Move to a new pen info needed.

Janb · **Posted:** Sun Jul 30, 2006 11:19 am

Hello all, We have just finished a new pen into which we want to move our juvenile peafowl (2 boys, 1 girl) which are 6 months old. This will leave the parents in a pen on their own and give them more room. My question is this, is it ok to move them at night when they are quietly sitting on the perch and placing them directly onto the perch in the new pen. The new pen is right next to the old one and in the morning they would be in view of the parents and vice versa. This works well with normal chooks but I am unsure about peafowl and whether this would be less stressful than cornering and catching them in the daylight.
Would appreciate advice asap please.
cheers
Janb

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi Janb, the short answer is NO, we would never recommend moving or releasing ANY birds at Night or even late afternoon. The risks of injury & stress are far to great and unnecessary, you should always release them early morning.

Good luck with the move! look forward to some Photos?

Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol:

Janb · **Posted:** Sun Jul 30, 2006 3:58 pm

Thank you PA for your very prompt response and advice. An early morning move it is! I do have a photo of Lord Snowdon in the digital camera and as soon as I learn how to move it into the computer I will send it to you for the gallery.
cheers
Janb

Janb · **Posted:** Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:23 pm

Good news! We cut a small doorway between the old and new pens in the hope that the juveniles would wander into the new pen of their own accord. After scattering some chopped lettuce in there for them, wonder of wonders they did!! Sir Percival & Piper (their parents) followed them in but they were very easy to get back into their own area and we closed up the opening with a small gate. The little opening will prove useful for any future movement between pens, it worked so well.
We bought another peahen on Thursday (Lady Penelope, a mate for Lord Snowdon) and she is settling in reasonably well. I think she is older than Piper and she does seem a little stiff in the legs today. I think this might be because she was held in a cage overnight waiting for us to collect her. Is this likely to be the cause? She is eating and drinking but does not seem to know what the perch is for. She slept on the floor of the pen last night.
I heard of a woman in Shepparton who breeds peafowl. Does anyone have her contact details?
cheers
Janb

Janb · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 1:35 pm

Hello again,
I have a 4 month old peahen chick that was hatched by a chook. Unfortunately we have lost the boy that hatched with her. My question concerns moving the peahen chick away from her mother, Minnie the bantam, and putting her in with a juvenile male (15 months old). Is 4 months too soon to move her away from her "mum". I don't have a separate pen for her and don't want her to fly out of the chook yard too. The juvenile male has had his sister and another young hen in with him but I will be moving them in with Lord Snowdon for the breeding season this year. Does all of this sound reasonable?
cheers
Janb

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi Janb, 4 months is ok but we would recommend about 5-6 months also be cautious when introducing the Chick to older chicks or adults they can pick on the younger chicks. You will need to keep a very close eye on them for the first few days at least, particularly the old chicks as they can be quite the bully. If you are going to introduce the Juvenile Peacock and young hens in with an Adult Peacock (Lord Snowdon) then you must do this out of the breeding season to limit aggression from the adult Peacock and give them time to bond.

Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol:

Janb · **Posted:** Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:08 pm

OK, I have not moved the young hens (18 months now) in with Lord Snowdon and Miss Pied yet, but would like to do it this week. I have moved the juvenile male (also 18 months) into a pen by himself, but he is absolutely hating it. I was planning to move Minnie Chick (6 months old) in with him while he is still getting used to his new surroundings. I have a couple of questions regarding all of this.

1. Have I left it too close to breeding season to move the two 18 month old girls in with Snow and Miss Pied?

2. Will Boy chick eventually settle down in his new area and what will be the likely outcome/repercussions of putting the young hen in with him now? He is always quite a nervous boy, but as he was hatched and raised here I am at a loss to understand why. Do they settle down as they become more mature?

I am quite nervous about all of this as I don't want any of them to physically injure one another.
cheers
Janb

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Janb wrote:

OK, I have not moved the young hens (18 months now) in with Lord Snowdon and Miss Pied yet, but would like to do it this week. I have moved the juvenile male (also 18 months) into a pen by himself, but he is absolutely hating it. I was planning to move Minnie Chick (6 months old) in with him while he is still getting used to his new surroundings. I have a couple of questions regarding all of this.

We would not recommend this, the chick is to young and may be injured. Should be around 12 months old.

1. Have I left it too close to breeding season to move the two 18 month old girls in with Snow and Miss Pied?

No, but keep a very close eye on the Peacock for signs of aggression.

2. Will Boy chick eventually settle down in his new area and what will be the likely outcome/repercussions of putting the young hen in with him now? (see above) He is always quite a nervous boy, but as he was hatched and raised here I am at a loss to understand why. Do they settle down as they become more mature?

Yes they do settle more with age, try offering special treats i.e Bread broken up and dropped at your feet every day this will help

I am quite nervous about all of this as I don't want any of them to physically injure one another.
cheers
Janb

Hope we helped

Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol:

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