3rd Nest of the Season!

[msmolly]

Who Knew?! Lucy is on her third nest of the season. Having lost the first two nests, this is good news.....I think. Just for the records,(for those of you who can use this info for your own birds)- she sat on the first nest full term, but I think those eggs suffered too much disturbance- between raccoon theft and me moving them while checking etc... so they only developed partially. That nest was started May 12.(in Ohio) I Took her off the eggs June 22. She started a new nest July 22- but that was out side the pen and was attacked by some thing- so was aborted soon after. She is now on her 3rd nest, started around August 25. What surprised me is, I only have the one male, Blue: and Blue dropped his tail quite early this year. I'm assuming these eggs are fertile, as Lucy is a veteran Momma. Which means... Blue fertilized these eggs after he had lost his tail.
I kinda thought the tail drop marked the end of the" Hanky Panky"!

Shows how little I know. If these eggs hatch- I'm gonna need to start knitting little peachick sweaters!

 

[centrarchid]

Currently a hen roosting / nesting in garage under close observation will be starting her third brood soon. Presently she has 13 eggs in nest. First brood has 9 surviving juveniles, second has three. It is possible she will attempt a fourth in November / December if babied.

 

[msmolly]

Wow, and your in Missouri! Have your males dropped their tails yet? I assume your hen doesnt raise the chicks herself, you take the chicks to encourage further nests?

 

[centrarchid]

See linked thread for details on hen in garage getting ready to set third brood. She incubates and rears chicks through about 5 weeks post-hatch before reconditioning for next brood. Harem masters when present tend to take over rearing after weaning at 5 weeks and may make a significant contribution to hens reconditioning for subsequent brood.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/882368/what-to-look-for-in-a-broody-rooster

A breeding cycle = 2 weeks to set clutch + 3 weeks to incubate + 5 weeks to rear chicks to weaning + 1 week to recondition for subsequent clutch = about 11 weeks. Some hens stay with brood for a lot longer but that seems restricted for large broods and where harem master does not participate in rearing juveniles. My birds games so which tend to invest more in offspring than most breeds.


All males and about half of females have dropped their tails. Females with tails all have chicks or are brooding on nest.

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Are we talking about peas here?

 

[msmolly]

Are we talking about peas here?

Yep, I am atleast. I assumed centrachid is, but now that I see the links, not sure. 13 eggs seems ALOT for a peahen.......hmmm

 

[MeepBeep]

Blue fertilized these eggs after he had lost his tail.
I kinda thought the tail drop marked the end of the" Hanky Panky"!     Shows how little I know.

It's my understanding that the hormone change that causes the train loss also creates sterility, just like it does in most birds during a molt... But, the female can store sperm for about a month or longer so there is still a chance...

 

[centrarchid]

Are we talking about peas here?

I assumed you were talking chickens. My mistake. Even after second close read I was slow to catch on.

Some of what I see in chickens may hold for wild peafowl although multiple cohorts per season likely not.

 

[msmolly]

I assumed you were talking chickens. My mistake. Even after second close read I was slow to catch on.

Some of what I see in chickens may hold for wild peafowl although multiple cohorts per season likely not.

No Problem- good luck with with all those eggs and chicks!

 

[msmolly]

It's my understanding that the hormone change that causes the train loss also creates sterility, just like it does in most birds during a molt... But, the female can store sperm for about a month or longer so there is still a chance..

Interesting- Is that really true, that the female can store sperm for a whole month?! Yikes! Any way I cross my fingers with mixed feelings. Yes I want chicks, but so late in the season could pose problems with a cold winter coming up. Does it mean any thing that Blue dropped his tail so early this year?