Page 140 - One Thousand Ways to Make $1000

“Shortly after I started the swans, I decided to experiment a little with
peacocks as I had plenty of room. The peacock, I soon discovered, needed a
high fence around the entire area used for raising him, since these birds have
the habit of roosting on housetops, trees, and other high places, and refuse to
sleep in a coop. They are quite hardy birds, almost as easy to handle as swans
and are not bothered much by the cold. They are more prolific than the swan,
and because of the beauty of their plumage sell for big prices. I get up to
ninety-five dollars for a pair of well-matched green peacocks, and last year
sold seventy-six pair at this price.

About the only thing I have to watch closely is that no dogs or other small
animals get into the big pens. While the swan and peacock are large birds,
well able to take care of themselves in any battle with a dog, the presence of a
dog or the threat of one visiting them is sufficient to keep the birds from
laying. Frighten a peacock or swan and it seems to lose all desire to lay. The
swan is not subject to disease such as attack chickens, hence loss through
disease and sickness is practically nil. The peacock and the swan mate for life
and care should be taken to discover how they mate up, and not to break up
mated birds. I figure the cost for raising a swan to be about three dollars, and
three twenty-five for a peacock. This includes the cost of making the pens,
feeding, incidental expenses, except labor. The work of looking after the
birds, which is done by my wife and myself, takes only an hour or two each
day.”

The raising of ornamental birds takes more space than would be required for
other fowl, inasmuch as these birds like to strut and preen themselves a good
deal. There are many farms having marginal land that might profitably be
devoted to raising these birds. A ready market is always at hand, as the
demand for peacocks and swans by public parks, zoos, private estates,
playgrounds, public and private institutions, and universities is greater than
the existing supply.

Other ornamental birds may be raised along with swans and peacocks with
little added cost. For example, the Chinese Mandarin duck, wood duck and
Red Billed Tree duck will get along well with the swans, while Golden and
Silver pheasants and Pearl Guinea fowl will thrive with the peacocks.