Will a Peacock kill chicks?

[KsKingBee]

I concur, peas did not swallow those chicks whole. There is something else at play here.

 

[Garden Peas]

I have four separate attached coops. There were two hens and their two day old chicks in the "Broody" coop. I have a fenced in yard...six foot high and I opened the door so the hens could go our for a quick walk about. I was upstairs when I heard the fuss. The good news is that one hen and four chicks managed to hide and survive. The other hen has gone back to sit on eggs. There were chicks and I am not sure if those eggs are any good. I see no feathers other than small peacock feathers. There were two brightly colored peacocks and one drab one. They are wandering free in this Costa Rica beach resort jungle community. When I went out they flew to the top of the coop.

Say, @Beamer's human , could you tell us what your 6 foot fence is made out of? Chickies (even very baby peachickies) can pop through chain link in about a nanosecond, and through welded wire quicker than that... If the little chickies got scared, could they somehow have squirted through your fence? It's kinda like mice, they can get through holes that just seem impossible when you look at 'em...

 

[Trefoil]

They probably didn't swallow them whole. They ate them just like the chickens & peas eat mice, a peck at a time. Leaving nothing. At least mine do.

 

[zazouse]

They probably didn't swallow them whole. They ate them just like the chickens & peas eat mice, a peck at a time. Leaving nothing. At least mine do.

She stated it happened to all ten in a few moments but she then got 4 back so you think two peacocks could do this in moments, really

wonder why the chicks stood there and waited while they were busy killing their brother or sister, my babies run and hide when a threat is near.
No matter how or what happened it shows that they are not safe where they are if a peacock can get them so can something else

 

[Beamer's human]

you are both correct. I panicked. One orange hen came out from under a desk beneath the house with six black chicks. I cracked open the door to the coop. They went in. The other orange hen that got up on the nest came back down to co-mother these. I am sorry that I spoke too soon. Meanwhile the owner of the Peacock and Peahen has come looking for them. They spent the night way high in the Jobo fruit tree. Higher than my ladder will go.

 

[zazouse]

Wonderful i am so happy for you and your group.

 

[Garden Peas]

Hurray!

I'm so glad it worked out. Everyone (including you, and maybe even the peas) must have been terrified

Really glad to hear that the owner came looking for the peas -- that probably means they are in a good home. Maybe you can get some peachicks next breeding season

they are addictive

My peas are peacefully coexisting with grown chickens here.


After reading Trefoil's post, I think that yes, it might be possible for a pea to eat a chick, as noted, one peck at a time, but it would take a bit of time.... I've watched hawks eat birds, and it takes a little while and leaves feather debris... Not that a two day old chick has that many feathers

but there's some fluff... I hadn't heard of peas eating mice, but I remember hearing about them catching lizards and snakes so I guess it could happen. That's another good reason to have peas, then

I mean, how can you not love something that eats black widow spiders, ticks, assorted other bugs and spiders, and also cleans out the mice?

 

[zazouse]

Mine Peas will not eat mice i found some pinkys last week while cleaning out a storage building . so i gave them to the peas to see what would happen, they fanned them pecked them and walked away, the chickens came along and devoured them

 

[Garden Peas]

Mine Peas will not eat mice i found some pinkys last week while cleaning out a storage building . so i gave them to the peas to see what would happen, they fanned them pecked them and walked away, the chickens came along and devoured them

Next time you might wanna try mixing them pinkies in with some cat food

 

[DylansMom]

Mine Peas will not eat mice i found some pinkys last week while cleaning out a storage building . so i gave them to the peas to see what would happen, they fanned them pecked them and walked away, the chickens came along and devoured them

My Peas will not eat live things either. When it comes to mice they won't eat them live or dead. I found several baby mice in Fred's pen last summer, a little past pinky age, but eyes still closed. I ended up raising them myself. The birds ignored them completely.