Brooding Dilemma...What Would You Do?

[Willowbrook]

I have 10 peafowl that are two years old. They were raised here from chicks and have never been penned, except for when they were young. They free range daily, sleep in the trees or barn at night and have, in my opinion, a wonderful life.

I have a blue hen that has taken to laying a clutch of eggs on a higher platform in the barn. There is no straw or any nesting materials whatsoever, but she's sitting on a clutch of eggs of which I'm not certain of the count. I did see her breeding so there is a good chance that the eggs are fertile.

So far she seems to be very good at brooding them and rarely leaves her "nest."

The dilemma I have is that, one, I don't know whether they are fertile, and two, if they are and do hatch, the chicks would kill themselves once they were mobile as they would fall to their death below.

I could incubate the eggs, but I have strong feelings about fowl in general not being able to hone their mothering instincts as eggs are taken away from them and they never have the opportunity to use what I consider natural behaviors.

All of this to say that once the eggs hatch, if I brought the chicks down would the hen/mother take care of them on the ground level or should I then brood them in a brooder to ensure survival?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't have peafowl so no experience with them. I have seen a mother hen get her chicks down from a 10 foot high barn loft. She tells them to jump and they do. Their wings keep them upright and do slow their descent a bit, but without feathers they really are not flying. They were landing on a realtively soft manure/hay floor. I'm not saying there are no risks. Obviously there are, but all these chicks walked away.

I'm probably not helping much, actually probably making your decision harder. Good luck, whichever way you decide.

 

[Choctaw Valley Farm]

I wouldn't worry to much about the chicks they will stay close to mom and by the the time they venture out the chicks can pretty much take care of them self, but mom will be right there to help, the eggs are probably fertile and also may not all be hers but if she is sitting on them they are now

.

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR HATCH.

Steve

 

[Willowbrook]

Thank you both for your advice.

If they do hatch, should I put food and water up there for them? It might keep them more content and they would stay longer before venturing out.

 

[Choctaw Valley Farm]

You can if you like, but she will take them to food and water so if it is close they will not have to venture out to find it.

Steve

 

[deerman]

Peachick are hatched with some flight feathers. few pointers feed them a medicated starter, mother can and do raise peachicks, but if you want to raise 100 % of them. you may need to pen them. predators may take a few.

Yes if you take them down she will still take care of them....