Bread is one of the most common foods humans like to offer birds.
But is it okay for birds like peacocks? Let us find out.
Can peacocks eat bread?
Peacocks can eat bread. However, bread is of little or no nutritional benefits to peacocks.
Therefore, it is unsuitable for use as the mainstay diet of peafowl. Bread might be okay as irregular treats, but the general recommendation is to avoid feeding it regularly to peafowl.
Before you make the decision to feed bread to your peacocks, read the rest of this article. We verify if peacocks and baby peacocks can eat bread, and we talk about the types of bread they can eat or not eat.
Table of Contents
Can You Give Peacocks Bread?
You can give peacocks bread. Like ducks and many other species of birds, peacocks will eat bread when it is offered.
Of course, if you notice this, you should stop offering it to them.
Leaving uneaten bread around peacocks might be a potential source of contamination. Besides, you would just be wasting food by feeding bread to the uninterested birds.
Whenever you try to give peacocks bread, ensure you never offer them moldy bread. If you do this, you might just be jeopardizing the health of the bird.
Can Baby Peacocks (Pea Chicks) Eat Bread?
In the wild, peachicks typically eat what their mothers eat but in smaller bits. So, it is very likely that baby peacocks (peachicks) can eat bread.
Even so, we must point out that bread should be avoided in peachicks.
Peachicks are still in their growing stages. They need high levels of protein (20% or more) for them to grow.
However, bread cannot provide this level of protein. So, it is unsuitable for them, even if they can eat it.
The high protein requirement in peafowls (including peachicks) is partly due to their feathers.
It is estimated that about 90% of their feathers are made up of protein. Insufficient levels of protein will lead to abnormal feather production.
They could be given cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, or other similar vegetables.
After this period, you may start transitioning them to the diet of adult peacocks. Once they are into the adult diet, you may try giving them bread, but only as an irregular treat.
White Bread
Peacocks can eat white bread; they have no problem digesting it. But constant exposure to the sugar and additives in white bread might be a problem.
So, we reiterate that you should only give bread to peacocks infrequently.
Wheat Bread
Peacocks can eat wheat bread. But the caveat is still the same; it is of no significant nutritional benefit, so it should be restricted.
Moldy Bread
Peacocks should not eat moldy bread. Moldy pieces of bread contain Aspergillus spp., the fungus that causes aspergillosis. If peacocks eat moldy bread, they risk coming down with aspergillosis.
Unfortunately, the infection is pretty hard to cure, and it might take a while before the infected peacock gets better. Having strong immunity helps in eradicating the disease completely.
It is better to prevent aspergillosis in your birds than treat it.
So, apart from not giving them moldy bread, apply the best hygiene routine to their space. Clean their coop regularly and remove leftovers promptly.
Can Bread Be Fed as a Treat?
Bread can be fed as a treat to peacocks. It is best reserved as a treat for peacocks.
It serves no purpose as the main meal. Bread can even be harmful if offered as the main diet of a peacock.
If a peacock eats excessive amounts of bread, it would be unable to eat its regular food. If this continues over a long period, the peacock will become malnourished.
What Can Peacocks Not Eat?
Peacocks cannot eat the following food items:
- Avocado
- Pizza
- Burger
- Chocolate
- Hot Dogs
- Fried Food Items
- Coffee
- Tea
Other Treats for Peacocks
Besides bread, the following are some other treats for peacocks:
Insects
Peafowls love insects. And they typically eat the following:
- Locusts
- Ants
- Crickets
- Termites
Other Small Animals
Apart from insects, you can get these other small animals as treats for your peacock:
- Millipedes
- Centipedes
- Frogs
- Newts
- Toads
- Snails
- Slugs
Fruits and Vegetables
- Bananas
- Watermelon
- Celery
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Carrot tops
- Papaya
- Cabbage
- Celery
- Pineapple cores
Conclusion
Peacocks can eat bread. However, it is best avoided or given in limited amounts.
Bread offers no real nutritional value to peacocks, so if given in considerable portions, it will get in the way of regular nutritious feed. Over time, this may lead to malnutrition and death.
Resources
- https://chickenandchicksinfo.com/can-peacocks-eat-bread/
- https://chickenandchicksinfo.com/what-do-baby-peacocks-eat/
- https://andreeeaaa.typepad.com/blog/2011/08/peacock-food-likes-and-dislikes.html
- https://farmingmethod.com/what-do-peacocks-eat-drinks/#bread
- https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/caring-for-peafowl.67363/
- https://www.rpvca.gov/510/Dealing-with-Peafowl
- https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/aspergillosis-in-birds