female killing hatchlings

Mary · New Member Joined: Mar 03, 2010 Posts: 4

Hi all, I have been checking this forum out over this past year and finally decided that it was time to become a member, I could really use some help. I hope someone can shed some light on the problem I'm having. I have a bonded pair of kakarikis Popoune and Tipit I was told they were proven breeders when I purchased them last August. They are amazing very friendly and the male Tipit is very talkative. They have had their first clutch with me this past month everything was going great. Last Friday the first egg hatched I was so excited and thrilled and all was still going well then on Sunday the second hatched all was well till the afternoon I heard cheeping coming from the cage and there was the older chick in the bottom tray bloodied and in bad shape I couldn't save it I checked on the new chick and it was also dead. This was very upsetting I still have no idea why this would be happening. Now this morning another chick hatched and same thing happened. So I wanted to see if anyone here has had this happen to them. I have always checked my boxes twice a day morning and evening and have never had this happen with my lovies or tiels. I wondering do you think my female finds me a threat now? If I have to stay away from the cage for fear of the female doing this what do you suggest my male has kept calling for me all evening. I'll wait to see what everyone here thinks.

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

We have never had an instnce of kakariki attacking chicks...
I believe it could be possible for a 1st time pair, if disturbed too much , espec with new fresh chicks they could get upste...
Even if the hen is used to ppl checking eggs...once those chicks are hatched the females can get very agressive...

The only instances we have had has been a king getting into the nest and having a 'play' and destoried all the eggs....a rat that took a nest out..long story.

And I know another breeder who had like you describe...mice who had made a nest in the spare nesting box unbeknown to the breeder who really thought the flights didnt have mice.

Mary · New Member Joined: Mar 03, 2010 Posts: 4

I have noticed that she has become a bit aggressive towards me also a little nippy. My birds are inside no chance of any kind of rodent or anything else getting into nest box. I'm going to not check the box at all for the rest of the week, there are still 6 eggs in the box. Thank you so much for your reponse. I will post again in a couple of days with an update.

In the area where I live no one knows anything about kakarikis I've been researching over a year and this forum has been so helpful. I couldn't live without these very active feathered friends. I actually have 2 pairs second pair have 3 eggs. I will post some pics as soon as I figure out how.

Once again thank you. Hopefully this strange behaviour will stop with me not checking the box.

ornate · Member Joined: Feb 23, 2010 Posts: 6

I had the same problem, i made a post here you can easily find , Female killed her 4 first little babies aswell but she managed to protect the next two.

now they are 5 weeks old , i have a pic aswell if u look at my post.

My theory was that she killed them because maybe they were weak or something wrong that she could think of ... I am not expeceinced tho , just be patience and i am sure you ll see that you have 2 great (parent) birds !