Peacocks are beautiful, exotic birds and would make a colorful addition to any herd.
If you have ever seen one, the thought may have crossed your mind of how much it would cost to raise or buy a peacock of your own.
If you have a hobby farm already set up, the answer to this question may surprise you.
The upfront cost of buying a peacock will depend on age, quantity, where you live, and what variety of peacock you are looking for. Expect to pay an upfront cost of around $50 with a monthly cost of $20 for food and care.
Let’s break some of these options down a bit further and see if adding a peacock or peahen would be a cost-effective addition to your hobby farm.
Peacock Breeds And Their Purchase Prices
Baby peachicks are available for as low as $10-$30.
An adult peacock or peahen (without defects or coloring issues) can go anywhere from $35 to $400.
Certain rare varieties of peacocks or peahens can even go upwards from there.
If you are not worried about breeding your peacock or peahen and would be okay with a flawed bird with some off-coloring or minor feet issues, get them at a bargain of $35-$55.
But answering this specific question will determine your up-front costs when purchasing your pet.
Determining what breed you want to purchase is a personal choice for looks.
Use this chart to help you understand how much each one costs.
| Species | Cost |
|---|---|
| Black Shoulder | $50 to $100 |
| Cameo | $200 to $250 |
| India Blue | $50 to $75 |
| Pied | $175 to $250 |
| Spalding | $75 to $125 |
| White | $200 to $250 |
Unlike other pet breeds such as dogs or cats, the different breeds of peacocks are categorized mainly by the colors they can display.
All of the different breeds are beautiful birds with their unique colors to show off.
The Black Shoulder Peacocks are cream-colored with a metallic green coloration.
The Cameo Peacocks stem from a color mutation and are typically different shades of browns.
The India Blue is the most well-known of the peacock breeds.
Its blue-green iridescent plumage is jaw-dropping.
The Pied is similar to the India Blue coloring but has patches of white throughout its body.
The White varieties are beautiful peacocks and tend to go for the highest price.
Finding a reputable bird breeder or hatchery would be the best option for finding a healthy peacock pet.
Many of them are insured for the purchase and might have a higher cost, to begin with, but it may help to feel more secure in getting a healthy bird from someone who knows what they are producing.
If you buy a peacock or peahen from an out-of-state breeder, be prepared for added shipping costs.
This can sometimes add up to $100 or more to your purchase price and guarantee a safe passage from the farm to you.
This adds stress to the bird and is not preferred purchasing.
Investing In Shelter For Your Peacock
If you do not already have a shelter in place, this will be where the cost of adding a peacock can go up significantly.
With a wingspan of over 6′ feet for an average peacock, they need large spaces.
The other catch is the space needs to be enclosed since these birds can fly and are prone to predators.
Having a large outdoor area is best to add a peacock to your herd.
The outside of their pen would ideally be around 16′ feet tall.
This is done with chicken wire or tarps, depending on your budget and what best fits your space.
Peacocks are more acclimated to warm weather climates.
If you live in an area where it gets cold or rainy, you will need to incorporate areas in their living space for them to go to warm up and stay dry.
A concrete foundation is the most secure for your peacock’s sleeping quarters.
This keeps animals such as raccoons, possums, and snakes out of the enclosure.
There is no reason to make this part of the space too large as peacocks will only go inside for sleeping.
They also do not need nesting boxes as they prefer to rest on the floor with some soft bedding.
If you are interested in breeding and raising peacocks, you would also need to add a separate space for the hatching eggs and space to keep babies separate until they are large enough to mix with the rest of the herd.
All of these details will involve added costs.
A peacock is not intended to be an indoor family pet.
They thrive when they can roam outside in a secure area out of reach of ground predators.
Feeding Your Peacock
An adult peacock needs added protein in its diet to keep its feathers at their peak coloring.
They are not grazing pets who can simply live off of the land.
An ideal diet for peacocks includes food items such as:
- Corn
- Ants
- Crickets
- Wheat
- Fruits
- Nuts
- Worms
- Reptiles
This should only set you back around $10-$20 a month in food cost per adult peacock or peahen.
Baby peachicks would require a more expensive diet as they are growing.
A high-protein game bird feed from your local feed store would be a great place to start.
This costs around $20 a bag.
The feed is supplemented with dark leafy greens to help them grow into strong adult birds.
Peacocks require fresh water at all times.
Since they are originally from hot, dry climates, they are prone to dehydration.
Water should be kept outside of their nesting area and kept clean, so they don’t pick up any kind of parasites.
Can You Make Money From Your Peacocks?
If you were to operate a breeding facility for your peacocks and already have the set up for it, there is money to be made in selling peacocks.
They are fairly low-maintenance.
Peacocks are ornamental birds many hobby farmers would like to add for some color and personality.
The main thing to remember is to start small and keep the up-front costs low until you start gaining some momentum and knowledge of your birds.
Peahens do produce eggs after they are 2 years old.
These eggs are about 3 times the size of an average chicken egg and can sell for anywhere between $25 and $55.
The price to sell will depend on the breed and variety of peahen laying the egg and demand in the market for the specific option.
The demand for peacocks is slowly rising as people learn more about them and their low-maintenance lifestyle.
Are Peacocks Easy To Keep?
Peacocks are amazing creatures and can sometimes live up to 50 years old.
The average life of a peacock is around 12-15 years.
When considering adding a peacock or peahen to your hobby farm, be sure and understand this is a long-term investment.
The overall maintenance costs are relatively low after getting your shelter and enclosed pen completed.
The medical costs for peacocks are typically very low.
They are healthy birds not susceptible to a lot of health problems.
This is a huge bonus when considering the costs of raising peacocks versus other types of outdoor pets.
Peacocks are not known to be great companions or protectors.
They can alert you with their loud voices if they sense or see a predator, but they won’t necessarily stop an attack from happening.
They are also not going to be a pet to get super close to or snuggle with.
If this is the type of pet you are looking for, you may want to expand your search before making any investments.
The main job of peacocks is to eat bugs and be beautiful birds to look at.
They are very noisy creatures to add spunk and personality to any space they live in.
With over 225 varieties of peacocks currently listed with the United Peafowl Association, you are bound to find the perfect variety of peacocks to add to your farm.
Soon, you’ll be stepping outside and seeing a beautiful feathered train amongst your flock.
They would make a great conversation piece for visitors stopping by and will not be too hard on your wallet.
