help again

cass · Member Joined: Jun 16, 2011 Posts: 5

our birds have had another 3 chicks we lost the last 3 when our cat jumped on the cage and frightened 2 of them to death ( we think) the other one fell out of the nest. we have now put a barrier around the cage to keep them safe. we would like to know if the birds constantly breed or do they have a natural break the hen is sitting on eggs again and the 3 chicks are just coming out of the box. Do we remove one of the nesting boxes? or do we just let nature take its course . how long does it take for eggs to hatch and do we need to leave the other box for the chicks to sleep in?this may sound dumb but we have only had the pair for 6 months and want to do the best for them.

May · Site Admin Joined: Apr 03, 2008 Posts: 281

Hi Cass the ideal situation is .... you have 2 nest boxes and healthy birds

mum has the urge to lay....

mum lays a clutch in nest box 1.....dad feeds mum...

mum hatches the clutch in nest box number 1...dad feeds mum...mum feeds babys.... chicks grow....

mum has the urge to lay more eggs....lays in nest box number 2..... dad feends mum in nest box 2 and chicks in nest box number 1......

mum sits on eggs in nest box 2

chicks in nest box 1 fledge and dad carries on feeding them untill they are able to feed them selves...and feeding mum who is feeding newly hatched chicks in nest box 2.....

mum gets the urge to lay......lays in nest box 1....dad feeds everyone.....

repeat as necessary........

problems ........ this could take its toll on mum n dad unless a really good diet is implemented .... your cage is going to get really full.....

it doesnt always work out that well tho....... if your mum...layed second clutch in nest box 1 along with the chicks from the first clutch ... she will prob get a bit anoyed with them.... may start plucking feathers from them to encourage them to leave......... if they were mine id wait untill she is out of the nest box for her stretch n quick nibble n toilet duties and id scoop out the chicks and put them in nest box 2.... but keep a good eye on them that dad is infact feeding them..... hope this helps

as for how long they will continue............................... I think steps is in his 2nd (or maybe 3rd) year of trials.....i cant recall the masive amount of babies they have producedbut it is surprisingly high!!!

you can always take the nest box off to stop them

Steptoe · Site Admin Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 4550

heading into the 4th year now ..non stop all year round
3 pair producing well over 130 healthy adualt birds EACH

The only thing to add to the above....
We remove the fledged chicks a few days after leaving the nest...when they have reasonable flight.
They go into a holding flight with single mature (over 12 months old) males...these males then take over weaning off the chicks. what we call 'uncleing'
The reason for doin so , beside taking the work load of the Dad (where as in the wild other males wean off, not only the Dad) but it takes about 2 weeks for the iris to form in the eye and the beak to turn silver....once that happens it is very difficult to distngish the chicks from the parants.