How to Care for a Royal Peacock

Though many people refer to all birds with luxuriously long and ornate feathers as peacocks, this term is only applicable to the males of such species. It is correct to refer to the females as peahens and to refer to them collectively as peafowl. Long ago, royal peafowl often frequented the courts and gardens of wealthy and prominent Europeans, including the royal families of some countries. Today, some people keep peafowl as pets, and they require attention and care, just as all other pets do.

Things You'll Need

  • Pen or roost
  • Game bird mix or chicken feed
  • Grit
  • Water
  • Sticks
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a place for your peafowl to live. Peafowl are generally social animals, and they will enjoy the company of other peafowl. Solitary peacocks may not thrive. If your peacock is new to your property, provide it with a large pen so that it can wander about without getting lost. After a few days, you can remove the pen and allow the peacock to wander. Peafowl do not often go far and will usually return home if they do.

    • 2

      Feed your peafowl daily. Peafowl eat meat and therefore should consume a game bird mix, which you may purchase at a local garden center or online. You can temporarily substitute chicken feed for the game bird mix. Also, provide your peacock with grit and clean water daily. Peafowl enjoy eating insects and will forage for them if left to wander your property.

    • 3

      Provide your peafowl with roosts or trees that it can use to escape predators. Though peacocks will try to intimidate predators by flashing their feathers, young peafowl are vulnerable to predators such as raccoons and cats.

    • 4

      Provide a peahen with sticks if she is breeding. She will use the sticks to build a nest for her eggs. Usually breeding begins at age 2 or 3 and continues throughout the peafowl's lifetime.