More pea questions

[chicknmania]

We have two India blues, a cock and a hen. They are, I think around four or five months old. When will she start to lay? And when she does, what kind of nest box should we set up for her? They will be allowed to free range. Also, will she use the nest box? Our chickens kind of use whatever they feel like, and it usually isn't the nest box.

 

[ruth]

You've got a long time to wait. Peahens are usually around two years old before they start to lay though some can lay as early as a year, year and a half, HOWEVER, the male must be three years old to be mature enough for the eggs to be fertile. So if both peahen and peacock are only 4 months old, no need to start worrying about nest boxes yet.

 

[Kev]

It is normal for 2 year olds to have fertility to varying degrees though. I have heard of one year old males being fertile, verdict is still out if that's really rare or not.

Males are "fully colored" at three years.

 

[TV]

They will likely breed next year at 2yrs. old. if they are free range, it is doubtful the hen will use the nest box you picked for her. She will nest in a secluded spot of her choosing.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Cool, that's good to know since all of mine are a year and a half old - three males, three females. One of the females laid an egg a few months ago. Everything I've read and heard said the males had to be at least two and normally three years old to be fully mature.

By the way, mine all freerange also. I've found my freeranging chickens and ducks start to lay at four months so maybe the peafowl will develop sooner as well.

 

[NateinFL]

The male's third season, he is fertile. He's only 2 years old but its his third season. That's the way it was told to me.

 

[chicknmania]

Good I'm not in any hurry for them to breed. We really only want two. But they are beautiful and we are enjoying them.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
So if mine hatched 4th of July (2008) is that their first season or does the next summer count as their first? I'm assuming a "season" is the Spring-Summer period in which they normally mate and lay eggs. I know my black shoulder male is getting a beautiful, long train already and he's only 1 1/2 and at least one of my peahens laid an egg at one year old.

I would love it if I could get fertile eggs this summer.

 

[DMFarm]

I have only had one 2 year old male that I didn't get any fertile eggs out of his pen. Some of my 2 years old male I have hatch more chicks at 2 than I did when they were 3. I have had a few one year old hens [that were early hatch] lay and have hatch chicks but they were with a older male with your hen only being 5 months old I would not expect any eggs. Kevin I had someone tell me they had a pen of yearling that was fertile and they hatch chicks but I don't believe it maybe if there was a older male.

Ruth your blackshoulder male is old enought to breed and you will get fertile eggs.
Doug

 

[deerman]

Yes the india will be fertile at 2yr. so any hatched in 2008 will breed this year. Good rule if they have any eye feather in their train they will be fertile.

Rare for a 2yr old male not to be fertile, lot of people will think because the train is not long they want breed, but all mine have their 2nd year.