Author Topic: A Visitor (Read 2518 times)

in the hills · « **on:** February 02, 2017, 05:51:56 pm »

Well, today we had an unexpected visitor.

A pea hen arrived for her lunch. She obviously hadn't heard about the lockdown.

She was quite beautiful. I did track down the owner. She has travelled about two miles to see us driven away apparently by her mother who is preoccupied with younger chicks.

I was told that they choose where to live and I might 'acquire' her. Oh, well, it could be worse.

Anyone here keep them or know anything about them?
Is she likely to hang around?

Womble · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2017, 06:10:20 pm »

Feed her peanuts, and she quite possibly will hang about. She'll roost up a tree or on a roof, and will generally make no fuss. Beautiful birds, and oh so clever.

Equally, she's likely to be lonely, so if she does hang about, you might want to aquire one or two more (let me know if you want any help with that

).

Eve · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2017, 06:43:54 pm »

We have one who adopted us, so to speak. Came to live here out of nowhere, eats the chickens' feed, sleeps up in a tree next to the driveway. Knows her name, too!

Bad points:
- she bullies our bantams (though the large fowl are mostly left alone). We're about to rehome her because of that, found her a bachelor peacock in a similar safe countryside setting to ours but without any residences, just offices in a converted stable block within a country park.
- she's moving to where nobody lives because that way she can't wake anyone up when she starts calling at 4am. She did this for a few weeks last summer, it quickly makes you curse her

Good points:
- very tame, eats out of your hand, doesn't get taken by the fox. If we only had large fowl we'd definitely not be rehoming her.

Ours loves tomatoes, soft lettuce, bird seed and dry dog kibble (lamb, not chicken or turkey

).

Enjoy! And post a picture?

Bionic · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2017, 07:57:48 am »

How lovely. Yes pics please ITH

in the hills · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2017, 09:50:23 am »

She isn't around yet this morning. Perhaps the lunch that I offered wasn't to her liking.

Found out that she'd been visiting a neighbour a couple of days ago. We'll both feed her if she shows up. We shall see.

Thank you for the replies. I'll have suitable snacks waiting for her and let you know what happens.

I'll let you know if we need a friend for her, Wimbledon!

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2017, 10:32:06 am »

Beware ... they can become addictive. Our neighbour across the valley had a Black Shouldered peahen turn up and Santa had to go and buy him a mate for her!

We have Indian Blues and have found they rarely call, but they are in a secure shed overnight. If birds call at regular times in the night I'd suspect it to be an alarm call due to a fox or badger passing by on food patrol. Mine come to call for mixed corn but otherwise get layers pellets. We consider them the celebs of the poultry world - gorgeous to look at but don't expect them to do or say anything funny or intelligent.

Eve · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2017, 05:56:38 pm »

Ours was broody and sitting below our garden fence for 2 months - the foxes never touched her even though several foxes come here every night!

She did have a run in with a fox once, we heard a noise and ran over only to see both peahen and fox wandering off in opposite direction and some feathers left on the path...

in the hills · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2017, 11:00:44 am »

No sightings on Friday, but yesterday she appeared at dusk in the field across the lane. Took her some bread. She came and had a little before wandering off.

This morning she has been in our fields since 7.30 when I was heading out to the hens. She was being stalked by our intrepid kitten/cat. Don't know what he thought he was going to do with her! She just casually kept walking away from him and was making a sort of honking sound. Telling him off I suppose.

She has had a little bread but doesn't seem to be very hungry.

She just came right up to the house to feed under the bird table with our army of pheasants. Managed to get some photos, Bionic and Eve, but can't work out how to post them yet.

My daughter, who is bird mad, loves her.

Hoping that she might hang around, provided that she doesn't boss our little pekins that is .... all locked in at the moment though.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2017, 02:12:42 pm »

The honking sound is quite endearing when the youngsters are practicing their calls - sounds a bit like the "Parp, Parp" of a toy car horn. If they're concerned but not frightened they make a sort of ticking sound that sounds like a distant tennis match.

in the hills · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2017, 02:20:45 pm »

Yes, yes! That was it Marches Farmer.

Her owner said that she was last year's chick.

My daughter has looked it up. She is an Indian Blue, we think.

Eve · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2017, 02:25:53 pm »

Yes, honking like a car, ticking if you come a bit too close or something worries her a bit, and then there's this long hoo-hoo call. The holy trinity of peafowl sounds.

Has your daughter's given her a name? She can try giving her some soft lettuce and they'll be BFF