This year's eggs Update:Damsel on nest

[MinxFox]

Yesterday Pip was looking like she was about to lay an egg, so after being out almost all day I got back and went into the pen and once again found that her latest egg was also laid off the perch and it landed on the nest box and broke.

Half of the egg shell was on the ground and Pip was there pecking at the egg shell and eating it...Is that bad because doesn't that mean now she will have a taste for eggs and she might go around destroying eggs? The other peafowl were not so interested in eating the egg remains.

Here is the splattered egg, I cleaned it all up.

 

[jimmythechicken]

same thing happened to use on weds debbie was so sad she loves her pea eggs.good luck with your pea eggs

 

[DMFarm]

MinxFox
You need to move the perch or the nest box look like she wants to lay off the perch I have several hens that will do this.

 

[SuperPeacockman]

I think this may be how my hen started egg eating, do everything you can to stop this, do they like laying eggs on the same perch every time or on different perches. If they use the same perch I would remove it.

 

[MinxFox]

Okay we will try and move something...
If we put a nest box up high, do you think she would use it? Is she just confused, young and doesn't know she shouldn't lay it off the perch or is this something that she will likely do for the rest of her life? These are her first ever eggs and she isn't doing well with them. She has Ice as a good example of what she should do so I hope she can learn from Ice what to do.

 

[zazouse]

Sorry you are loosing eggs.
While i have never delt with peas laying i have delt with many other kinds of birds, i have seen young parrots,guineas,chickens lay from the roost and even had ducks and geese lay in the water when they are young, sometimes they do this a few times before they catch on , sometimes there is a shortage of favorite nest boxs and they lay in front of them they have always ended up laying in the right place, so give her time.
As for egg eating it is a rare thing here as far as them breaking an egg and eating it, but they will clean up one that is already broken and i feed cracked and broken eggs to my birds with no problems.

A true egg eater don't stop with one egg ,if they can figure out how to break an egg then there will be many broken and eating eggs and then something will have to be done.

Don't give up on her, remember you have years of pea eggs comming form her.

 

[MinxFox]

Thanks zazouse, your post was really great and makes me feel better. I think the fact that Ice is in the pen with Pip and Ice is a bit more experienced she might serve as an example to Pip of how and were to lay eggs and to set on them after you lay them all. Pip did watch Ice a lot when she was setting on the eggs.

 

[C&Rman]

I would put it up higher. They would probally use it the most. Is that dog house in your older pen the highest nesting place? If so thats probally why they use. I am sorry that, that happened hopefully she doesnt come an egg eater...

 

[wannabchick]

Iam so sorry mini

They sure are being difficult..for ya...hang in there..some others have some very good advice for u

Sending u big hugs..
Xoxxo

 

[MinxFox]

Yes the doghouse is the highest nesting area followed by the nesting boxes.

Yesterday I saw Damsel (my pied peahen) pacing around in a corner so I knew I could expect an egg from her soon...Today I was watering the plants in the pen and as I was watering the pear tree growing through the netting on one side of the pen, I noticed an egg underneath some of my biggest cast iron plants in the pen. I stopped watering and dried off the egg, it wasn't very wet and I put a date on it. There was a good depression scratched out for the egg and it was in some good shade from the cast iron plant. The peafowl don't walk around that are a bunch so it is in a good semi hidden area too. I am pretty sure it was laid by Damsel, but I could be wrong since Pip is also laying right now. Ice isn't laying now or showing signs of it so I am sure it isn't her.