robyn

All good Vagar, maybe he saves his energy just for the girls. l.o.l.

Looks like a lovely family project, great to see everyone involved. Good luck with it and welcome to b.b.c.

Thanks, Nadene & Rochelle. Haven't you seen a newly hatched chick as yet Rochelle ? I have one I call peanut, he was as big as a peanut when hatched, another called cashew, I had to sell him though, peanut is special as he is the only one that will come and chatter to me while I'm cleaning aviary. The tiny ones in last picture are about 3-4 days old I think. They are tough little things they burrow in under the bigger chicks and don't come to any harm. I don't use rings now, I used to use colour coded ones for each nest box but when they are being on sold etc it's very hard to keep track. I generally know which birds breed what chicks and keep certain amount of breeding birds and sell off any surplus chicks each year.

Hi Rochelle, I have never, touch wood, had to hand rear but I'd say when their crops look empty feed them or they will call for food. Hopefully it won't come to that. I think there is a pinned item on hand rearing, check on f.a.q. that should give you a heads up.(pinned in breeders discussion) Do you have hand rearing food on hand just in case? As you never know when you might need something I keep a packet of baby rice cereal in freezer. In case I ever need something in a hurry. p.s. love your little family shot.

When he's sleepy does he perch on both feet or one? When he tucks his head in, if he perch's on one foot they say he's okay., if both feet there could be a problem. I read this somewhere on here that a sick bird won't perch on one foot. He may just be a bit of a lazy bones.

Agree with Kaz about this. How about adding more beads so the string is full of beads and tie the loops tight to the clips so there is no loop for them to catch their neck in. Good job anyway, with a bit of thought I bet you come up with more toys than Allen "Buddy" can handle. l.o.l.

Trying to add pics of box's. P.B. has changed again since I last used it. cage 3, Dad feeding these. cage 4 eggs. cage 5 could be 2 d.e.c./d.f spangles here cage 6 my jumble of 8 tiny's. It may be me. but can't we preview post any more, before posting??

Thanks for comments, well to-day the 2 eggs were duds, removed them. All babies fed looking good. Dad with 5 coping well. Some starting to feather up pics. soon.

Mine generally seem to leave nest box nearly 4 weeks to the day. So your 19th 3. would leave about 19th 4. so by 25th if yours hatched 2 days apart they should be all nearly ready to fledge. If Dad is feeding them, even out of box that's good sometimes they will keep feeding a bit if chicks pester them for food.The older ones will sometimes even feed the younger ones if they call for food. Once you can see they are all cracking seed they should be okay. they could lose a bit of weight until they eat enough by themselves, it's easier to pester Dad than do it themselves, which they will do if he lets them. If he is in cage with them he will teach them the ropes as they grow, if he eats veges etc they will copy USUALLY don't quote me. l.o.l I'd leave them with Dad as long as you can before next round is due, then remove them to kindy cage on their own.(or are they free in aviary with Dad already)

Hi Rochelle, I think the birds will be better off with you by the sound of it. Can't figure out how she is going to bring chicks, adults and nest box. unless she tapes them all in nest box, which would be a bit risky. If that's the case I'd get them all into your cage, then let the parents out and pray they look after the chicks. If oldest is 4-5 weeks and youngest is 2 weeks by the time you get them it may be okay, oldest should be feeding itself by then, leave them in the nest box together even if you are hand raising them. By then,take out any nest material and just add seed in the bottom of nest box it helps the young ones learn to eat better ( if youngest is about 2 weeks.) There should be enough warmth generated in nest box for them. Hopefully the parents will keep feeding them for you. Keep us posted after you get them.

Welcome Leanne, glad to see you have new bud. It's sad losing one but that's life, it's good you have taken on a new one. Post pics so someone can tell you what sex it is.

Maybe she meant the picture of blue hen on her Avatar?

Well I had same problem so when I sold some birds I used the money to buy a patio blind. Hung it on front of aviary with some pulleys and it works a treat. I leave it down on rainy or really windy days as it's clear it still lets in plenty of light. I put it up all day when it's fine.

Beautiful birds Brittany, would only be guessing with mutations, great names though.

Looking great Nadene, it won't be long before they fledge.

After I checked I have 4 box's. no 4 box has 3 2nd round eggs.+ 2 " iffy" eggs don't think they will hatch but you never know. no 5 box has 7 chicks no 3 box has 5 chicks no 6 box has 8 chicks. Total of 20 chicks, chicks have been moved around so not sure who has what at this stage. I just removed Hen that was savage etc. she was busily attacking oldest chick when I went down so Dad can finish 5 chicks. I think that about sums it up, if I have it sorted now. l.o.l.

Hi Rochelle I haven't been on as much as usual either. So far I've had good and bad this time. I have 20 chicks, I think. I have 1 new hen who decided eggs are laid in cage not nest box. I put eggs into nest box and she incubated them okay. First round she hatched 2 left them unfed, both died, moved her last 2 eggs into another cage 1 hatched. She has just started to lay 2nd round, thought this time she may lay in box, no 2 in cage, to-day 1 in box yay!! Lost 2nd chick from second cage, they have 7 now but she attacked 1 and killed it, getting very savage when I check box. Another chick dead to-day, not attacked just squashed I think. She had 1 tiny one from yesterday so I swapped it into nest with 6 chicks. (She ended up with 12 eggs ) Third cage has 7 I think. Forth cage poor thing has all tiny ones ;they are great parents very placid so I have taken a couple of her bigger chicks to 3 cage and given her the tiny ones. ARE YOU CONFUSED YET?? l.o.l (you did ask ) I am. so all in all I have had the most topsy turvy round I have had since I started. I have to go do a head count to see how many I have left, only have 2 eggs that look very suss left, other than new 3 2nd round eggs. I'm not sure which chick belongs to which parents at the moment hoping I can tell as they feather up more. More later when I figure it all out.

It sounds a bit risky Rochelle, the older chicks ( I think you said there were 2) may be okay. The day old, if Mum left it would die within a day, if not fed covered etc. don't know if last egg would hatch if Mum has been off nest for any length of time. With only 4 eggs it's a bit odd that they were not closer together. Usually hatching 2 days apart. So maybe don't count on last egg. Leave it in box though, you never know. Surely she could let you have the nest box. Even if you gave her a replacement box, just to keep them in the box they know without disturbing young ones so much. Can you have it arranged with hand rearing lady, to be ready to take them if Mum decided it's all too much and leaves chicks? It's hard to tell which way she will go. Good luck with it and let us know how you go. Fingers crossed!!!

Hi, can you tell if Dad is still feeding chicks? If you only have this pair in aviary, if you put food dish on floor and put chicks on floor with seed and some form of shelter they can hide under, Dad will maybe keep feeding them on the floor. Mum would only be attacking chicks if they are in the nest box and she wants to lay. If on the other hand Dad has left the chicks to fend for themselves I would remove them to cage as Nadene advised. That way you can keep an eye on them to tell if they are all eating. As Nadene said at five weeks they should be able to feed themselves, it's like they won't bother until they have nobody giving them food when they call, they usually start then.

Your set up sounds right, I'd leave it up to mother nature. They will breed when they are both in condition if everything else is right.

If hen is laying eggs I'd look at changing the Cock bird and see if you get better results. If they have bred chicks before maybe he's not very fertile or not in breeding. condition.

Will the birds be moved in their breeding cage, nest box as well ? If so and it's a quick move they may be okay. Don't know how it would go if you have to remove them from cage/nest box etc.How old are the chicks? If they haven't been in an aviary situation I'd be inclined to keep them within their own cage until chicks fledge.

sorry, should have read they DON'T breed readily.

Love his colouring Birdlove. I only have my birds in aviary. Sometimes I'm tempted to try one inside but haven't as yet. Don't think our dog would like the competition. l.o.l.

Ditto from me. Although I'd say possibly opaline, spangle? Clearflight. Mauve/violet. Lovely bird, are the others in pics from the same nest do you know? they look similar. Very young also. Sorry Rashu not much help.