My first breeding season 2013

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Wed Sep 18, 2013 10:18 pm

Hello everyone!

I bought a pair of IRN at the start of the year. They are both young birds and this is their first breeding season. This is also my first breeding season for IRN.

Sapphire is now sitting on 3 eggs and is staying in the box, so I think she is going to be sitting with no more eggs. Quartz will sit in with her and be very loving and caring of his mate. I'm happy to see how loving they both are.

I am excited to see if these eggs will be fertile and if they will raise them well. I know some new parents aren't very good, but I hope mine are good parents.

Sapphire did have some trouble laying her first egg, but she has recovered well.

Post by **ringneck** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 9:12 pm

Wow! I'm really excited for you! I love breeding ringnecks and i love baby ringnecks! They are such amazing creatures! Do you plan on hand feeding, or are you going to let the mother raise them?

Best Wishes,

IMRAN-C

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Fri Sep 20, 2013 12:49 am

Congratulations on your first clutch. This is an exciting time. Can't wait to find out if they are fertile.

Btw...in that pic of your albino...does he have a black spot on his forehead or is that a mark from something?

Again congratulations

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 3:35 am

ringneck wrote:Do you plan on hand feeding, or are you going to let the mother raise them?

Best Wishes,

IMRAN-C

I plan on letting her keep the first clutch so she learns how to feed them for future clutches. But I am going to hand raise a few later on down the track. I would love to have an IRN inside to play with.

Skyes_crew wrote:Can't wait to find out if they are fertile.

Btw...in that pic of your albino...does he have a black spot on his forehead or is that a mark from something?

I can't wait to see if they are fertile either. If she will let me touch the eggs at all. The mark on his head seems to come and go, so I am not sure whether it's just dirt, or his feathers or something, lol. I don't think it is anything too serious. I had a look right now, and it doesn't seem to be there at all. But I notice some days he does have a mark. Weird. o.O

rritoch wrote: Nicole is the sickly looking one closest to the camera, Paris in the middle, and Tiger's in the back. This picture was taken when we first got them. Now Nicole is the healthiest, and happiest, bird in our flock.

Your three are so cute, they look like they have great personalities.

Edit: I was ab;e to look in the box and there are actually 4 eggs!!!

Liefie · Post by **Liefie** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:57 pm

Whats the Breeding Season in South Africa?

Liefie · Post by **Liefie** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:45 am

i have a pair thats been keen with each other from July now, and i only put a nesting box 2 weeks back, will they still be able to breed?
i saw them once in the box, but they are mostly out side, and she has like a bump looking at her back, near the feathers, i wanted to take a picture, but she keeps flying away......

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:50 pm

Well no babies hatching yet, but I will give it another week or so before I deem the eggs infertile. This is her first clutch ever, so we will see. She won't let me candle the eggs because she never leaves the box, or when she is out of the box and sees me coming, she will go back in. She is a good sitter that for sure.

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 2:06 am

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Here is my first baby! Born today!

She is a good mummy. She moves over so I can have a look. The baby starts making noise, she will quickly cover it up to keep it warm.

I am so happy.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 8:40 am

Awww, I love seeing all the little ones. Congrats on your first baby.

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:59 am

Thank you.

My zebra finches also have eggs too.

Finally I am getting some babies!

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:02 am

Those were the first birds I bred. I loved my zebra finches

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 5:19 pm

I love zebra finches, they would have to be my favourite bird so far that I have bred. I even hand raised a few. They are so adorable.

I checked the box this morning and number 2 baby has hatched. 2 more eggs to go. I am debating whether to pull one baby to hand raise, since I will leave mummy with at least 2 babies to rear on her own. That's if the other eggs hatch.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 5:43 pm

You could always let mom feed and just take them out everyday starting at around two weeks to handle them. Then as they get older you could give them some mashed fruits or veggies from your fingers. They become just about as hand tame.

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 5:47 pm

Not a bad idea, if mummy ever leaves the box for me to put my hands in there! Lol.

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 5:52 pm

I just checked to see if the crops are full on the babies and it doesn't look like either have been fed. I am wondering do they not feed them just after hatching or is my girl not feeding them at all? I may have to pull them if she isn't feeding... I'm a little worried.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:26 pm

They will usually not feed them for the first 24 hours as whatever liquid that was left at hatching clears out. Just like a human baby

if after 24 hours you're still not seeing food in their crops then its time to reevaluate. What are you feeding the parents?

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 8:37 pm

At the moment I am feeding them fresh corn and small parrot mix seed.

It does look like they have some yellowish liquid in their crop, so maybe that is the left over from the egg. I am hoping they will be fed. I will check this afternoon and again in the morning to make sure they are still looking strong and hope mummy feeds them soon. She still has the two eggs left to hatch, and I am worried she is waiting for them to hatch before she will start feeding. If she does that, the first one may die.

I will keep optimistic though. I need to believe in her.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:27 pm

The male should be feeding mom. She'll start feeding them. Have faith

For the parents you should start feeding some softer foods. Offer sprouted seed, boiled veggies, boiled sweet potato, hard boiled egg. Softer foods are much better for the babies.

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:38 pm

Sounds like a good idea.

Thank you for the suggestions.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:39 pm

Your welcome

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:43 pm

Alright, thank you for that. I will keep a close eye on them. The warmer weather isn't going to help either.

Any suggestions on how I can get the mother to leave the box? She won't leave and fusses and stomps on the babies when I look inside.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:22 am

Lure her out with a treat she can't resist. I like to use peanut butter toast. Then block the entrance temporarily to the box.

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 5:14 pm

The two babies are still alive this morning, so hopefully that is a good sign.

It seems like on of the other eggs are going to hatch today. Mummy is determined to still incubate the two eggs. If they don't hatch soon, I will have to remove them so she focuses on the babies. Poor thing, probably confused.

Johan S · Post by **Johan S** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 11:58 pm

Tabaneske wrote:The two babies are still alive this morning, so hopefully that is a good sign.

It seems like on of the other eggs are going to hatch today. Mummy is determined to still incubate the two eggs. If they don't hatch soon, I will have to remove them so she focuses on the babies. Poor thing, probably confused.

No, keep the eggs in the nest. They provide some support for the little ones while their legs are still weak, and is a source of heat while the mom leaves the nest. I only remove them much later, at about 2-3 weeks.

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 12:02 am

Well good news, the 3rd egg has hatched!

So I am hoping the fourth one will hatch also. Mum is very determined to keep them warm now as the weather has cooled down considerably. I think they are going to be okay.

Only time will tell.

Liefie · Post by **Liefie** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 2:31 am

congrats on the little ones!
How long did it take from the first egg till the first hatch?
My female is laying eggs now, so far only spotted 2

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 4:40 am

Well the first egg was laid on the 12th of September and hatched on the 8th of October. So how many days is that? Lol.

Liefie · Post by **Liefie** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 4:56 am

Thank You Tabaneske

It will help, it feels like months going by without anything happing!
i found out so far that The incubation period lasts an average of 23 days

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:19 am

Lol. Congrats on your eggs and I hope they hatch all happy healthy. Babies are so cute and ugly at the same time, lol.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 9:52 am

Tabaneske wrote:Well good news, the 3rd egg has hatched!

So I am hoping the fourth one will hatch also. Mum is very determined to keep them warm now as the weather has cooled down considerably. I think they are going to be okay.

Only time will tell.

That's great!! How are babies crops looking?

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:32 pm

The biggest ones crop is slowly getting bigger and easier to see that it is getting fed. I had totally forgotten they have tiny crops when born. I haven't bred birds in such a long time. I am used to seeing baby birds with nice big and full crops.

All three bubbies were alive and complaining that mum kept stepping on them when she fussed as I looked in.

So I think everything will be fine.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:58 pm

That's great

Liefie · Post by **Liefie** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 6:29 am

you sound proud and excited!
I cant wait for my eggs to hatch.

Liefie · Post by **Liefie** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 6:34 am

my male is very protective, when i near the cage and he want to bite me when i put my hand in to get to food bucket, but does nothing to my boyfriend. And it only started when they started mating

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 8:21 am

I am not sure whether my male is just a poor flyer, or he purposefully does it, but he flies straight into me while I am walking around in the aviary. He doesn't bite or scratch or anything, but I just get a head or face full of feathers as he flies directly into me. It's like being hit with a feathered rock. I have no idea why he does it, but it's funny.

I can't wait til the babies start feathering so I can see what colours come out. How many days old til they start to break the pin feathers?

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 8:27 pm

Well the first sad news of the season. The youngest of the 3 chicks was found dead today. So either 2 is mummy's limit for taking good care, or it was born too late after the others for her to really care for it properly. There was at least a full day before the third one had hatched after the second one.

The biggest chick has food in his crop, and I think there is food in the second chicks crop, but it's really hard to tell because mummy is not moving from her box. I had to use a stick to get the dead chick out and she still just sat in the box not moving. It's so frustrating because I want to take a good look at the babies to see if they are being fed correctly.

I am trying to find another aviary to put the other birds that are in the same aviary. Mummy definitely doesn't like the single cockatiel I have in the aviary, she doesn't mind the finches so much. The only reason I have the cockatiels, is he was given to me with his mate, thinking that they were a pair, then ended up both were male. I had no other place to put them, so I had to put them in the same aviary as the IRN. I managed to sell one of the cockatiels, but my partner wants to keep the pied one and get a female for him. So I am stuck with him, LOL. The finches occupy the other end of the aviary and don't disturb the IRN. Once I get another cage, I will move them also.

By the looks of the dead chick, it had red eyes. I do have a photo of it, but didn't want to post it unless people wanted to see. I don't want to randomly post dead baby bird pictures, lol. The two alive chicks have black eyes I think. So hard to tell when I cannot get at them to pick up.

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 11:07 pm

Looks like the second born might not make it either. He doesn't seem that lively. Unfortunately I can't pull him as I do not have any hand raising mix, and I can't get any on the weekend. So I am hoping that he will survive til Monday.

I will have to see how she goes next clutch as well, otherwise I will have a nice brooding pair, but not a raising pair.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 11:50 pm

You can make a puréed mix of veggies to feed the baby until Monday. Please pull that baby. Boil down some corn, peas, whatever you have, and thin it out with water and purée it till it can easily slide off of a spoon. Warm it to 35-37 degrees. The baby will not survive without proper nutrition until Monday. You said the crop looked to have some food in it, right? Is it hard?

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 12:00 am

It's not hard, food. I think mummy just isn't getting enough food to feed both. Because daddy isn't feeding her enough, and she doesn't come out long enough to feed. She is too worried about protecting the nest.

How can I safely pull baby with mummy in there?

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 12:22 am

I saw mummy come out and feed. So I gave her some time before I had a look. She is feeding the smaller one, as he has seed around his mouth, but he has practically nothing in his crop... I don't understand... makes me so sad.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 12:45 am

Some hens have a strong motherly instinct and some don't unfortunately. It may be best to pull the babies at this point.

Do you have a brooder set up??

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 1:07 am

No, I am in the process of getting a broader made up, but it's no way finished... that's one reason why I am reluctant to pull the babies. Do you have any suggestions for temporary one?

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 1:34 am

Damp cotton towel covering a heating pad under a thin layer of shavings in a plastic container with a lid with small holes for air. Place in a spot with no draft.

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 1:42 am

Don't have a heating pad. I think I have an idea. I will update you later to see if it was successful.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Wed Oct 16, 2013 11:27 pm

Any news on the babies??? Haven't heard anything from you. Hope all is well.

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:30 am

I have sort of made a brooder with a desk lamp with a red light in a small aquarium. I have it set up to test the temperature before I pull 2nd born baby. 1st born is doing fine and is over 2 times bigger than 2nd born. The reason I haven't pulled him sooner is because he was more likely to survive while I got the necessary pieces to house him while raising him. I didn't want him to freeze while I raised him. So I left him with mummy while I set up.

So I have had the brooder running for an hour and the temp is at 32 degrees Celsius. Is this an alright temperature?

I will pull him tomorrow morning. I will probably have my hands ripped to pieces by mummy as she doesn't leave the box. So I am just going to put my hand in and grab the baby as swiftly and carefully as possible. I just hope she reacts the same as she does when I place a stick in the box. She lies as still as possible, huffing as me. So I might be lucky. Fingers crossed that I will have fingers left, lol.

I hope you guys understand why I didn't pull him sooner, I just wanted him to survive, and with mummy he had the better chance. But now I am all prepared.

I have also been fighting a really bad flu, so that hasn't been helping, as I was also bedridden for a few days... I will post pictures tomorrow of baby once I have pulled him, and also before I pull him to give you a size comparison.

If you guys think I should pull him tonight, please let me know. I at least have everything set up now.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 9:03 am

Take care of you first. If you're not well, then you can't care for the little one. As long as he is being fed he should be ok until morning. I would see if you could bring the temp up in the brooder a bit higher. What are you offering for bedding material?

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 7:32 pm

I only have some paper towel. I have put in a little soft toy that he can cuddle up to as well. I can get the temp to about 35 degrees now. If I fully closed it in it would get to nearly 40! So I had to muck around with how much I cover it with a towel to get a decent temperature.

Skyes_crew · Post by **Skyes_crew** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 8:46 pm

35-36 is good. See if you can get some shavings for bedding. The soft toys can sometimes breed bacteria. Especially in a brooder where the temp is higher. Have you moved the second one in yet?

Tabaneske · Post by **Tabaneske** » Thu Oct 17, 2013 9:02 pm

Okay here are two photos of the babies. The first one is a comparison next to it's day older sibling. Even though I think it would survive in the nest, I don't think it is getting enough nutrients to make it healthy, that is why I have pulled it. I am a little nervous as I haven't hand raised a young bird in a fair few years. So your support would be awesome. I would be devastated if it doesn't live because I have stuffed up. I am so scared I am going to make a mistake, I don't want this little one to die because of me...

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I am going to get my partner to name this little baby so he feels a little involved in what I am doing. He did want to name it Charlotte after the chicken he had that got eaten by my sisters dog, but I am not sure what gender it is going to be. From what I was told, if this one is going to be blue, then it might be male, lol. The little dinosaur teddy that it is going to be snuggling up to is called Parker, as it has a big red nose. LOL.

The size of this baby is basically the size of the crop of it's sibling! I can't believe the size difference. I am hoping mummy wasn't too fussed about me taking one baby. I will keep an eye on the one on the nest today to make sure she hasn't rejected it after I took it's sibling. I was really surprised about taking the baby out the box, because she didn't leave the box, but she hid in the corner while I put my hand in. So I am happy I still have all my fingers intact. LOL.