1. Mating: Peacocks are polygamous birds, and the males engage in elaborate courtship displays to attract females. When a female is receptive, she will crouch down and allow the male to mount her. The male will then transfer his sperm into the female's cloaca, which is a common opening for the digestive, reproductive, and urinary tracts.
2. Fertilization: Once inside the female, the sperm will travel to the infundibulum, which is the upper part of the oviduct. Here, the sperm will fertilize the eggs that have been released from the ovaries.
3. Albumen and Shell Formation: As the fertilized eggs travel through the oviduct, they are coated with albumen (egg white). This layer provides nutrition for the developing embryo. The eggs are then covered with a series of membranes and a hard shell made of calcium carbonate.
4. Laying the Eggs: When the eggs are fully developed, the female peacock will find a suitable nesting site. This could be a secluded spot on the ground, in a tree, or in a nest built by the female herself. The female will typically lay one or two eggs per day until the clutch is complete. Clutch size can vary from 2 to 8 eggs, but on average, peacocks lay around 4-6 eggs.
5. Incubation: Once the clutch is complete, the female will begin incubating the eggs. This means that she will sit on the eggs to provide them with warmth and protection. Peacock eggs typically take around 28 days to hatch. During this time, the female will only leave the nest for short periods to feed and drink.
6. Hatching: When the eggs are ready to hatch, the chicks will use their egg tooth, which is a small bump on their beak, to break through the shell. Once hatched, the chicks are precocial, meaning that they are able to walk and feed themselves almost immediately. However, they will still stay close to their mother for protection and warmth.
After hatching, the peacock chicks will remain with their mother for several months until they are fully grown and independent.