Saw them breeding today!!

[Glenmar]

Ok. I am so excited. I saw my peacocks breeding today.
Here's the questions:

They are free range, but sleep in the barn at night. Should I pen them up so that she has to lay in the barn?

How many days until the first egg? (I think that I read 14?)


I was thinking of trying to incubate the first eggs and let her sit on a second batch, but i have some chicken eggs going
in the incubator this weekend. I was going to practice on them, because I have never done this before.

Any advise would be great.

Thanks

 

[wannabchick]

Now don't listen to me too much..because iam a learner..

But was told, you might not want her free ranging if she sets on eggs..they will be eaten by a wild animal..since they lay the whole time on them

I then would either have her in a pen or yep, pin her up

Second, I hear what some do is let them sit on them for the first week then incubate them..or try a couple in the bator but only after she set on them for a week..I incubate chicken eggs like crazy never a peafowl and read it's super hard unless a hen set on them for a while

Now others will chime in and know far then me..but wanted to share what I learned

And how exciting..congrats

How old is your breeding pair?

 

[Glenmar]

Good answer. That has given me even more ideas.
And more questions

If I pen her up in the barn or not, and she sits on them for a week, then I take them away to incubate, will she still lay another clutch?????

My neighbor across the street has a boat load of peas that are all free range. But of course I do not want anything to happen to mine.
I am not sure of the ages. I think 4 and 3? The hen is a spalding. There is a picture of her in an earlier post.

Heres one of her face. I will try to get some better ones posted soon.

 

[wannabchick]

Quote:
I wondered that same question..first how to take eggs from a peahen sitting on them..second what happens when she relizes a couple are gone

And do they lay eggs and then get to a certain number, what if you were swiping an egg a day from her..would she just keep laying till she goes to a certain number?

And what is that number?

See I have lots to learn..hehehehe

Someone chime in..with your pro self.....

Heheheheeh

 

[C&Rman]

Try taking some of her eggs, and replace them with turkey or duck eggs, they hatch the same time a peacock egg does. Are you going to let her set for sure? If so replace them. I wouldn't try it with chicken eggs, because they hatch 7 days earlier than a peacock egg. She might leave the nest thinking that they were not gonna hatch.

 

[Glenmar]

Are you saying that there needs to be a replacement so she does not notice we took some?
What about just an infertile chicken egg?


Most importantly if I am going to pen her, when do I need to start? When is she going to lay??

 

[C&Rman]

I think that they lay eggs 2 weeks after being bred. And each egg is usually laid 2 days apart from eachother. I would go ahead and pen them/her when they go to roost. That way she has some time to adjust being penned. Make sure she has plenty of places to lay her eggs. Most peahens like to lay in hidden places. As long as she feels safe where she lays you shouldn't have any problems. I made a really dark nesting box and they seem to like the dark places the most.

 

[Glenmar]

Thanks. I will close up the barn tomorrow. I have a nest box in there it is just 3 sides with straw in there. There are 6 horse stalls with shavings.
Maybe I will drag some tree branches and limbs in one of them for her to nest under. This is going to be a drag for the horses, but I want her safe.
thanks

 

[SuperPeacockman]

If you want to remove the nest wait until night so she cannot see, then take the eggs, I do not see the point of doing this though. She might lay another clutch she might not. Peahens are perfectly capable mothers. Also that replacement eggs thing would not work because the incubation would start at different times. So my advice is to pen them and let her set on any eggs until they hatch, she can raise them too.

 

[Glenmar]

Quote:
Yep. I agree. That is what I have decided to do. I may have some more questions as time goes on.
I hate to keep them penned, but I know it is best. It is a large barn with a very high celling and sky lights.