Advice Needed

[Nick123 0]

I currently have a hen in nest with two chicks and 4 eggs and no partner. This morning I found the cock bird (partner) dead in breeding cage. Reasons for death unknown.

 

My question is;

 

Should i introduce another cock in with hen to help with raising the chicks or should I leave hen on her own? Would introducing new cock create a problem with hen and chicks? Can hen cope on her own?

 

The hen had previously bonded with proposed new cock before being paired to the now deceased cock.

 

I currentlty have two other pairs down for breeding. Pair 1, 8 chicks and one egg to go. Pair 2, 4 chicks and three eggs to go. Fostering not possible.

 

All advice would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

Nick

[robyn 0]

Hi,by now with no replies you have probably worked something out. I would not add new partner in this case Mum could rare the chicks as long as she had easy access to seed veg's etc. sometimes a new partner may work but she or he may abandon eggs chicks etc or worse kill them.

 

What was your solution?

Did other eggs hatch/live etc or did you try the other Cock bird ? If so did that work.

Hope you had a good outcome either way.

[Nick123 0]

Thank you for the reply Robyn

 

There are now five chicks in the nest. All doing well, mum seems to be coping.

 

I add seed in nest box every day, vegies provided every second day and egg and biscuit also every second day.

 

Chicks not feathered as yet, I am hoping for some Dom Pieds. The cock was a Dom Pied Opaline Clearbody. He was the only Dom Pied I had.

 

Nick

[robyn 0]

Well done. Fingers crossed you get your pied's.

As oldest chick get to about 2 weeks I take out all bedding and add an inch or so of just seed and keep topping that up. The chicks learn to crack seed for themselves, should give Mum a break as well in your case.

[Nick123 0]

I will follow your advice Robyn.

 

I bred this pair a year ago and they produced two beautiful dom pied clearbody hens. I was very excited. I planned to breed them this year. However, had some misfortune with them. Found them dead in avairy 3 weeks apart in the same spot.

 

They died or (committed suicide) by attemping to burrow in a very small gap between perches holders on side of avairy and got stuck. I guess they attempted to find nesting space, there can be no other reason/explanation. I have had 12+ budgies in this avairy for three years now, no nest boxes, and this has never happened before or since. Very bizarre, both hens had no sign of injury.

 

So hopefully there are some pieds in this batch.

 

Thanks

Nick

[robyn 0]

Fingers crossed you get some pieds. I also had a hen die like that, got stuck in between the wire and a small board it was raining constantly and by the time I saw her it was too late. she used to breed the most beautiful green and gold chicks, haven't managed to get the same strength of colour since. Maybe when I get back into it I may be lucky.

[Nick123 0]

Picture of chicks. One pied!

 

]

 

Edited September 1, 2014 by Nick123

[robyn 0]

Beautiful healthy looking chicks Nick, it will be great to see them fully feathered which won't be long now.

[Nick123 0]

Thank you Robyn,

 

I will post pictures when they have fledged.

 

Cheers

Nick

Edited September 3, 2014 by Nick123

[Humphrey 0]

I read that you cock died. I am in the same situation.

My hen laid 7 eggs 2 hatched within a few days. one 3 days later.

I left the eggs there and after a few days 1 hatched but died. The same happened on the next two days..

 

Am I right to assume that the two bigger chicks were getting all the cocks attention re feeding.

 

I had 3 chicks but the younger one was not doing so well.

I removed the larger two and hand fed them. They are just starting to feather up so the parents could feed the other one in the morning and then put them back in the box..

 

Yesterday I came home to a dead chick and the cock was dead. I can only assume that he was feeding the hen and chicks and not himself.

 

I have now taken the two remaining chicks and am hand rearing them. I dont know what else to do.

 

 

.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Humphrey

[Humphrey 0]

I currently have the chics in the nestbox in a small cage with mum but she doesn't show any interest in feeding them.