Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:54 am Post subject: two babies! advice please
Hi guys, my hen has layed 7 eggs and so far we have 2 gorgeous little ones.
As we are new to this i was hoping to get some advice.
Is there anything i should be doing to help?
they are already on a good diet with plenty of fruit and veg.
When can i handle them? or should i at all cause mums doing a brill job so far.
When will she lay again?
when should i consider leg banding and at what age?
and any other info breeding 101.
I feel very lucky to have these little ones and i just want to do the best by them.
Thanx,
Elisa
Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:37 am Post subject: baby advice
ok so i have 5 more fertile eggs, which i think will hatch in the next few days, the problem is i have two, 3 day old chicks in there already and im worried the new chicks won't be strong enough to survive, so i was thinking should i remove the hen with the eggs in another nest box, and let the dad bring up the chicks? or am i worrying over nothing?
It is not uncommon for chicks to hatch well after the 1st.....
So long as the parents/chicks are not paniced, we have after a 1000 odd birds never lost any this way.
The secret is "panicked" kakariki have survived many 100s of 1000s of yrs fine...the big issue in capitivity is supplying them with all they need .....including peace and quiet.
I some eggs dont hatch, which always happens the young huddle around and lean up against keeping their heads up for breathing and feeding..
I have a therory that not all eggs are meant to hatch...and act as hot water bottle while the hen is out....
Dispurning the hen may move in a hurry, knock chicks over, ..just leave them be...have a 10 sec from start to open box to closed once a week.
Quote:
When will she lay again?
She will start to go to the 2nd nesting box (get one in if havnt already) just as the adult feathers start to show and lay when the chicks have about 1/2 their adult feathers.
Quote:
good diet with plenty of fruit and veg.
I assume u have read the thread "what do u feed...." include protein and cristle, chicken carcass, chop bones etc etc.
Banding? we dont
There are about 10 yrs of threads on banding, nesting, and the "quck search" block on the left, and search function above....with everything u want to know and more.
If u cant find info please ask
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