Prodigal Peacocks

Hunger drives us to do things.  Sometimes good, sometimes not so good. There are different kinds of hunger, but it is the hunger of the stomach I am referring to.  Because of hunger, one is more apt to steal.  Because of hunger, one may tend to shove a smaller creature out of the way. Because of hunger, like the prodigal son, one can be driven towards home where the food is.

George has blue feathers on the neck, Victoria more green.

George, the peacock showing off his plumage.

Several weeks ago, we experienced a very windy and rainy storm.  The next morning the sun shone brightly through the clouds as I went about my chores of feeding the animals at the usual time. Sometime during the night, the bird coop door must have flung open because I found all the ducks and chickens enjoying wandering around freely on the grass.  My heart skipped a beat.  We have more than just ducks and chickens.  We also have George and Victoria, a peacock and peahen.  I searched inside the coop. Just as I feared, no sign of them.  
My heart sank. I was so disappointed. They were wild peacocks that we had caught at friend's house; I thought we would never see them again.  They were scared off by the storm, and were probably on their way to join a wild flock somewhere.  A neighbor had spotted them in his yard the next day, but didn't realize they were mine, so he didn't call.  Three days went by, and no sign of them.  So, I decided I would put a dish of egg crumple with cracked corn just outside the coop door, and see what would happen.  And sure enough! Hunger brought them home.  We were easily able to herd them back into the coop.  The prodigal peacocks have returned to The Derby Farm.