Losing Train and Fertility?

[Shepicca]

One of the yearling white peahens laid an egg yesterday<yippee> I was going to move her in with the BS male so at least the eggs had a chance of being fertile but I noticed last night he has lost 8 of his train feathers. I have heard that when they lose their train they are no longer fertile so I was wondering if there was any point in moving her to be with him or not? Will he be fertile until the whole train is gone, how fast do they lose the train? I don't want to put her through the stress of changing pens if there isn't much hope of fertile eggs.
Thanks

Irene

 

[Kedreeva]

Don't quote me, because I'm not speaking from experience, but I suspect that the actual fertility of the males doesn't 'go away' when they lose their train- I suspect that the peahen does not find them attractive when this happens, and may not allow a mating to occur. Same effect, I suppose.

 

[TASH 66]

I found info about moult (ecological studies of the plumes of peacock (pavo cristatus) - In the fourth week some Peacock plumes began to loosen and swing suspended. Because the loose plumes cause irritation, Peacocks removed them with their bills. They often preened their train of plumes, plucking out the loos ones. the rate of molt was very slow in the first week, i.e., three to six plumes per day. Molting increased in the second week to 6-21 feathers per day, and this continued through the fourth week. During the fifth and sixth weeks, the rate slowd to two to four plumes per day. But i couldn't find any info about will he be fertile, personaly i would be not take risk.

Good luck Irene.

Tash

 

[Shepicca]

Thanks Tash, that was really helpful. He is losing about 6 plumes a day now so next week it should be raining feathers! I think you are right, I wil just leave the yearling where she is and not stress her out for nothing. I just find it hard that that egg could have been a chick...I am obsessed LOL!

Irene

 

[deerman]

I would put her with him, just one mating b4 he drops his train, could get you some fertile eggs for a few weeks, if she keeps laying

 

[TASH 66]

It is not too bad an idea, if cages side by side, why not. But if you need to catch...., I will be not doing that. I am strassing too much doing this job, but it is me Irene.

Tash

 

[Shepicca]

I moved her this afternoon. She has been in the other half of the house for the last couple months so has seen them and knows them, sort of.
Now we will just wait and see.

Irene

 

[Praxxus]

I've had my peafowl for around 5 years. I have no idea if the male goes infertile, but he definitely does lose his sex drive when he loses his train.


Now all he does is sit around watching football, eating corn dogs, passing gas and laughing about it.

 

[Shepicca]

So far he still has most of his train. The middle is looking pretty threadbare but the sides are OK.
The white yearling has not laid one egg since being moved to his pen so it might be all for nothing anyways. At least I can say I tried

Irene