Peacocks

[possum]

I have just bought a breeding pair.
I am struggling to find out much about them.

Yes I know they can be noisy things that like sitting on car roofs and that they need a shelter.

But I can't find anything about their behaviour - are they aggressive?
What about their food, I was told to give them chicken food but they don't seem to like that - it could be that they are still sulking from having been moved and are shut in a shed for a week till they learn this is home or it could be that they really don't like chicken food.
What time of year do they mate? I guess spring

[farmerdrea]

Have you tried ringing Willowbank Wildlife Reserve (Chch)? They have lots of them there, and the folks there can be quite helpful.

A peacock arrived at our place a few years ago, having blown over (we later found out) from about 2kms away, during some very high winds. We fed him on corn and kept him locked in a chicken coop until we could find out where he belonged. After he'd been locked up for a couple of weeks, we let him out, and we were home. Not that we wanted to be, because even with clipped wings, he climbed fences and ate our tomato crop before we realised he was at it! Still, I find them lovely creatures, not at all aggressive with us, or with our chooks at the time. It might have been a different story if he'd had a mate (we have to segregate our turkeys - males and females - from the rest of the fowl, as they are viciously aggressive with anything smaller than they are).

Alternatively, there is a yahoo group called NZ Poultry, or something like that, and there are one or two posters - it's a very quiet group - who raise peacocks, and would probably be happy to help.

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[vixnpips]

Don't know much about peacocks.. but where we used to live in Hampshire the street had a ferral peackock, which would wander the street.. perch on gargae roof tops and follow the children to school... oh and do huge poos on everyones cars!
It was very friendly popping in everyones gardens.. occasionally visiting bird tables and such like. The Rspca did try on several occasions to catch it, but it liked it's life as was very much and wouldn't be caught.
Couldn't advise on food but this one seemed very healthy on whatever it was eating! And it strut it's stuff like a good un in the spring!

As far as I know.. it's still their in the street.. quite famous in that area now.. LOL

just gave a different meaning to having a peacock on the "estate" LOL

[possum]

Have you tried ringing Willowbank Wildlife Reserve (Chch)? They have lots of them there, and the folks there can be quite helpful.

I must have missed this post before, no I haven't tried willowbank, I have heard of it but don't know much about it, it is on my list of things to visit here eventually. Maybe worth a mosey up there sometime soon.
thanks

[red]

why do you want peacocks ?

[possum]

why do you want peacocks ?

A childhood dream of mine come true. I used to be dragged round loads of stately homes as a kid and many had peacocks, I thought it was the ultimate in being rich, being able to afford a peacock.
Now I realise it has nothing to do with being rich, just in having no neighbours to object to the sound they make (I love it myself)
Our pair cost $30 each - about 10GBP so we didn't have to be rich.

I love the look of them. I would also if they breed love to know what a roast peacock is like. And I wonder if I can sell their eggs, they don't lay that many, but surely you can sell them as a novelty, it would be nice to reclaim the cost of their purchase.

[red]

fair enough

I wonder what it tastes like too.

hope you enjoy having them around. hmm the peacock only does the showey feather thing to attract the peahen right? or is it to show off to other males?