Percy’s Poultry Unplugged

In February I wrote about the new additions of poultry to our property; a peacock, 2 peahens and nine guinea fowl penned at our place, awaiting the end of March when they would get their freedom to roam.

I remember asking, “What could go wrong?” with the worst case scenario in mind that my beautiful boy Neville might go flying off into the sunset once offered his freedom. One could only be so lucky . . .

The Bold and The Beautiful
To be fair, Neville is quite the laid back old boy, and the following frustrations don’t apply to him. He kicks around the house, grazes on the lawn and sometimes gives us a show when he shakes his tail feathers. But the younger hen Lindy, she is EVERYWHERE! 

She’s on the roof of the shed, the roof of the house, the top of the tallest tree; and that’s just when she’s feeling adventurous. The rest of the time, with the older hen Cindy in tow, she is looking for her own reflection. What a drama!

I first noticed this when the pair took up residence under my bedroom window. Trying to nap when you have two vain peahens honking at their own reflection at your window is only funny in hindsight, trust me.

And though I was warned they like to sit on cars, I was not warned at how stubborn they can be. It became a regular event to chase Lindy from peering at herself in the windscreen of a vehicle, and something had to be done before these pretty birds ended up in a pot.

A suggestion from our landlord that we should employ the use of mirrors in the garden to lure them away from the shed was the idea that saved the car bonnets (and the birds) from destruction. 

I created what I call the Peahen Powder Room, and the line-up was instant. These vain birds will sit in front of a mirror all day long, or at least until the weather turns sour and then they start invading our space. 

But it works for the most part, and by strategically covering the powder room mirror in the late afternoon, we have been able to encourage the peafowl to return to their pen and be locked in at night, like big frustratingly vain chickens.

Neville might be their only redemption. He is a beautiful bird that often appears to be hiding from his fiendish female counterparts. Occasionally, you hear the rustle of his tail as he puts on a proud display, and stopping for a few moments to admire the show is something we all do. 

They call to each other across the property, the cry haunting at times, and for the most part, the girls’ sins are forgiven and we continue to open the cage door each morning to allow their freedom.

The Nervous and The Noisy
Of the nine guinea chicks we began with, we lost one; however, the remaining eight are happy, healthy and NOISY! They make a sound as ugly as their heads and move about the farm together in a huddle of nervous energy. They are exactly the noisy little pack of raptors I’d first envisaged, but to their credit, they are actually quite funny and amusing birds to have around.

Not only are the guinea fowl friendlier than the peafowl (I guess since we’ve had them since chicks), they are by far better behaved. They also get locked away each night like big chickens, although they don’t need any fancy mirror network nor the occasional herding into their pen as the peafowl do. In the late afternoon, you can hear their constant garble move its way into the cage and know it’s time to go and shut the door. So easy to care for! And so funny to watch!

In the morning, making sure the whole household is awake before letting their noise loose, they are given their freedom once again, and I generally stick around to watch the antics that follow. These hypnotically coloured birds pour through the door, spreading into the open area like liquid and immediately begin to fuss about in their nervous way. They talk to each other constantly, run at each other with their wings out like little airplanes; jump and skip and play, and with their ugly little heads, I guess they have no interest in their own reflections. 

Despite the noise, the guinea fowl are actually a delight to have around. That is until you have to make a phone call. Where we live you have to be outside to get enough mobile service to make a call. Where we live, we are surrounded by noisy guinea fowl the second we step outside. Is that what they call a catch 22?

They run to cars, to people, to dogs, to cats and often follow me down the driveway on my walks. The only things they stay away from is the peafowl! They live quite amicably side-by-side, but neither type of bird is interested in having anything to do with the other; and it’s not surprising since they are worlds apart in nature.

Initially, I think the goal with introducing poultry was to add a new dynamic to the property and invite new experiences. Well, we have certainly achieved that so far. If the birds aren’t the first thing you see when you arrive, they are definitely the first thing you hear.