Can I have Peacocks with Chickens?

[cleoandfrankie]

Is it safe to have peafowl with chickens? I currently have 10 hens that have 3 acres to roam around in but they all sleep together in a coop. I would get baby peafowl and introduce them to my chickens when they are big enough. Is there a threat of disease? Do chickens and peafowl get along well together?

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Hello there!
Although it seems that chickens and peas can get along, most people here have grave concerns about the impact living with chickens can have on the health of young peas. This is actually a topic that is often asked about here, so if you do a bit of digging you'll get a lot of information about this.

Are you planning on letting your peas free range? If so, be aware that they will go beyond your three acres, they are incredibly curious and love to roam! If you have a lot of predators, busy roads, or unfriendly neighbors nearby I would avoid letting them free range...

 

[barkerg]

Is it safe to have peafowl with chickens? I currently have 10 hens that have 3 acres to roam around in but they all sleep together in a coop. I would get baby peafowl and introduce them to my chickens when they are big enough. Is there a threat of disease? Do chickens and peafowl get along well together?

They are fine as long as you manage the coexistence. If free ranging there will be territories that they will figure out. Be careful of some gamefowl breeds such as butchers, sweaters, etc... They are capable of killing a peacock. We keep our brood hens very near our peafowl for hatching their eggs but they are hand picked gamehens. As for diseases, its usually over crowding in a small pen that can be a pain or if you have waterfowl change the water often and you should be fine,

.

Gerald Barker

 

[cleoandfrankie]

Hello there!
Although it seems that chickens and peas can get along, most people here have grave concerns about the impact living with chickens can have on the health of young peas. This is actually a topic that is often asked about here, so if you do a bit of digging you'll get a lot of information about this.

Are you planning on letting your peas free range? If so, be aware that they will go beyond your three acres, they are incredibly curious and love to roam! If you have a lot of predators, busy roads, or unfriendly neighbors nearby I would avoid letting them free range...

Yes we are going to let them be free range but we are getting a 7 foot tall fence, is that tall enough? How high can they jump?

 

[MeepBeep]

Yes we are going to let them be free range but we are getting a 7 foot tall fence, is that tall enough? How high can they jump?

Peafowl can fly, and they fly very well... That said a fence isn't going to stop them unless you clip their wings...

 

[barkerg]

My advice is against cutting of the wings. Peafowl could still clear a 7 foot fence without wings at all to be honest. Clipping the wings can and will make free range birds vulnerable to predators. If you need them to stay in the yard your gonna have to pen them with a roof. Pea friendly neighbors are a must as the males will get aggressive and attack and attempt to destroy anything with a reflection when they get mature this includes, rims, sliding windows, windows etc... Peas were made to roam and roam they will when free ranged, its par for the course in the fowl world. I hope this helps,

. We have some pen builds and ideas if you do FB.

https://www.facebook.com/bobsgreenpeafowl/

Gerald Barker aka Bob Barker

 

[casportpony]

@cleoandfrankie , welcome to BYC!

-Kathy

 

[barkerg]

Oops sorry, didnt notice and thanks for the reminder Kathy.

Welcome to BYC you have arrived finally! Theres a ton of knowledge to be found here and it took you forever so you need to catch up,

.

Gerald Barker

 

[Midnightman14]

I wouldn't do it, I tried it and did well for years until last year when disease reared its ugly head. Got rid of all of the chickens and it hasn't happened since.

 

[casportpony]

I wouldn't do it, I tried it and did well for years until last year when disease reared its ugly head. Got rid of all of the chickens and it hasn't happened since.

Blackhead?

-Kathy