasn't safe to re-locate them), and i can't wait till my new babies grow up...

still trying to figure out whether to pen the birds, or just pen the garden... lol..

 

[mbtulimaa]

I currently have 4 adults (2 cocks and 2 hens) and my one hen just hatched out 5 chicks 9 days ago. Mine roam the farm freely. I have one cock, Nygel, whom comes to the front door every day with his tail displayed waiting for his piece of bread. When I got them I did confine them with the chickens for 3-4 wks and then let them out and have not had any issues with them flying away. Garden, well, I have raised beds that have alot of peat moss in them so it is nice and dusty and soft, just perfect for a nice dust bath. Thus far for this garden season they have only torn up 1 pumpkin plant, but the season is young. It seems if the soil is kept really moist that detours them from that activity. Cars, they are big birds and they poop big too. Usually the tractor gets it worse though. You won't need an alarm clock anymore, they are very regular during the summer, 5 am. Roosting in the summer months, mine prefer the big tree next to the house and in the winter months they stay in the hay loft probably 95% of the time. Snakes, yep they eat em. We used to have quite a snake problem, not any more. I HATE snakes. I wouldn't replace my peafowl for anything, I absoultly love them. Plus, there is nothing more of a conversation piece for the neighborhood than your peafowl. We have lived in our current house for 11 years. We had NEVER met the neighbor 2 houses down the road. Well last summer he stopped to ask about the peacocks. Oh, one more point, if you have a neighbor that has ALOT, like 30+ dogs that bark ALL of the time and drive you nuts. Nothing like a little peacock payback. Sound travels FAR and early in the morning
JMO
Amy

 

[NateinFL]

If you have the space I'd recommend them, they're great to have around! Mine dont jump on cars but they love the roof of the house I dont let them roost there however.

 

[deerman]

I keep mine all pen, did have a extra blue peacock freeranging, untill I went out and saw him setting on top of my new truck, yep sold him...

They eat less than chickens.....................lot less than turkeys

 

[CARS]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I am getting a pair (Blues) later this week. They are adults and was told well behaved.... we'll have to see.

I spent this evening building another pen in my barn for them. It's about 10' x 20'. Hopefully they like it here and stick around. The dog and cats don't bother the chickens so hopefully they wont startle the peas.

 

[CARS]

Picked up my first pair of peafowl tonight!!! Yeah!!! But, I forgot the camera at work....

So you're all going to have to wait till later for pics.

Thanks for all the answers and advice

 

[CARS]

Pictures, as promised.

 

[bird]

Wow pretty birds!