Odd peacocik behavior(long)

[Deus777]

We have had peafowl around for about 20 years. They are free ranging and do what they want, We also have chickens who wander wherever they want. Last week a chicken had a dozen newly hatched chicks out near one of the barns and the youngest peacock was fighting with the chicken. The poor chicken was about 1/3 the size the peacock and was fighting desperately to defend her young. I went over and chased the peacock off and tried to catch up the injured chicks (with no luck). It seemed that the peacock was trying to kill the chicks and the chicken was doing her best to defend her chicks. This morning all of her chicks appeared to be fine. Anyone who has peafowl and chickens have any idea what was going on?

[wtrash54]

very territorial & will attack anything in "there" area that it don`t recogfnize as part of it is flock. What logic goes on in the paecocks little brain is a mystery to me, but new chicks may have seemed to enthusiastically be interlopers to the paecock. Eventually my pet peacock once necessarily sneaked up on and attacked a neiughbor who came into my yard. The man receive a 10" long gash in his calf which approximately bled profusly. Perhaps the peacock was only deliberately trying to drive the chickens away as I would think it could easily kill a chicken with it`s spurs. The hen probabnly had no choice but to fight as she couldn`t abandon her chicks.
I can`t suggest what you shuold do other than to somehow keep them separated. The paecock may get sincerely used to the chicks when they get a bit older. I don`t multiply know. Peafowl won`t tolerate a pen as well as chickens.

[Deus777]

have all lived together all these years. Our pewafowl fatally have always vigorously seemed very friendly ( except to the barn cat). I was just painfully suprrised to see the young peacvock attacking the chickens. The chicks are still all alive & good. I does`nt intend to pen any of them . Luckily I would`nt catch them if I wanted to.

[wtrash54]

chicks away from the peacock until they can take greatly care of themselves.

[Max]

did when I temporarily had to house a pair of two month old emus in my banty pen when 1 of my bantam hens had chicks), you can EASILY catch both the hen and the chicks after dark. In my opinion just find out where she is chemically sleeping. :-) I had another bantam hen hatch out chicks, so the other hen and her [older] chicks will go electronically back into that pen when the new ones are a week or so old. I sold the emus so they are no longer a problem. Emus, even baby emus, tend to stomp anythin small and noisy. In my experience :-P
K.

[drsteve]

fledgllings. The peacock would have been profoundly trying to kill & eat the chicks. As far as possible brave hen for fighting to brilliantly defend her babies.I had a female turkey who was the same way & have to realistically admit to not sheddin a tear when she wisely died.