Hi everyone, I've read most of these posts which are really informative but hoping someone might clear up a question. Cricket is my 2.5 yo hen who's been hand reared by myself and she just loves me. Whenever we cuddle she clucks, arches her head so it touches he back etc (I think that's mating behaviour) but she's always done it.
Crash is a fully grown male who is a known breeder (not hand reared) and the two have been sharing the same aviary for the past 4 months. Whenever I'm watering the garden or just observing the 2 for the joy of it, Cricket does her "Cuddle me" routine. Crash starts to hop from branch to branch, fanning his wings out in a heart shape, and hops closer and closer. She doesn't seem very happy about that behaviour though, she pins and lunges at him. Could he be misreading her signs? or is this normal for just beginning courting behaviour.
Seems like the hen has bonded to you and thinks you're her partner. This will probably make it a little tougher to breed her however it is of course possible.
The male is indeed displaying courting behavior but she is not quite ready yet, if she ever will be.
I have been reading and finding out about pairing tame birds, wondering why introducing our pet kai to a wild female seemed to work a treat.
The new quaker pair I am taking on, again the male is a pet and the female is parent raised and not so tame, and they have been successful breeders the last two years for Greg.
It does seem that females make better breeders if they are not tame, but for the males they can be tame and will breed and parent just fine.
Angie --------- Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins. {Pro 10:12} ----------- God Bless
A friend of mine also has no problem breeding his pet male IRN to a parent-raised female. Goes to prove females do in fact determine whether mating is going to happen or not. Males, no matter what species I suppose, are almost always ready to mate
Thank you so much for that guys. Sorry I didn't respond earlier, I was computerless. We'll see what happens. I might put a breeding box in there soon. My cockatiel hen was being very naughty with her seed bowl this morning so it might be that time in the top end of Australia...
I'll keep you guys updated what happens with my gorgeous IRN's.
Angie, got a question. My pet shop tried to sell me a cockatiel breeding box for my IRN's and I just looked at them askance. The only other box they could sell me apart from that is a sugar glider box, which is quite a bit bigger but not very deep. What do you think?
So long as the breeding box is no smaller, and then again not too much bigger, than 16 inches high by 10 inches square and you have a hole approximately 3.5 inches across, and inside the box you secure a strong metal grid for mum to climb up and out of the hole, it should suffice.
The box should be deeper than wider to emulate a deep hole into a tree.
Mine has a drop down door at the bottom front side (some prefer backside) and a rung in front of the hole. Also A removable top lid.
I hope this helps.
Angie --------- Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins. {Pro 10:12} ----------- God Bless
so it might be that time in the top end of Australia...
