new peafowl owner...question

[chicknmania]

Hi, we have two India Blue peas, about ten months old. When we bought them, the breeder told us he thought we had a cock and a hen. And their mannerisms pretty much indicate that. Today though the female (?) was spreading her tail over her back. It is hot and humid so we assumed she was trying to cool herself, but it appeared she was spreading her tail the same way a cock would if he had a train. the other one (the cock?) followed the hen's example and spread his tail also. Both were backing up to things like cool brick walls and wet bushes, with their tail spread. So three questions: Can a peahen spread her tail like the cock? Were they trying to cool themselves? Are both of them actually cocks?

Thanks.

 

[chickenzoo]

Peahens will put up their tail and fan, but do not have any indication of the train feathers that a male peacocks tail feathers actually hold upward. By now you should easily tell male from female, female will have no barring left on her back, males will have barring.

 

[deerman]

note the back feather on these two barring on male(he is on the left) purple hen ,but note she has lost her barring

peacocks, peahens, and even peachicks all fan their tails

 

[chicknmania]

Wait a second though....one of them (the supposed hen) did NOT have barring on her back when she was younger. Now she does. The cock always had barring. So.........one of ours is backwards, or they're both cocks? The one that started out with no barring is significantly smaller than the other, also.

 

[chickenzoo]

Can you get a pic of them?

 

[deerman]

Quote:
If both have barring now ,then yes two cock birds. when younger the barring doesn't stand out like after they are 3 month old. those in pic are 3 months old.

 

[chicknmania]

OK, well. Better two cocks than hens, I guess, though I feel sorry for them (not having a companion of the opposite sex). I can post a pic later, we have some of them. They are beautiful anyway and we are enjoying them.