Pea fowl?

[VirginiaAgent]

The wife has been after me for a couple of years now to get some pea fowl. We live on seven rural acres fenced for our horses and dogs.

The research I've done, and the few people I've talked to about the subject have polar opposite opinions.

They either love them, they are beautiful, cause no damage, and make very little noise; Or, they are the spawn of Satan, screeching all night long and scratching up the vehicles.

I don't know how there can be this much variation in the reality of having these birds. I'd love to get a pair of them, but not at the cost of aggravation and damage.

Anyone here have peafowl, or first hand experience with them?

VA

 

[Marveltone]

Sadly, I have not owned any, so I cannot reply. My wife and I, however, have the same questions, so I'll be very interested in any first-hand information anyone can give.

Joe

 

[Scooby074]

Dont they eat ants? Might be worth the headaches for this feature.

 

[Jimbrown]

If you get only a couple of hens you may be alright if you get a male you will regret it. They crap everywhere, make a terrible noise that sounds like RRRAAAPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEE . The males are extremely aggressive and will attack people. My mother had a bunch of them I had to carry a 2x4 around to keep the male away from me.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

My mom used to have some. They pretty much hung around the barn. Their call is distinctive but I don't remember them making a lot of noise at night (like the dogs). They did pick on the chickens and kill some chicks.

 

[nybirdman]

My father had peafowl for many years.Beautiful and expensive birds.They can and will fly;clip one wing if you don't want them to.They are very easy prey for any predator/domestic dog.
Best way to keep them is in a covered pen.

 

[g0rd0]

It really is a love em or hate em. If you live in a populated area I say no, dont do it. If you have a good piece of property why not?
They can be loud at night (esp. the males). My nieghbour raised them and we saw no proplem, a few screeches some rare nights. Other than that the only thing that I can remember is when a person moved in about 1/4 mile from here (about 10 years ago), she called late one night (around 1or2 am) frantic. Cant you hear that someone is screeaming for help!
We explained the noise and all was right.
But then almost 20 years ago we had guinia fowl they where great at cleaning up ticks and other insects. But as the pickings became slim they roamed further and further to find their food. They eventually had to go to a freinds property, they where tormenting the chained dogs in the area. Staying just out of the chains reach and haveing the dogs give themselves whiplash.
My point here is that people will open their arms for some animals but be steamming mad at others. And if you do get them and the neighbours complain be a good neighbour and find a new home for them.
I wish you luck with your decission try out this link Murray McMurray Hatchery

 

[Western]

Had a few years ago (3 Peacocks) The males can be aggressive, but it seems to be a territorial thing, wasn't to bad once you know what part of the yard he "staked" out. The hen's are no problem at all, but it's the male and his plumage every one is attracted to.

They roost like most birds, so they prefer some height, mine would fly up on top of the hay barn, 40' at the peak. In bad weather they would go in the barn (open at both ends) and get up in the rafters. I preferred them "in" the barn since their poop landed on the ground, but since they spent little time on the barn wasn't "to" bad.

Occasional the male would make his "calls" which are quite loud, at night, but as a norm he called at dusk and dawn. My neighbor a half mile away could hear him on a calm day. we had 376 or so acres at the time, so the birds worked fine in our situation. Of course I had over 300 Ostriches too

 

[KYDan]

Yes, I had 6 for a number of years. They are a beautiful, noisy, royal pain. Coyotes like to eat them, so a covered enclosure with roosting poles is best for night if you have coyotes in your area. BTW, their screeching can be blood curdling.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've never had any, but I've met people who did. There was a haunted house out in the canyons wehre I used to live and one night a bunch of us went out there around midnight. A peacock screached and it was terrifying!!! We all took off running to get away from the noise, and it wasn't until a few years later that I found out what it had been.

The people that I've met who have them seem to ignore the damage to their vehicles and find the noise to be a good thing. I've seen some very nice cars and trucks with scratches all over their hoods and roofs. It must be like having a pet pig, I don't mind the damage that he does to my yeard, but I know others who think I'm crazy.

It really just depends on how tollerant you are of them doing what they do.

Eddie