Peahen nesting...do they prefer indoor or out???

[chicks4kids]

I have Pete and Penelope's pen complete and they've been living in harmony for awhile now. The coop is 10x12x8 and the run is 12x32x8. They both are a year old roughly.

I was reading a thread on here about the pacing back and forth actions of some peafowl and one suggestion was made that the peahen was looking for a nesting spot. Well, Penelope paces non-stop it seems like in one particular 6 linear foot area, so of course that could very well be an option I guess. So today I made her an a-frame nest box (kinda) that sits on the ground and shrouded it with grasses and put all really soft grasses on the inside....hoping maybe that that is indeed what she is looking for. Pete was definitely interested in this "nestbox" and wouldn't stay away from it, but she seemed less interested. Now to my question...she roosts in the coop at night with Pete faithfully, they never sleep outside. So do you think that she would prefer her "nestbox" inside of the coop or out in the run??? Any suggestions on how to make it better or more a-PEA-ling??

Here it is-

Thanks!!

And just a cute one of Pete-

 

[C&Rman]

I love that nesting box, how exactly did you build and WHAT DID YOU USE TO FRAME IT? If it was easy to build I would build one inside and leave the one outside so she could have her choice.

 

[wannabchick]

I agree with c man..looks awesome and put one inside..
What is that btw? Maybe I will try that too..but we need directions...winkity wink

 

[chicks4kids]

Thanks!

Well I don't know what you call it, but back when I converted my shed into a coop, I removed the double shed doors (some exterior paneling type stuff about 1/2" thick) and saved them for SOME moment when I would NEED them. I just took 2 sections of that material and leaned them up to eachother at the top like an "A" , screwed them together and took the 2x4 scrap piece at the bottom and screwed that to get the desired pitch that I wanted for the box. One side of the nestbox is higher because one of the pieces of wood is higher, that makes for the different look to it

Screwing it together took like 5 minutes literally and I didn't bother to cut the wood to make it perfect or anything, I just figured it would look more natural (and be easier

) if I just left it the way it was. And then once it was covered with the grasses, noone would know anyway

I then was on a hunt as to where I could get some pampass grass...wracking my brain, looking all over the front, side, and back yard for grass material,etc. but found nothing, (big sigh and onto next project

) so I went out back to throw some fish food in the pond and there was the grasses!! Where I hadn't mowed yet!! So I just started cutting them and piling them in a 5 gal bucket

JACKPOT on the weeds/grass stuff!!

Well, I'll make another one for Penelope and put it on the inside for her. The most time consuming thing was collecting the grasses.