HEN LAid 2 eggs in Woods and sitting Need advice/same as HELP I need..

[peafowlmom]

She didn't have any luck all season, now she is at the edge of my property right up against the dog's fence. I thought she had left.
I was literally making a missing peahen sign when my son said "There is one out there w/out any blue on it."
So I gathered up all kinds of goodies: cheese, strawberries, crackers, mealworms, and baby spinach.
She ate, chased off the chickens, and then, as I was getting fresh water for her, she left again.
I called my husband and he said go find her. My son and I put on rain gear and headed out to search the woods.
We climbed the fence, was looking everywhere and then I spotted her on the inside of our fence.
I knew she was nesting, but I didn't know if they were chicks or eggs. I touched her back feathers and she got up and there were 2 eggs.

So, here is my question, in case you didn't want to read all that.

]SHOULD I leave her out there or move her and the eggs into a pen?
If I touch her eggs will she still lay on them? Myth?
Do you think they are fertile? There is a male that started getting a train after her mates fell off.

PLEASE someone give me advice.

Thanks, Carrie
SORRY THERE IS ANOTHER POST I PUT ON HERE ALMOST THE SAME< I MUST HAVE BEEN SLEEPWALKING

 

[DawnCols]

I have no experience with peafowl (in fact, I don't even know what they are), but I'm hoping that my reply will bump up your question for someone else to answer.

If it were me and I had no one to ask, I'd probably move the eggs. But again, no knowledge or experience here, except to say that I've noticed my chickens get possessive of the golf ball I put in the nest. If they don't like the nest, they move the golf ball and sit on it with their eggs.

Good luck, and I hope someone else chimes in with something more useful.

 

[MinxFox]

DawnCols: Peafowl is the overall term for peacock. Peacocks are the males and peahens are the females.

Peafowlmom: How long would you say she has been gone? I think if you try and move the eggs and her to a pen chances of her still setting on them might be slim. You can take the eggs and incubate them yourself or you could let her keep them as long as you are not worried about predators. Some people build temporary pens around nesting peahens and put food and water in there. I am not sure if you want to do that. I had about the same thing happen to me except mine are all in a pen. The whole year was horrible. The peahens would lay an egg and something would eat it, or they would lay it off a perch, or for one of them she was on one egg and it was broken open too soon and the chick died. Finally as this breeding season was coming to a close with my only mature male shedding his train, raccoons broke in and killed him and later another peahen. I was so sad because I really wanted peachicks from him. Well one of the peahens was on a nest, and I thought she was on just one egg. I was worried about her since we were having predator problems and she was on the ground. It takes like around 25-28 days for the eggs to hatch. It seems like forever waiting...I did touch the eggs. I numbered them but I didn't move them. I always wait for the peahen to leave the nest to touch the eggs but I don't think you have to wait for her to leave if you really need to see the eggs. Turns out my peahen was on 3 eggs and she hatched all of them out! All the peachicks are doing great in her care. The eggs can be fertile even if her mate's train is gone. As long as she matted with him before he lost most of his train I think the eggs should be good.

I don't know exactly what I would do if I were you, but I kinda think I would just leave her to do her thing as long as predators would not be an issue like if she is well hidden.

 

[peafowlmom]

I ended up moving her into a pen. Then she didn't sit on them, I put them in the incubator until yesterday. They were NOT fertile. I don't feel so bad having moved them now. I really want to hatch something. My son is growing up and not needing me as much.

 

[mhhousley]

I know in a book called "Gardening with Guineas" about guineas it said to get something like a small dog kennel and move the bird and nest all in one fell swoop. Just FYI for next time.

 

[deerman]

Just for the record.....I have never seen a broody peahen moved and still set......nothing like some broody chicken hen the would set on rocks.

Other peafowl breeders may had luck with it.....but i never seen one yet that would......