Peafowl on The Loose

Hybrid Gaillardia
This weekend, my friend Jeff came back for another quick visit...with his three adopted children and three peafowl, in a compact car! The birds were in a large dog kennel-a cock and two hens! With the car as loaded as you could be, they drove nine hours from Colorado...wow. After we got everyone settled, that means the boys were on the boat fishing, and Ebony was clinging to Dad, we had to put together the bird run. I had the frame for the structure, but needed help attaching the panels together, which took about an hour for a twenty four foot long enclosure. It was going to be dark soon, so Jeff drove the car to the back road, and we prepared to gently transfer the trio to their new home. Peafowl should be kept penned for several months to get acquainted with you and their surroundings. After a time, the male can be let out , but keep the hens in their pen for several more weeks, this keeps the males from wondering.
Sooo, the birds are a little more difficult to move than I had hoped, flapping and clawing to get away from us, we did transfer them to the roomy new diggs. I shut the door,after getting fresh water and food for them, then secured the outer panels. about an hour later, after dinner, I went to the new birds and peered inside...no Peacocks...!! "someone", that would not be me or Jeff, opened the door, and they were gone! I could not be more disapointed, but what can we do? I don't think it was intentional, but the door was wide open.... We all took a walk that night to view the fireflies in the lower meadow, a sight to behold! on our way back in the moonlight,Jeff looked up to see Flo, the pied hen, up a tree over the drive! We took the kids back home, then got a ladder to try to catch her. We kept talking to her, but when we got close, she took off, into the night. I didn't sleep very well, and got up about five thirty, to see if I could find their roost. I got the bag of Goldfish crackers,( a favorite snack) and headed out. These birds don't have any reason to stay...no food connections or sense of place, but they couldn't have gotten too far. I found feathers up the road, but there were no birds in sight. Then, I saw the beautiful male, walking down the drive ahead of me, not wanting to be caught. I didn't chase him, but let him see me. Going around the house and across the bridge, I saw Flo! I shook the crackers in the bag, but she walked quickly away...is there a chance I'll get them back? hummm..we'll see I guess, this is not good.

I was so excited to get them, and they were so much more beautiful than I had hoped, we got them settled in, and then poof! gone. I'll try every trick in the book to lure them, but there is only a slim chance that they might stay close, and not get eaten.