IndianRingNeck.com

Hi everyone.

I've been reading quite a lot on the forum about breeding lately but can't seem to find the answer to the above question. My reason for asking is explained in the following paragraph.

Recently a neighbor was kind enough to help fix up an old pigeon cage that got passed down to me. I placed a pair of gray IRN's in it just at the start of our breeding season and for the past 2-3 days she has seemed to have "vanished" but I know for a fact she's spending all her time in the nest box. The problem I have is that I'm in a wheelchair and the original cage was not designed for people with mobility issues...so I can't go in and check if she has eggs, and if she has how many there is etc. A neighbor's son volunteered to help with the birds but when he was in her cage on a previous occasion the female made it very very clear that she did not like the "invasion" so I am hesitant to send him in again right now since last time there was no eggs and this time it seems there's going to be chicks soon: in short I'm afraid she might attack him.Therefor I am dependent on her behavior to give me educated guesses on what's going on and her (and the male's) behavior at the moment indicates that she got down to the serious business of incubating a clutch of eggs.

Now for the point to all the rambling: I won't see the chicks until they decide to start putting their heads through the hole and I was wondering how long that might take.

I also realize that I should be able to hear the chicks calling for food as they get older and the food disappearing at a much faster rate than normal while the chicks are being fed but all that doesn't dampen the excitement of seeing a young chick appear for the first time.

Any ideas/comments would be greatly appreciated.

Wessel

I think you will need your neighbour in some point to go in the cage and check..

Not all the babies will survive and you may have to pull a few dead ones out happens with all birds

Thanks Chewbacca.

From what I can tell she is on day 4 of incubation so I will ask him over the weekend to come and check for me. Considering he's still in school and busy with homework and sports etc I think having him check over the weekend is the best option. At least it will give me an idea of how many eggs she's incubating.

However, another question just popped up: how frequent nest inspections from a virtual stranger will she tolerate before abandoning the clutch?

Wessel

Hi Wessel,

incubation takes around 23 days +/- 2 counted from the third laid egg. After the youngsters hatched it takes around 7 weeks until they leaves the nestbox.
Checking the nestbox once or twice a week is ok and the female isn't abandoning the clutch then. For people with mobility issues like you there is an option to place an
infrared camera into the cover of the nest box. So you can always check the nest by your own.

greetings.

madas

Madas

Thanks for the reply.

An infrared camera would indeed be a great aid (I might dare say an invaluable aid in my case). How do they work? Are they available in South Africa and if so at what cost?

The nest-box the female chose has an entrance hole (obviously, duh to myself) and an inspection hatch on the side. Since the camera would have to be installed at the top it might get tricky getting to the right spot. I do have nests that you simply lift the lid so I'm thinking that once this clutch is done and I got hold of a infra-red camera to remove the nest she used this time round and replace it with one that you simply have to lift the lid. It's my first ever experience of even attempting to breed IRN's but I'm going to take an educated guess that she chose that location because she feels safe (she had two other nests in other locations to pick from) so replacing a nest and putting another in the exact same spot wouldn't ruffle her feathers.

Once again thanks for the reply.

Wessel

Thanks Madas,

My entire German vocabulary consists of "nein" and Google Translate had issues translating the sites so I was dependent on "reading" the pictures. But it does look like it could be a solution for me if I can find a South African stockist and convince my bank manager why I need it.

Edit: until such time that I can install the camera will it be feasible if the neighbor's son move the nest and show me if there is chicks and then place it back in exactly the same spot?

Wessel

Wessel Gordon wrote:Thanks Madas,

My entire German vocabulary consists of "nein" and Google Translate had issues translating the sites so I was dependent on "reading" the pictures. But it does look like it could be a solution for me if I can find a South African stockist and convince my bank manager why I need it.

Edit: until such time that I can install the camera will it be feasible if the neighbor's son move the nest and show me if there is chicks and then place it back in exactly the same spot?

Wessel

Don't move the nest box. If the hen is letting him inspect the nestbox then he can take one or two chicks out and show them to you. And after a short view the chicks should be placed back into the nestbox.

Thanks Madas

Just a quick update.

I realized yesterday that the female is a few days over the usual 22-24 day incubation period so I asked the neighbor to check the nest. After asking him to check I spent some time around the aviary and thought I could detect the faint sound of very small chicks but wasn't sure but this morning I heard the same sound several times but only a bit louder. After the neighbor checked the nest it turns out I have two very young babies and an unhatched egg.

It's my first ever IRN babies so I'm very excited.