Breeding biology of the Indian peafowl at Sheikh Russell Aviary and Eco-Park, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Abstract

Breeding biology of the Indian Peafowl (Pravo cristatus Linnaeus, 1758) was studied at the Sheikh Russell and Aviary and Eco-park [SRAEP] (now called Aviary and Eco-park, Rangunia, Chattogram) of Chattogram in Bangladesh. In the captive condition the peahen laid eggs during early morning or before sunrise from July to September at the aviary park. The clutch size was 5.1 (range 3 - 7, n = 10). The egg-shape is elliptical and the color is brown to white. The mean egg length, width and weight were respectively 66.09+1.36 mm (range 65-68.1 mm), width 52.03+1.02mm (range range 51-54mm) and 94.04+ 4.45 g (range 90-100 g). The mean hatchability under peahen, broody hen and incubator were respectively 68.42% (range 57.14 - 80%, n = 13 eggs), 45.45% (range 50 - 66.67%, n = 10 eggs) and 31.43% (range 27.27 - 36.36%%, n = 35 eggs). During the four-year study period (2020-2023), out of 34 chicks, an overall mortality was 50% (range 30 - 75%) and survivability was 50% (range 25 - 70%) up to six months of age. Mortality rate of peafowl chicks was caused by different causal agents at SRAEP (2020-2023) such Newcastle Disease 35%, Anorexia 12%, Escherichia coli 12%, Infectious Bursal Disease 23%, Salmonellosis 6%, parasite 6% and unabsorbed yolk sac 6%. The mean weight of newly hatched chick of 1-month, 2-month, 3-month, 4-month, 5-month, and 6-month aged were respectively 64.00+2.65 g, 406.67± 11.54 g, 620.00±00 g, 1623.30±50.33 g, 1670.67±1.43 g, 1844.95±10.38 g, 1975.71 ± 9.28 g. The daily body weight gain decreased progressively from 13.92 g/day at the 4th month to 10.98 g/day at the 6th month suggesting that the chicks were approaching a plateau phase of growth at SRAEP.