I need some ideas on how to get this particular female to breed. She's only ever bonded at all with one male, the one she is with at the moment. They've been in the breeding cage the same amount of time as two other pairs who now have eggs. She's getting heaps of veges and grass, it's raining all the time here (I've heard that that encourages them to breed?), her cere is completely brown, she's bonded with the male. Both are about 1 and 1/2 to 2 years old.

 

I've tried taking the male out for a couple days to a week, then putting him back in. Covering the nestbox hole with a piece of cardboard with a small hole in it so she could chew her way in (which she did), they get a lot of daylight hours and are left alone as much as possible. When I'd taken the male out and covered the nest, she got more eager and let the male mate with her and was scratching in the nest a bit, then stopped and hasn't shown any more interest.

 

I really want to breed this specific bird (am quite curious as to what offspring she will have) so any ideas on what I can do to encourage her further would be wonderful. Could I even try what I've done before (taking out the male, covering the nest, etc) and do it again in hopes she will get the idea?

Please reply soon, thanks.

 

Hi Jen, I'd say over to the experts but how long has she been paired up? If she's chewed back into box etc. she must be considering breeding. Maybe she is a slow starter. Is this her first time breeding? If conditions are right for the others who have laid I'd say your set ups o.k.

maybe you caught just at the end of her cycle

which would mean could be seven or so weeks to get back in to it

they are not that old not all birds are that eager

i have a really good hen shes 08 and this is her first time shes even hoped into a box first time i put her up last year she was mating but wouldnt go into box or lay she didnt thicken nothing everyone whent on to lay and raise i left her their and no

so i took them out when the chicks from all else were two weeks

let them fly

i just put them up again last month

she layed 5 eggs sat for a week then tossed them

they were all clear

so i then let her fly again and 8 days or so ago i put her up again she has a interest in box and an egg in bum right on time so it should be layed in two days time looking at its development

so time needs to be right for them

dont give up but after 24 days if nothing i let mine fly for a month it does make a different

most my hens lay 12 days after being paired but if not two weeks no egg their out but mabe give her 24 days

just my view birds are weird

they have their own minds and some mature late at 2 years

maybe you caught just at the end of her cycle

which would mean could be seven or so weeks to get back in to it

they are not that old not all birds are that eager

i have a really good hen shes 08 and this is her first time shes even hoped into a box first time i put her up last year she was mating but wouldnt go into box or lay she didnt thicken nothing everyone whent on to lay and raise i left her their and no

so i took them out when the chicks from all else were two weeks

let them fly

i just put them up again last month

she layed 5 eggs sat for a week then tossed them

they were all clear

so i then let her fly again and 8 days or so ago i put her up again she has a interest in box and an egg in bum right on time so it should be layed in two days time looking at its development

so time needs to be right for them

dont give up but after 24 days if nothing i let mine fly for a month it does make a different

most my hens lay 12 days after being paired but if not two weeks no egg their out but mabe give her 24 days

just my view birds are weird

they have their own minds and some mature late at 2 years

I agree with GB. A lot of people do the brown cere as being in condition. Depending on the shade of brown it may not be. The darkest brown is going out of condition and just before it peels away. Light to medium brown is right.

Timing may be all wrong.

Edited February 18, 201015 yr by KAZ

Thank you, I will try what you said, letting her in the aviary for a month or so before trying her again. :sadsorry:

How long have they been in the box? Some can take several weeks to lay. Also could be what's known as an internal layer.

Also could be what's known as an internal layer.

 

This also crossed my mind. :sadsorry:

Also could be what's known as an internal layer.

 

This also crossed my mind. :sadsorry:

 

Just wondering what is an internal layer?

Also could be what's known as an internal layer.

 

This also crossed my mind.

 

Just wondering what is an internal layer?

Check her vent to abdominal area......if it looks spongey and sometimes yellowish they can have a condition like a hernia where the egg does not form a shell and also cannot be propelled out, thereby making the egg stay within the body and be reabsorbed. Sometimes it can cause egg peritonitus and the hen can die from that.

Edited February 19, 201015 yr by KAZ

Hopefully it won't be that, Kaz.

I was going to suggest budgie **** to get her in the mood, but my own dating history has revealed to me that some females are not into certain things-