Peahen turning into a peacock at 4+ years old! ?

[arsolstice]

My understanding is that in chickens, there is one main functioning ovary of the two ovaries. If the functioning ovary becomes damaged/fails, the second ovary can produce testosterone causing the development of male feathers and other male traits.

I too have a peahen that is growing the male feathers. She has even laid an egg! Thank you for the explanation.

 

[arsolstice]

I have the same peahen dilemma. I think she is a hermaphrodite, but I know she laid an egg prior to her feathers changing. Data states that chromosomes that control the genotype are fixed at fertilization, but sex chromosomes are affected by cooler temperature after fertilization. So she could actually be a male. She seems healthy and carries on with her day as a female. Coloring is odd to look at though. Any more information would be welcome.

 

[R2elk]

I have the same peahen dilemma. I think she is a hermaphrodite, but I know she laid an egg prior to her feathers changing. Data states that chromosomes that control the genotype are fixed at fertilization, but sex chromosomes are affected by cooler temperature after fertilization. So she could actually be a male. She seems healthy and carries on with her day as a female. Coloring is odd to look at though. Any more information would be welcome.

The ones that get a damaged ovary can develop male characteristics but do not actually change sex even though they may stop laying because of the damaged ovary. Without a functioning testis, sperm would never be able to be formed. The change is phenotypic only and not genotypic.

A hermaphrodite would be extremely rare and would require both an ovary and a testis in the same bird.

 

[casportpony]

How's your peahen doing?

 

[joodytuesday]

Hello, so this is many years later...2023. I have a female doing exactly this..she now has a full tale..and a tail! She/he is GORGEOUS. I already had a male and he had a dark blue neck, after having a female for about 5-6 years..and she had many eggs and even one successful baby..she is now a dude, or at least looks like one. I have no idea what to expect, but she has a teal neck and is growing a full tale..maybe she was tired of being dull? LOL..anyhow..no idea if she will have eggs? Probably not? Do I get another female for eggs or not? This is new territory for me. Does this have anything to do with diet? I saw about the overies and one not working well..all that..I guess that is what is happening? Anyone?

 

[joodytuesday]

 

[Midnightman14]

View attachment 3399779

likely will not lay any more eggs.

 

[casportpony]

Hello, so this is many years later...2023. I have a female doing exactly this..she now has a full tale..and a tail! She/he is GORGEOUS. I already had a male and he had a dark blue neck, after having a female for about 5-6 years..and she had many eggs and even one successful baby..she is now a dude, or at least looks like one. I have no idea what to expect, but she has a teal neck and is growing a full tale..maybe she was tired of being dull? LOL..anyhow..no idea if she will have eggs? Probably not? Do I get another female for eggs or not? This is new territory for me. Does this have anything to do with diet? I saw about the overies and one not working well..all that..I guess that is what is happening? Anyone?

Wow, look at that tail!

 

[KsKingBee]

Wow, look at that tail!

Did it grow a train too?

 

[casportpony]

Did it grow a train too?

My bad.

Anyway, I dug this thread up because I have a hen doing the same thing. Several months ago, I noticed her neck feathers were changing color, but I didn't think much of it until a few days ago when I saw an eye feather.