Setting on infertile eggs?

[smartlittleroo]

Last year ago my peahen hatched 5 chicks. A couple of weeks after the hatch the males took off (I guess they were "deadbeat dads"). These are free-ranging peafowl who flew in and stayed, I didn't buy them. I haven't seen either male for almost a year.

Now the hen is setting on a nest of 6 eggs. Unless the males paid her a visit under cover of darkness or she mated with the wild ring-necked pheasant in our pasture I don't see how these eggs could be fertile. My questions: do peafowl - or other birds - know whether or not their eggs are fertile? Birds don't set on nests of unfertile eggs do they?

 

[chicmom]

Yes, birds will set on infertile eggs. Especially extremely broody breeds like Silkies. When they get "in the mood" to hatch eggs, they will set on those eggs, fertile or not.

Peacock eggs take around 28 to 30 days to hatch. If you have any idea how long she's been sitting, you could try and figure out what their hatch date (or approximate hatch) is. And go a week or so beyond that date just to be safe. It's quite possible that she's mated with a male when you weren't around.....

 

[smartlittleroo]

Thanks for your reply! Several times I did hear some peafowl "calling" during the night so maybe the males did show up. I think she's been setting for a little over 2 weeks. I guess we'll see...

 

[DylansMom]

Thanks for your reply! Several times I did hear some peafowl "calling" during the night so maybe the males did show up. I think she's been setting for a little over 2 weeks. I guess we'll see...

If you heard calling at night, it almost had to be males. I've never heard my girls make a peep after dark, but the boys will yell all night. I'd guess they could be fertile.

 

[Dany12]

Wait and see !
Miracles exist!
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/16298548/...ragon-give-birth-holiday-season/#.U5-vxj0ZCI8

 

[frenchblackcopper]

From one example I have here,if there is no mature males present a fully matured hen will not lay any eggs. I have an IB B/S hen split to another color thats 5 years old,that laid 28 eggs last year and this year she's in with my small group of about 20 1yr olds and there is about 7 young males in this group. There is maybe 15 1 yr old hens as well but so far this season there has not been one peacock egg in this pen. So I would say you hen must have a male suitor somewhere or she wouldn't have laid any eggs at all.

 

[zazouse]

From one example I have here,if there is no mature males present a fully matured hen will not lay any eggs. I have an IB B/S hen split to another color thats 5 years old,that laid 28 eggs last year and this year she's in with my small group of about 20 1yr olds and there is about 7 young males in this group. There is maybe 15 1 yr old hens as well but so far this season there has not been one peacock egg in this pen. So I would say you hen must have a male suitor somewhere or she wouldn't have laid any eggs at all.

WAIT

Are you serious? i never heard of such a thing and why do you have her in with them anyhow?

 

[DylansMom]

I too have had several hens lay eggs when they were not penned with a male. Are you certain she hasn't had some problem that stopped her from laying. I've had egg bound hens pass a soft egg and then lay nothing else for the rest of the season.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Zaz,,I have her upcoming new mate maturing for next year. If I put her in with a new group this spring she would have been beat on and chased. I'd rather guard her and keep her vs coming home finding her scalped and bleeding and needing nursed back to health. She will die of very old age here at the Palace as two years ago she was the mother of one very special peacock I now have.

 

[zazouse]

Zaz,,I have her upcoming new mate maturing for next year. If I put her in with a new group this spring she would have been beat on and chased. I'd rather guard her and keep her vs coming home finding her scalped and bleeding and needing nursed back to health. She will die of very old age here at the Palace as two years ago she was the mother of one very special peacock I now have.

Gotch

and whom is this special peacock you speak of? Roadtrip?