Keeping peacock off the porch

[ravenclaw]

I live in a rural area and I “inherited” a male peacock from a neighbor that has now moved away.

At first the peacock was skittish and he didn’t come close to the house. I started feeding him, which apparently wasn’t a good idea. Now the peacock stays on the porch usually all day. I think he goes to the barn at night. The porch is a huge mess with his poop, pee, feathers, and dander. Also, my cats don’t really like going outside or being on the porch now that the peacock is around and that’s not fair to the cats.

I don’t mind having the peacock around and I don’t mind feeding him but is there a way to keep him off the porch? The porch has a wood railing and 2 sets of stairs. I was thinking I could put something at the top of the stairs (like a barricade) but he might be able to fly over it. And that might be a problem for the cats too. Would it be better if I stop feeding him and start running him off? Or feed him somewhere not close to the house?

[trubandloki]

Is this a wild bird?

Can you simply make the peacock a pen, so it can not get to your porch?

[Feathered_Feet]

When I lived in Southern California the feral (wild?) peacocks were usually kept well away from the house by the dogs. I take it you don’t have a dog that could patrol around the house now and then?

I would also definitely not feed the bird unless it has been surviving on such handouts (where do you live and what is the climate? In SoCal they foraged naturally all year). If you have to feed it for it to survive, I would feed it well away from your house. If for no other reason than you really don’t want it to learn to roost near your house because their cries at dusk and dawn are awful.

[ravenclaw]

My neighbor across the street had 2 male peacocks. The older one used to beat up on the younger one, so the younger one came across the street to my place. The neighbor and the older peacock have since moved away.

He used to be pretty wild (couldn’t get close to him) but since I started feeding him he has gotten a lot more tame. I have never touched him but I can get within 2 or 3 feet of him. I stopped feeding him a couple of weeks ago but he’s still hanging around.

[cutter99]

Can you move his feed to the barn or a place that he can be without it being inconvenient for you?

[Jealoushe]

The only solution is to ship him to me so he can live on my porch

[ravenclaw]

I have cats, but no dog. I live in South Carolina so the winters are mild, although it can get below freezing at night and occasionally we get some snow or ice. I started feeding him probably in late summer or early fall. I was giving him some dry cat food (or sometimes bread or grapes) usually just once a day. I stopped feeding him a couple of weeks ago but so far he’s still on the porch.

[ravenclaw]

I can try feeding him in the barn. If I do that, maybe he’ll stay more around the barn.

[ravenclaw]

You are welcome to come get him! Here’s a picture from when he first started going onto the porch so it’s not a mess (although you can see a poop behind his head feathers).

[Jealoushe]

oh my he is absolutely beautiful albeit annoying hahahaha

[lenapesadie]

IME peacocks fly pretty well so I’m not sure the barricade would help. I’d try feeding him at the barn or alternatively seeing if anyone wants to come get him.

[ThreeWishes]

Neighbor had a peacock who tried to take up residence in my barn aisle. He was a big beautiful bird. BUT his poops were sooooo stinky gross. I started to believe that “Petey” must be hitting the Taco Bell drive through on the regular and a big fan of bean chalupas with fire sauce. Thankfully my dogs convinced him to stay home. If your porch has any low windows or a glass door beware during mating season. Those big beautiful birds have tiny raisin brains and they think their reflection warrants a MMA beat down.

[ravenclaw]

I’m not very picky about things having to be clean. So if I think it’s disgusting, that must mean it’s pretty bad.

Sometimes the poops are more solid (those look like cat poop). Sometimes they are more like pudding and I think the pees are a white liquid. Plus peacocks molt at the end of the summer so there are feathers and skin flakes everywhere.

I’ll try feeding him at the barn and I’ll see if he stays around there. I feel sorry for him because he’s probably lonely. There are wild turkeys at my place and I have seen him hanging out with the turkeys a couple of times. Would the turkeys let him join their herd?

[Feathered_Feet]

I think it’s really nice of you to let him hang out. If you had a change of heart, perhaps there is a local wildlife or other animal rescue that might take him in? I agree he’s probably lonely - the ones we had in our area were always with company.

[Scribbler]

I kept my retired pony for several years on fields owned by a slightly eccentric old cowboy who had made the Hill behind his house into a personal bird sanctuary. He had a flock of peacocks and at some point had acquired a pair of wild turkeys which aren’t native to the area. The female turkey got eaten by a coyote or something, so the loan male turkey joined the peacock flock and ran around puffing up and rattling his tail just like a peacock in breeding season.

[goodhors]

You might try catching him with feed in a big dog crate or cage, then selling him to someone who wants and appreciated a lovely bird. Feed him in the crate a few days so he is easy going in, then pull the door shut after him with a light rope, then lock the crate door.

Peacocks sell well around us, averaging $100. Depending on age and color it can be more or less. If he was a cheap price he would probably move very fast. I see them for sale on Craigslist all the time. Sounds like he has worn out his welcome at your house.

[hillary_again]

“…bean chalupas…” : I laughed till I cried reading this post. I nominate this for the COTH Creative Writing Award 2021! Thanks for the humor!

[ThreeWishes]

Thank you! . What that bird left behind was truly a recipe of bad takeout Taco Bell and naughty bird rage lol.

[ravenclaw]

Since this thread is still going I’ll give an update. I stopped feeding the peacock. He kept hanging around for a while. Then I didn’t see him for a couple of weeks except once when I was getting the mail I saw him at my neighbor’s place (where he used to live). This morning he was back on my porch.

[candyappy]

@ravenclaw

Since this thread is still going I’ll give an update. I stopped feeding the peacock. He kept hanging around for a while. Then I didn’t see him for a couple of weeks except once when I was getting the mail I saw him at my neighbor’s place (where he used to live). This morning he was back on my porch.

I would just advertise and see if anyone wants him? Sounds like he would be happier with regular food and hopefully some company of his own kind.