Okay, so maybe this a weird question, but ....

[angsaidso]

I know this might sound bizarre, but I have to ask ... I have two peacocks and two peahens in a nice large enlosure. My peahens came from the same place. Both of my peacocks came from two different places. So, peahens from one place, one peacock from another place, the other peacock from yet another place. The one peacock (Taco) is only a year old. Salsa is two (almost three). The hens are two. I brought the hens home back in May (on the 12th to be exact). Prior to that, they were housed with adult boys. :::Whew:::

The woman I bought the hens from said the eggs they laid for awhile would be eggs fertilized by her boys prior to me bringing them home.

Anyway, my question is basically, how long is "awhile" and how long are the eggs these girls lay fertilized by the prior home peacocks? I have two eggs in the incubator now, laid on the 5 and 6th of this month. I am assuming they are Salsa's babies at this point? I just didn't know how long a prior breeding produces viable fertile eggs.

Thank you for any insight ... or should I say "enlightenment"?

Peace ~
Ang

 

[moomoodiddy]

i think a month would be a plenty of time

 

[angsaidso]

So do you mean these chicks will probably be Salsa's babies?

 

[Arbor]

I have read a study that suggests 12 days to 39 days in feral birds on the west coast, but seeing as its been almost a month it should be safe to assume they would be from your male. Is it really a concern if they are not from your male? Are you planning on keeping the offspring?

 

[moomoodiddy]

So do you mean these chicks will probably be Salsa's babies?

yep

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I've had 3 hens in one particular pen,,1st 3 eggs from this group was laid May1st,, was fertile and I have hatched those peachicks out,,but candling tonight on eggs put in the bator June 1st(Got three eggs from the pen that nite so every hen laid) 1 was not fertile,,no bullseye in the middle at all,,only other date I got 3 eggs in one nite from that pen was May 18th,and those were all good too and due to hatch,,so if my 1 goldbricking hen has been dodging getting bred since that date,,(May 19th) that's 12 days.Arbor I think the lower number in your post is correct here at least.

 

[angsaidso]

Arbor, oh no ... it is no concern. These are my first peafowl though and I was just wondering if they actually belong to my boy or not. I don't care whose chicks they are really. I am so excited to have babies they could belong to a rooster at this point (kidding, of course, but you know what I mean). I was just really curious about that. I know some birds need to be bred for every egg. So I just wasn't sure about peafowl and how that works.

I know they went through a brief period of clear eggs about two weeks after they got here, but then stopped laying altogether for about a week. Now they are laying again, but I haven't actually seen them breed. So it kind of made me curious is all.

Also, these babies will probably stay here being that they are my first peafowl born here, assuming all goes well. If not .... I will be very sad. Of course, I say that now, but who knows next year when I am trying to sort out my birds and get it all straightened out!

Thanks everyone for your input. This is all so very cool!

Ang

 

[Arbor]

Quote: I would be pretty certain they were your male's offspring if this was the case. That just means that the hens are on their second clutch.