My neighbor just bought two peacocks and needs to know if he can put them in the pen with chickens. Also, how can you tell the hens from cocks? Do the hens lay eggs every day and if so, how old are they when they begin to lay? Thanks

-- Jim (catchthesun@yahoo.com), June 02, 2001

Answers

We have had peacocks for a few years now and have no problem raising them with out chickens. Our male peacock got caught by a fox and killed. Probably the fox "stepped" on his beautiful tail and that is how he caught. We are trying to locate a "reasonable' priced Mr for her. She wanders with the guinea hens all around the grounds. But during the spring I do at times put them in with the chickens because they like to eat our young plants in the garden. They seem to do fine in with them eating chicken feed and all. Don't know if they are really happy to be there but it usually is only for a couple of weeks until the plants get a little bigger. Our Mrs Peacock has not laid any eggs and she is know a few years old. Don't know if it is because she is a "widow" or what the story is there. My husband said you can tell by the color and even the tail when they are young. We have even raised turkeys with chickens which some people say is impossible because of diseases and such. I figure if you just don't tell them they are turkeys they don't know any better !!! We live up north here and they survive very well through our cold winters with no care from us all all. They will come into the barn to roost in cold weather otherwise they sit up in the trees at night. They will make that wonderful calling sound !! You will love having them. Good Luck !!!

-- Helena Di Maio (windyacs@ptdprolog.net), June 02, 2001.

We've had peacocks for years and they do fine with chickens, duck, geese and turkeys. When they're ready to nest I put them in a different building though as they say peachicks can get black head disease from chickens. Ours never have but......

The hens lay an egg every other day. Actually, you can let them out to run all day and lock them up by 6:30 or 7:00 in the evening and they'll lay their egg after that. We live in northern Iowa and the time may vary in other places, I have no idea. We've found if you have her nest in a building it's much better than outside. They seem to like scratching out a nest in the dirt but in high grass and,like turkeys, seem to get run over by us or the county guys with the mower before they ever get their eggs hatched or a predator gets her and the eggs a couple days before time to hatch.

A hen can start laying at a year old but usually she's 2 and a male is usually mature at 3 years.

If you can get the hen to hatch her eggs and take care of the young it's much easier than using an incubator. I've done both but will let the hen handle it everytime if possible.

Hope this is what you wanted.

Anna

-- Anna Jones (countryanna54@hotmail.com), June 03, 2001.

This helps a bunch. Thanks,

-- Jim (catchthesun@yahoo.com), June 03, 2001.

After the peacocks are one year old it is safe. Danger of disease before that.

-- T. Crockett (pbandjallen@jcn.net), June 03, 2001.

My neighbor has done it for years. He has never had a problem. I think you should be safe trying it.

-- mgb (monty@bayou.com), June 07, 2001.

Thanks I was asking the same question. A pecock showed up outside our coop last week and has been a pleasant visitor but was VERY interested in a 6 week old Pullet that got out yesterday. Then today my neighbors hens were out and he was chasing them. Glad to hear that he's probably just lonely or maybe in love.

-- Betsy Odgers (xoxobo@tellink.net), June 28, 2001.

I have a Peahen that I raised last year. She is the watcher over my flock of chickens and turkeys. She will not go up at night unless she knows that I have locked up all the doors and put up all the chickens. A very curious girl she is. She admires all the babies that my hens hatch. Sometimes I think she is looking for something...maybe motherhood. I am going to get her a male friend soon. She is my pride and joy.

-- Misha (SHOOTING4FUN@VALLNET.COM), July 14, 2001.