The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Marches Farmer on December 19, 2013, 09:50:33 am

Title: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: Marches Farmer on December 19, 2013, 09:50:33 am

Anyone know of a peacock breeder?  One of the few birds we haven't yet kept so on the list for 2014....

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: Womble on December 19, 2013, 12:21:29 pm

We breed them. Well, they breed themselves to be honest  :thumbsup: .
 
I suspect we may be a bit too far North for you though?

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: Marches Farmer on December 20, 2013, 10:08:12 am

Yup, bit of a trudge.  Could you supply hatching eggs?

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: Womble on December 20, 2013, 04:36:11 pm

If I can find where they're laying them before they start sitting!  ;D

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: mowhaugh on December 20, 2013, 04:57:36 pm

Not sure how to word this so it doesn't sound rude, it is a genuine question, but what is the point of peacocks? Are they purely ornamental, or do you eat their eggs or meat, or do they guard like geese? I think they are beautiful, but I don't think OH would be impressed by them.

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: Womble on December 20, 2013, 05:08:36 pm

Good question Mowhaugh!  I think the point of peacocks is that there is no point  ;D .

"Ours" have lived at our place ten times longer than we have, so I've never really thought what the point of them is - they're just "there".

Practically, they are very beautiful, and are great for waking you up at 3am whenever they hear a distant car. They also leave squidgy poo around everywhere for you to stand in.

I still love them though. The girls are great characters - they sit on the kitchen windowsill and watch us cooking

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j216/Blutack/TAS2011/IMG_4330.jpg)

And as for the boys, well, what's not to like? ;D

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j216/Blutack/TAS2011/peacock.jpg)

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: mowhaugh on December 20, 2013, 05:51:19 pm

They are stunning, thank you for the photos!

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: bloomer on December 20, 2013, 10:23:53 pm

and there young are possibly some of the cutest funniest things ever to run around a farm yard...

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: MelRice on December 20, 2013, 10:35:28 pm

Historically they were eaten....


We stayed over at a camp-site with peacocks once. I hadn't realized til then how much noise they make.

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: Marches Farmer on December 21, 2013, 09:41:23 am

Me, too. Especially when they scream at you from a branch overhead when you need to use the shower block at night! 

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: Womble on December 21, 2013, 03:24:09 pm

Quote from: MelRice on December 20, 2013, 10:35:28 pm

Historically they were eaten....

Yes, a medieval delicacy I believe.

We haven't eaten any yet, since there are usually plenty of people who want to buy each year's offspring. However, I did once eat some eggs by accident  :-[ . 

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: shygirl on December 21, 2013, 09:47:10 pm

I know they can be really noisy. I fancied them at one point but didn't think our place was regal enough  :roflanim:

Title: Re: Peacock Breeders?
Post by: Womble on December 21, 2013, 10:52:27 pm

Believe me Shygirl, Mr Blue is the only regal thing about our smallholding.

The funny thing is, before we moved in, he wasn't called that at all. However, nobody told us that, so we re-christened him.

Sticking with the regal theme, it turns out that Mr Blue is actually the Peacock formerly known as Prince!  :roflanim: