Our pea hen began laying this week. She's not setting on the egg and I suspect it's because she doesn't have a nest box. OR, do they lay first and then set on them all later, like pheasants? Anyway...what size should a nest box for these birds be? They're awfully big birds when you compare them to chickens. Should it have sides and a top as well or is a more shallow box OK?

Thanks, in advance...

Russ

-- (imashortguy@hotmail.com), March 03, 2002

Answers

Never raised them but you might look at this link: Peacocks, http://www.pheasant.org.uk/beginners.asp "To encourage nesting, put a box approx 40 x 40 x 20cm high in the shelter, with a little soil in the bottom covered with a layer of straw, not hay.

There is always a possibility they will nest and lay in the box, on the other hand the hen might select a position under a shrub to nest and lay. When the first egg is laid, do not touch it, but record the date, a hen will usually lay once every other day. Most of the species mentioned above, will lay a number of eggs, in some cases up to 20-25 in a clutch (exception Grey Peacock Pheasant only 2 eggs) Try and leave the hen to sit her own nest, however if she is disturbed or you touch the eggs she will desert the nest and not sit on the eggs."

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), March 03, 2002.

Do you have the peahen confined or loose. If loose she will lay her eggs where she wants to nest, making her own. They don't lay them all at once, but one a day, usually in the afternoon and will start nesting on them when she has enough by her count. If she is confined a large shallow box will be fine. Give her plenty of material to make her nest.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), March 03, 2002.

Our younger peahens often just laid their eggs wherever they were and ignored them. Our older hens took care of their eggs by laying them in a spot (not necessarily a nest) they picked out. In Iowa she'll lay her eggs between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. so I made sure to lock the hens up by 6:30. They much prefer being outside and finding bare dirt surrounded by taller grass to make their nests but something would always get the hen and her eggs just about the time they were to hatch.

I would suggest if your peahen is just laying them anywhere that you try incubating them yourself if you're interested in giving that a try. I've hatched out many but do not begin to have the hatching percentage rate that the hen can get.

Good luck and enjoy those beautiful birds!!!

-- Anna in Iowa (countryanna54@hotmail.com), March 03, 2002.