Eggs eggs eggs

Piccolina

New member
Mar 22, 2014
16
1
Somewhere in sunny California
Parrots
I have two couple of lovebirds
I have 2 sets of lovebirds in 2 separate cages.:blue2::blue2:
:green::blue1:

One set has laid 5 eggs and from previous experience, I suspect that they
will not be able to handle all 5 chicks when they hatch.

The first egg was laid Sep 3rd, then 5th, 7th, 9th 11th. The first chick should hatch Sep 24th.

My question is: should I put some of the eggs in the cage of the other pair? who, BTW, is starting to prepare their own nest.

And if so, at what time of the nesting period? i.e. towards the end of the nesting, or towards the time that the chicks are hatchinhg or should I at all let the other pair take care of some of the chicks. And how many of the chicks?

I remember that in the past, this prolific pair :blue2::blue2:was mutilating their chicks, so I hand fed them and managed to raise them myself and one of the second pair is actually the "daughter":blue1: of this pair. And I bought her the boyfriend:green:

The parents are about 3 years old.

The second pair:blue1::green: is less than 1 year old and that would be their first experience with chicks.

Thank your for any input.




*




*
 

DallyTsuka

New member
Mar 19, 2011
1,331
1
Ontario, Canada
Parrots
Dallas and Tsukasa (Cockatiels)
Mango and Munchlax (Peach Faced Lovebirds)
Less than a year old is much too young to breed, and giving them more chick's to raise from another clutch is not the best idea to give to such an inexperienced pair.

I'd remove the nest from the young birds and don't breed them until 18 months when they're more mature and physically ready for breeding.

As for your older pair, you are likely going to have to handfeed if they mutilate them, or not breed them again after this if they treat their young like that

What is their diet like? Parent birds often mutilate their chick's due to malnutrition or deficiency in certain minerals.
 

TweeterKat

Member
Sep 3, 2014
76
0
Ontario, Canada
Parrots
1 Lutino Peachfaced Lovebird named Jello
Yikes! I am currently experiencing a determined to lay hen that I dont want to lay eggs! LOL! DallyTsuka has good advice, and I agree that you shouldn't put more eggs in with the less experienced pair, probly be waay to overwhelming.

Good Luck!
 
OP
Piccolina

Piccolina

New member
Mar 22, 2014
16
1
Somewhere in sunny California
Parrots
I have two couple of lovebirds
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
I went to a "seed farm" and got the best combination of seeds for them, so I am hoping that their behavior is not due to malnutrition.

The first hatching should beging September 24th, so I will be watching closly to make sure the babies are not hurt.

But I still have the question as to: how will I know who of the two parents might be hurting the chicks so that I can move it out of the cage?

Can I just randomly decide to remove the male and let the motherly instinct continue the feeding and help her by also hand feeding the chicks?



*
 

weco

New member
Nov 24, 2010
3,342
12
USA
Parrots
Nanday, suns, parrotlet, Patagonian
Since you already have experience pulling & hand feeding chicks, I would plan on doing it again, but since you are not sure if the male is the mutilator, removing him could also cause the hen to quit caring for the chicks or worse...I think you pulling them & hand feeding them would probably be the best thing, then splitting up that pair.....

Good luck.....
 

DallyTsuka

New member
Mar 19, 2011
1,331
1
Ontario, Canada
Parrots
Dallas and Tsukasa (Cockatiels)
Mango and Munchlax (Peach Faced Lovebirds)
Just seed isn't enough. They need veggies, pellets, and soft foods such as cooked egg and sprouted seed. Do they have a cuttlebone and/or a mineral block?
 

BillsBirds

Well-known member
Jan 9, 2012
1,371
40
Largo, Florida
Parrots
Timneh African Grey (Bailey), Lovebird (Elvis)
You're assuming that the male is the mutilator. In my experience, it is more often the female that mutilates &/or kills the chicks. "Motherly instinct" is not all you seem to think it is.
 

SilverSage

New member
Sep 14, 2013
5,937
93
Columbus, GA
Parrots
Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
They need proper nutrition to be healthy, and they absolutely need it to handle the stress of breeding. If you do not know these kids of things you should not be breeding in the first place. We all have to start somewhere as far as experience go but you have to do the proper research before going hands on. You take a written drivers exam before they let you get behind the wheel, and there is a lot of basic bird knowledge you need before you get to the level that you should be breeding. One of the very basic, and I mean VERY basic is proper nutrition.
 

DallyTsuka

New member
Mar 19, 2011
1,331
1
Ontario, Canada
Parrots
Dallas and Tsukasa (Cockatiels)
Mango and Munchlax (Peach Faced Lovebirds)
We have a lot of breeders on this forum, why not ask as many questions as you have, read through threads using the search bar on the forum menu and do research before deciding to try again? We'd all be willing to help you learn if that is what you want :)
 

TweeterKat

Member
Sep 3, 2014
76
0
Ontario, Canada
Parrots
1 Lutino Peachfaced Lovebird named Jello
They need proper nutrition to be healthy, and they absolutely need it to handle the stress of breeding. If you do not know these kids of things you should not be breeding in the first place. We all have to start somewhere as far as experience go but you have to do the proper research before going hands on. You take a written drivers exam before they let you get behind the wheel, and there is a lot of basic bird knowledge you need before you get to the level that you should be breeding. One of the very basic, and I mean VERY basic is proper nutrition.


SilverSage: I love how direct and to the point u keep your posts! ;)
 

SilverSage

New member
Sep 14, 2013
5,937
93
Columbus, GA
Parrots
Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
I used to try and sugar coat things, but I no longer have the time or the patience to do so, and I have found that when you put a lot of effort into being gentle, all too often people do not get the point. This is something that as a breeder I am very serious about.
 

LeaKP

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2014
3,146
Media
4
2,453
South Africa
Parrots
Congo African Grey
I used to try and sugar coat things, but I no longer have the time or the patience to do so, and I have found that when you put a lot of effort into being gentle, all too often people do not get the point. This is something that as a breeder I am very serious about.

Thank you for your reply. If I ever want to breed any birds, I would hope to follow your rules SilverSage. I've often thought of giving it a go but won't make a move until I'm totally educated and find a way to get some experience. Thank you so much!
 

SilverSage

New member
Sep 14, 2013
5,937
93
Columbus, GA
Parrots
Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Please feel free to pm me if you have questions as well. There are other breeders here, many with much more experience than I have :)
 

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top