My Lady is claustrophobic and stresses in small cages. She even stressed in my small aviary which is about 1m cubed.

 

I would like to breed with her (not with BG) but i am wondering how I can get her comfortable in a breeding cabinet??

Do you havea single breeding cabinet that you can take the front off? I would put it in the aviary with the front off for a few weeks and put their seed in there. Then put the front back on with the door wired open and the seed still in there. Once you can see that she is happily going in there to feed try her in the cabinet again

Most birds, after an initial pacing back and forth in the breeder cage will notice the nestbox, get a wink in their eye and focus on the job at hand.

I think this is the one that Liv had major dramas with before though. It just wouldn't settle at all, completely freaked out.

I think this is the one that Liv had major dramas with before though. It just wouldn't settle at all, completely freaked out.

 

Yes MB, It is her . She would not settle during the entire quarantine period and even pased the small aviary.

 

Like Kaz said though i have not had her in a cabinet with a breeding box. I have 1 (wire cage) cabinet set up ready to go. Can i put her in there on her own to give her time to get used to it. I am not ready for breeding yet so I would prefer to introduce a male later.

Edited July 16, 200816 yr by **Liv**

Put her in there alone for a week or two and see if she settles Liv. I would suggest if she remains scatty and flighty and silly, then dont breed with her. Hens like this transfer their "ways" onto the chicks, assuming she doesnt soccerboot eggs all around and addle them first...if she gets to the stage of eggs and chicks.

See if she can settle and if not, give up the idea of breeding with her.

Edited July 16, 200816 yr by KAZ

Thanks Kaz, I will move her soon and see how she goes. The cabinet i have is a bigger one that i bought just for her. I really hope she settles. I would like to breed her if i can

Lady is moved - She was an easy catch, she didn't bite, she went calmly into the cabinet and just sat there - I am hoping it is a sign that she has matured in the last few months and not a sign that she is getting sick

An update on my wacko hen.

 

Lady has been in the cabinet for 24 hours now and I just looked at her though the window and saw her doing her usual flips on the side of the cage. She looks like she is going to rip her legs off when she does it

I had a hen that when she was in quarantine did those kinds of hang onto the wire type somersaults. They look like they are turning themselves inside out!

 

I hope she settles for you Liv.

If its any consolation Liv, At least five birds I just paired up are trying to jail break as we speak...pacing the cage, climbing all walls and ripping up the paper liner of the cage and hiding under the paper.

This is an old photo of her when she was in quarantine but she is doing the same thing...

 

 

It breaks my heart to see her to this

Maybe she is just destined to be an aviary bird with lots of space to fly. If there is claustrophobic people there must be claustrophobic birds.

Put her in a breeding cage,with a dominating cock.She will eather settle or hide in the nest box.

Maybe she is just destined to be an aviary bird with lots of space to fly. If there is claustrophobic people there must be claustrophobic birds.

 

I would think there are... I have never looked into birds with phobias, i know dogs and cats get them... its interesting though.

 

I have just peeked at her again and she is sitting quietly now. She can hear the aviary birds, but she can't see them. However, at the moment there are bulldozers across the road so she probably can't hear the aviary birds right now.... Maybe i need to give her a radio to block out the noise of the others???

If she is there by herself, maybe she would settle if there was someone else in there with her??

If she is there by herself, maybe she would settle if there was someone else in there with her??

 

She has taken a liking to Lilly, but i dont want to give Lady the wrong idea hehe and I am not ready to give her a male yet - breeding her without back up foster parents on hand would be a no no.

 

If all else fails.. I will pop her back in the aviary until i am ready to breed and just see how she goes as a final attempt

All of my birds react when they are put in the smaller cages. It is like solitary confinement in a way, except with a friend. they all look for a way out.

 

i know it is tough to watch, try no, but give her a weel or so and she will calm down. i think that having another bird with her would help.

 

can I ask why you are putting her in a smaller cage now if you do not want to breed with her until later? Personally I think they get used to the smaller box with their potential mate when they are ready to breed, then they breed. i am not sure if isolating her away from everyone will help her. I think that whens he goes into breed, if anything, she will have learnt from this experience that it is traumatic.

All of my birds react when they are put in the smaller cages. It is like solitary confinement in a way, except with a friend. they all look for a way out.

 

i know it is tough to watch, try no, but give her a weel or so and she will calm down. i think that having another bird with her would help.

 

can I ask why you are putting her in a smaller cage now if you do not want to breed with her until later? Personally I think they get used to the smaller box with their potential mate when they are ready to breed, then they breed. i am not sure if isolating her away from everyone will help her. I think that whens he goes into breed, if anything, she will have learnt from this experience that it is traumatic.

Good point, Dave

Hmmmm You have made a good point Dave.

The reason i put her in early is i wanted her to calm down before i introduce the male as when she was in quarantine she stressed for the full 30 days. I did't actually think that i could compound the issue further by putting her in the cabinet early. My thinking process was that if it takes her a month to settle, then I dont want her and her partner to be a month behind the other pairs.

Just re read all the replies ....

firstly the summasult thing all my birds that were put into a smaller cage for cleaning, transport reasons or quaratine did the same thing -

 

I tried breeding in cabinets and all my hens freaked out and got stressed - I am lucky enough to have the room and avairiess that I can breed with my way - so they are happier and not stressed

 

But I was thinking excatly like Dave - There really is no point in putting her through all that stress by herself if she isn't or you aren't ready for the breeding - My opinion though, Wait until you are ready if it is so that you can bond your birds put them both in together when you are ready for the breeding and when they are ready just add the nest box

Yes I agree What you are saying Dave, Kaz and Neat. She is tucked up for the night, so i will put her back in the aviary in the morning. I certainly don't want to make her worse

 

I look forward to trying her with a male in 6 weeks or so

Good luck Liv, So who is the lucky man going to be ???

Lady is back in the aviary. She actually did well - There was only one moment that i saw yesterday when she was flipping on the side of the cage - the rest of the time she just sat

I think she is maturing and calming down, but i think she might also be going out of condition again - her cere is starting to look patchy. :hap:

 

Can i stop a condition change by giving more vitamins etc - or will it happen regardless ?????

 

Good luck Liv, So who is the lucky man going to be ???

 

Not sure Neat... I might buy a nice show type for her tomorrow at the auction. Other wise i might put her with one of my pet types to see how she goes.

Edited July 17, 200816 yr by **Liv**

Trya and pick a cock with plenty of experience