Flight is their only real defence against predators.
I had a mallard hen that got it's eye scratched and need some attention, so i clipped her wings so she would be easer to catch, well after that it took months befor her wings grew out and she still did not know she could fly , i watched one day as she was going back to the pond and a hawk flew down at a high speed clipped her behind the head and almost got her as she was tring to get away, i hollered he pulled up and flew off had i not been there she would have been his meal, i had to take her and toss her over the pond a few times untill she relized she could fly again.
I would not clip the wings if it was me. I would rather them fly away than get killed. Also I read that even with their wings clipped they can hop a 6 foot tall fence so unless you have a very high wall I don't think it would help.
Yep and then once they hop over the fence they forget that they can hop back over and you have to go get them.
There are many benefits to not clipping their wings when they free-range. You get to watch them fly up onto a tree branch and fly down and also like others said it keeps them safe. Peafowl are fast, but dogs are fast too. My grandparent's dog chased my peafowl and would have gotten the male if he couldn't fly.
You never know when you are going to get a stray dog show up or anything like that.
she free ranged (as in outside 24/7) also but I got 2 more and they are inside strictly. Moral of story is we have 6 foot tall fencing, but some how a rottweiler got in and got her. I suspect the gate was left open.
Myself i would never clip freerange peafowl , they like to roost very high. Which keep them safe at night from those night predators ,like coyotes , foxes and yes the darn DOGS.