Questions re: an abandoned nest

[CaliGirl 1430]

Hello,
For the first time, we have a nest in our bushes from a neighborhood (wild) peahen. She had 7 eggs, and 2 hatched yesterday. I checked the nest today, and one egg is missing, and 4 unhatched eggs are still there. (Yesterday there were 5 unhatched eggs.)

Will she come back to the nest with her 2 chicks?
Assuming the unhatched eggs won't hatch now that's she's left them, should I remove the unhatched eggs? If so, what should I do with them? We do have predators - fox, raccoons, and skunks - and some feral cats.

Lastly, what should I do with the nest - leave it alone until the next mating season?

Thank you so much for your help - we are very new to being "grand-parents" to the wild peafowl in the neighborhood!

 

[chickbythebay]

Sorry nobody answered your questions! What became of the nest? When my peahen got off her unmatched eggs, she never went back to that nest with her chicks. She made a new nest.

 

[CaliGirl 1430]

Hi Chickbythebay,
Your reply is perfect - thank you! She took off with her 2 chicks the day they hatched and they've never been back. We left the remaining 5 eggs and the nest as they were, and within 2 or 3 days the predators must've eaten them because one by one the eggs disappeared. (After all, it is the circle of life - the foxes and raccoons need to eat too!)

We've heard from the neighbors that a momma and 2 chicks were seen on the next block (where the neighbors feed them regularly), so she must've moved to a regular food source. ;-)

We will go ahead an replant the area where her nest is, and if she comes back again, at least now we know what to expect.

Thanks again for your reply!

 

[BYC-user-174785]

 

[chickbythebay]

Glad they are ok! Maybe next spring she will be back!