Introducing the cast of characters

I am lucky enough to live next to a ranch (in Tucson, Az) that raises peafowl as pets. This year I will share my observations and photos of the peacock chicks from nest to new home.

The ranch has 5 breeding peahens and 3 peacocks. During the year they are all free range birds returning to the chicken coop twice a day for feeding if they want. The ranch has enough forage that feeding is not necessary but keeps the birds close. Each night they all return to a large mesquite to roost.

This mating season the white peacock pair were caged to insure pure white offspring. The other 4 peahens and 2 peacocks continued to run free, mating and nesting unfettered.

Immediately after the peachicks hatch, the peahen and her brood are moved to holding pens to keep them safe from predators.

I will follow each of the peahens and their families in individual Blog pages (tabs). The cast of characters in this real life drama are:

Peacocks - the fathers

• Angel - a Black Shoulder peacock
• Marble - a Blue Pied peacock
• Treveosa - a White Spalding peacock

Peahens - the mothers

• Bogar - a Black Shoulder peahen
• Cinder - Maybe a White Eyed Blue peahen
• Cream - a Black Shoulder peahen
• Ivory - a White Spalding peahen
• Peaches - is difficult to say. She could be a Peach Pied or a Cameo Pied peahen

To view videos go to Arizona Peacock Ranch

Thanks to Tucson Webmaster for the Peacock background.
Model: Angel the Peacock.

Peacock Ranch Update day 28.

There are no more new peachicks to announce but we were surprised by a guinea chick that hatched in the incubator. The egg had been taken from a peacock nest when her eggs were removed and thought not to be viable. Hens of all kinds will lay eggs in another nest before the nesting hen sits.

Again Ivory (the White Spalding peahen) has laid an egg in her nesting box. Only time will tell if she will lay more eggs and decide to sit.

Bogar and Cream are still running free while the peacocks are still strutting their stuff. So, there is hope that they will nest again.

The White Spalding chick has been sold and is no longer at the ranch.

The temperatures have been over 100 degrees for more than a week now. Each holding pen has a misting system to help keep the birds cool. The free range birds are active early in the morning, dig holes and take dust baths in the afternoons.

Here are some photos of the peachicks at about 28 days.

Cinder & peachicks day 28

Peaches & peachicks day 27

Peacock Ranch Update.

Cinder & peachicks day 14

There are no more new peachicks to announce since the surrogate chicken hen hatched the White Spalding peachick.

Again Ivory (the White Spalding peahen) has refused to sit on her eggs so all eggs where placed in the hen house for the chicken hens to tend.

Bogar (the peahen that nested on the metal roof) has abandoned her eggs. They where placed in an incubator. It is doubtful if they will hatched because Bogar was not very attentive to her nesting duties.

Cream (the last to nest) is still sitting on her eggs and we are hopeful that all her eggs will hatch. We check on her several times a day as she has nested in a precarious location in full view of a hawks nest and also vulnerable to snakes.

Peaches and Cinder’s peachick are about 14 days old and doing well. They are able to hop on their mother’s back and can now roost off the ground each night on perches.

Peaches & peachicks day 13

Surrogate Chicken Hen Hatches White Spalding Peachick

On May 29, 2011 a Silky hen hatched a White Spalding peachick. The peahen Ivory had abandon her eggs so they were placed in the hen house for the chickens to hatch.

For more info and photos visit the Surrogate Hens page.

Here is a video of the little White Spalding peachick being relocated to a safe indoor environment where it will be hand raised.

Peaches’ Eggs Hatch

On May 22, 2011 Peaches’ eggs hatched. She is the second peahen to hatch her eggs this year. Peaches had laid 6 eggs in the neighbor‘s yard next to the fence. Two eggs did not hatch and one peachick went missing.

The remaining 3 peachicks and their mother Peaches were relocated to a safe holding pen.

For more info and photos about Peaches please visit her page.

Cinder’s Eggs Hatch

On May 21, 2011 Cinder’s eggs hatched. She is the first peahen to hatch her eggs this year. Cinder had laid 6 eggs in the old horse stall and all hatched within about 8 hours.

The entire family was relocated to a secure holding pen to keep them safe from hawks, owls, snakes, coyotes and feral cats.

For more about Cinder go to her page.