They're loud, proud and flourishing on a central Newfoundland farm - Action News
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They're loud, proud and flourishing on a central Newfoundland farm

Sure, they have the type of birds you'd expect to find on a farm in Newfoundland chickens, turkeys, and ducks but Campbellton Berry Farm is also home to a party of exotic peacocks.

Campbellton Berry Farm home to 11 birds, strutting their stuff for visitors

This peacock is one of the attractions at Campbellton Berry Farm in central Newfoundland. (Submitted by Victoria Thornley)

Sure, they have the type of birds you'd expect to find on a farm in Newfoundland,like chickens, turkeys, and ducks,but Campbellton Berry Farm has also been home to a much more exotic animal for the past 25 years a party of peacocks.

Elevenof the colourful birds strut their stuff for visitors to the petting farm and berry U-pick operation in the small community in Notre Dame Bay.

'Peacock' is commonly used to refer to both males and females. A group is known as a muster, ostentation, pride or party. (Melissa Tobin/CBC)

But the four males the peacocks and seven females, known as peahens,do more than put on a show.

Every year thepeacocksshed their long, brilliant, "eyed" tail feathers,which are collected andsold,and, according to farm co-owner Victoria Thornley, thepeahen eggs make a great loaf of bread.

Eleven peafowl live on the farm, including an albino peahen.

"We collect their feathers and we also collect their eggs. You can use them for baking they're really good for making bread, for making cakes," she told CBC Radio's Central Morning Show.

"And they're just beautiful birds, we just love to have them around."

Victoria's husband Andrew Thornley and their young son visit Izzy the peahen. Three generations of the Thornley family have worked on the farm since it started in 1979. (Submitted by Victoria Thornley)

The farm has been selling peahen eggs for the past couple of years. Thornley describes them as bigger and richer than a chicken egg, with a larger yolk and more robust taste.

"I personally wouldn't eat them as a cooked egg for breakfast or something, buttherearepeople who do it's really good for cooking."

Rescued just in time

Of all the peafowl on the farm, only one has been given a name.

Izzy actually spent the first couple of months of her life living with the family in their home after she hatched during flooding from tropical storm Isaac in 2006.

Izzy, shortly after she was rescued. (Submitted by Victoria Thornley)

"My husband seen the eggs starting to hatch in the water so he went in, picked them up andput them in his coat to try to keep them warm."

One of the chicks didn't survive, but the family taught Izzy how to feed, and kept her in their homefor a couple of months.

Izzy sits on Victoria Thornley's shoulder while the peachick was being raised in the family's home. (Submitted by Victoria Thornley)

"We ended up bringing her into the house and she used to eat breakfast every morning with my father-in-law, and she really thinks that she's not a bird, she thinks she's a human."

While peacocks are native to much warmer climates than Newfoundland it'sthe national bird of India Thornley said the fowl on her farm seem quite content.

"They've been here for so long, this is what they're used to. They love it, they're not stressed, they're very comfortable."

Even though Izzy now lives with the rest of the peafowl, Thornley says she often visits the house and tries to get inside. (Submitted by Victoria Thornley)

With files from Central Morning