Need Peacock-Proof Plants/Landscape

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Can anyone recommend plants that peacocks WON`T eat? I`m running out of chicken wire! My nearly bare yard needs bushes,flowers and herbs. My 4 birds seem to like most anything. If it`s not the plant itself, it`s the flowers they eat-or the damp soil they dig up. Do I really have to fence every thing? What deterrents could I use around my landscaping? Thank you in advance. Viv in so cal.,zone 9.

-- Viv Lander (century2kay@webtv.net), March 28, 2002

Answers

With our one remaing peacock the only time she is a problem is in early spring when the seedlings in the veggie garden are coming up. She will eat them right down. Especially the peas. I usually put her in the chicken coop with the chickens ( of course) and she stays there until the plants are a little bigger and then she doesn't seem to be interested. I haven't had any problems with actual bushes etc. She wanders down to the house and the gardens and eats the bird seed from the feeders but never have noticed anything eaten by her. Wish I could help you but maybe if you do pen them for a while hopefully they will forget about eating the bushes again when let loose. Since I only have the one left now ( something killed the male) maybe it's a "pack" thing...competition on who can eat the most. Perhaps "jail" is the only way to save your plants. Good Luck !!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), March 28, 2002.

I don't have a problem with the peacocks eating plants. I do have a MAJOR problem with them wanting to rest on my porch railings, and fouling the porches. It is a constant battle. It has come to two things. Bye-Bye peacocks or screening in the porches.

I have a young dog I got specifically for porch and yard duty to keep the chickens, ducks, and peafowl in their own yards, and out of mine and off the porches. I am not skilled in dog training. If I call for him to chase them off the porch, he does it and is quite proud of his accomplishment, otherwise, he just ignores them.

-- J McFerrin (JMcFerrin@aol.com), March 28, 2002.


I live in central Wisconsin. I am looking for a pair of these vegetative eating beasts. Anybody nearby with some for sale.

-- Calvin (calvin@dwave.net), March 28, 2002.

Viv, this is the addy to a Peafowl forum where experts will answer your question. http://www.birdhobbyist.com/forum/peacocks/ They are just beautiful birds aren't they? There is a "neighborhood" Peacock that visits us regularly on his rounds. Fun to have him here. Good luck, LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), March 28, 2002.

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