Should I replace nesting material?

[crookedbird]

My female conure had 3 eggs, and for the first time in her life, she's incubating them successfully. As the time of hatching gets closer, I am worried about one thing. Mama bird kicked all the nesting material out of the nest box. Should I replace the nesting material? I heard it's important for baby birds to not be on a hard flat surface but I don't know if it's more important not to disturb the nest.

 

[𝕾𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖞𝕻𝖎𝖈𝖆]

My female conure had 3 eggs, and for the first time in her life, she's incubating them successfully. As the time of hatching gets closer, I am worried about one thing. Mama bird kicked all the nesting material out of the nest box. Should I replace the nesting material? I heard it's important for baby birds to not be on a hard flat surface but I don't know if it's more important not to disturb the nest.

Are you sure the eggs are fertile? Does she have a male to mate with? But to answer your question, if there is no nesting material left, you should probably replace it.

 

[Laurasea]

I don't think you need nest material. Best research more as Stormy and I aren't breeders

 

[crookedbird]

Are you sure the eggs are fertile? Does she have a male to mate with? But to answer your question, if there is no nesting material left, you should probably replace it.

Yes, they're fertile. She has a mate and I have candled them a few times so I know they're growing.

 

[ravvlet]

Also not a parrot breeder (I’ve only raised poultry), but it sounds like you’ve been able to get the eggs out to candle them. I would try to add nesting material in if you can, at the same time you would have candled them (presumably while they’re off the eggs). I assume she will just kick it back out if it upsets her. Splay leg is not something you want to deal with, so hopefully mama will leave it in this time.

 

[crookedbird]

Also not a parrot breeder (I’ve only raised poultry), but it sounds like you’ve been able to get the eggs out to candle them. I would try to add nesting material in if you can, at the same time you would have candled them (presumably while they’re off the eggs). I assume she will just kick it back out if it upsets her. Splay leg is not something you want to deal with, so hopefully mama will leave it in this time.

Right. She very rarely leaves the nest and only for a minute or two, but I'll see what I can do next time she comes out.

 

[Laurasea]

I try and keep my help to my experience. But from what I've read, they do not need nesting material. And adding stuff can get you in trouble. She was following her instincts. Many cavity dwellers prefer bare substrate. In my experience in conservation, you really want to be careful with substrate. You can have chick's injest and choke, you can have legs grow crooked . So i dont know all the ends and outs , of nest substrates . But i have seen the results when the wrong thing is used.. Thats why we should be very careful in advising outside our experience.

Nesting Preferences of Conures in Captivity

Conure Info ... Index of Conure Species ... Photos of the Different Conure Species for Identification

www.beautyofbirds.com

I hope you get live chick's heart ❤

 

[Laurasea]

I've put a lot of the most usefu links I've found on chicks in this thread.
This is your 3rd attempt at chick's?
If you haven'talready, have a radiant heat source available ( or a way to keep chick's warm) if needed. I like the sweeter heater as found on Amazon. Have your thermometer for formula if you need to hand feed . Plus have formula on hand. Temp and humidity and warmth if chick's and food is critical reader for your brood box if you have to pull chick's . Proper humidity is important. Have a digital scale. And a logbook. And jeep researching and reading up.
We do have/ or have had members who've raised chick's but unfortunately they never come forward with advice, ( or very rarely) . Maybe this time they will.

Hand raising baby parrots ( I advise against doing this!) Helpful links

I'm going to add the helpful links to have all in one place. It seems to be that time of year again. If you are thinking of getting an unweaned baby, please wait till they are fully weaned and eating on their own. It will not make a better pet bird. Many will die. It crushing to us regulars on...

www.parrotforums.com

 

[Laurasea]

If this is the 3rd time your female has laid a clutch this year, then she needs a break after this regardless of if you get chick's or not.

Its very taxing on their body, and takes 3 x the resources to lay eggs. Its not advised to do more than 2 clutches a year. Otherwise it just burns through their resources and can lead to health issues and early death in your hen.

Important to be providing the best most nutritional diet to parents. Plus plenty of dietary sources if calcium, by veggies, pellets, cuttlefish bone, boiled egg shells.

Sticky thread from one of our breeder members

Before I start to breed...

Here are just a few questions to ask yourself before breeding birds, whether you plan to do it professionally or just wonder if you should let your parakeet have babies. This list just scratches the surface. >What is my motivation for breeding? Am I selfishly just trying to make money off of...

www.parrotforums.com

 

[crookedbird]

If this is the 3rd time your female has laid a clutch this year, then she needs a break after this regardless of if you get chick's or not.

Its very taxing on their body, and takes 3 x the resources to lay eggs. Its not advised to do more than 2 clutches a year. Otherwise it just burns through their resources and can lead to health issues and early death in your hen.

Important to be providing the best most nutritional diet to parents. Plus plenty of dietary sources if calcium, by veggies, pellets, cuttlefish bone, boiled egg shells.

Sticky thread from one of our breeder members

Before I start to breed...

Here are just a few questions to ask yourself before breeding birds, whether you plan to do it professionally or just wonder if you should let your parakeet have babies. This list just scratches the surface. >What is my motivation for breeding? Am I selfishly just trying to make money off of...

www.parrotforums.com

It's not her third clutch this year, but it might be her 2nd. I try to discourage her from laying eggs, but so far I've been unable to get her to stop laying every few months or so. I am worried about her for sure. She seems healthy so far but I can't get her to eat much when it comes to sources of calcium. I'm dosing her water with calcium supplements for birds. This is the second time I've tried for chicks and the first time she's actually incubated. I was hoping maybe having the chicks would make her wait longer before she starts laying again.

 

[Laurasea]

Hopefully having chick's will end the laying cycle.

You are right to worry about eggs every few months. Many members have had to deal with this issue. Maybe you could start a thread on that topic, and get tips to help with chronic egg laying. Or consult an avian veterinarian .

I worry about additives. What do the parents eat?

Improving and changing diet can be challenging. But with trying to breed and chronic egg layers it critically important.
Did you have a thread on diet changes? If not its worth starting one. Nearly all of us have been through diet changes. So you would get a wide range of different tips and approaches. Some people have excellent results sith chop.