animal kingdom / DAILY FARM LIFE

If you give a peacock a mirror

Oh my goodness, I disappeared! But sitting her tonight at my quiet desk with a “new post” window blinking in front of me (and as a matter of fact, a ladybug crawling across my screen), it feels so nice to be back here. I’ve been out to SanFrancisco for work at BabyCenter’s offices. I’ve been fighting this walking pneumonia (still!), we’ve had trailrides through Woodlawn, family in town, outside projects, homeschool co-ops….life is full to overflowing. (And PS, I’ve made some plans to slow down come Winter. Saying ‘no’ is a very good thing.)

And while there’s a lot of backtracking I could do, I had to pop on here tonight to say hello and show you a picture of one of the newest arrivals at Woodlawn. 

Harriet, earlier this summer.

Lee and his “wife” Harriet–a pair of young peacocks–were birthday gifts to me this summer. They were five months old when they were given to me–but it takes peacocks a year to get their full plumage. They live in a partioned off section of our chicken coop, since the chickens like to give them a hard time (understatement).

Sadly, late this fall, Harriet got pretty abused by a chicken that somehow got into the peacock’s pen. 

And when the temps dropped drastically two weeks ago, we lost Harriet in the night.

Now, Lee is distraught without her. He paces

Oh my goodness, I disappeared! But sitting her tonight at my quiet desk with a “new post” window blinking in front of me (and as a matter of fact, a ladybug crawling across my screen), it feels so nice to be back here. I’ve been out to SanFrancisco for work at BabyCenter’s offices. I’ve been fighting this walking pneumonia (still!), we’ve had trailrides through Woodlawn, family in town, outside projects, homeschool co-ops….life is full to overflowing. (And PS, I’ve made some plans to slow down come Winter. Saying ‘no’ is a very good thing.)

And while there’s a lot of backtracking I could do, I had to pop on here tonight to say hello and show you a picture of one of the newest arrivals at Woodlawn. 

Harriet, earlier this summer.

Lee and his “wife” Harriet–a pair of young peacocks–were birthday gifts to me this summer from my sister. My grandmother had peacocks, and well, give me the gift of something my grandmother had…I’ll be happy.

They were five months old when they were given to me–but it takes peacocks a year to get their full plumage. They live in a partioned off section of our chicken coop, since the chickens like to give them a hard time (understatement).

Sadly, late this fall, Harriet got pretty abused by a chicken that somehow got into the peacock’s pen. 

And when the temps dropped drastically two weeks ago, we lost Harriet in the night.

Now, Lee is distraught without her. He paces and tries to get out of his pen to be with the chickens (who are so mean to him) and is lost without his mate. 

And let me tell you this, peacocks aren’t a dime a dozen. It’s hard to find a replacement peacock. And meanwhile Lee is pretty much breaking my heart on a daily basis. 

So last night after a 4-H meeting, Emma came home with the genius idea to put a mirror in his pen. So at the top of our to-do list today was a trip to Target for Lee’s own personal looking glass. As if peacocks weren’t vain enough, right? 

For now, we’ve tricked him. He’s cooing to the bird in the mirror and attempting to make friends. But he hasn’t completely given up on the chickens and his mirror bird seems to only be a temporary fix. So we’re back on the trail for a new peacock friend. 

My to-do list looks something like this:

Make dinner

Do laundry

Pick up toys

Put an ad on craigslist for a peacock.

Yup, Woodlawn problems. I’ll keep you updated on Lee and feathers crossed (ha) he finds a friend very soon. 

10 comments on “If you give a peacock a mirror”

  1. Oh no. Such a conincidence I use to have a peacock and it was attacked by another animal in the middle of the night. I was so sad. They are so beautiful to look at. And I am so sorry to hear about the walking pneumonia – I have also been there done that back in college and it was the most horrible experience. Feel better soon!

  2. First off…kudos to Emma, brilliant idea of using the mirror !!!!! Second, it makes me a little cranky to think that schoolyard, workyard, and barnyard all have bullies……..grrrrrrr. Hopefully, You'll soon find a mate for Lee. I'm anxious to hear part 2.

  3. Just a small word do caution, once your peacock becomes adult age he may fight that reflection he sees in the mirror. Our experience has been that they fight themselves to the point of a bloody mess on glass doors that are tinted thus appearing like a mirror. Just don't want you to have to endure any more tragedy. I hope you can locate a friend for Lee soon.

  4. It always amazes me how animals can tweak our emotional strings so easily, aaah, the things we do for the love of animals. I wish the world had more animal lovers, lol. Though on a side note, when I googled "peafowl breeders", I was surprised to see how many there were. Though how do you find out who is a reputable breeder? I guess it's good to know a peafowl hookup, lol. Hopefully Lee can hang in there till another lady can be found for him. Good luck and best wishes!
    Sheri
    http://www.pompanobeachgardening.blogspot.com

  5. We also have a peacocks. We let ours free range and he perches on a tree of his choice every night. He’s close to a year old and after the first 6 months there are not many natural predators.
    As babies though his mate went missing. We think a larger animal to blame. And let me just tell you clide was very very distraught and depressed without his Bonnie

    Since he was free range he found mirrors on his own! I’ve found it so strange how much he loooooves his own reflection. His favorite spot is in front of our sliding glass door being as he loves us and his reflexion… He also likes to chill on the vehicles and gaze at himself. The large mirror we have on the ground outside for him he will do a dance and hop around w himself.

    However at first he may have thought it was another peacock I think he knows it’s himself and not another bird.

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