I got home last night and my oldest chick was out of the nest box. I thought maybe she was just over eager, as she isnt fully feathered yet. So I put her back in. I was speaking to a "budgie" friend on the phone and she said "Oh did the mother throw it out" and I said I didnt think so. I have had a long day (work related) and I got home and was about to eat dinner, but thought I better check the chicks before I sat down and the baby was out of the nest box again. I picked it up and this time, I could see a small blood mark on the back of its head. I think it is missing a couple of shoulder feathers too. It is fine, but I dont want to risk that the hen is eager to start her next clutch and is throwing the oldest out of the box. Dad was on the floor in the corner of the cabinet tending to baby. I have currently removed the hen, put the baby back in the nest box and hoping dad finishes them. The only dilemma I have is what to do with the hen for now. She is currently in a holding cage in the breeding room, but she is calling out and I am worried her calling will distract dad from doing his job. Should I put her back in the aviary tomorrow while he finishes the chicks or should I leave her in the holding cage?

Not a good idea to put birds who have been breeding straight out into the aviary as they need to build up condition again before coping with food competition in the aviary. Have you a cage or place you can put the hen that isnt in the same breeding room and isnt within earshot ?

Edited August 27, 200816 yr by KAZ

Yeah, I really didnt want to put her in the aviary, its too cold too and my temp bird room is in my spare room so its warm and very sheltered. I could probably put her in the dining room which isnt ideal, but I guess its better than having her in the bird room where she is calling

This came from our FAQ section.

 

What to do if your hen plucks the babies?

METHOD #1:

 

PERSPEX DOORS ON NESTING BOXES: this has saved many a chick from `down plucking' and `feather plucking'. It is imperative that when the perspex door is fitted that you remain in the breeding room until the hen and/or cock have been encouraged back into the nesting box. The sudden increase in light tends to frighten the cock and hen away from the box so it is imperative you check they have fed their chicks to avoid the death of one or more chicks from starvation.

 

Once the cock and hen have adapted to the light the hen will generally round up the young and keep them at the back of the box. In many cases she has been known to totally clean the bran/nesting material out of the nesting box, beak full by beak full -maybe when she has completed this task she is too tired to pluck the chicks! Just remember to replace the bran daily so she has something to keep her occupied.

 

If possible leave a small gap between the perspex and top of the nesting box, or drill holes in the perspex or side of the nesting box, so air can circulate in the box - the box can become quite humid if we experience a hot day. I have had a wonderful success rate using this method.

 

METHOD #2

 

Mix up some baby oil and detoll 1 table spoon of oil to 1 teaspoon of detoll. once a day wipe the backs of the chicks. This will not only deter the hens from plucking but sooth the chicks where they have been picked and stop infection.

 

Make a note in your records, against the hen or cock, so you can use this method again if it has been previously successful.

 

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203/2%Last update: 2007-05-04 14:35

Author: Kaz

Thank you Elly and Kaz. I actually have perspex slides on my boxes, so I may try this when I get home.

 

I am posting this more because someone else might have this problem than to get further advice. I think I can only do what my gut feeling tells me at this time.

 

Last night, I removed the hen from the breeding cabinet and put the baby back in the nest box. It wasnt too long after that and it was lights out and everyone was sleeping. I had a couple of phone calls with breeders who suggested I leave the baby out of the nest box, but in the cabinet and let dad take care of it but put mum back in to look after the younger babies. This morning, I was up at 6am to go to the gym, but decided to let gym slide so I could change the family around and see what happened.

 

I took the oldest chick out of the nest box and put it on the cabinet floor. Dad immediately went to ground to tend to the baby and was feeding it, then suddenly, it was like he got cross and he pecked her on the back of the head. Baby got defensive and upset and I put a temporary hide in there for the baby. I then added mum and dad and mum got into a fight only moments after she was put back. It seemed like dad was looking out for the baby. I stopped the fight and mum went to the nest box perch and settled after a few moments and was looking into the box. She then went in and I waited to hear what the result might be. Babies were making feeding noises and mum was very obviously feeding them.

 

After watching all this, I came to the conclusion it was dad who had pecked the chick and since mum and dad had been separated and didnt seem that they were going to settle together, I took him out and put the chick back in the nest box. Again, I sat and waited for about 20 minutes to see how things went, and all was normal and mum came out of the box to feed the chicks from the perch.

 

I have been anxious all morning at work, so I left at lunch time to fly home and check on things. All is well and good. All babies are being cared for and are in the nest box. I am still anxious and probably will be until the babies are eating on their own, which wont be for at least a week or two. I will be keeping as close an eye as I can on what is going on and not returning dad until the babies are ready to fledge. Even then, I will need to watch to see that they bond together again and that the hen isnt territorial etc.

 

So, that's the story so far!

It certainly pays to watch your birds and know them well. Great result from keen observations...fingers crossed for ongoing good results .......great job, Sunnie

Thanks for the encouraging words Kaz

 

Well Im home from work and the smallest baby was out of the box, but other than that, all looks fine. No pecking marks on anyone and they are all being fed. I put baby back in. Even when I was colony breeding, I noticed babies popping out of boxes too early. This is fairly normal I assume? I have never questioned it before, as I have usually just popped them back in and had no dramas. Of course, the fact these are my first show chicks and my ONLY current chicks, I am obsessing about them a little. So.......is it normal and does this happen often for others?

Hey Sunnie... Congrats on the first Show chicks

 

I too have noticed that my bubs pop out that week or 2 early ...I just put them back in the nestbox...

Not all of them do, maybe 20% of them ....

 

Glad to hear that you found the guilty party and that mum and bubs are doing well....

 

I read ( can't remember where ) that if you put in your cabinets a hiding spot this helps with the parents

picking on the babies, as they are attacked from above ( to get to their heads) Maybe a butter container with 2 sides cut out ??? .. I will look to see where I read it :sad:

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....;hl=mouse+house

Yes Neat you are right. A couple of my friends who cabinet breed have "hides". They are like little wooden tables which slope slightly downwards towards the back so the chicks can squeeze under them and the parents cant get at them. I have spoken to my fiance about them, but I need to get a picture or example of one so he knows what hes building lol.

 

Oh thanks for that Kaz, I am not sure I would fit an icecream container in my cage door though. I did try out a margarine container this morning momentarily, but decided it was a bit too small and flimsy and I was too scared to leave the baby alone in that for the day lol

Edited August 28, 200816 yr by Sunnie

The icecream tubs fit through most doors...lid first...bent....and the container bends on the diagonal....then assemble inside the cage.

BUT the icecream tub is for more than one baby. Other smaller containers do the job too. Must check chicks in them though as they forget to eat or are not seen to be fed.

How are they going now Sunnie?

I had a brain wave you can cut a takeaway food contained in 1/2 lenght ways it will fit into the door then :hap:

Thanks for asking Neat

They are all doing well thanks. Dad is still in the naughty cage. I was going to pair them again after these babies fledge, but now I am not quite sure if I should, seeing mum has been doing most of the raising. There are only 3 chicks in this clutch. Any other opinions as to whether I should put them down for another round? I will post new pics of the babies on the other post about them soon. Kaz was right as usual, baby 3 is a violet spangle.

Hmmm Rather then giving him another go at attacking the babies, You could foster the eggs out, After all they are Beautiful babies :hap: ....