Spaulding peahen lays her first eggs

[LLranch]

Be sure to use a clear glass bowl sometimes the spot is on the bottom

 

[Gianna]

Thanks Guys for all your help.. But , I wouldn't want to crack an egg open to see if it was fertile or not, correct ? I was hoping to try and see if she had a fertile egg before I cracked it open, no ?

 

[silkie1472]

Unfortunately, the only way(s) to check the fertility of an egg is to crack it open or incubate the egg and candle it throughout the incubation. I wish there was another way.

 

[izigg]

Im in Michigan in the Upper Peninsula and trying to determine when to finally put my male in with my 4 females, thats why I asked where you live, as it seems to me if your getting eggs, then now is the time as your in the same weather climate as I am in , although currently getting snowed in at the moment. My male is 6 and my females are 2 and should be ready to mate Im guessing at this time, I just figured they would all be screaming or something so I would know its time to put them all together ???

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Thanks Guys for all your help.. But , I wouldn't want to crack an egg open to see if it was fertile or not, correct ? I was hoping to try and see if she had a fertile egg before I cracked it open, no ?

@Gianna
I am also in NY & just firing up my incubator for the season. My peas have not started laying yet, but my chickens are laying like crazy. If u are not too far away, you're welcome to put a few eggs in my bator. I need pea chicks right now like I need more holes in my head, lol. But I am also a sucker for Spauldings.

 

[Gianna]

Thanks Guys.. Funny, she stopped for the passed few days... Hmmmm.... Wonder if she'll continue or decided to stop altogether. Hope she wasnt reading my mind.. I'll keep you all posted, though. @PhoredaBurds . and @izigg - we have the same harsh winters . Do you keep your pea's in outdoor pens at all in the winter monthd ? Heated , not heated? I have a Spaulding female, a BS Male - I keep them in indoor pens all winter. I'm nervous our winters may be told cold (really my husband is more so and brings them inside for a while) but I know they are very hardy birds.. Its quite a daily job for us to tend to them indoors!! I now feel when they do go outdoors next winter, we may have spoiled them and they may not adjust .. Any thoughts from anyone out here ? Thanks !!

 

[izigg]

Unheated with lots of straw for a base they can get down and nest in and do when it gets real cold , protected from winds and against predators by smith , wesson and a few other friends. My birds came from minus 28 F weather so I know they can handle it, they have a heated water bucket and I leave a light on all night or the flying squirrels freak the heck out of them in the dark raiding their food making them scream into the dark blindly all nite and no one gets any sleep. They usually stay cozied in bed all morning untill I go out and feed them fresh greens and stuff and check on them. Kevin tends to stay in bed until I go see him the next morning as he likes his collard greens in bed and one day I forgot till about 2 in the afternoon and there he was still in his bed waiting for his morning greens.

 

[Gianna]

Very cute story ! Thanks for sharing ..
I know I was told the BS's are very cold hardy , wasnt 100% sure about Spauldings though.. We are actually finishing a really nice coop, with a great indoor shelter with plenty of room . Nothing getting inside either. The strongest 1 x 1 wiring not only on all sides and top - even the bottom so nothing can dig their way in . I just dread the bitter cold , and was really worried about them in single digits or even below wind chill nos..Especially since they've been indoors in a heated basement for the past 2 winters of their lifetime. They are only 2 1/2 yrs old..My babies even though he tries to body slam me from time to time lately

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Yeah, NY winters can be rough. This winter hasn't been too awfully bad, but we certainly have had some cold snaps. My birds have a large outdoor aviary and a shed. The shed is not insulated or heated, but tight enough to keep the wind off them. The shed has pop-doors down low, allowing them access to outside during the day. The doors close at night. Their perches are wide enough so when the birds sit, their feet are fully covered by their feathers. Sometimes my younger birds get it in their heads they want to roost outside at night, so I do have to grab them & put them in when they do this. I don't have any full greens, but I do have a fair share of Spaulding and they do just fine with this setup. They do tend to stay in their shed on the really cold windy days, but will come out for treats when they hear me.

I think an important thing in preparing birds for winter, is allowing time for them to adjust. Like if they're given heat too early in the fall, their winter feathers will not grow in as thick. I'm not saying a tropical bird should be left outside in NY all year without support. But time to adjust can be one of the key factors. Also wind protection seems to be very important as well.

I remember hearing of someone in PA who kept macaws outside all winter without heat. I don't know the details of how they did it, but that the birds were allowed time to adjust and they looked huge bc of the amount of thick feathers they grew in.

There are others on this forum that have more experience with high percentage birds who might have some tips for winter protection.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

I briefly considered setting up a space in my basement to house greens for a winter or two, but my DH would prob divorce me, lol. Would be such a wonderful break from our gloomy winters to step downstairs into a tropical pea paradise though.