Aging Peafowl

[MinxFox]

When I talked to Josh of Rocking BAB Ranch last year he said that when his peafowl get to be 8 years of age he starts making arrangements for replacement peafowl for them by saving back a pair of that variety.

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Does that mean they will often stop laying after 8 years?

 

[MinxFox]

I don't think so, but I think that is just reassurance... I guess if he makes arrangements when a pair turns 8, that would mean he would hold back a pair of young birds, so by the time the younger pair became breeding age his older pair would be around 10 or 11 which I could see being an age where you might need a replacement pair ready just incase. I know the males can live a long time, but I think the peahens might not live as long...

Josh has lots of very nice birds, especially the imported greens so I can see why he would have to be careful to hold back pairs for himself.

 

[DylansMom]

I've not seen any difference in the way my 18 year-old hen lays. She was never a big layer anyway, no more than 5-6 eggs per clutch and no more than 2 clutches per season, all her life. Some of my hens will lay 8X that many eggs per season.

 

[MinxFox]

I hope all of my peafowl live to be 18 or older. I want to keep them all for a loooong time!