When to release new free range peahens

[CathyJoRN]

Hello,
I have two adult peahens who were free ranging at their last home. Received as a gift. After reading threads, have them in an enclosure until they are acclimated to us & their new home. They have been here about 3 weeks. We have been using a cowbell for conditioning prior to the twice daily feeds. How long would you suggest keeping them in their enclosure (they seem quite comfortable)? Any help would be appreciated . We just want them to be safe, and know they have a home here.

 

[ExoticPetOwner]

For a short answer: I think you can start having them out partially throughout the day while monitoring them and once you can trust them, you can have them out fully.

 

[Midnightman14]

Hello,
I have two adult peahens who were free ranging at their last home. Received as a gift. After reading threads, have them in an enclosure until they are acclimated to us & their new home. They have been here about 3 weeks. We have been using a cowbell for conditioning prior to the twice daily feeds. How long would you suggest keeping them in their enclosure (they seem quite comfortable)? Any help would be appreciated . We just want them to be safe, and know they have a home here.

It is very difficult to give any kind of certain answer for free ranging. Some things I would consider before letting them out regardless of how long you've had them are,
- Don't free range if you are surrounded by woods or thick brush or abut a wooded/brushy property. Peafowl do not have a good sense of direction in forests so they get turned around.
- Don't free range if you're near a road that gets much traffic. By "much traffic" I mean enough cars go past on it that the county paved it with blacktop
- Don't free range if you have predators such as Great Horned Owls, fishers, coyotes, coons, neighborhood dogs at large, fox,. bobcat, or skunk. Livestock guardians and trapping can remove them and game cameras can show you if they are snooping. Remember that just because you don't see signs and aren't losing birds doesn't mean they aren't around. These animal species have had a very long time to adapt to living alongside humans both behaviorally and genetically these predator species are much better at sneaking around and avoiding our notice than their ancestors.. The best kind of scavenger/predator is the one that no one notices.

 

[KsKingBee]

Three weeks is a bit short for rehoming but if you only let one bird out at a time she is more likely to stay close to the one left in the pen. Start with afternoon excursions and keep feeding only in the pen.

 

[CathyJoRN]

Hi all, Tilghman Peafowl update — we brought a younger male (2, 2-1/2) to our home about 3 weeks ago….that was a loooonnnnggg process but we were successful. His name is “Vinnie Babarino - Vinnie”… because he has two girlies …. Lol. He joins Auddie (dominant peahen) and Jane who all came from the same free-ranging farm. Vinnie seems to be getting more acclimated, and has started a mating dance with both girls. May or may not breed, but the girls are making nests in the pen. Vinnie really wants to be out of the pen, and watches and comes to the door every time I am out by the pen. One more week and we are going to open up the pen during the day. We have hopes that he/they will stay near, and come back for the evening feed/roosting.

 

[CathyJoRN]

Vinnie and the Peahens (pun intended)… UPDATE…. Thanks so much to everyone for your answers and support. We were all set to start free ranging our group…. But life stepped in, and we have been just treading water. Vinnie does the mating dance, all peafowl “kiss“ one another on the beak… girls have been making nests…. But nothing has happened. He may be Just too immature. Vinnie is LOUD…. Found his voice, girls pretty quiet. We were all set to start free ranging…. then I, and neighbors have seen a red fox on our properties. All 3 neighbors (me included), now have traps set to try to relocate this fox. We shall see. It is anybody’s guess on whether they flee, never to return, or return for feeds. I feed them exceptionally well, and keep them happy (well except when I sing to them…lol — they don’t like AC/DC, but like hymns, classic, and mellow music). Wish me luck?