Update: Meet my new peafowl

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  • water2world
    water2world Posts: 1,177 ✭✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning Sometimes that is the best way!!

  • Kuri and Kona
    Kuri and Kona Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

    I see that the original post is a couple of years old, but what lovely birds! And I had no idea that they had such very long lives.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @Kuri and Kona Last spring, actually, and thank you!

    They do have long lives unless a predator gets them first. 😬 They are very hardy birds otherwise.

    Yesterday in the city, all sorts of metal sculptures of the peacock were for sale in the garden centers. I loved that I own the real thing. That made me happy. It is certainly a dream bird to have.

    Our male is now perfecting his loud call. It sounded very strange at first, like a teen boy's voice changing. I kept wonder who was having problems outside. Lol His call should travel about 5 miles. Our neighbors will wonder. 😂

    I just recently read that I can expect 6-10 chicks to hatch our per hen each summer. Oh my. Who wants some chicks?

    The lady I bought them from likes to grow them out for one year, then sell. It gets them through the most tender part of their lives. I bought these for $125 each last year. This year, they are worth at a minimum: $250 (male) & $200 (f), but possibly more because they have the potential to give white offspring. I havent seen "India blue split to white" for sale yet this year. Each color has a different price scale depending on rarity & demand of course.

    I saw an ad for a 3 year old pure white for $800 just recently. Wow. Ivory is also stunning and fetches a high price.

    But in the end, I got these birds because they are beautiful. 🦚😍

  • SuperC
    SuperC Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭

    Aw, so majestic! They certainly like a good lizard or snake as a delicacy. :)

    Their feet and breasts are extremely strong!

    The way in which they talk is amazing! I bet you’ll have a few quality conversations. @LaurieLovesLearning

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @SuperC I have read that you don't want to be in a fight with them. 😬 Not only is it as you say, but their vlaws & beak are extremely sharp.

    They think the guinea across the way are really strange (and stupid) and I've caught the male looking down his beak at them.

    I can visit with these birds. They are very inquisitive and are highly intelligent and cautious. He will come closer first. She takes a while.

    I will call them for treats sometimes and that is a great time to have a chat with them.

  • SuperC
    SuperC Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2022

    They can also hear extremely well, so if you fall somewhere on your property, they may send an alert message vocally if you’re alright, then you’d reply with a statement reassuring them of your status. They do eat hard pellet tilapia food as a treat.

    Their breasts are so strong that they can knock down a person.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @SuperC Have you had some of these before? I'm curious what your experience is. 🙂

  • Kuri and Kona
    Kuri and Kona Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

    @Are you raising them for eggs...meat? Or are they pets? I know you will be so excited when the babies come around. Such beautiful birds. And like you said, the changing voices will provide plenty of entertainment.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @Kuri and Kona Most definitely ornaments. 😄 I don't think you can fully consider them "pets" as you need to respect their space.

  • Kuri and Kona
    Kuri and Kona Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning Oh, sounds like how my hedgehog was then...respect space...leave him be...don`t get too close. 🤣

  • Michelle D
    Michelle D Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning where do you house them? We have a local-ish dairy farm that has a small petting zoo in front. They keep their peafoul in with some of the chickens. It isn't uncommon for one to escape and wonder around the property.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin
    edited May 2022

    They are contained, as much as I'd love them to be free. But free=owl/fox fine dining.

    Right now they are beside the guineas, which they certainly look down upon with snobbery. Lol

    We are planning to give them a larger pen (double the current size) this summer.

    I bought some shelter logic shelters last year. We talked about figuring out how to get one of them done up safely. We'll see what happens.

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When do we get new pictures?

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin
    edited May 2022

    @RustBeltCowgirl When we bring her home. 😄

    I wish I could figure out how to give everyone a recording of their calls. They have been quite interesting. Maybe I'll have to try a video.

  • SuperC
    SuperC Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭

    Hi there! I used to live onsite @treeoflife Wildlife Rescue Center, and so there is where I met Prince Charles who had been misused as a pet yet has a profound history. Therefore, I educated myself on peacocks and what I was told by the Center’s owner.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @SuperC I'm open to any information you are willing to share. I am only 1 year in, with 2 year & soon to be 4 yr birds.

    So far, they seem happy, but I am pretty sure I need to increase their protein. We are talking about hunting down game bird feed, because what we have is good, but still could be way better.

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning Congratulations! They are such beautiful birds. We have friends who have them. Though they refused to go inside at night, especially during the winter. A couple of them got out and wandered the neighborhood for awhile.

    @water2world I had an orange winged amazon parrot years ago. I had to start covering him at night when we went to bed. He learned to imitate the telephone and would "ring" every morning at exactly 4:00 am. Since we frequently did not get to bed back then until around 1:00 am. It made for a rough few days.

    And was very upset with "Whoever" was calling at that hour and hanging up just as I answered. I would just get back in bed and "it" would ring again. Did not help that our number was one number different than the cab company in our area. lol

  • dipat2005
    dipat2005 Posts: 1,289 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning I love the pictures and all of the comments.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    Well, we had a discovery today.

    This is a young hand, but the eggs are large just the same.

    The youngest two kids found 3 pea eggs in the nest this morning. They started to bring them in, so pleased with their size & their treasure. They were told to put them back. 😳 I am surprised they got close. I guess they are trusted...and the hen isn't broody yet.

    I asked the lady I got the birds from if we should hatch them or leave them. If we collected them, the hen would lay more. But if we hatched them, it can be very difficult. So, the advice is to just leave them. I was told she'd lay possibly 3 more then set.

    It's exciting!

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin
    edited May 2022

    Hmm. Tonight she laid an egg in another corner. Maybe the first space became "unsafe" when the eggs disappeared for a few minutes. Although, she had dug out two spaces.


    So, we have our new peahen. She is in a large carrier in the pen.

    She has no headgear and she is a bit gray. I think we will need to increase her protein to put some color into her feathers and give her energy to possibly replace her crown (I'm not sure what it is called, but crown sounds fitting). I think some daily soldier fly larvae treats are in order.😉

    This is a late evening picture, so not the best. She looks pretty black in it. Maybe I can get a better one tomorrow or Monday.

    She's a good listener. She never interrupted me once when I chatted with her. 😄


  • SuperC
    SuperC Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭

    The peahen most likely smelled the human scent on her eggs and may have thought it to be a threat, therefore, laid eggs in a different area.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @SuperC I had thought about that, but birds can't smell. I think it had more to do with them disappearing. We will see where she lays next.

    She has now tried 3 places (the last in the corner at the door) even though kids had only touched the eggs the one time.

    I think she wants to make sure she chooses the best place. Not too soft, not too hard, but just right. haha

  • Cornelius
    Cornelius Posts: 872 ✭✭✭✭

    They are beautiful! How much are you going to sell the feathers for?


    I talked to someone once that raises Ostrich here in the states. I don't think the fox would win that fight lol.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    I would check going prices and base my price on that. I hadn't thought much about selling feathers yet. The peacock's train isn't fancy just yet, but it will come.

    Yeah, a showdown between an ostrich and a fox wouldn't be much of a contest.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin
    edited June 2022

    We let the new hen out with the other two today. She is the one with nothing fancy on top.

    I guess I missed seeing the peacock's green back. Our male is getting his colored train! 😍

    This shows how they show, but from a side view.

    The peacock is working hard. The ladies just aren't impressed. Haha

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Love those bronze colored feathers. I see he also left your daughter one to play with.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin
    edited June 2022

    One peahen is laying & covering & uncovering a few eggs. Not sure when/if she will set.

    Of the 7 in the incubator, 4 are still viable at first candling @ day 9. The others were old & possibly dirty. I didn't expect many to be good. Maybe only 2. So far so good. Roughly 2 1/2 to 3 more weeks to go. I'll candle them again next week.

    Checked my giant's eggs. I'm doing not so good there, but many were dirty due to so much mud around at the time. I have 14/22 @ day 8. I will candle again next week.

  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That's exciting, @LaurieLovesLearning! Oh, the possibility of more feathered babies, it's so very exciting.😁

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    The hens condition is improving with more protein. No eggs this year that I'm aware of, but maybe next year.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    I now know when our peafowl breeding season is done. One of our daughters played pick up sticks with his train feathers this morning.

    I understand that in some areas, it can go as long as into October!