Care for a Peacock

[ShannanD25]

My Boss's father recently got his son a pet peacock. To say the least it was baffling to my boss but the son loves the bird so it stays. Anyone know of any care for them, or have any experince with them? This is a male.
Thanks.

[ladyserpent7]

youre allowed to have peacocks as pets? legally? male or female?

[Cat_72]

What kind of information are you looking for? I've kept Peacocks for many years.

In general, I guess feed them a high-protein gamebird diet, can be mixed in with some cracked corn. In the winter, I feed a higher ratio of the gamebird food to craxked corn than I do in the summer. Medium sized grit available free choice, and always fresh water. They can tolerate Iowa winters if kept inside, and out of drafts. They like very high perching areas, set up sturdy perches as high as your enclosure will allow, leaving just enough head-room. They do stress fairly easily, but if raised from a chick they can get very attached to "their human".

[Cat_72]

Oh.....and as adults, the males tend to get VERY vocal, especially in the spring...you'd be AMAZED how loud of a noise can come out of that bird, lol.

[ShannanD25]

This one is a juvie age male, not yet fully plummed but grown up....they also have some pet chickens so right now he is hanging out with them and eating amixutre of cat food and corn...we are looking into other options to feed him. Just not sure where to find a care sheet on a peacock!

[Cat_72]

You should be able to purchase a game bird food wherever you get your corn. It's a brown, granular feed.....if they don't have that available, you can substitute a similar duck and goose "grower" feed.

I don't know about actual "care sheets".....a hatchery may have something published, that would be my first guess.

What kind of peacock is he? I have the Blue India, Black Shouldered, and an Oaten hen. The Java Green are beautiful, but hard to find around here.

[ShannanD25]

I'm not sure they know what type he is. I'll see if they can get some pictures. I do know he was only like $20 at some odd market place somewhat local. I was going to take him some of what my mother feeds her Macaws and African Greys. Pellets and seeds, nuts, fruit, mixutre of pretty bird pellets, Zupreem pellets, and then all sorts of other million dollar food as I call it. Kinda makes me want to go get a peacock but I don't think my town would be happy. They live on a very private large lot so they can...

[Cat_72]

I would guess he's the blue then.....they are by far the most common, but still very pretty. A juvenile male will usually sell fairly cheap, since as a rule they have to be 3 years old before they will produce.

A peacock eats a LOT....you'll go broke feeding him parrot food, lol. He may eat the pellets, but I don't know that he'd eat the bigger stuff that is in a lot of the Macaw/Grey food. Don't you have just a farm supply store or elevator nearby where they purchase their corn?

[ShannanD25]

he is a Blue. well my mother gives me bags of the leftover the birds dont eat (they are so spoiled and she changes food all the time since htey will only eat certain things) and i then feed it to my mealworms, mice, etc for the lizards to then eat. I figured I can pass some of the bags on to my boss for the peacock. I know they have chicken mash fo rthe chickens they have. Now they are interested in getting a white Peacock? Any idea where and how to get one?

[Cat_72]

Make sure they do NOT feed the peacock any kind of medicated chicken mash. It should say on the label, but if they are not sure, ask the people where they buy it.

The pure whites are VERY pricey, and not easy to come by. Their best bet may be to just order chicks from a hatchery, but you have to order a certain quantity from most places.

[cowboyman13]

Try searching under peafowl you'll have a little more luck. Here is a couple i know of
McMurray (http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/)

Cackle (http://www.cacklehatchery.com/)

And Here (http://www.peafowl.org/) you'll probably find everything you want to know about your bosses new pet.