Peahen nesting on rooftop..?

[irisshiller]

Hi, I'm after some advice from experienced peafowl people

One of my peahens has made a nest and laid eggs on top of a shed (outside of my yard). This is the first time they have laid eggs, they are only 2 years old, the male is 3. She sits on the eggs and comes down regularly to eat, then flies back up. I wonder if this is an ok place for her to brood? She is protected from dogs, foxes and jackals which is good, but I wonder how the babies are going to get down when/if they hatch! Is this common thing for peahens to do? Should I gather the babies when they hatch and bring them down?

I don't know about peafowl, but my guinea fowl and ducks make a HUGE fuss if anyone dares to try and move their nest to a safer spot. You cannot move them until after all the babies have hatched. Chickens are usually easier but some of them will still get up and try to run back to their previous nesting spot. So I'm not going to try and move the peahen. I just wonder if this has any chance of succes! I am also worried about the crows - they steal eggs and chicks whenever they get the chance. I'm hoping that the pea-eggs and chicks will be too big for them, otherwise the crows might take them all out before I can get to them...

Thanks, Iris

 

[Bluechick2u]

The crows will definitely get the babies, sorry. Maybe when she flies down to eat, place a board under the nest and try to move the whole nest to a safer location? Keep an eye on the eggs until you're sure she'll resume sitting on the new location, there's a chance that she may not, but if you leave the nest up where crows can get it, you'll end up with broken eggs or snatched babies.

 

[Dany12]

Not rare !
See here in India with wild peacock !

 

[irisshiller]

Hi, thanks for the picture Dany12! That's great! What is that structure, is it specially made for peahen nesting? How do the babies get down, do they just jump off?

Bluchick2u, thanks for the info, I might have to think of something else then! I think there is no point trying to move her, I will end up hatching the eggs myself in the incubator... And I didn't want to do that Maybe I can put a cage over her or something!

This is her:

 

[Bluechick2u]

Maybe you can put food and water up there for her, then JUST before hatch snatch them away to the incubator? I can't think of how to keep the babies from falling, maybe a low hardware cloth ring around her nest until all the eggs are hatched, then assist them to the ground?

 

[Dany12]

Once a day ... at the same time she leaves her eggs to feed. It 's noisy ... she blows trumpet ... She must run ... and move a little. Then she goes back on her eggs without problems!
Is there a risk of predation? ... fox ..!

 

[irisshiller]

Foxes can climb..? I think I will wait until the eggs are starting to hatch, then somehow put a cage over her and the nest, then assist them all down! Fingers crossed! I have another peahen who has also dissapeared, but I haven't found out where she sits yet..