In winter the peacock pens are important. During winter the nights draw in and we get the first frost of the winter we open up the breeding pens and let the peacocks move around in much bigger territories.  Mixing the breeds, giving the peafowl a change of scenery over the winter months.

We also use this time to see how the two year old peafowl are developing and to work out which breeding groups we will divide the peacocks into for the following year.

How many new Peacock pens do I need this year?

I also work out how many new pens I will need for the breeding season. I always need new pens as each year we develop different peafowl breeding groups.  Currently we have 23 Peafowl pens. Each peacock pen is fitted with outdoor perches and indoor space to protect the peacocks from the elements.  These indoor spaces also need to have plenty of perches too. The perches need to be high enough to enable a mature male peacock to perch with his tail off the ground.

Getting ready to breed Purple Peafowl

For the next breeding season I am splitting my purple peafowl into two groups. We have had two Indian Blue peahens and two Black Shouldered peahens in with the purple peacocks. These peahens have hatched a few purple peahens.  As a result we have now established two breeding lines.  We now have six purple peahens to take the development of this breed forward in the UK.

On a dull day the purple Peafowl can look very similar to the Indian Blue Peacock. However place the two male peacocks together on a sunny day and the difference s dramatic.  The Purple Peacocks have a violet neck and chest. Their tails shimmer with iridescent purple hues, the eyes within the peacocks train are a subtle purple colour.  They are truly magnificent!

Next year I plan to breed more purple peachicks so that we establish a commercial breeding programme as we have with the Opal Peafowl and Silver Pied Peafowl.

See what peacocks for sale we have at Peacocks UK, click here to see the full list of peacocks for sale