Pulling babies

[IcyWolf]

As we get closer and closer to bringing our new pair home, and hopefully to the beginning of our new breeding endeavor, I have been pondering a few things. One of the biggest things that has concerned me is pulling babies from the nest box and what affect this has on the parents? As I've said before, this will be my first attempt at breeding larger hook bills. When it comes to budgies and 'tiels, they don't seem to be too upset when I've pulled the babies. They usually go in the nest box a few times, realize the babies aren't there any more and then just go about their business like nothing happened. But I know that budgies and tiels are often colony breeders, so I could see how they would be less affected by a sudden disapearance of their young as it probably happens more often naturally, either from another pair taking over a nesting spot, predators, etc. But when it comes to a pair of larger birds that stakes out and claims their nest and then protects it from other birds and wildlife, I can imagine it would be quite upsetting for them to not only have their babies taken away, but to watch me, the very person that is trying to gain their trust, take the babies away. How to you folks deal with this situation? Am I making it out to be a bigger ordeal than it really is or is this actually a concern? Do you let them see you take the babies or do you try and do it somewhat secretly, possibly with the lights off or something? Also, do you then feed the babies and possibly brood them within eyesight or earshot of the parents, or is this something that should be done away from where the pair can see the babies? I know it's kind of a weird question but it's one that has been in the back of my head for awhile now and I can't seem to find any info about this. Most books and sites just say we take the babies at x amount of weeks old and then hand feed them. They do not even mention the way they do this or how it affects the parents.

 

[cockatielfan17]

i dont know much about large hookbills but i think they might lay more eggs to replae there babies or they wont even care

 

[henpecked]

My amazons don't seem to stress much over pulling babies,stress more over me checking them.I do have to pull the nest boxes after i pull the babies or they'll start laying again.I try and keep the babies out of ear shot of the parents though, most of my breeder birds are wild caught and will teach the babies wild amazon screams.Losing babies is pretty natural in the wild and most parents take it in stride.With amazons only afew choice nest sites will produce babies and lesser pairs often lose their babies to rain fall and predators,it may take many years before leeser pairs inherit the choice nest sites and produce babies.Even then rarely do all of the babies survive as nature will give them more babies then they can feed or habitat can support.That why all the eggs don't hatch at once and the oldest/stronger chicks get feed first,so mortality is very natural and common.

 

[IcyWolf]

That makes me feel a little better, these guys were captive bred and hand raised from what I understand. While I don't expect them to ever be super friendly, they don't seem to fear or dislike people in any way and I didn't want to do anything to change that.