AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Hi There,

Found this great site today and it appears to be exactly what the doctor ordered.

I have become interested in Peacocks since a Peahen wondered into our culta sac around November 2004. You could say it belongs to the street but it roosts in one of my gum tree in our backyard above my birds avairy and spends a considerable amount of her time in our yard and I feed it regularly.

I have been intending to buy a partner for new for some while but have little knowledge on what I should do. I have established a supplier in Western Sydney but am not sure on what is best.

Reading some of the previous postings I think I definitely need guidance.

Should I buy just a male or as I have read on this site, should I buy a pair? Do I try to entice her into the cage with the new birds or do I leave her alone? Is it a good time to buy now? What age bird/s should I buy?

I don't know how old Penny (the name I have given her) is but she has grown considerably over the past 10 months and is now quite big.

Would really appreciate any education as I really love this bird even though she is technically not mine I'd like to keep her around and have her happy.

Many Thanks Gazza.

Hi Gazza, Welcome to the Forum, & Welcome to the Wonderful world of Peafowl, we have 2 articles available both on this Forum and our Web site on just the subject of your post. Both articles are in "Peacock Chat Forum " (1) FREE ROAMING PEACOCKS - WHAT TO BUY AND WHEN (2) FREE ROAMING PEACOCKS - HOW TO KEEP THEM AT HOME, both should answer all your questions and more! Congratulations on your adoption of the Peahen, it's nice to know their are poeple like you out there!! do you live in the burbs or acrage? Sounds like she was quite young when she first arrived. The articles I have mentioned will cover this but I think it is a very important point so I'll mention it here, if you purchase a mate for her (Peacock) you MUST lock BOTH of them up in a Pen or Aviary/Cage ect.. this is to bond the birds and to acclimatize the new (Peacock) to his surrondings, more detail is in the articles mentioned. If the articles don't answer all your questions please let me know, we will be more than happy to guide you all the way!

Thanks
Peacocks Australia

Thanks for the welcome,

I live on a 1/3 acre that backs onto acre blocks, which raises another concern of mine. Do you think this will be a problem for the birds when they are free ranging? Penny seems quite happy, but she flys around the street when she feels like it.

Came I assume that as she has stayed around this long that she is a Indian Blue, as I wouldn't know the difference at this stage of my education.

Many Thanks Gazza.

Hi Gazza and welcome to the forum.
I would say she is probably an indian blue hen, although it is quite possible that it is a young male if it is still growing as they look similar to hens when yearlings. Does it have barring on the back and wings? is the neck more green or blue? males have more blue on the neck even when young and they have lots of barring on the wings and back, whereas hens are more green and have pretty solid brown colour on the back and wings. Hens also have chocolate primary feathers in the wings while males have rusty coloured primaries. If you do get a male or another pair, you will need to take into consideration the level of noise they can produce. I personally like the noise, however some neighbours may not as it does resemble a screaming lady, lol. As peacocks australia suggested new birds need to be locked up for months before releasing them and preferably with the original bird so they can bond together as a flock. If you wanted to confine them to your property you could clip the wings to stop them from leaving and going all over the place. Please feel free to ask away with anymore question you may have.
regards Matt

Hi all, Mrpeabodys right it may be a young Peacock, can you get a Photo? if you can please send it via email and we will post it in the Forum Photo Gallery for our Members opinions. Cliping one wing is a great idea and is covered in our articles, make sure you do this weeks before you intend to release them! if you are going to buy a mate for her? make sure you lock her up with them, this is very, very important as you are on small acreage and she already wonders the neighborhood, then it's likely she will take the newbies with her if you don't.

Lookforward to chating more!

Thanks
Peacocks Australia

Me again,

I have had doubts about her sex. I will have a good look when I get home. Her neck can look very blue one day and then green the next.

One thing we have noticed that may clarify things is on several occasions we have seen her (him) fan her tail at other birds (doves etc) which has had me thinking. The only reason I have gone down the hen track is that is the general opinion of the neighbours.

Do hens exhibit these traits.

I will get a photo. I will send it to"peacocksaustralia@hotmail.com." Is that correct.

So much to learn!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Garry.

Hi Gazza, The colour of feathers on the neck of a Peafowl can vary depending on the type of day ie.. if it's sunny or cloudy and particularly if the bird is wet, so at times they can be bluish green to green (peahen) Both Peacocks & Peahens will display, Peahens will do this primarily to other species of birds, like Guinea Fowl, Doves, Ducks, just about anything that stands still long enough. When you take a Photo try to get a close up particularly the back, wings and tail, this should help sex your new house mate. We have changed our email address to : peacocksaustralia@bigpond.com can you let me know were you got the old address from so we can change it as we are about to close that email address.

Look forward to receiving the Photos.

Thanks
Peacocks Australia

Thanks Again,

I got the email address from the automatic notification that someone had replied to my post.

Regards Garry.

Hi PA,

I was wondering if you received the photos I sent the other day of my odopted Peahen or is it a Peacock.

Regards Gazza.

Hi Gazza, unfortunately we didn't recieve them? Did you send them to peacocksaustralia@bigpond.com as our Hotmail address is gone. Can you please send them again and if we don't get them this time I will get onto Bigpond.




Thanks
Peacocks Australia