To handraise or not to handraise...

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 10:12 pm

This is a question for you expeirenced breeders.

I have a tame pair coming up to the two year mark. I wish to handraise the bubs of course but I want to know which clutches they should raise themselves to ensure happy parents.

I would assume to let them all raise their own first ever clutches or at least some of the babies. But what are your reccomendations?

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 1:40 pm

Hi,

Most young, first-time breeding pairs only give one clutch on their first year. A lot of times the first clutch of eggs are infertile especially if the cockbird is only 2 years old. But if you're lucky enough, they could give you a fertile first clutch in which case I suggest this is the clutch that you pull for hand-feeding. If you let them raise the first clutch until the chicks fledge, chances are you won't draw a second clutch on the same breeding season.

So pull the chicks at around two weeks to give the pair ample time to work the nest again thereby more chances at a second clutch. The second clutch is what I would have the pair raise the babies on their own. I find two-week old chicks to be the easiest to start to handfeed. Also, I think they would have had enough time to absorb enough antibodies from their parents through the first couple weeks of parent-feeding.

Now if they happen to give you four babies or more on their first clutch, you may want to take half of the babies for hand feeding. But this almost guarantees that they will not clutch again this breeding season.

..........................

Based on my own experience and that of my breeder friends, approximately 50% of 2-year old cockbirds are fertile. Since they are inexperienced as well, they may not successfully inseminate the female. It may help if you trim the feathers around the birds' vents to increase the chances of positive cloaca to cloaca contact. Install stiff or rigid perches to lessen instability when the cock mounts the hen. One of my breeder friends (who I think raises the most Cleartails, Violets and Cobalts in North America) tells me that his birds clutch better when fed spray millets, sunflower seeds, swiss chards, and corn on the cob during breeding season.

On a side note, most of my pairs double-clutch and I actually have a first timer pair double clutch for me this season.

Best of luck to you and hope this helps.

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:47 pm

Thanks this really helps.

I have a proven breeding pair ready for this year too. I'm more interested in my 2yo birds learning how to be successful parents than how many chicks I can get out of them atm considering the parents are hand raised tame pet birds.

I want to make sure they can do it properly but not end up with a bunch of semi wild parent raised ringnecks.

You hear the stories about parent birds turning on their young so that the breeder wont take them. Also I've had a tame cockatiel pair incubate and hatch an egg then refuse to sit on it or feed it.

I'll let them raise their very first clutch then later try and double clutch and take the first. Thanks again.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:31 am

Wow...which birds are you planning on breeding Neo? You have so many, been meaning to ask how they all are! lol

Dani

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 9:26 am

Your goals are noble and sensible. I always let my first-timers have a clutch to raise as well.

Just a thought, so you won't have a bunch of wild IRN babies, one thing you may want to consider doing is to socialize with the chicks while they are being fed and raised by their parents. Play with them often, one at a time, and put them back in the nest once done. Doing so will make the babies lose their natural fear of humans, hence they will grow up tame and easier to handle than totally parent-raised birds. This technique is employed by people who have no time to handfeed and yet desire to have relatively tamer babies than flighty parent-raised IRNs.

You are right that pets are a little trickier to become successful breeders but hey, it is possible and letting them take care of their first clutch surely will help.

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:56 am

I used to do that with the baby budgies I raised when I was a kid. Hopefully with the parents being tame they will learn from them.

The pairs I have are as follows

I have this Turq Cockbird paired with the Silver hen below.

Silver Hen, And this Grey Lacewing Hen paired with my dream ringneck the Rainbow cockbird. They are an immature pair so I will have to wait a few years for my much anticipaed rainbow babies.

Rainbow Cockbird

The tame pair Yuki Chookie and Bubby Growls.
Creamino Hen and Blue poss. split ino

And theres Kiva my first ringneck

and his friend/possible mate Mew

And of course my two sunny pairs who sleep in their breeding boxes at night now so I'm hopeful. They are still tame even in the aviary

Post by **kyria** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:55 am

Interesting reading this. I guess I was very lucky with my tame clipped male only just 2 years old that I put together with a wild rescued female also only 2 years old. They produced 4 eggs, in an inside cage in my birdroom and all hatched (one died, the youngest, at around 2 weeks for unknown reasons), the remaining 3 were parent raised till 4 weeks, before I handraised them.

Having read the concerns about letting them raise some of their babies, this year I hope to leave some for parent raising, if they are successful again.

Neo your birds are beautiful

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:26 am

Neo your birds are stunningly gorgeous...wow...I am so jealous over that rainbow...*drools*

Dani

Post by **Lauren** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:06 pm

*Jaw dropped* Oh my Neo, they are Beautiful!

Welcome Back too! :wink:

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Tue May 01, 2007 4:12 am

Thanks guys,

Cant fight that MBS it's a real killer..

He's a beautiful rainbow but unfortunatly those two pairs are WILD!! so I'm hanging in there until I can get hold of some nice bubs in a few years from him.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Tue May 01, 2007 6:19 am

You have no idea how jealous I am that you have a rainbow...and are going to get to have baby rainbows! They are so gorgeous...and sooo not avialable here!

When do you expect them to start to go to the nest?

Dani

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Wed May 02, 2007 3:52 am

The aviary is still being built. But once they are in the Mature pair should breed this year, Yuki and Growls may start this year or next. The rainbow probably wont start till next year or the year after, but he seems to have bonded with the grey lacewing hen. Breeding season for us is in about 4 months or so.

Alot of people seem to be getting out of ringnecks since the price has dropped out on them. What used to be worth thousands is now only worth hundreds. So yeah I was lucky to find one.

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Wed May 02, 2007 4:35 am

Wow. Magnificent birds Neokireina, especially the Turquoise and the Turquoiseblue Pallid AKA "Rainbow IRN". I actually have at least three "Rainbow" babies hatched out this year. Two of the rarer Turquoiseblue Grey Pallid are actually weaning right now.

Nice aviaries!

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Wed May 02, 2007 6:32 am

depois do prazer would you post some pics of your breeding birds??? I know the whole lot of us would love to see them...or if you have direct me to the post maybe?

Dani

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Wed May 02, 2007 9:01 pm

Hi Dani,

Some of my breeders are on this link.
http://www.indianringneck.com/board/vie ... php?t=4036

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Thu May 03, 2007 3:47 am

I really like the look of that Cinnamon Turq Grey cockbird.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Thu May 03, 2007 2:04 pm

Wow! They are stunning...

Dani