Peacock Nest box question - trying again...sigh

[chickenzoo]

Some of mine like to make a whole in the dirt and lay, sometimes they will dig a few before they find the "one". Some of mine like a large Palm tree plastic container with the bottom cut off, about eight inches tall with either dirt or hay in it. Others just let them drop while on the perch at night..... I've even seen old tires filled with hay....

 

[chicks4kids]

I built this lean to for my peahen. I originally had it outside but found out that she prefers to lay her eggs inside of her coop so I moved it inside and put it in the corner. I just went out back and got some grass, weeds, etc. to line the sides. I put the back side of the lean to a few inches away from the wall of the coop so that I could just reach in either from the front or the back to retrieve eggs, depending on where she lays them in there (which turned out to be as far back as possible

).

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I LOVE IT !!! That is amazing!!! VERY creative! You did a great job. Thanks for posting.

 

[MinxFox]

My peahens have used the dog boxes several times. I think I should have added sand to the bottom of the box too because they ended up breaking their eggs probably from scratching to the bottom of the box and the eggs broke on the hard bottom so I would put sand then some hay in the box for them. Here are some photos of my peahens using the dog box.
Dog box setup: We have a large dog box on the bottom and a smaller one stacked on top.

Eggs in the box:

Ice in the dog box:

Pip in dog box:

You don't really have to provide them with a nest box because they won't always use it. We build some nice wooden nest boxes for them and they didn't use them at all.
Nice boxes the peahens never even considered using:

Ice nesting in the sand instead of the brand new boxes:

Ice hatched out all three of her eggs nesting on the ground here they are now:

Damsel nesting under a plant in the pen:

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I LOVE those nesting boxes. That's what I really wanted. I ended up finding a shipping crate at the local implement store. I will try to take a pic and post.

What are the measurements for the nesting boxes that you made for the peas?

 

[MinxFox]

Let me see...I am not exactly sure about how big the boxes are, but I do know we were inspired by the nest boxes here:
(This picture doesn't work for me but at the bottom it says the box measurements)
http://www.pfauenfarm.de/english/our_peafowls_cristatus_breeding005.htm

Here is their picture:
http://www.pfauenfarm.de/english/our_peafowls_cristatus_breeding006.htm

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
Thanks for the link.

 

[Ellaluvsbirds]

Great thread! I have been wondering about what to do for peahen laying boxes for some time now.

 

[msmolly]

My hens want to nest on the ground no matter what I do. The biggest surprise was when they both nested right in the middle of the construction sight I had going on the back patio area. We are talking cement mixers, bull boxers, chainsaws , multiple landscapers, lots of people, noise, dirt, dust, heat etc... I actually had to go dust the stone dust off one of the hens at night so she wouldn't suffocate. Every egg hatched in both nests! Turns out, they like the commotion as it keeps predators away! And one of the nests was just on gravel and a few leaves. This year my hen nested in the hen house under the perches so the chickens were leaving droppings on her back! After the eggs hatched she moved them outside to a corner of the pen were I had to put a small tarp over the top to keep the rain off the them. It's been really cold and rainy here- and yet she won't move them back inside. It's been 4 days and their still all fine. It just goes to show they are going to nest where they want to, no matter .

 

[MinxFox]

Yep mine would rather nest on the bare ground then use a box, but that is okay because that means no spending time and money to make them a box. Those sure are weird locations your girls are choosing. At least you know where they are. You have some dedicated peahens to be pooped on and covered in dust and still stay on their nest!