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Ready for Green Peafowl?

If you find yourself now wanting green peafowl, there are several things for you to consider before getting these birds. Getting green peafowl is not something you should take lightly for many reasons. These reasons include but are not limited to, their endangerment, need for heat during the winter, temperament, breeding habits, and cost. Are you still interested? Keep reading!

First of all, who am I to tell you if you are ready for green peafowl and what they are like? Yes, I only have one green peafowl, but I have done years of research to learn more about green peafowl and their needs. I have spoken to several people who own green peafowl from those that own just a few to those that have 10 or more pens of green peafowl and get offspring from them yearly. It has come to my attention that my excitement for the green peafowl has not gone un-noticed. I feel as if my excitement for wanting these birds has persuaded others to want them as well. The only issue I find with this is that people still need to do their own research before just going out and buying one. I have done my research, and I think others should as well, because as I am about to explain more in depth that while green peafowl are peafowl, they are not just like the India Blue peafowl and its varieties.

Endangerment

Green peafowl are endangered. I have had this conversation with others. If you are in North America, the chances of your green peafowl breeding stock being taken and re-introduced into Asia to help increase wild green peafowl numbers is highly unlikely. So why should we care if they probably won't be used to help increase wild green peafowl numbers? Pure green peafowl are beautiful. All three subspecies are magnificent. Once you breed a green peafowl to an India Blue or any variety you get impure offspring. These offspring are called Spaldings. To me, a Spalding will never be as beautiful as a pure green peafowl. People can say what they want, but to raise a pure bird that is endangered in the wild still seems like a good conservation effort to me. It helps keep numbers up and if some sort of bird flu or something were to sweep through and decimate many green peafowl in an area that was supplying green peafowl for conservation, there would still be a stronghold of green peafowl in say North America. Do lots of research to find PURE green peafowl. If you want to feel like you are helping conserve them then you must must must find pure birds. You won't find pure green peafowl from a hatchery that is for sure.

Heat

Most places in the US, and probably the world, will need to provide heat for green peafowl during the winter. Green peafowl are more tropical than India Blue peafowl varieties. You will certainly need a shelter for them that blocks the wind. In very cold areas you will need an indoor heated building with roosts and the birds will have to be in there during the winter. I read that they need temperatures around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The best thing you can do is talk to green peafowl breeders in your area or with similar weather to figure out what kind of heating you will need. Be careful using heated roosts because sometimes they can get too hot if not monitored and thus they may burn your green peafowl's toes off. If you do not provide heat, your green peafowl can get frost bite on their toes and all of their toes can fall off, or even their foot could fall off. They can also die from the cold. The indoor heated area needs to be large enough for the green peafowl to stay in over the winter. Here in Florida, I do not need to provide heat, but I do have to have a shelter that keeps out the wind with roosts inside.

Temperament

Green peafowl are said to be more aggressive than India Blue peafowl. Some say the peacock will defend his territory by flying at you when you enter the pen, and that you should never turn your back on him. Green peafowl can be tamed just like the India Blue peafowl can be. I have met a very friendly Malaysian green peacock that walked up to me and ate out of my hand. He was friendlier and calmer than the India Blue peafowl that breeder owned. Green peafowl are not as domesticated as India Blue peafowl and their varieties, so thus they act more like a wild bird. They can be more flighty. It is for this reason that they are not recommended for free-ranging so you should pen them. Also, they are more prone to feather picking. They will feather pick if you do not give them enough space, which by the way they need more space than an India Blue needs - the more space the better. Also they can feather pick if they are under stress or bored. It is a good idea to spend lots of time with them to get them used to you so that they will calm down, and give them plenty of room as well as enrichment such as various treats, grass, leaves to scratch through, etc. I am certain that they can be just as tame and friendly as an India Blue, it just might take a little more work. You should still be aware that they could be aggressive to you.

Breeding Habits

If you think green peafowl breed just like India Blue peafowl, you are wrong. Many people stop raising green peafowl because they get frustrated that they didn't produce nearly as much offspring as India Blue varieties. Some say their fertility is lower. Perhaps the issue is they need a different diet than India Blue peafowl. Green peafowl don't seem to produce offspring as reliably as India Blue peafowl, so don't expect too much. I know of a peafowl breeder that had a pair of greens and they NEVER gave him chicks, but then again I think their pen was too small and they were stressed. Green peacocks can be pickier than India Blue peacocks. Some have a green peacock that will only accept one peahen in his pen. Green peacocks can sometimes be aggressive to a peahen, and thus it is a very good idea to construct a hiding area for the green peahen to get in or behind to escape the peacock. I have seen one breeder use wooden palates propped up against a tin wall for the peahen to hide behind. You could also provide some sort of box for her to hide in or maybe even a high perch only large enough to fit one peahen so that she can fly up there to get away from the male. A perch around 1.5 ft. long would be a good size for one peahen.

Cost

Generally if you see a deal on green peafowl, it really is too good to be true. There are exceptions, but for the most part you get what you pay for!!! People who know their green peafowl are pure and can stand behind that with real facts will sell their birds for more money. Of course you as the buyer want to compare pricing and find something reasonable. The closer a green peafowl is priced to an India Blue peafowl of the same age, the less likely it is a very good quality bird. American Green peafowl would probably be a good starter green peafowl. They are less expensive than the imported stock birds, but are still all green. Green peafowl that are from imported green peafowl are some of the most costly green peafowl you can find - but you are paying for quality and they are of good quality. While imported green peafowl in the US are expensive, the people who paid to have them imported from Europe really spent a ton of money. That is another reason why they sell those greens for that much money. I am very grateful to the people who spent the money to import pure green peafowl from Wolfgang Mennig and others. Younger green peafowl cost less than older green peafowl, so you can get nice green peafowl for less if you get them young. Do remember though that generally people do not sell pure green peafowl hatching eggs. Sometimes they do, but don't be fooled by pure green peafowl eggs for sale on e bay!

Summary

In conclusion, green peafowl are not just like India Blue peafowl. I strongly advise you to get at least 2-3 years of experience raising India Blue peafowl before you get green peafowl because I believe that green peafowl would be more difficult to raise than an India Blue. I see India Blues and their varieties as prerequisites to Green peafowl. Take your time and don't buy the first green peafowl you come across. Find photos of wild green peafowl and use them as a reference of what to look for in captive green peafowl. Do much more research about green peafowl. Once you are truly ready and experienced, then I wish you much luck in getting pure green peafowl and caring for them. They are not for everyone, but for others they are one of their favorite birds despite how difficult it can be to care for them.