Very Happy, New to Peafowl Person With Questions

[Haunted55]

When I was 6 years old, I saw my first peacock and told my mother I wanted one. Well it never happened but I never lost the "first love" or dream of owning a pair of these gorgeous creatures. Yesterday I went to get the 3 peafowl babies I bought from a neighbor. Had to be caught and the mother was very upset with losing her babies. Soooo, I was feeling bad about taking them away. Well one of the owners made me an offer I couldn't refuse, I could take the mother and father for a bit more money. OH WOW!!!! Husband is looking at me as if I have 3 heads at this point, lol. YES!!!! I will take them! I can pay over time? YES!!!

Now, I have been trying to read as much here as I can on the peafowl and what I have learned so far is they are medicated similar to turkeys, they want a high roost, and they need a large pen. That's about all I've been able to get to so far. So would someone, anyone, everyone, take me by the hand and show me what I really need now so I don't screw up?

These birds have been free ranged up 'till now and although we were not able to catch the male yesterday, he will be here on Sunday and I have the mother and babies in an 8x6 building until I can get a new coop built. I am going to build an 8x12 house for my heritage turkys. I only have 5 of them and have hopes I can build a partition [chicken wire] between the turkeys and the peafowl. Is this too small? I haven't started the building yet so it's easy to make it bigger. I live in Maine and the winters here can be brutal. I intended to insulated the turkey house anyways and it will be wired so supplemental heat can be used in the winter. These birds are India Blue I believe.

Food. Game bird? Flock Raiser? Will they need different food as the weather gets colder? Do the babies need different food than the parents? I don't know their age, they do have the 'crowns?' of feathers on their heads.

How long do I need to keep them penned before I can safetly let them range and not have them try to 'go home'? Their previous home, as the crow flies, is about 1/2 - 3/4 of a mile away through the woods. I read somewhere that they need to be penned for 3 months but that seems excessive.

Since I know nothing about them, it was probably really dumb on my part to get them. As is so often the case with me. Sometimes though, the heart speaks louder than the head and you become committed. [Maybe that should read that I should be committed, lol!] Anyways, I will do what needs to be done to ensure their lives with me are the best they can possibly be.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Lil Zoo]

Best start with Sticky Threads. 101 through. Believe me you aren't the only one of us that let our hearts lead the way. I think everyone has to start somewhere though. We had a nice place to keep the first ones I got, but sometimes it just takes getting the birds to get into making them a home or you may never do it. I like you wanted them sense I was a child. I am kicking on the 60 year door, but this summer I got my dream. Love it, Love them. I think everyday with them will be a learning experience myself. After the sticky threads, just ask for help here. Other good sites to read are Hopkins Alternative Livestock. Legg's Peafowl Farm. Those two places have links to other places also.
I'm afraid if you don't keep them locked down for quite a while you may be going back to your neighbors to get them quite frequently. Others will have more expertise in this area as mine are in aviary.

 

[Trefoil]

CONGRATULATIONS! gamebird for the adults and medicated gamebird for the babies. If you hand feed treats it will help you tame them. I think you're going to want a larger coop. And ifyou are worried about the cold, make heated perches.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I've had peafowl off and on for about 2-3 years. Currently I have three peachicks. Two are about three months old, and my third hatched out last weekend. Such darling babies and soooo sweet!! My newest peachick was actually taken from it's mother. A friend of mine had one of his peahens hatch out three babies, and offered me one as somebody else was taking the other two. Anyway, picked her up yesterday and she is the sweetest baby! Loves to cuddle and perch on my head! LOL

I feed mine NON medicated Gamebird crumbles, or showbird, depending what is in stock. I've raised some on chick starter before and they did OK, but I've REALLY seen a difference since I've been using the gamebird food. They are fat, healthy, and have beautiful feathers (and fluff ; ) ). Mine LOVE boiled and scrambled eggs for treats, they aren't too huge on bugs, although I'm sure if you had some meal worms or such they would love them. Currently my two older peachicks, Tulsa and the un-named one, are sleeping in a large dog carrier at night, and then during the day are in an outside run that I move around to different spots of grass (what little we have). I'd love to have mine in the front yard, but our outside dog, Rusty, is know to kill poultry and gamebirds so we dare not! I'm looking forward to see what your Peafowl Palace looks like honey, maybe I can get some ideas from it. What I'd like to have for them is a large chainlink run (covered of course), and then a good sized house for them to roost and lay eggs in. We shall see however. The men yolk around here aren't too keen on building me anything!

~ Aspen

 

[cnj-tx50]

I too have wanted Peafowl since I was a child. My grandmother had a pair and when my parents moved there after retiring my dad got a pair that they had for about 15 years. I don't remember them ever being housed but always in the yard and sometimes chasing us as kids. I have chickens and about 2 acres and 2 coops. Tall Elms to roost in. However we do have Horned Owls here and they do come to our trees at night in the winter months. Last year we had 7 almost every night. Would that be a problem for the Peafowl? I am not so worried about the winters here as they can get to freezing but not for long in North Texas. Trying to decide if at 55 I should go with the dream of having these birds. Any help is great. I have read all the stickies and still have lots of questions! Thanks! Jo Anne

 

[Haunted55]

First off, thank-you all so very much for all the wonderful replies!!!! Really, I can't thank you all enough.

Best start with Sticky Threads. 101 through. Believe me you aren't the only one of us that let our hearts lead the way. I think everyone has to start somewhere though. We had a nice place to keep the first ones I got, but sometimes it just takes getting the birds to get into making them a home or you may never do it. I like you wanted them sense I was a child. I am kicking on the 60 year door, but this summer I got my dream. Love it, Love them. I think everyday with them will be a learning experience myself. After the sticky threads, just ask for help here. Other good sites to read are Hopkins Alternative Livestock. Legg's Peafowl Farm. Those two places have links to other places also.
I'm afraid if you don't keep them locked down for quite a while you may be going back to your neighbors to get them quite frequently. Others will have more expertise in this area as mine are in aviary.

Lil Zoo, I hear the kicking at 60 door! I just hit the 57 hurdle this year but ya know what? I think the excitement is so much better than it would have been as a little girl. I'll hit the Sticky Notes and the 2 sites and make notes. Paper brains are a must now, lol. As for keeping them locked down...yeah, I'll have to until I can get the building up and pen up and covered.

CONGRATULATIONS! gamebird for the adults and medicated gamebird for the babies. If you hand feed treats it will help you tame them. I think you're going to want a larger coop. And ifyou are worried about the cold, make heated perches.

Trefoil, thanks for the heads on the food. I can't get the medicated gamebird here for the babies. The only thing available is Turkey/Pheasant Starter medicated. Would this be okay or would it be better to get a medicated chick starter and mix in some gamebird food with it? I hope you check back on this post because you've really peaked my interest with the heated perches! How? Where? How hard are they to make? Are they water filled? Heat tape? Now you've gone and done it, lol!!!! My head will be worring this one to death!

I've had peafowl off and on for about 2-3 years. Currently I have three peachicks. Two are about three months old, and my third hatched out last weekend. Such darling babies and soooo sweet!! My newest peachick was actually taken from it's mother. A friend of mine had one of his peahens hatch out three babies, and offered me one as somebody else was taking the other two. Anyway, picked her up yesterday and she is the sweetest baby! Loves to cuddle and perch on my head! LOL

I feed mine NON medicated Gamebird crumbles, or showbird, depending what is in stock. I've raised some on chick starter before and they did OK, but I've REALLY seen a difference since I've been using the gamebird food. They are fat, healthy, and have beautiful feathers (and fluff ; ) ). Mine LOVE boiled and scrambled eggs for treats, they aren't too huge on bugs, although I'm sure if you had some meal worms or such they would love them. Currently my two older peachicks, Tulsa and the un-named one, are sleeping in a large dog carrier at night, and then during the day are in an outside run that I move around to different spots of grass (what little we have). I'd love to have mine in the front yard, but our outside dog, Rusty, is know to kill poultry and gamebirds so we dare not! I'm looking forward to see what your Peafowl Palace looks like honey, maybe I can get some ideas from it. What I'd like to have for them is a large chainlink run (covered of course), and then a good sized house for them to roost and lay eggs in. We shall see however. The men yolk around here aren't too keen on building me anything!

~ Aspen

Aspen I hear the part about the men folk loud and clear! Good thing my father taught me how to do it myself. It's funny.....as soon as I start building something husband and son start coming around and looking at what's going on now. May take a couple of days but pretty soon there are hands to help. The food, I got some gamebird and mixed in with Flock Raiser for now, as all I could find was a really small bag of it. If I can ever come up for air here, I want to get some pics of some of my birds and buildings we built or renovated for them.

I too have wanted Peafowl since I was a child. My grandmother had a pair and when my parents moved there after retiring my dad got a pair that they had for about 15 years. I don't remember them ever being housed but always in the yard and sometimes chasing us as kids. I have chickens and about 2 acres and 2 coops. Tall Elms to roost in. However we do have Horned Owls here and they do come to our trees at night in the winter months. Last year we had 7 almost every night. Would that be a problem for the Peafowl? I am not so worried about the winters here as they can get to freezing but not for long in North Texas. Trying to decide if at 55 I should go with the dream of having these birds. Any help is great. I have read all the stickies and still have lots of questions! Thanks! Jo Anne

cnj-tx50 I'm 57 and I just got my first. I don't think we are ever to old to make our wishes come true. I'm in Maine and the winters up here can be really brutal. Deep snow measured in feet and wind chills in the minus. I have no choice but to make them a place get in. Like you, the Horned Owls are a consideration as well.

 

[zazouse]

I am the baby here at 54

 

[Lil Zoo]

I am the baby here at 54

Rub it in, little girl. 40 did hurt 50 left me in awe that I was a half a century, but I turn 60, 60, 60 in March and that is getting darn right old, this last year my body has just fallen apart in the anticipation of it, I guess. The grand kids sure don't help, they think I was born with the dinosaurs, but at least they think I'm smarter than their Moms and Dads.

 

[Lil Zoo]

Haunted55 you asked about different food in winter. I have read that we should give them a little corn with the appropriate food for peafowl during the winter months as it puts a little more fat on them and fat helps keep them warm. I also have trouble with feed in my area. I talked to local feed mill and I have a small bin. They are going to mix me the ingredients I need and deliver it. I got the bin real cheap some years back as we had a corn stove. In our area they have a couple big farm auctions about 2x's a year and some things like that can be picked up pretty cheap. (that is unless I want it). I have to drive to the city to get a bag of feed and it still isn't ingredients recommended by Craig Hopkins. If I breed them I want to use the right food as they say it is important for fertility and healthy birds. I also was getting feed at one place and then the other I guess just a little alteration can make a big difference during breeding season.

 

[Lil Zoo]

Also they say by them mixing it for me and delivering it. It is suppose to be cheaper.