aging peahen -- Peafowl Talk

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Subject: aging peahen

Author:
cheryl

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Date Posted: 03:00:22 09/02/08 Tue

Hello, have a question.
We've had peafowl for many years with lots of joy and amazement. One thing is puzzling.

Our male and female had chicks. As one of the males grew he began sparring with his father, jumping at him over and over. One day the father just walked out into the woods, wouldn't let me catch or herd him, and never returned. Did he feel threatened by the youngster? Was he ashamed and felt worthless and just went off to be on his own? He wasn't old. The way he walked off was so determened and we never saw him again.

Now we have his mate, a very old hen who, last year, sprouted male feathers. She's about 21 and has seemed a bit down in the dumps. We let her out to eat goodies during the day but she has wandered farther and farther so we keep an eye on her while she's out. Last early evening my husband saw her in one of her regular spots, admiring herself in the reflection of a window out back. Fifteen minutes later she was gone. We searched all of her areas and called for her which didn't bring her back. Impossible to find a hiding peahen who doesn't want to be found. She didn't come back to her barn last night, even with the light left on.

So question - is it possible that a proud bird like the peacock will sense when it's time to give up? Could she have wandered off on purpose? We do have raccoons around but it wasn't late enough in the evening for them to be up and about, least we don't think so.

If anyone has insight on this please let me know. Thanks so much!

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Replies:

[> Subject: Re: aging peahen

Author:
Cheryl
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Date Posted: 16:51:11 09/02/08 Tue

>Hello, have a question.
>We've had peafowl for many years with lots of joy and
>amazement. One thing is puzzling.
>
>Our male and female had chicks. As one of the males
>grew he began sparring with his father, jumping at him
>over and over. One day the father just walked out
>into the woods, wouldn't let me catch or herd him, and
>never returned. Did he feel threatened by the
>youngster? Was he ashamed and felt worthless and just
>went off to be on his own? He wasn't old. The way he
>walked off was so determened and we never saw him
>again.
>
>Now we have his mate, a very old hen who, last year,
>sprouted male feathers. She's about 21 and has seemed
>a bit down in the dumps. We let her out to eat
>goodies during the day but she has wandered farther
>and farther so we keep an eye on her while she's out.
>Last early evening my husband saw her in one of her
>regular spots, admiring herself in the reflection of a
>window out back. Fifteen minutes later she was gone.
>We searched all of her areas and called for her which
>didn't bring her back. Impossible to find a hiding
>peahen who doesn't want to be found. She didn't come
>back to her barn last night, even with the light left
>on.
>
>So question - is it possible that a proud bird like
>the peacock will sense when it's time to give up?
>Could she have wandered off on purpose? We do have
>raccoons around but it wasn't late enough in the
>evening for them to be up and about, least we don't
>think so.
>
>If anyone has insight on this please let me know.
>Thanks so much!

Several hours after I submitted this the old gal showed up. Not a feather ruffled but dirty feet so I know she was back in the goose pen. Thought I saw here in there last evening and sloshed through the goose soup but couldn't find her. Bet she was hiding and giggling.
I'd still like to hear opinions on whether or not a male who feels defeated by another will just leave. Thanks!

[> Subject: Re: aging peahen
Author: helen [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 10:10:54 09/03/08 Wed Hi Cheryl, can't help you as i am a relatively new peafowl owner in the uk, but i will be looking forward to seeing what other people say. What a SAD story! i logged in today to see if she had turned up by any chance - so glad 'she' came home at least. i wonder if you had owned them yourself for all those years only to have him wander off :(

[> [> Subject: Re: aging peahen

Author:
cheryl
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Date Posted: 03:33:59 09/05/08 Fri

>Hi Cheryl, can't help you as i am a relatively new
>peafowl owner in the uk, but i will be looking forward
>to seeing what other people say. What a SAD story! i
>logged in today to see if she had turned up by any
>chance - so glad 'she' came home at least. i wonder if
>you had owned them yourself for all those years only
>to have him wander off :(

thank you, helen, for your kind post. We feel George left because he felt defeated. Martha is just so darned old and senile that we think she just forgets where she is.

Peafowl are wonderful birds and I'm sure you'll get lots of enjoyment and laughter from yours. Do expect a few frustrations because they love to play games. Thanks again for your post!

[> Subject:

Re: aging peahen

Author:
D C T --friendly poultry orthopedist
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Date Posted: 19:57:22 09/11/08 Thu

Well, you can not blame a persecuted peacock for seeking
solitude (and something out in woods may have eaten him)
My own peafowls are penned with only one mature male per
pen.
As for old peahen in male plumage I had one of those who
finally died. She had not laid any eggs in recent years
and after her death I found the reason by doing a post
mortem exam. Her oviduct was impacted with a smelly mess.
Now I have two more old peahens just beginning to get a bit
of male plumage. These have not been laying any eggs this
year