Peahens egg...Fertilized or not?

[Frosterley]

Ok this is the story" bought 3 peafowl 2 hens and a cock about three months ago..They are "suppose" to be yearlings. I know the cock is because his tail is not developed.. The peahen has laid an egg. Could there be any possibility that its fertile? I know he is not mature.. But I am just being hopeful.. Any advice would be appreciated..

 

[zazouse]

Ok this is the story" bought 3 peafowl 2 hens and a cock about three months ago..They are "suppose" to be yearlings. I know the cock is because his tail is not developed.. The peahen has laid an egg. Could there be any possibility that its fertile? I know he is not mature.. But I am just being hopeful.. Any advice would be appreciated..

I had 3 of mine lay at 11 months but none of the eggs were fertil, you could try to hatch them, you will know within 10 days if they are fertile by candling them, if you see red veins then you have fertile eggs if not toss them.

Please Post some photos of your group in the show off your peas thread when you have time, we love photos here.

 

[Frosterley]

Thanks for the advice, I was thinking of doing the same.. The remaining eggs she will lay after I am done taking away one to incubate.. What should I do? Let her sit on it? Let her lay a clutch then when she is done take it away? I don't want to do daily removal because I don't want to her keep laying ESP if it's infertile .. I read if u take away eggs daily she could lay up to 30.. I don't want her to stress out laying lots of eggs for no reason..
P.s will post pics.. Soon..

 

[zazouse]

She may not lay that many eggs mine layed 2 each and then stopped but if she does try to sit i would not let her waist her energy and take the eggs.
Next breeding season you should get fertile eggs

 

[Frosterley]

Kewl.. That sounds like a plan.. I kinda have another.. Putting fertilized guinea eggs under her.. Not sure if she will take to them(guinea are terrible hatchers but great at laying) thinking it might train her to be a mom.. Next year.. Sorry for the weird questions.. Thanks again.. For your insight.

 

[zazouse]

The guinea hen will not know the difference, mine nest with chickens,ducks,and chickens all together in a communal nest, bad thing is when the chicken eggs hatch the guineas will leave the nest early with them and they never make it if left with them.

Guineas are good moms very protective but they loose the babies in high grasses and around here a snake gets most of the ones left behind.

I left 3 babies with their mom this year one made it to adult hood but it took 7 grown guines watching over it for that to happen, she is a fiesty critter to say the least and i have 100's here.

 

[Frosterley]

Thanks again.. My guinea just seem to be laying in the coop nonstop.. But not sitting on them.. So I have opted to incubate them.. Will wait for the second peahen egg then incubate one of them.. But sure things will be productive next year.. Great advice!

 

[zazouse]

My guineas don't start sitting a nest till they have layed a dozen eggs or more, i had a guinea lay 18 eggs this year and hatched ever one of them, it seems guinea eggs keep longer for hatching that my geese, chickens and ducks.

I also incubate my guinea eggs that i collect but at the end of the season i let them hatch out the rest and catch them when the hens bring them up to eat.
this is a 4 day collection here during laying season.

That is my hen Gloria in the lower left hand corner waiting to see if she gets a broken egg, she is such a clown.

 

[casportpony]

One of my guineas laid about 20, 17 hatched and lived.

 

[Johanne]

Last Saturday night, one of our guinea hens did not come in while the other did. We worried all night but she showed up in the morning. Sunday night again she didn’t go in the coop but showed up on Monday morning. Around noontime, I heard the two of them making such a racket that I rushed outside with my golden retriever to see if a predator was after them. Then one of them trotted off into the woods. I slowly followed her through the underbrush for several yards and them came upon a nest with between 20 and 30 eggs in it. She proceeded to sit on the eggs, and I left and did not disturb her. Tuesday morning she didn’t show up and I was worried that someone got her and ate her eggs. So I went through the woods once again and heard her making little chirping noises, which led me right to her.
Question: I'm not sure whether or not to leave her there with her eggs or if I should remove them and put them with my bantam hens to hatch. I don't know if the guinea hen will be attacked by something in the woods or not, since we already lost one to a predator.