Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:13 pm Post subject: Strange Behaviour
Lately my male kiki has been feeding my female by regurgitation (the same way the parents feed their babies). Is this normal behaviour? I have never seen grown birds do this before.
Thats good to know. Is this a sign of bonding? They are not old enough to breed yet (6 months) but I'm hoping this means I have a good chance of them pairing up.
Fibs.. a female kakariki will breed at 3 months...
And here is the big BUT.
The diet it has been raised on, the diet since must be fully balanced and consistant, otherwise can be in for trouble...any thing fromn infertility to egg binding and death.
THIS is the reason (and people dont say this) birds should not be breed earlier than 12 months.
It is important in all cases diet and health be in top notich at least 3 months before pairing, ideally 6 months. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
THIS is the reason (and people dont say this) birds should not be breed earlier than 12 months.
The reason 4 me (not to breed earlier than 12month) is simply to allow the bird to finish growing/maturing before breeding.
- I don`t think u would allow/agree with, that your children became parents in their teens - allthough it´s physically possible!
Again I go back to the wild....
We have been doing this, for many yrs, and so do several other top breeders in Europe.
And the only reason we do do it is because of better bonding, better chicks, better results over all.
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- I don`t think u would allow/agree with, that your children became parents in their teens - allthough it´s physically possible!
No I would not..keeping in mind our children are now married with their own families.
On the other hand, we live in an artificial society, civilisation, techmology that allows us to modify our behavour, diets, health...
A very long way from a 'natural' triblal situation where the natural life expectancy may only be 35... _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
iv'e noticed a change in behavior around 8 months in 2 of my 3 young male kaks ...they become a bit more cocky instead of just sat in the background so to say.. but this new one is still acting like a baby after 9 months this is the age of the males when ive paired them up over the last year after reading everyones thoughts were different. _________________ thanks brucie.....
And the only reason we do do it is because of better bonding, better chicks, better results over all.
Now bonding - thats an other matter. This u can start as early as u want to. Put them together right after they weand of.
Better chicks. My chicks are perfect as they are (all breed after 12 month).
Better results over all. My results are as good as it gets, lots of eggs, nearly all fertile and large numbers of chicks survive untill they are weaned, etc.....
Just saying there is allways different ways to do things - according to what u prefer
Just saying there is allways different ways to do things - according to what u prefer
Exactly...
Anyone who gets over 80% of eggs raised to healthy adults , what ever they are doing is right.
There is not 1 single method, lots of stuff like facilities, scale of breeding, climate etc will depend on how each breeders operates.
We orginally had 3 flights, and small holding flights.
Now have 3 avairies 13 flights and a huge holding flight with another 2 under construction...Thats around 60 sq m with another 20 underconstruction.
We started many years ago in a very limited manner using conventual thinking and methods....Due to most of our kakariki get their heads chopped off....this has alloowed us to do extenstive experimenting, and taking on board the experiance of other long term top breeders in other parts of the world... which has also included visting overseas..
What has evolved is chicks all emerg from the nest, a few days later they are moved to the holding flight...an established flock of 15 to 25 kakariki.
The 'single ' males ..There is very little, if any pairing off with no nesting boxs... finish off weaning.
approx 3 months later....approx 5 females and 7 to 9 males (all selected) are moved to a flight with nesting boxes, here they pair off....IF a pair get too terroritial they and their nesting box is moved to a spair flight, where they breed for the next few yrs....producing in excess of 110 healthy adults.
I do not think that there would be too many breeders here who have the facities or room to do this, and still have spare room facilties.
I also note w bree both red and yellow crown, so it is a very much a double operation.. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
What has evolved is chicks all emerg from the nest, a few days later they are moved to the holding flight...an established flock of 15 to 25 kakariki.
The 'single ' males ... finish off weaning.
approx 3 months later....approx 5 females and 7 to 9 males (all selected) are moved to a flight with nesting boxes, here they pair off....IF a pair get too terroritial they and their nesting box is moved to a spair flight, where they breed for the next few yrs
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I do not think that there would be too many breeders here who have the facities or room to do this, and still have spare room facilties.
This sounds like a good way to breed kaks - If u have the space, time and facilities.
If I did (and hopfully I will later on), then I would try some of youre methods together with the experience I've acquired myself.
At the moment - space - is what sets limits to wat I can do.
With a small accommodation, one has to find other ways. Priority no1 is to find out how u can use the litle space u have as efficiently as possible.
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There is very little, if any pairing off with no nesting boxs
The purpose of putting young birds together is not to pair them up - rather to let them get to know each other as individuals. Later, when it comes to pairing them up/leting them bond, establishing flocks etc - then it's abit easyer since they allready know each other.
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I also n
ote w bree both red and yellow crown, so it is a very much a double operation..
I used to have some yellow crown but I had to give them up - again because of the small space and the need to be as efficient as possible.
Don't know if u do Step, but if u keep reds and yellows in the same flight (I know some even breed them together) there is a risk that u hybridise them. Even if u take a couple out to breed them sepretly, I belive if the other spp have mated with the hen - the first batch can be hybrids (don't know 4 how long u have to wait to be on the safe side)
Don't know if u do Step, but if u keep reds and yellows in the same flight (I know some even breed them together) there is a risk that u hybridise them. Even if u take a couple out to breed them sepretly,
It is illegal to house the 2 species together in NZ...Even so I experimented for several seasons to see if they would interbreed ..in mixed and separate....also in small compact cages a little bigger than budgie breeders use.
They had more interaction between other spwcies like turqa or burkes than between reds and yellows...was as if each other didnt even exist.
I tend to conclude that htbridisation between the speies has to be forced in a big way or even artifical insemination... or Im missing something.
We know hybrid isation has taken place on remote islands between the Antopidies and red...I believe they are far closer related, and we know small poulations of reds and orange exist together, and dont interbreed.
And know for 1000s of yrs reds and yellows existed together, and I cant find any records of interbreeding between these.....mutations yes, hybrid no. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Thank you all for the usefull information.
I just noticed the two mating a few minutes ago (not sure if they actually finished the dead, but they were certainly making a show of it).
Does this mean they will have babies even without a nest box in the cage? Should I put one in? I don't really want them breeding right now, but if they are going to have babies anyways then I want to be prepared. What should I do?
I have also been asking myself this same question. I got another kakariki about a month ago and she wasn't interested in my boy kakariki at all (which was good cos she is only young)she allowed him to feed her but went for his toes if he tried to take anything further. But recently she has started allowing
him to get closer to her and someone told me if i don't give them a nest box they won't breed.
they might try but shouldn't succeed ... u might see the odd mating and egg layed at bottom of cage .... really depends on the pair .. hell iv'e got nest boxes for the last year and so far 1 chick which i had to incubate myself for the last few days and then hand rear. not very good at all but im still learning stick to this site the guys and girls have been a great help some really know their stuff . _________________ thanks brucie.....
Steps is there any research been done on what age kakariki start breeding in the wild ? I find it hard to believe that they would not start to breed before 12 months of age. All my pairs are allowed to breed when they are ready not when i think they are ready. usually around 3 to 6 months they all vary. I have no problems as long as diet is good and totally consistent.
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