Peafowl Breeding today

[KalikoFarms]

My peacock and 2 of the hens were having a party today. My peacock started about 11am to fan out and then about 2:30 he and two of the hens were doing the wild thing. And it wasnt just once. Is this natural? Will they be fertile if they lay eggs? I thought the mating season was like March or April thru August.

 

[KalikoFarms]

Thanks Deerman

 

[bdfive]

Deerman, did you respond? I don't see a reply and am curious to the answer.

 

[deerman]

its not common, but with the crazy weather we have had this year, and they have been seen mating, if they lay i would think they would be fertile. mating season for southern states is getting near,

mine never started until April, but i wouldn't be suprise if southern states get some going in Feb...this year.

 

[bdfive]

Thanks Deerman. I'm not ready for breeding season at all. I've been a bad girl and bought a Java hen and a pair of Silver Pied White Eye, all 2 years old. Being I kept 7 - 75% Spalding and 3 - IB chicks from this years hatch my pens are full so I can't arrange breeding pens. 2 of the 10 will be picked up soon but that won't make much of a difference. They became pets so picky as to a new home and I'm apprehensive to free range due to 2 of my peas killed at night by Great Horned Owls. Don't know what I'm going to do but will need to pen my 3 IB hens ..... don't want them trying to hatch in the wild. They have in the past but the last season during our Texas drought was horrible ...... predators were starving .... even out during the day hunting for food. It's just not safe for hens.

 

[justhatchin]

Not ready in ks either, but I have 4 eggs under a hen(chicken-incubator full) and mine are still laying.

I can't wait to see of they continue after this next cold snap. Just a little snow/rain forecasted. My shelter for them is a fiberglass topper shell on plywood, ya I know not hardly tall enough but most days you find them on top of it.

Just found them 4 days ago she had already laid 3 -one broken- the next one was broken- like she laid them from the roost? She now is laying in the nest box. One pair 4yr old blu and one 2 year old purple pair, they need separated, was in the plans for late feb. Waiting patiently to see if fertil.

 

[bdfive]

With some folks finding eggs this early I told myself I need to look but keep forgetting. I go out and clean the pens a little every day but can easily see how I'd not notice an egg in one of the corner nesting boxes we built. I only have a white eyed male that is shaking and fanning .... the 2 hens with him don't seem impressed. When I see my free range India Blue fanning my thoughts will be "OH NO, HERE WE GO", LOL!!! He and his 3 hens keep me busy. When I find the nests on the property and remove them the hens go over the fence and lay elsewhere.....that's really a job finding those. I don't have adequate pens for the birds I have......need to rehome some but raising them from chicks has produced social pets that hold a place in my heart. People are super serious about caring for parrots and other such birds. I don't see how peafowl are any different.

Let me know if the eggs are fertile. That will be amazing!! I have a Java peahen that will lay her first couple eggs from the roost but finally moves to a corner shelf. She was setting on a clutch for a week but abandoned it when she heard chicks in the next pen. I think she thought they were her babies. Put the eggs in the incubator but only one of five hatched. I refer to him as a wild Indian. He is so wild unlike his parents that eat from my hand.

Not ready in ks either, but I have 4 eggs under a hen(chicken-incubator full) and mine are still laying.

I can't wait to see of they continue after this next cold snap. Just a little snow/rain forecasted. My shelter for them is a fiberglass topper shell on plywood, ya I know not hardly tall enough but most days you find them on top of it.

Just found them 4 days ago she had already laid 3 -one broken- the next one was broken- like she laid them from the roost? She now is laying in the nest box. One pair 4yr old blu and one 2 year old purple pair, they need separated, was in the plans for late feb. Waiting patiently to see if fertil.

 

[justhatchin]

Hi! As of today I have had 14 eggs. I have set 4 under a barred rock broody. I believe only 2 are fertile, 4 were broken-almost every other one for a week. I sent 4 with tazcat-she offered to try them for me, And unfortunately the last 2 were frozen!!

I can not remember and have not looked it up but I seem to remember that they lay every other day?? If that is correct, then the 2 yr old purple hen may well be the eggs not fertile and the broken ones- because she doesn't know what she is doing yet. The blue laid here last year same set up.

Either way not good odds. If it is warmer tomorrow I will candle again.