One of our males killed the baby and nearly hatched eggs in another box. He was the father of this clutch but also has another clutch with another female.

He has made no attempt to harm the other clutch and has previously raised chicks with her.

 

We have 3 females and 3 males. One male is paired off successfully and they have babies. The destructive male is the father to the two females babies and there is one male who hangs around.

 

What can I do.

 

Thanks

This is one of the problems with open breeding. You will have to take him out of the breeding cages.

I have heard of two cases recently where the males have killed babies in a breeder cage. It isn't just a colony breeder thing.

I have heard of two cases recently where the males have killed babies in a breeder cage. It isn't just a colony breeder thing.

 

 

We were thinking of taking the male out of the aviary with the female. If he has killed other babies will he kill his babies? We have bred with this pair before and they were good parents even took an extra 2 babies from another nest that were not being fed properly.

It's entirely possible he has done this due to stress from two females demanding to be fed and expecting him to care for two clutches. He may also have seen the other male as being the parent to the clutch he destroyed. Who knows what goes through a budgies mind? I would remove him if you are sure he is the culprit and allow his female to raise her babies if she can alone. If she were in a breeder cage alone it would be no problem. If you allow her to raise babies alone I would supplement feed her some millet in her nesting box also. There are threats and dangers from other breeding pairs in a colony breeder situation, whether the threats are real or just seen to be real by the breeding budgies. I breed colony AND breeder cages, but I know my birds very well. Some it works with, others it doesn't. It's a hard decision to make now that the process has begun in your aviary as moving nesting boxes or breeding pairs at this point could cause abandonment of the nests and babies. I think I would remove your problem bird though. Hope this helps....cheers Karen

Edited October 7, 200618 yr by Bubbles

It's entirely possible he has done this due to stress from two females demanding to be fed and expecting him to care for two clutches. He may also have seen the other male as being the parent to the clutch he destroyed. Who knows what goes through a budgies mind? I would remove him if you are sure he is the culprit and allow his female to raise her babies if she can alone. If she were in a breeder cage alone it would be no problem. If you allow her to raise babies alone I would supplement feed her some millet in her nesting box also. There are threats and dangers from other breeding pairs in a colony breeder situation, whether the threats are real or just seen to be real by the breeding budgies. I breed colony AND breeder cages, but I know my birds very well. Some it works with, others it doesn't. It's a hard decision to make now that the process has begun in your aviary as moving nesting boxes or breeding pairs at this point could cause abandonment of the nests and babies. I think I would remove your problem bird though. Hope this helps....cheers Karen

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

I will take the two birds out of the aviary tonight. I know they will look after each other as they have done it before.

 

I have noticed that the two males in the aviary feed each other. Is this a sign of dominance over the other male?

I have heard of two cases recently where the males have killed babies in a breeder cage. It isn't just a colony breeder thing.

 

Yes this does happen but it's easier to remove the cock and out him back in the flight with closed breeding. :hap:

I have moved the troublesome male out of the aviary with the nesting box with eggs and babies and the female. He seems to have settled down and spent the night in the nesting box with family.

 

Here's hoping all goes well.

 

Thanks for your feedback.