what kind of shelter?

[nhblond]

I am picking up a two year old pair of India Blue peacocks on Wednesday. I have their pen done except for the gate which I will do today. What kind of shelter do they need? We live in New Hampshire so we get very cold winters with lots of snow. We are thinking of converting a big wooden dog house that we have. Mostly I am looking to find out what dimensions I should need?

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Did you get the birds? Sorry I have no peas, just admire them, so do not know what size they need.

 

[evonne]

my peas sleep on the pointed roof of my house year round.... rain wind whatever... we don't get snow....

rather than an old dog house, i would just see about making the sides that get the most wind solid, and give them some good roosts??

if they need an actual "coop" for the winter, they probly wont use a dog house.... they might use it if you put it up higher on something... think tree house?....

i have heard in the colder weather you want their perches to be wide so when they hunker down they keep their feet covered to avoid frostbite....

good luck with your new birds.. they're so much fun... i didn't realize how much i liked mine until i realized i have to leave them....

 

[nhblond]

Well, I got the birds on Wednesday! Right now they have had to stay in the barn because I need to finish the netting on the top of their pen. I can't let them free range because I have a neighbor that would have a fit if they came on his property, and another neighbor with large dogs. I have dogs too in a very large fenced in area, but you never know.

As far as the shelter goes.....
We are going to have to use the large dog house for now until we can come up with something better. The man I got them from had several different set ups. Mine came from a pen that had a small shed in the pen. The others were in chain link runs with three sided shelters in the back.


There are trees in our pen, so we will probably build something more like a tree house. Since it is Spring and getting warmer all the time, I think they will be fine for the time being.

I feel bad that they have had to spend two days in the barn, but they seem perfectly happy in there

 

[evonne]

YaY for being happy in the barn... lol...

i almost wish i had somewhere to pen mine in at my new house... but at the same time, the neighbor is an old single guy by himself, and he took care of them while the house was empty before we moved in, i can't take them away from him.... so i'm hoping for hatching some of their eggs and maybe coming by to pick up any others that htey might set and hatch.. lol...

i think if you have a tree in their run a little 3 sided tree house would be perfect.. you may find that they NEVER use it though.. who knows... if they're used to having something similar...

do you mind me asking where you got them from? or who??

i'm looking to get some bronze or cameo maybe next season and i'm researching..