"wild"Peahen has adopted us-sitting on eggs

[CDRANTTEl]

We live in the country, no nearby neighbors, and last year a peahen showed up. She's made a home here, hangs around the chicken yard, sleeps in trees at night, generally being friendly and pleasant. This Feb we found one of her eggs in the pickup truck (it was huge and yummy), we just recently found her nest in the woods where she's sitting on 6 eggs!). We have never spotted a male, but the female had to come from somewhere. How far will a female travel to mate? Would she go back to where she came from to mate and then come back here to lay? Could these eggs be fertile? We have heard mewing in the woods in prior years, but none this spring. Wondering if we should let her sit on this nest or take the eggs and eat them. I estimate they've been in the nest about a week. Advice?

 

[casportpony]

Where do you live? If you live in the Northern Hemisphere and have not seen a male, I doubt the eggs are fertile.

 

[CDRANTTEl]

Where do you live? If you live in the Northern Hemisphere and have not seen a male, I doubt the eggs are fertile.

Northern Ca

 

[KsKingBee]

Northern Ca

Since it has been a week wait another four days and sneak out three of the eggs and candle them. If they are developing you will know the answer, if they are clear I would remove all the eggs and destroy the nest.

 

[Midnightman14]

We live in the country, no nearby neighbors, and last year a peahen showed up. She's made a home here, hangs around the chicken yard, sleeps in trees at night, generally being friendly and pleasant. This Feb we found one of her eggs in the pickup truck (it was huge and yummy), we just recently found her nest in the woods where she's sitting on 6 eggs!). We have never spotted a male, but the female had to come from somewhere. How far will a female travel to mate? Would she go back to where she came from to mate and then come back here to lay? Could these eggs be fertile? We have heard mewing in the woods in prior years, but none this spring. Wondering if we should let her sit on this nest or take the eggs and eat them. I estimate they've been in the nest about a week. Advice?

they're probably not fertile I wouldn't eat them at this point.

 

[bhaugh]

Don't eat them after a bird has been setting on them. They could make you really sick

 

[red horse ranch]

If her nest is on the ground she is very vulnerable to predators. I would remove the eggs.

 

[raingarden]

They communicate over fairly long distances. Hence the horid scream. She may have snuck off to do the deed.

I'd let her sit just in case. She knows when it has been too long and she should abandon them.

 

[nchls school]

We live in the country, no nearby neighbors, and last year a peahen showed up. She's made a home here, hangs around the chicken yard, sleeps in trees at night, generally being friendly and pleasant. This Feb we found one of her eggs in the pickup truck (it was huge and yummy), we just recently found her nest in the woods where she's sitting on 6 eggs!). We have never spotted a male, but the female had to come from somewhere. How far will a female travel to mate? Would she go back to where she came from to mate and then come back here to lay? Could these eggs be fertile? We have heard mewing in the woods in prior years, but none this spring. Wondering if we should let her sit on this nest or take the eggs and eat them. I estimate they've been in the nest about a week. Advice?

Did they hatch??