Mr. Ice.

[maitia17960]

How old do you think Ice is? My sister bought him and a peahen for me in July 2009. I always loved them and said one day I would like to have a pair. She surprised me with them. What a lovely surprise they were. They told her he was 1 year old when she bought him. That year he didn’t have a train. Last year he had a small one. This is how he looks this year. Do you think this spring he will be 3 or 4 years old? Just wondering.

 

[KWAK]

3 or 4 yrs old?

 

[Choctaw Valley Farm]

If he was hatched in 2008 that would make him 3 years old this year.

Steve

 

[deerman]

his first long train , then he is 3yr this spring

 

[zazouse]

He is BeAuTiFuLLLLLL

 

[maitia17960]

Thank you for answering. I wanted to know because they free range around the farm and if I am not mistaken that means he maybe fertile this spring. Crystal, the hen is the same age, so I will have to keep a close eye on them if she should try to nest. Trying to find where she makes a nest will be hard because they haven’t farmed the land for a few years. There are a lot of over gowned fields for her to nest in. Last year I only found 1 egg of hers. That one she laid in their pen. She would disappear into the fields for a while in the evening but try as I might I could never find where she went. She went in the same way but never came out the same way. She never stayed all night so never brooded. He would pace back and forth at the edge of the fields till she came back out. That was the only time they were not together any other time if they got separated they would keep calling back and forth till they got back together. That is why I think she went into the fields to lay eggs. Maybe I will be lucky and she will not be a hen that goes broody. I wish they would use their pen more but only use it to get their food or if it is raining, snowing, or very windy. The person my sister bought them from let hers free range so Ice and Crystal are use to roosting in the trees at night.

Deerman I want to thank you, it is because of you that my peacock and peahen are alive today. Last year they came down with a bad respiratory infection. They were really sick even stopped eating. I was going crazy trying to help them till I found one of you posts about Tylan 200. I did what you said and they recovered. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are in my prayers.
Pat

 

[deerman]

Yes he will be fertile, my guess she was laying eggs last year, some kind of preadator was getting the eggs reason she didn't go broody. Almost all 2 yr old free range peahen will brood their eggs.


Try closing her in their pen , when she starts laying. After she start a nest , if you like try letting her out ,but leave a nest egg , she should return to that nest to lay more eggs.

 

[maitia17960]

Thanks ZaZouse. He is starting to be a good looking guy. I still worry about them being out in the cold weather. But they must not be that dumb the last couple of night they made sure they were in their pen for the night. Yesterday I felt sorry for him. It was very windy here and poor Ice kept getting blowed sideways when he was trying to walk. His train was acting like a sail in the wind. He finally gave up being outside and hid in their pen the rest of the day. Deerman I will take you advice this spring. I would not want Crystal to brood unprotected in the fields. There are two many predators around here. Foxes, Coyotes, bears, Bobcats and so on even Mountain Lions. They say they are not here but I have personal seen them. They can say what they want I know what I saw and it was close. You cannot mistake that face with the black and white on it, or the size and the tail. Unmistakable. That is why I am so worried about not being able to find her if she does try to brood.