Fall Cleaning in the Peafowl Coop

September 24, 2019

This is only the second day of autumn, but fall cleanup chores are already underway around my Bedford, New York farm.

Over the last few days, with evening temperatures now dipping into the 50s, my outdoor grounds crew has been busy washing the farming equipment, putting away unneeded hoses and sprinklers, and starting the tedious task of storing some of my tropical citrus trees indoors - it won’t be long before that first frost hits the area. Recently, the crew also tackled the peafowl coop - cleaning it from top to bottom. I now have 16 peacocks and peahens, including several peachicks - incubated and hatched right in my kitchen. All the peafowl reside in a large enclosure not far from my stable, where they get lots of attention from visiting friends and family.

It’s always a joy to see my peafowl growing and thriving - they are so curious and friendly. Enjoy these photos.

: Every morning, the peafowl coop is opened, so all the peahens and peacocks can venture outside into their large yard. On this day, the crew was also tasked with giving the coop a thorough cleaning while the entire ostentation of peafowl watched with curiosity.

: All the feeders are removed and cleaned. I use many of these heavy-gauged galvanized steel hanging feeders for all my outdoor birds. They save on floor space and reduce waste by eliminating scratching.

: All the wood shavings are also removed. The bedding is changed weekly, but on this day, the walls and floors were also power washed.

: Here is Chhiring power washing the nesting boxes which we made right here at the farm out of spare lumber.

: I have two big nesting boxes for my peahens – this one is all clean and now drying in the warm sun.

: These are the youngest of the muster – this trio is very close. They enjoy sunbathing outside the coop, watching all the activity around them.

: Because most of these peahens and peacocks have grown up here, they are all very accustomed to the crew and all the noises.

: The entire space is enclosed to keep the peafowl safe. It is fenced and covered in monofilament fishing lines. Here, Fernando adds another line from one side to the other. The lines keep predators out, but they don’t take away from the beautiful skies above. I came up with the idea to use monofilament and it is working very well.

: Closer to the coop, Pete adjusts the monofilament lines near the roof, so hawks cannot squeeze through any gaps.

: Look closely and you can see the monofilament and some nylon netting – everything is completely safe and secure.

: Pete also added some netting on the sides. This area is watched closely by hawks – I want my beautiful birds as safe as possible.

: A strip of chicken wire was also placed along the perimeter of the coop’s bottom to prevent any rodents or other digging creatures from entering the space. It also keeps the peachicks from exploring under the coop.

: My peafowl love exploring the grounds. They forage in the early morning and evening. Here is one all-white peacock and one all-white peachick.

: A good layer of fresh bedding is placed on the floor of the coop. The indoor ladder provides a nice roosting spot. While peafowl are ground feeders and ground nesters, they still enjoy roosting at higher levels. It also helps to keep them safe from predators.

: Dawa, who oversees the care of all my outdoor birds – chickens, geese, peacocks, pigeons, and Guinea hens, fills each nesting box with fresh hay grown and baled here at the farm.

: All peacocks and peahens will look you in the eye including this youngster, but if you stare at them or seem aggressive in body movements, they will feel threatened. I love how friendly all my peafowl are with people.

: These birds are extra curious and friendly, especially when recognizing who their regular feeder is. It is not unusual for peafowl to run en masse when the food appears. They adore their “Uncle Dawa”. Here he is hanging a head of cabbage in their coop.

: Each feeder holds about 30-pounds of an organic feed, but all my birds always get lots of fresh vegetables. Food and water are checked several times a day and refreshed every morning.

: In the feed, these birds get a healthy mix of cornmeal, soybean, and wheat. We purchase all our grains from Agway in Danbury, Connecticut. In the wild, peacocks are omnivores – they eat insects, plants, and small creatures.

: As you may know, peafowl are members of the pheasant family. There are two Asiatic species – the blue or Indian peafowl native to India and Sri Lanka, and the green peafowl originally from Java and Burma, and one African species, the Congo peafowl from African rain forests.

: These peacocks and peahens love to perch. They all have access to natural perches made from old felled trees here at the farm. I have these perches indoors as well as out.

: Peafowl are happiest when living in small groups. They can fly short distances, but prefer to walk most of the time.

: Peafowl are very smart, docile and adaptable birds. They are also quite clever and will come close to all who visit – hoping to get a treat or two.

: Peafowl are beautiful, but do not underestimate their power – they are extremely strong with very sharp spurs. Full-grown, peafowl can weigh up to 13-pounds.

: At the end of the day, after everything is cleaned and all their feed is replenished, the coops are closed and locked at night to keep everyone safe.