Red Golden pair and Temmincks pair - will they interbreed?

[happyhensny]

I have our Peafowl/Pheasant aviary that is 14 x 24 with a enclosed house that is 7 x 7. There are a pair of RG and a pair of Temminck's (well, female coming at the end of March

) and a pair of IB Peas. Do you think they will be fine in the spring? Info on nest boxes too would be great! Thanks!

 

[Tony K T]

They will not cross breed,but I would be concerned in adding a hen to an established pen.Plus come breeding season,the males will fight.Their breeding season starts in Feb.I would cut your pen in 2 and have a seperate pen for each species.They can be housed with peafowl.
If at all possible,I would get the temminick hen as soon as possible,so she will be settled in before she starts to lay.Sometimes moving them during laying season slows and sometimes stops their laying.

I use bushel baskets for nesting boxes,both hanging and on the ground,a piece of plywood leaning on the side of their pen,and an mas tree leaning in the corner.This gives them options for where they feel comfortable as to where to lay their eggs.I also have some wooden apple boes hanging from the side of their pen,but they don't seem to use them as much as the bushel baskets.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[PetersonD]

I agree with Tony on just about everything... I think keeping the trags separate is the preferred approach... I also have good results using bushel baskets installed several feet above ground level for nesting... I think you'd have a better chance of breeding your trags if you could get the hen in place sooner than end of March... any idea of how old the hen you're getting is and if she is a proven breeder bird?

 

[happyhensny]

I have a friend going to Mt. Hope Auction the last weekend in March. There is the Northeast Poultry Show in Mass. in 2 weeks, wonder if anyone will have a female there? I can separate the pen. What size do you recommend for them? Would the RG's need a smaller area? Then I could keep the Trags and the Peas together in a larger pen.

 

[Alien]

You wouldn't think a Impeyan Male and Lady Amherst would cross, but I had that happen years ago. They were in a well planted aviary
50X100. Hatched 6, 4 males 2 hens. So I wouldn't ever say different species wouldn't interbreed.

 

[happyhensny]

Alien - I will separate them. Glad NY is having a wonderfully warm winter. Today was almost 50 and it is still 45* outside! Tomorrow will be perfect weather to do some rearranging.

 

[Tony K T]

I would love to see the pics of these offspring.It is nearly impossible for these 2 species to cross.
In N.H.,Tony.
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[happyhensny]

Just a note - the Trag, the pair of RG's and the pair of peas are in a pen together now. Half the size that it will be by the end of the day today I hope.

I am going to make the run a little more than double the size, from 6 x 24 to 14 x 24 if I can get my butt outside and get working. Love this NY winter weather. Blue skies and it's 37* right now-perfect for working outside.

 

[Alien]

100% TRue. I'll have to look up a bird friend that took many pictures of them, see if he still has any of them left. This has been over 10 years ago, 3 of the males are in taxidermist shops or freezers and the last male escaped from his place into the far woods never to be seen again. Hens were killed by a Mature Amherst male, after the 3rd or 4th year the hens started coloring out like a male Amherst.

 

[happyhensny]

It's done!

I will take some pictures tomorrow. Doubled the size of the run, getting some x-mas trees tomorrow to put in there. Now, to build some nests-or find baskets.