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SECRETS OF PEACOCKS from Susan's Wild Peacock World

HOW TO ATTRACT PEACOCKS :Peacocks are much like cats or goats! They are extremely CURIOUS, and they LOVE food! Entice them to your home by throwing them tidbits- fruit bits, cheese pieces, dried cat food, bread ends, and be there at the same times each day. They are creatures of habit. Having a call for them, rattling the cat food container, or maybe even playing music at the meal time also attracts them. They are so cute when running across the lawn for food! They are also hungrier at certain times of the year, like during the molt, at the end of summer, when they need extra nourishment for growing feathers. They will come closer over time and maybe eat out of your hand if you stand still and throw the cat food, or whatever "snickies" (treats) a little closer each feeding. They usually like to get no closer than 3 feet or so, but will come closer with time and patience. It's funny how they like to be near, and will come running if you start up the mower- they like loud noises and often follow the mower, looking for any moving bugs.

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HOW TO KEEP PEACOCKS AT HOME:

Once you have these wonderful birds at your homestead, it is time
to show them that you are there for them by feeding them at regular
times. I feed the chickens cracked corn morning and evening, and
I feed the peacocks then too, throwing out food for them- normally
cracked corn and the dried cat food. I keep these foods available for
the birds too, in buffet-style, about 3 feet off the ground so the dogs
can't get at them. But what matters is that YOU feed the peacocks,
even if it's the same food you always keep out for them! They seem
to like having me throw it to them, same time, and same place
established for them.
A friend called, dismayed that her peacocks were over at the neigh-
bor's all the time. Turns out her mother was visiting and thought she
would improve the messy peacock ways by putting out neat plastic
bowls with the peacocks' food- good stuff like cheese bits and bread
ends, but the birds were leaving! I told her to go out and feed them
personally, am and pm, and the birds came back, and hung around
all the time again.
The other part of keeping them at home is having room enough for
the males' territories, otherwise they will leave, and having enough
peahens per male so some are always around, while other peahens
may be setting. I've heard the optimum is 3 peahens per peacock.

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* HOW TO TELL MALE PEACHICKS FROM FEMALES:

This is very difficult, since they look so alike. Males tend to
be bigger and more aggressive towards food and other babies,
dominating. Also, males have more stripes on their wing and back
feathers, and females more dove-colored, less stripes. Males have brown
flight feathers, on the bottom of the wing, females have grayish feathers.*
When they start to get their color on the necks, males have blue and
females green feathers. One other difference: females tend to fluff
up their neck feathers, like turtle necks and stick their necks up
and down and straight out more than males. Both will fan out-
females look so cute when doing this!

**Click here to find out how to tell grown peacocks apart

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*A SECRET FOOD PEACOCKS LOVE- ONE YOU'D NEVER
THINK OF:

You know those huge zucchini squashes that surprise you in the
garden when you haven't been out there in a few days, the ones
friends and neighbors try to give you for stuffing?? That's the
secret food! (Especially the yellow zukes!)I grow extra squashes
for my chickens to eat and laid one of those huge ones ( 2' long)
outside the garden gate to take to the hens, and forgot about it. The
next day it looked like hollow shell; the peacocks had eaten it out like
a sculpture, and they proceeded to finish it off in the next day.
They loved it!!
Of course they love all kinds of food- experiment! Let me know
of any real winners. I heard fresh figs are great too.
 

*UPDATE August 30: * about the brown flight feathers: I have a pea baby
about 2.5 months old, green neck, looks and acts like a girl-bird, but has brown
lower wing feathers, even though the adult females have the gray-ish ones. Some-
times the neck feathers look blue-ish, all of which confounds me! You'd think I
would know after 10 years of peacocks! I will keep you posted, as to what he/she
turns out to be.

*UPDATE September 25: It's a boy! Definitely! The neck feathers became more colorful, and more blue after 3 months. Before that, babies seem to resemble females; when the baby stood next to its mother, the two birds' markings looked exactly alike. So, the brown wing feathers and the striped back feathers seem to be the main indicators of male peacockness.

CAPTURING PEACOCKS: you know what they say about capturing more flies with honey than vinegar? Well that goes for peacocks too. Sure, you can run around after the bird with a net, or even throw a large net over it, or corner it and lunge for it and maybe get your peacock, and a bunch of scratches too, but the best way,if you have time, is to befriend them (and then betray them, by catching them!).

I have a large dog kennel cage, 10' x 10', which is where I want them to go. I start by feeding them cracked corn, bread ends, even cheese if a real emergency, scrambled eggs, and dried cat food in front of the cage for a few days. Then, I withhold the cat food, cheese, bread ends, eggs and throw those goodies in the doorway of the cage. I also keep their regular buffet area stocked with cracked corn and game food crumbles(boring), so they are not starved or treated cruelly. Once they get used to the treats, (takes a couple of days), I throw the treats into the cage and watch them go in and out, until the ones I want are in there, and quietly close the door. I then have to corner it, and get it with my big net. When capturing the bird, go for either the legs, grabbing them. The bird will claw madly with feet and beat you on the head with wings, so you need to control both (or all 4 of) these elements. Once you have the legs, they become very docile when held upside down. They travel well in a large dog carrier. I have also caught birds by feeding them goodies close to me, so they are used to being within 3 feet of me or so, then reached down and grabbed the bird I want, catching him or her totally off-guard. I must admit, there is kind of a thrill to it- like Big Game Catcher...

Click on these other Peacock Secrets:

NEW!! The Peacock Princess

A Peacock Poem

A Recipe for Peachicks- "Peachick Deelight"| & SUPER Peachick Delight:

Susan's Tips for a Healthy Peacock Winter

A Mother's Choice of Cat Food

A Strutting Male!

*Here's Looking At You....

A Fan for the Fan Club

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Susan Rowe, PO Box 2387, Cave Junction, OR, USA 97523
 

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