Harsh truths about raising peafowl.

[Midnightman14]

This will probably make some people ticked off but I think it needs to be said.

- deworm your birds with safeguard, valbazen, ivermectin sheep drench, or one of the other dewormers. Not deworming is going to cost you birds.
- the so called "natural" health remedies do not work and are sometimes actively poisonous. Garlic, cabbage, apple cider vinegar, yogurt, and diatomaceous earth do nothing with DE and yogurt being actively bad for birds health.
- DO NOT use all in one for curing disease it is toxic in the quantities needed for curing disease in peafowl and kills your bird more often than cures it. Douglas Buffington pushes it alot but the guy knows nothing about peafowl.
-free range at your own risk and never free range a bird you aren't prepared to lose.
-always be conscious of predators just because you don't see them doesn't mean they are not there.
- Most breeders will not sell just hens. I can't count the number of times people have messaged myself and other breeders looking for hens. Most of the time they are losing hens because they're free ranging.
- DO NOT mix peafowl with chickens. Chickens are germ factories and carry blackhead. Additionally peafowl can carry mareks which can devastate a chicken flock.
-raising peafowl from chicks will not guarantee they are tame and is a good way to end up with a male that will attack you.
-eggs do not ship well don't bother with them.

 

[KsKingBee]

No argument here.

 

[Rattlerjake]

You are correct! Sadly there are too many of these "sites" that are full of worthless opinion and hearsay being repeated over and over, and when it is questioned, the "basement internet experts" and site administrators will support the opinion over the facts. One point I'll make is that the majority of the information about the "natural" health remedies is not that they don't work but that they are used improperly or for the wrong purpose. (But yes, yogurt is just plain bad for birds).

 

[GingerRose]

.....be careful buying a juvenile male from people you aren't sure how he was raised.. Referring back to original post on here.
Raising from a chick...
I purchased a 1 y.o. male raised from chick by a young family with a 3 year old son.
He is now 3 and needless to say, he is a pain in my a$$. He must have been imprinted by one or all 3 of them. I know it is mating season and males can become territorial and aggravating. Mine had some sketchy behavior back in December, before mating season.
We have a love/hate relationship with him at the moment. When season is over (August), if he is still stalking and challenging me on a daily basis, he will be permanently in a huge enclosure that we started working on, just for him...
He is lucky he is so handsome...

 

[KsKingBee]

.....be careful buying a juvenile male from people you aren't sure how he was raised.. Referring back to original post on here.
Raising from a chick...
I purchased a 1 y.o. male raised from chick by a young family with a 3 year old son.
He is now 3 and needless to say, he is a pain in my a$$. He must have been imprinted by one or all 3 of them. I know it is mating season and males can become territorial and aggravating. Mine had some sketchy behavior back in December, before mating season.
We have a love/hate relationship with him at the moment. When season is over (August), if he is still stalking and challenging me on a daily basis, he will be permanently in a huge enclosure that we started working on, just for him...
He is lucky he is so handsome...

If a person just has to inprint a pea make it a hen, she will still be bossy to other birds but will not be a danger to people. Imprinted cocks do not always turn out aggressive but some do and they will ruin a relationship. Remember they are like children and all are different in their relationships. I have a couple of imprinted cocks that are wonderful to relate with and they both relate with other people differently. One will not allow anyone else in his breeding pen while the other loves everyone. All the rest of my birds are only 'tame' not imprinted so they are friendly enough to take peanuts from hand but shy away from being touched.

 

[GingerRose]

Me, personally, I wouldn't want to imprint on either gender peafowl. I do know some males get aggressive and some don't. This will be my 23rd year owning peafowl. We, just us... not saying this is how everyone should raise them..

We like to hand feed and all of us respect each other's personal space.. No petting.
In our experience, it's just safer. No having to "wait and see" if the aggression shows up or not.
Company, neighbors, delivery drivers, mail carriers, etc.. everyone is safe

 

[GingerRose]

But... I am seriously happy you can have such a personal relationship with a full adult peacock, it's impressive and brave.
How old is your peacock?
He is gorgeous..

 

[GingerRose]

They are absolutely fine specimens!

 

[KsKingBee]

They are absolutely fine specimens!

We live in paradise.

 

[GingerRose]

Sweet