Peacock Moulting Now??

[instar8]

My 13 year old peacock is moulting already! He's dropping his train, but also I picked up some flight and body feathers. He hasn't been very vocal this spring, nor has he been displaying as much as usual. He did have to spend the winter alone, which I imagine was stressful, the last of "his" chickens passed in the fall. He seems kinda skittish, too.

I did put him on what I'd considered better feed, turkey/gamebird, he'd always eaten chicken feed, supplemented with cat kibble, peanuts and free ranging.

Any ideas what's up with him? He dropped his train earlier than normal last year, but it was mid-June, and not his body feathers.

Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[KsKingBee]

Molting during the wrong time of the year is generally caused by a light source during the winter.

 

[instar8]

Molting during the wrong time of the year is generally caused by a light source during the winter.

Maybe? My neighbors keep getting brighter and brighter. Sigh. I used to be able to see the milky way here 18 years ago, now it's hard to see stars.

 

[jsaxman1111]

Molting during the wrong time of the year is generally caused by a light source during the winter.

This happened with our boy. He kept 2 train feathers and just lost one the other day. He started strutting again and I just noticed a couple of days ago that he seems to be growing a few back. Is this normal? I didn't think they would grow back in the same breeding season but he has 4 notice train feathers growing. Will he become fertile again?

 

[KsKingBee]

I am not sure where you live but here in the US it is time for trains to drop and the new will start to regrow by the end of the summer.

That said, I imported three new cocks from the Netherlands in March, the trains were cut off for transport. All three had mature trains and they did regrow somewhat and bred and reproduced this season. They are now dropping their trains and I expect they will have nice new trains grow back in this winter.

As to being fertile; mature cocks are always fertile, they just do not have the urge to breed when they are out of season due to not making testosterone.

 

[jsaxman1111]

I am not sure where you live but here in the US it is time for trains to drop and the new will start to regrow by the end of the summer.

That said, I imported three new cocks from the Netherlands in March, the trains were cut off for transport. All three had mature trains and they did regrow somewhat and bred and reproduced this season. They are now dropping their trains and I expect they will have nice new trains grow back in this winter.

As to being fertile; mature cocks are always fertile, they just do not have the urge to breed when they are out of season due to not making testosterone.

I am in Pennsylvania. He had lost his train early all but two long feathers. He just dropped them and there are three or four regrowing. I had had the two hens with eggs and was having problems with the peachicks and the Black shoulder male was teaching them to eat and taking care of them. The one had just had chicks and the other hen had no babies. He started strutting again and she laid another clutch. I don't believe any of them are fertile, though. However, he is strutting again and is regrowing his feathers already. Last year, he didn't lose his train until about late July or August. The one mother is brooding and the other has 3 chicks. He is still strutting around.