First time peahen laying question

[cosmosweaver11]

I have a 2 yr old peahen that has laid 6 eggs so far in 6 different locations. I keep picking them up and putting them in the nest. She doesn't seem to be sitting on them. How many eggs will lay before she starts sitting? Should we keep putting them in the nest or leave them alone? Do they automatically know what to do when the time is right? Any comments or suggestions would greatly be appreciated as we have had the 3 (1 f 2m) since they were a week old and are new to this.

 

[pittmanbirds]

I have a 5 year old peahen. In the 3 years since she has laid eggs she has never went broody and sat on eggs. Some just never do. I incubate the eggs. Especially if your hen never made her own nest to lay in sure probably isn't going broody anytime soon.

 

[cosmosweaver11]

Pittman she's at 7 now no I don't think she is. We even made a nest for her but she's just dropping everywhere and anywhere. Do u think they are still good to incubate? And can I do it in a regular egg incubator if I take the egg holder rotator out and just set on bottom screen and rotate myself? Any tips on doing it would greatly be appreciated. Thank u so much for responding I've been stressing what to do.

 

[cosmosweaver11]

I have a 5 year old peahen. In the 3 years since she has laid eggs she has never went broody and sat on eggs. Some just never do. I incubate the eggs. Especially if your hen never made her own nest to lay in sure probably isn't going broody anytime soon.

I think I responded wrong so u would know i replied. can u look at thread sometime when u get a chance.

 

[pittmanbirds]

I never had luck incubating them until this year when i got a cabinet type incubator (had my first hatch today!) so cant help you there. Never hurts to try though! Let me know how it goes!

 

[cosmosweaver11]

I never had luck incubating them until this year when i got a cabinet type incubator (had my first hatch today!) so cant help you there. Never hurts to try though! Let me know how it goes!

Well congratulations..il just keep doing research as nd see what I can find out.

 

[KsKingBee]

I have a 2 yr old peahen that has laid 6 eggs so far in 6 different locations. I keep picking them up and putting them in the nest. She doesn't seem to be sitting on them. How many eggs will lay before she starts sitting? Should we keep putting them in the nest or leave them alone? Do they automatically know what to do when the time is right? Any comments or suggestions would greatly be appreciated as we have had the 3 (1 f 2m) since they were a week old and are new to this.

A second year hen is not going to lay a lot of eggs, they don't normally kick in until the third year. If you put the eggs in a nest where she can see them accumulate she MIGHT decide to set on them. Be sure to turn them every day but if she doesn't begin setting them within ten days you should try incubating them or put them under a broody chicken.

 

[cosmosweaver11]

A second year hen is not going to lay a lot of eggs, they don't normally kick in until the third year. If you put the eggs in a nest where she can see them accumulate she MIGHT decide to set on them. Be sure to turn them every day but if she doesn't begin setting them within ten days you should try incubating them or put them under a broody chicken.

Thank u Kingbee...if I incubate the would it be possible for me to do it in a chicken incubator with the rotation trays taken out and just set the on the wire rack? I see u keep it at 99.5 to 100 degrees exactly. But not sure of humility. The only thread I could find said 86 to 88 degrees F wet bulb temperature which I don't understand. I have a thermometer and I have a humitidy gage that does it by percent. I need help on this can you or anyone give me more pointers?

 

[pittmanbirds]

You can use any incubator as long as the heat and humidity is good then your good to go (much easier said than done for me lol). I was toldby the guy got my peafowl from to keep humidity around 50, crank it up as high as possible in lock down, and to keep a spray bottle of water in the incubator and spray the eggs everyday they are in lockdown. I went from 0 eggs hatched last year to so far 2 outta 2hatched. I do staggered hatches. So humidity is always between 45 and up to 80 when something is hatching. Its hard to figure out what exactly to do. But so far i have awesome hatch rate so I'm not changing anything. Good luck.

 

[pittmanbirds]

Hopefully somebody more experienced chimes in.