Female laying, male still mating.

Summit · Member Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 6

Hi all.

I am new to this site and to Kaka's. Kudos to those that contribute to this site. I have found it a weath of realistic information.

Now for my question ..................

I finally got ahold of a female yellow crowned kak. to pair with my male. (same species) Everything is going along well I asume as the courting period progressed and the hen has started laying. The question I have to ask is, is it normal for the male to continue mating (3 or 4 times a day) during this time ?

The hen does not seem stressed by it and the male is very doting and feeds and preens her.

I breed lorikeets and various other parrots and never witness continual copulation once the hen gets broody.

Any expreience on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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

Good yellos are few and far between in capitivity, even in NZ

Yes all normal, thu them preening each other is not quite normal..
Its more the exception rather than the norm.

Kakariki are rather unique in many ways..much of the diet, for a non grass parrot spend much of the time on the ground, very indepenant but friendly by nature, on the go all day where most others just sit around,
AND watch carefully how they run, espec up wire mesh and across the roof....
I will leave that one for u to compare to other parrots/birds.

OH and w3c

to our community to.

Cheers
Steps

Summit · Member Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 6

Thank you for the w3c

Steps.

Indeed these are fascinating birds in many ways being hyper active and can't seem to walk (or run) by food without at least a quick bite.

I had done quite a bit of research before aquiring my birds and have to admit I "broke" a rule as far as the aviary goes. Having snakes in the area I decided long ago to only use suspended cages, however having a mesh floor does not seem to bother them as I decided to compensate with a large tray to compensate. This tray gets what I call the "foragings", ie. turf, fruit , vegies etc.

As for "Good yellos are few and far between in capitivity, even in NZ" I honestly do not know if they fall under the good catagory or not, but they are healthy. <v>

It took me just on 7 months to find the hen here in Aus.

Cheers

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

We where over there a while back, called on a couple Aussie Kakariki breeders
Suspended avairies are not common in NZ...
Spent a bit of time just watching, both my wife and I did comment to each other that we thought kakariki where not suite to them.
It was not that they seemed distressed or damaged or suffering or anything like that...they just didnt seem to ....dont know how to explain...
they where missing out??.
Remember we have spent yrs watching observing in normal flights ...
My wife just commented...they seemed to have lost some ability to move natrually on flat ground, they moved different...they need flat floor rather than mesh.

Rem "It was not that they seemed distressed or damaged or suffering or anything like that"

Sending a PM

Steve · Member Joined: Sep 30, 2007 Posts: 10

I have acquired kakariki from breeders who use both suspended and conventional aviaries (Mine are conventional)... The birds that come from Suspended aviaries seem to be alot less active then the ones purchased from breeders using conventional aviaries... To the degree that now, I will not buy kaks from people who use suspended aviaries.. The birds just have a different..personality?..

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

Steve, glad u posted...sihg of releif..
Our observations where only over a few hrs /several days
not anything more than opinion

I thought maybe I was sticking my neck out???

The reason for suspended from the breeders we saw was ease of cleaning, not snkes..Since we dont have those in NZ I have no knowledge of them.

The cleaning, I still maintain that the time, disposal of waste etc is far quicker , easier less volume than the suspended flight.

I still believe thu ""It was not that they seemed distressed or damaged or suffering or anything like that"
Just a behavoural change....and would imagine this would be learnt, so the offspring from kakariki raised on parents ex suspended would revert to natural movement if raised in ground flights.

Therefore not purchasing from breeders with suspended would be a little exreme???? Steve your comments would be appreaciated ass Im only assuming.

Summit · Member Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 6

Thanks for the input guys.

Steps I didn't take your comments as sticking your neck out, to me this is what a forum is about ............ to share experience and oppinion.

The debate over suspended verses conventional aviaries will rage for years and basically comes down to personal preference. (General aviculturally speaking, not specifically to kakariki) In no way do I mean to discredit your comments as they are all appreciated and definately food for thought. All I can say is my birds "appear" happy, healthy and most important .......... not snake food Laughing

Please also keep in mind that I have not completely ignored these natural foraging instincs and provided a 2mtr sq (approx) tray that gets replenished to encourage this natural behaviour. But yes your comments are valid as the birds do walk differently on the mesh as they do on the tray. They are also supplied with fresh Bottlebrush branches wich they most often tunnel under.

Again, I appreciate you comments and in NO way wish to seem argumentative or discrediting.

Thanx for the help guys Applause

Steve · Member Joined: Sep 30, 2007 Posts: 10

Generally yes, the offspring once being raised in conventional aviaries go back to their active foraging self. And really it's not a great hassle to buy from a breeder using suspended cages if you plan to use their offspring as your breeding stock.

I have 5 flights for my kaks, so not a great deal really, and I breed kaks because of their character and the fact they are an active bird. Some that I have bought from Suspended breeders, I find it takes them months upon months to even feel comfortable on the floor of the aviary, they spend most their day perched up high, and I just dont feel thats natuarl for a kak..

I'm not saying "DO NOT BUY" kaks raised in Suspended cages, I'm just saying my preference. I do understand the ease of cleaning suspendables and the space they can save, and I think they're a wonderful Idea, but my own views, I don't think kaks are suited to this setup. Rosellas, Neophomas, Bourkes, Conures, probably 90% of all other birds, it wont affect nearly as much as Kaks.

Summit, your setup sounds good with the foraging area for the kaks, and Im never ever going to say someones setup is "wrong", all i'm expressing here is my personal preferences on Suspended cages and Kakariki.

Summit · Member Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 6

Just a quick update, the hen is now sitting on 5 eggs and appears as though she is not done yet.

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

The norm is once they start to sit they dont lay any more or maybe 1 or 2.
With most species of birds..they start to lay but dont sit..when they have laid the then incubate, eggs do not need to be incubated from day one, generally a egg can lay 'dormant' for 10 days before incubation.

Wife was breeding quail a while back, would collect the eggs, put in a basket in the kitchen, then when the 1st egg reached x days would then put them all in the incubator so they would all hatch within a few hrs of each other
The guys who breed battey hens etc commercially do the same

Clearing up a common misunderstanding of bird breeding.