Hi, good country folks,

Someone offered me a Peacock breeding pair for $100. Is this a good price? Is it possible to make money off of the Peacocks? How?

Thanks

-- Bernd in NC (Bernd001@aol.com), June 07, 2001

Answers

The price does sound reasonable to me, but have you been around peacocks? Our neighbor in Belton had some, and after being that close to them, I thought beautiful as they are that I would not want any for myself. They are, first off, very noisy. Took me several weeks, I guess, to start sleeping through the noise they made at night. More than that, they do not stay cooped. These used to make a regular tour through our garden every morning(Not good), having gone over fences and run around on my other neighbor's roof for awhile on the way. We tolerated them because their owner was a nice neighbor, and because they were, after all, so beautiful, but they can be QUITE a nuisance.

-- mary, in colorado (marylgarcia@aol.com), June 07, 2001.

Hello, I looked in the "NC Agricultural Review" and that seems like a fair price. Do you get the Agri-Review? It's great for all kinds of farm stuff/ animals--big and small. And it's already paid for by our taxes...Good luck. Debbie T in NC

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), June 07, 2001.

Peacocks sound like a young woman screaming many times during the day, a friend lived next to some of them near a construction project; the workers came to his door ready to open a can of whoopa-- until they heard the sound themselves.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), June 07, 2001.

My mom keeps peacocks, and I enjoyed them growing up. They are quite capable of self-defense, and are good watchdogs besides. We thought their normal cry sounded like someone hollering for "Bill" from accross the farm, just withen earshot. (Except your standing quite close to the yeller!) They also honk now and then, before calling out with their holler. The birds are good flyers, and our peacocks roosted in the large walnut tree center farm compound. We did have a problem with them fighting the Tom turkey, which lead to a lack of elegent feathering in both dominent males. They rather seemed to enjoy it.

Mom was always able to sell half grown, recently sexed peacocks for top doller by placing an add at the feed store. I think she got $30 for 10 week olds, and $60 for adults. She keeps blues and greens, and occasional crosses thereoff. I know she sold a 2 year (full adult-good featering) cock for $125 to someone who wanted only one beauty.... They are a little hard to find sometimes, so you'll probobly have reasonable luck, if you can keep track of the nests, or get them to breed in captivity.

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), June 07, 2001.

I raised a pair for four seasons. I paid $25 each for them. Many people raise them in this area of Southern CA. so they are plentiful and the cost is reasonable. They had a clutch of 3 eggs the third year and they all hatched. The second year, the male became so territorial during the mating season, he attached anyone he could walk up behind. So we put him back into the pen and decided it wasn't worth the hassle. We donated the flock to the San Diego Game Bird Society to be raffled off at their next gathering. And yes, you can hear the call of the peacock across many valleys. It does take some getting used to.

-- Dwight (summit1762@aol.com), June 08, 2001.

There is a breeding pair of Indian Blue Peacocks for sale in our local paper here in Arkansas for $300.00. Of course of don't know if they sold for that or not. Sherry

-- sherry (chickadee259@yahoo.com), June 08, 2001.

Hi,

My Mom raised peacocks for many years and yes, they can screech! But on the other hand, down here in the south she sold 1 year old pairs for upwards of $250. Also, to those who have never had peacocks, these birds have an incredible homing instinct. She sold a pair of two year olds to a lady from Atlanta and the birds got loose on their way home. They estimated about 25 miles from my Mom's house, they got out of the crate and the next morning, guess where this lovely pair was sitting? On their pen in my Mom's yard! They flew all the way home! She raised beautiful birds for over ten years of all varieties, blues, greens and beautiful whites and I believe a black type. She always had buyers on a waiting list. I think if you can get a breeding pair for that price and they aren't mixed bred, you should do alright. I know my Mom paid taxes on the farm and some of my Dad's medical bills with the birds she sold. As they get older, they will lay more eggs in their clutches, but they can scream. It always sounded like to me a woman screaming. Mom's birds screamed when strangers came on the place and that included dogs, cats, etc. Good luck with your venture.

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), June 08, 2001.

My mother had peacocks for many years. To keep them from wandering the neighborhood she had a very large pen with a "roof" of bird netting. We always thoought they were crying "Help!". Once the neighbors got used to it they stopped calling to see if everyone was OK.

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), June 09, 2001.

Hello, I would have to say that is a very reasonable price, but also have to be will for up keep. I have 48 peacocks of many varieties. There are a many things to do and know before raising a peacock but as far as the price goes, that is a steal! And well for make money off them I guess it depends on what your interested in, their feathers usually fall off with rain when they get wet the ones that fall off make nice decorations and accessories. The under feathers are used in many areas such as in clothing, crafts and start at $2.00 a plum feather. So it all depends are what you looking to get into. Good Luck!

-- Sheri Landgraf (sheriann@telusplanet.net), June 22, 2001.