Examples Of Breeding Ready Hens

[Tal 0]

Well I have been looking through the forum and the FAQ to see if I can find examples of hens in breeding condition. I can't seem to find any examples. If any one has some pictures that show a hen in breeding condition as opposed to scaly face can they please post them. I am trying to find out so I know if I need to separate my hen from the males or treat her for scaly face. This is a picture of what she looks like atm I figure better to ask.

[Rainbow 0]

It looks like breeding condition to me. Scaly face will also cause smallish holes in the beak, and the skin around the beak and cere is usually affected too. I dug through the archives and found a few that show breeding condition somewhat closeup. Hopefully this helps you.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tal 0]

Thanks. It was what I thought but I figured better to get get confirmation. I just hope the lack of a nesting box will prevent an attempt to breed as I am unable to separate them

[splat 0]

Hi this hen is ready for breeding, I agree with rainbow, your hen looks like breeding condition not scaly face.

I hope this helps

 

[Rainbow 0]

Thanks. It was what I thought but I figured better to get get confirmation. I just hope the lack of a nesting box will prevent an attempt to breed as I am unable to separate them

 

LOL I ended up with 9 babies that started off with "lack of a nesting box"! My hen wanted to lay in the cushions of my sofa...and we know THAT would not have been a good idea at all! Just to say it is possible but not probable. Are your birds indoors in a cage or outdoors in an aviary?

 

 

**lovely picture splat!**

Edited June 5, 2007 by Rainbow

[splat 0]

Thanks. It was what I thought but I figured better to get get confirmation. I just hope the lack of a nesting box will prevent an attempt to breed as I am unable to separate them

 

(Laughing out loud) I ended up with 9 babies that started off with "lack of a nesting box"! My hen wanted to lay in the cushions of my sofa...and we know THAT would not have been a good idea at all! Just to say it is possible but not probable. Are your birds indoors in a cage or outdoors in an aviary?

 

 

**lovely picture splat!**

 

 

Turned out good ha, I just cropped one of my yellow face hen photos that I put in the members yellow face birds. But it is quite good (Laughing out loud) proud of myself, ha! ha!

[Elly 0]

these are great examples, I am going to add to the FAQ article about Breeding Condition vs Scaley Face

[Tal 0]

Thanks. It was what I thought but I figured better to get get confirmation. I just hope the lack of a nesting box will prevent an attempt to breed as I am unable to separate them :hap:

 

(Laughing out loud) I ended up with 9 babies that started off with "lack of a nesting box"! My hen wanted to lay in the cushions of my sofa...and we know THAT would not have been a good idea at all! Just to say it is possible but not probable. Are your birds indoors in a cage or outdoors in an aviary?

 

 

**lovely picture splat!**

 

:hap: Don't tell me things like that! :hap: :hap: I am so not prepared for something like that as I have had them for about a month. Oh and they are in a cage in my loungeroom

[Feathers 0]

Don't tell me things like that! I am so not prepared for something like that as I have had them for about a month. Oh and they are in a cage in my loungeroom

 

Hi Tal, unless they find a place where they feel it is safe to nest it is very unlikely that they will breed. I have had plenty of budgies who have mated but not laid any eggs as they didn't have a nest box. I wouldn't stress about it at all :hap:

 

 

Feathers.

[Tal 0]

Thanks Feathers Still there is always a slim chance but I don't think its much of one. I guess I can always addle the eggs if they do breed.

[Elly 0]

I added this post in the FAQ for picture purposes under breeding called Signs of a hen in breeding condition, we will add more as a description too

[Daz 0]

sorry guys those hens are too far into breeding condition. Their cere should just be colouring to tan and they should be active. By that I mean chewing at perchs and hoping around. By the time they have that dark choclate cere only a good cock can bring them on.

[Elly 0]

Daz do you have a pics of a hen in breeding condition exactly what to look for

[Feathers 0]

The third photo of Rainbow's shows a bird going into breeding condition. I put a bird with a very crusty cere into a breeding cabinet with a cock and she half killed the poor thing

 

Examples of changing ceres going into breeding condition:

 

 

This bird's cere is still very light, but she normally has a whiteblue cere when out of condition,

within 2 weeks she was in condition:

 

 

 

 

Feathers.

Edited June 10, 2007 by feathers

[**KAZ** 0]

unless they find a place where they feel it is safe to nest it is very unlikely that they will breed. I have had plenty of budgies who have mated but not laid any eggs as they didn't have a nest box. I wouldn't stress about it at all

Feathers.

 

In saying this, and I must say I totally agree with Feathers here....

I currently have a show hen that insists on making a little nest in the corner of her cage by her drinker...she shreds paper and lays and egg and then proceeds to guard it. I was told by her breeder she is a terrible mother, so her eggs are being fostered as fast as she lays them. Shortly she will be given some "clear" eggs from another hen to sit with until she gets bored.

Edited June 10, 2007 by **KAZ**

[Feathers 0]

(feathers @ Jun 7 2007, 00:40)

 

unless they find a place where they feel it is safe to nest it is very unlikely that they will breed. I have had plenty of budgies who have mated but not laid any eggs as they didn't have a nest box. I wouldn't stress about it at all

Feathers.

 

 

 

In saying this, and I must say I totally agree with Feathers here....

 

 

Geez, I am glad I qualified that statement by saying "unless they find a place where they feel it is safe to nest" "it is very unlikely" covered my backside on that one. In a cage situation it would be usnusual, but there are more nice safe looking spots in some aviaries. It is still unusual. But then, I guess if you have 200+ budgies the chances increase

 

 

Feathers.

Edited June 10, 2007 by feathers

[**KAZ** 0]

(feathers @ Jun 7 2007, 00:40)

 

unless they find a place where they feel it is safe to nest it is very unlikely that they will breed. I have had plenty of budgies who have mated but not laid any eggs as they didn't have a nest box. I wouldn't stress about it at all

Feathers.

 

 

 

In saying this, and I must say I totally agree with Feathers here....

 

 

Geez, I am glad I qualified that statement by saying "unless they find a place where they feel it is safe to nest" "it is very unlikely" covered my backside on that one. In a cage situation it would be usnusual, but there are more nice safe looking spots in some aviaries. It is still unusual. But then, I guess if you have 200+ budgies the chances increase

 

 

Feathers.

 

This hen is in a breeder cage She obviously doesnt like the nestbox.

[Daz 0]

I was talking to a friend in the club yesterday and was told that when the birds came back from the nationals that were put in a holding cage. There was 7 from this breeder. A few days later, when checked he could only find 6. On the end of the holding cage was an old show cage that was used to train nest feathers. The 7th was a hen and had made a nest in the show cage. He didn't destrub her and she when on to have 3 eggs all fertile. The sire is unknown at the moment and the eggs have been fostered out.

[**KAZ** 0]

I was talking to a friend in the club yesterday and was told that when the birds came back from the nationals that were put in a holding cage. There was 7 from this breeder. A few days later, when checked he could only find 6. On the end of the holding cage was an old show cage that was used to train nest feathers. The 7th was a hen and had made a nest in the show cage. He didn't destrub her and she when on to have 3 eggs all fertile. The sire is unknown at the moment and the eggs have been fostered out.

[splat 0]

sorry guys those hens are too far into breeding condition. Their cere should just be colouring to tan and they should be active. By that I mean chewing at perchs and hoping around. By the time they have that dark choclate cere only a good cock can bring them on.

 

 

Daz I don't get that, as all my hens that I have put down including the one pictured in this post have the dark chocolate cere have settled, mated and have had all fertile eggs some have already hatched young, none are attacking their mates, some are first time hens and first time cocks also.

There is one hen that I have put down with a lighter tan which has been 3 weeks and still nothing, I was thinking she wasn't ready because her cere was light in colour. NOW I am confused. :excl:

[Feathers 0]

Hi Julie, putting a hen with a dark chocolate cere in to breed isn't a problem, but when they are at the stage that they have a very crusty dark chocolate cere it is too late in many cases. There is no golden rule, but the 'optimum' time to put them in is before it gets to a very crusty stage. This is my belief.

 

A few of my original pairs that I put into breeding cages with crusty ceres I ended up putting back into the flight. Within a few days a couple of them had dropped half or all of the crusty cere and gone back to whiteblue. One cock in particular, as I said before, ended up being bashed and was left bloody. I found him trying to squeeze through a small gap in an effort to get into the other side of the cage to get away from her

 

Only you know where your hens are at. If they have just gone dark brown or just started to get crusty you will know they are ready. Whereas if I walked in to your avairy I would have no idea how long they had been in that condition.

 

 

 

Feathers.

Edited June 11, 2007 by feathers

[Guest ellulah]

I suppose you could compare it too a menstruating mammal. By the time her period starts, she is past her fertile point. A budgie Hen's cere goes crusty around the same time of her menstruation cycle as a mammal begins her period.

So they need to bred before the nostrils go crusty to be fertile.

[macka 0]

Some hens ceres never change to brown & will go down & lay.As long as they are healthy, pair them up.Iam more concerned with the cocks.I like to see the cocks,chating to the hens on the wire or another cock on the perch.Hens will lay,but unless the cock is fertile,no filled eggs.

[Daz 0]

Very good points. Splat you can breed hens in that conditions but as Feathers and macka's said it is the start. It is not the only indication of a hen's breeding condition. She must be flerting witht the cocks and chewing everything in sight.

 

I have an opaline grey hen from Joe Darman and she has a blue cere.. It will be a bit harder but I think I can breed from her..,.... going to try anyway.

[splat 0]

Hi Guys, nearly all the hens I have put down, i think they were ready even though their cere is chocolate brown as they have been digging, scratching around and chewing, a well know breeder told me if you see them digging chewing etc they are ready to go down and that is what I look for , not so much the cere.

But my hens are very active you would think they were cock birds at how active they are. You see I have the hens seperated from the cocks so I know that they are not fertile to the wrong bird and when I pair them up the hens are all flirty with the cocks I chose all most straight away. Most times I have eggs within 2weeks sometimes earlier.