okay so I put 4 pairs in to breeding cages that last week of July. My first pair as many of you know had a clutch of 5 and none were fertile. The second pair had a clutch of 5 and only one chick resulted from it. My other two pairs have been paired up since then and neither have done antyhing. My one hen is very much in condition with a dark brown almost alburn color cere and the cock from the other pair is just sitting by the nest box trying his hardest to get his hen to give it a go. Now I know I could try to switch the pairs and try the two that seem ready to roll together and put the other two who don't seem so eager together, BUT... CAN I.... put all 4 together and see who chooses who and then pair them off as they have selected each other? I don't want to risk having to start over again waiting another 4 weeks or more for them to rebond to the new mate, but it was suggested before to put an extra male in with a pair I had that was not interested to see if it would spark the cock that wasn't interested. I don't have them paired to obtain any certain mutations or colors so it doesn't really matter to me who chooses who. Just want to know if I can put two pairs together and if they don't naturally select one from the other pair I can just put them back as they were??? I hope that wasn't confusing.

Edited October 7, 200816 yr by chrissy0705

Go for it :fly:

Go for it :fly:

 

 

You really think so, MB? I'm not planning on "colony" breeding. Once I know that there has been a pairing or mating between them I will divide them, but you don't think it would hurt any to try?

I have done this with difficult ones and it works great, once you see they have paired seperate them

I have done this with difficult ones and it works great, once you see they have paired seperate them

 

 

Thanks so much. I'll do that. :fly:

Just make sure that you keep a close eye on them so youi don't have faighting between the hens

Just make sure that you keep a close eye on them so youi don't have faighting between the hens

 

I will... I won't try this til morning (it's 7:18 pm here). Then I can watch all day and see what kind of language I see between them. Thanks so much. I wanted to try this but thought I should just wait it out, but now it's been over 6 weeks and still nothing so... I want to give it a try. It's not that the birds won't even go near each other, it just seems that one from each pair is more interested than the other and I thought MAYBE if I group them they will switch partners and the two that WANT IT NOW :fly: can go for it and I'll let the other two take their time. Thanks again MB.

If you are going to add another male to see who pairs up. dont do it in the breeding cabinet, Do it in a holding cage. There can be fights in breeding cabinets as the budgies know what they are in a cabinet for and it can get territorial and stressful.

I agree with Kaz. Put all 4 together, sure, but not in a breeding cabinet, but rather in a holding cage.

 

No nestboxes, nothing to indiciate it is a P&O cruise (those things are all about hooking up), just a noraml cage, where they have room to fly, perch, match up and mate if they feel the need.

Agree with Dave & Kaz .. Do it in a holding cage first .. AND GO FOR IT MATE!!!! You may find that you have better results

Thank you for all the advice. I am about to move them to the holding cage this morning and was just wondering how long to try this for?

Thank you for all the advice. I am about to move them to the holding cage this morning and was just wondering how long to try this for?

As long as it takes. I have just had some budgies in a holding cage and there are four that have paired up within the week. Just watch and make your decision based on what you observe.

Well this has been the most stressfull three hours ever. I put the two pairs together in the holding cage (no nest boxes) and non-stop for three hours fighting. My one male would have NO part of this. He caused all kinds of trouble. The one hen just sat there for the longest time observing. The one male ripped the longest tail feather out of the other male. He chased him every second of the three hours. He would go to his female and then try to attack the other male. The females had no problems with each other. The one hen that just sat and watched in the begining started pacing back and forth bobbing her head and screaming while the males were fighting and then the other hen would fly down on top of the males and pounce their heads. I was going to let them go but decided it's too stressful. So I reached in to take the one pair out and put them back and the one male bit me and flew away and crashed into the wall. So now, one male is missing his tail feathers, the other male has a blood mark on his forehead, and my one female has a blood mark on her wing... not worth it for me. I'll just wait it out with them paired as they were and if nothing comes of it then so be it. I have a pounding head ache now. Thank you for the advice, but they must be more bonded than they seem cause this one male was not even willing to share a cage right now. ???????????

Oh Honey, so sorry to hear about this. The only thing I can think is that the cage was not big enough. I watch my guys in the avairy and take the pairings from there and have never had an issue. Or I put one cock in with 3 or 4 hens and see which one he picks. I wish you the best for the rest of the breeding season, sorry to hear your guys are being little buggers.

Wow, that's incredible! Like you say they must be very bonded. Could you try just taking the less interested cock out and leaving the other cock with the two hens. I am very surprised at the reaction they've had to each other!!

How big was the holding cage ?

okay well the holding cage is 24"x 48"x18" (same size as my breeding cages but plain with no nest boxes) it has just some rope perches and some natural tree branches and two feed and water dishes. I was shocked at the reaction of the one cock. He was kicken butt and taken names and wasn't about to let his girl go. As for letting the one cock be with multipul hens I didn't know you could do that. I've been told from day one that I should never have more hens than cocks cause the hens will fight to death so that thought never crossed my mind. Well like I said I gave it a go and it didn't work for my situation. Maybe my holding cage is too similar (in size) to that of the breeding cages and although there are no nest boxes it was just too familiar??? I don't know, but I gave it a try. If I can manage another style holding cage I will try it again but for now these standard 24"x48"x18" cages are all I have (besides the two store bought bird cages I have with two single females in each one, one retired from breeding and the other I just don't have a mate for).

Edited October 9, 200816 yr by KAZ

Are the store bought cages bigger? Maybe you could send one of your hens on a holiday to the breeding cage and use the larger cage for this sort of stuff. If it is the cock causing the drama and the one he is after is the other cock then I would take the other cock out and just let him pick between the hens. I have hens that live together and never had a problem so it really is temperament of each one and I think in this case it's the cocks you need to worry about.

sounds terrible... hope they are all okay and calmer now. Good luck with the rest of your breeding!

Wasnt real keen on swinging hey?

Wrong generation?

 

Good luck with them.

whats wrong with the young couples today!! Outrageous!!!

whats wrong with the young couples today!! Outrageous!!!

 

Speak for yourself young chap :hap:

Are the store bought cages bigger? Maybe you could send one of your hens on a holiday to the breeding cage and use the larger cage for this sort of stuff. If it is the cock causing the drama and the one he is after is the other cock then I would take the other cock out and just let him pick between the hens. I have hens that live together and never had a problem so it really is temperament of each one and I think in this case it's the cocks you need to worry about.

Unfortunately, no they are not bigger, they are smaller... you know the standard 18" x 20" cage with a food a water dish and two perches. Thanks for this advice. I'm gonna wait a day or so let them all calm down and maybe try again the way you all have suggested.

Wasnt real keen on swinging hey?Wrong generation? :hap: Good luck with them.

I guess not... a real "gentleman" I have here. One woman kinda guy and doesn't like to "share".

Edited October 9, 200816 yr by chrissy0705