Peacock nest! Question!

[birdbrain5]

I did not expect my peahen to lay this year really, I was told my pair is a year/year and a half old. Well so far she has laid 8 eggs! The first 4 I gathered to incubate, but then days went by and I didn’t see any eggs around then I saw she had 3 together in the grass! I thought maybe I should see if she will set on those and I’d incubate the ones I took already. Well now she laid a 4th one and still hasn’t set. I’m just wondering if she even will? Is it guaranteed that she will even set on these eggs or should I get them and incubate them? I do have a chicken trying to go broody I thought maybe I could let her have them? But of course if it’s certain she’s going to set on her eggs once she’s done laying (I heard they usually only lay around 9 eggs) then I will let her! But they are not sheltered by wether at all, they are in long grass no covering from rain or anything. What would you do?
also, I know they may not even be fertile this year but I’d still like to act as if they are, just in case!

 

[TwoCrows]

Let me tag the expert Pea keeper.

@casportpony

 

[casportpony]

Thanks for the tag. I don't let mine sit on eggs, I incubate them, so I can't offer any advice, though you said she's laying out in the grass. Is the nest in the grass safe from predators?

@KsKingBee, what do you think?

 

[KsKingBee]

A young hen is less likely to go broody than a fully mature hen and even some of those do not go broody. At two years of age, she is just as likely to go broody as not. While it is unclear if she is free- ranging or laying in the grass of your pen it does make a difference to her safety.

We have protected setting peahens in the pasture with a ring of dog hair that kept the coyotes at bay for the final two weeks of brooding with success.

There is less chance of you hatching out the pea eggs in your incubator than using the natural mother or a broody chicken hen. I suggest that you prepare the chicken to go broody by putting some junk eggs or golf balls in a nest in a secure area, preferably away from other chickens.

Once the chicken goes broody I would put up to six eggs under her depending on her size. If you can time it with the pea hen going broody you can return the pipping eggs back to her to mother the chicks. You can also leave a couple of eggs with the chicken to raise but she won't be able to cover the chicks at night when it gets cold. It is early enough in the season for that to not be a concern depending on where you live.

 

[KsKingBee]

The viability of pea eggs goes down at around ten days so date the eggs leaving the freshest eggs with the peahen. Keep the eggs in a cool place and turn them a couple of times a day while waiting for the peahen or chicken to go broody.