would it be ok to let my peacock out now????

[featheredfriendlover]

i got my peacock on July 8. i put him in his pen on July 10. i was wondering if it is OK to let him out to free range. i will watch him pretty carefully and herd him up into the coop at night. i will also herd him into the coop a couple of times a day so he knows how to get in there.... would it be OK to let him out tomorrow morning.....


thanks for any help....

Cole.

 

[featheredfriendlover]

bump.

 

[kikescove.com]

VERY likely he will find a roost he will like as they don't exactly like coops or pens. It may be on top of the pen. He will stick around if he likes or if he hears another far away, may go take a gander.

 

[featheredfriendlover]

will he run away even if he doesn't hear another one or even if its not breeding season?? i will be watching him all day to try to make sure he doesn't run away!

 

[Kev]

No!! Don't let him out! Waaay too short of a stay at your place, especially if this a full adult- has or had the long tail & came from a place with other peafowl.

IF he is this year's baby, can be okay.

While peafowl are unpredictable- some birds will stay around after just 2-3 weeks, some will still run away even if kept confined for 6 months to a year.. a very good general rule is to keep peafowl confined as long as possible. With longer being better for any age.

Young birds, especially younger than a year take to a new home much easier than juveniles. Fully mature adults are the hardest to relocate. With this another general rule is to keep older birds confined much longer than younger birds.

A month or 2 for birds younger than a year. Juveniles 2-3 months. Full adults, really best to try for 6 months before letting out the first time.

Here's the thing, peafowl are not so easy to herd.. their legs are very strong and they fly VERY well so if you herd him "wrong" or something scares him he can simply jump straight up and fly really high and far.. often they only stop by crash landing into a tree, top of a building or land out of exhaustion in a field quite far away. Then a very common response is to refuse to move from whereever they land for a full day and night, no matter what you do & he is out of reach.

Keep all dogs tied up or in house, keep kids inside or out of the yard the peacock is loose in. Even if they would not hurt him, all it can take is for the kid or dog to run by to spook him into flying.

Peafowl are very social birds.. they are very highly attracted to sounds of other peafowl at any time of the year. I get peafowl visitors on and off throughout the year.


Edited to add.. my first impression was this was the only peafowl you have. If you have peahens or young birds, that will help in getting him to stay around. But best to keep him confined for at least a few weeks more, especially if he is fully adult. If the other peafowl are loose, try getting them in his pen so he can interact with him.. in case one of your peafowl decide to challenge him.. you do not want a "challenge fight" when he just got out and especially if he loses, he will be chased around by the victor and this is almost a sure fire way to get him lost by being chased out before he is familiar with his new home.

 

[featheredfriendlover]

thanks for your info. that HELPED SO MUCH!!!! thank you thank you thank you...guess i won't bee letting him out today..

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

When we got our first pair I was scared to death that when we first let them out it would be last time we would see them. We kept them penned for about 2 months at least. We have had them about 4 years now and they come and go as they please. They will come out into the yard and sometimes go out into the fields around the house (I try to keep them out of the fields though). We put a roost up about 15 feet high in the Bourbon Red turkey pen and they go back to that every night. They roost on that year round, you have to force them to go into a house.

Steve in NC

 

[featheredfriendlover]

thanks steve. that also helps.

 

[peachick]

Kevin you are always so good and through with your answers

))
Mine are generally short and sweet like.... "What, are ya nuts?"

Seriously though Cole, when you do start letting him out do it about an hour before dusk. Open the door and see if he wants to come out. he might not yet. don't force him out, and don't let him get spooked... keep dogs kids and machinery locked up! They like to roost in the same place at night so he wont want to go too far from where he sleeps. you can then just toss treats back into his pen and he'll go to bed easily. Start out giving him just an hour to be free... gradually give him more time.

 

[chickenzoo]

Most of my peafowl were hand raised, so they adapted a little better. I kept any new ones penned for a few months then turned one out at a time while the others watched. I rotated them for awhile then let three out at a time etc...I made sure they had a way back in if they wanted too. I have a 10x10 stall with a door that goes to the flight pen and one that goes to the pasture. Mine would go out then when it started to get dark they went back in. I always keep one wing clipped as I do not have to worry about predators with my LGDs.
You can also test it out when it's raining. Peafowl hate to get wet.