Breeding season in South Africa

[Ring0Neck]

How are signs in Australia and other southern hemisphere breeders.

Molossus,
Courting, nest inpections are on the way in my neck of the woods, for some pairs.
Pretty sure my violet green hen... as always will be 1st to lay, 3-4 weeks !?

83IV

[Johan S]

This is the "worst" part of the year for ringneck breeders. The waiting is terrible. There are signs of the breeding season, but in reality it is at least 2 months away for most of us, esp. the inlanders (colder parts) who consider July a blessing, rather than the rule. You guys are talking about breeding and I'm still waiting for my order of new nest boxes to be confirmed, never mind completed, collected, prepared or put up.

[sheyd]

I have made myself a box in anticipation for my first season!- I am likely to only be breeding one pair for starters...and next year am hoping that my Violet, possible Dark Blue Pallid will accept a mate- she'll be rising two by then so here's hoping!

The one I'm excited about is my SL Edged hen- at the moment I have her paired in with a SL Edged(sf) cock who at 9months is probably is too young to breed- and has so far shown no interest in her other than to sit or eat with her but go no further than that. So I have a wildtype (no genetic history) cock to go with her instead- and the edged cock will be re-paired with the hen for the following season in some hopes for some DF edged cocks

Good luck to everyone one.

[sheyd]

Hi Lee, thankyou for your invaluable advice

Yes, I'm in the southern hemisphere so our season co-incides with yours.

Already- a cock I bought two days ago is displaying and feeding a hen (as well as chatting her up lol) that I wasn't planning on breeding this year- talk about eager! That is the cock I'll be moving in with the edged hen.

I had a box that I'd bought new at a bird sale- but it is not as wide as it is long- so decided to make one myself using the most popular dimensions for IRN that I found on the net. The first day I put it in I discovered that they had been in (and worked) the first nest box- oh well- seems they aren't too fussy.

My mature edged hen is interested in the box I made- sits on top occasionally and will peer in the hole- but I'm yet to see her actually inside (but then I never saw her in the other box either).
She flies and chirps to the young male from time to time- but he just look bewildered haha!

Am hoping I am successful and get some sf Edged babies that I can use in the future

One question though-

once the seasons over pair up your permanent couples as the moults begins. you should have little problems with bonding as long as the split pair arent near each other and maintain communications.

Am I able to leave the young edged cock in the same aviary with the mature edged hen and the mature cock? I asked a breeder and they weren't sure- but they thought maybe it would be okay, since he is only young and shouldn't bother the mature pair. Or should I get him out and avoid any possible problems?

[trabots]

On the subject of nest boxes, I too build my own. I always used 19mm plywood from Bunnings for them, starting with mutant lorikeets. I always had problems with early or late DIS and DAH chicks. They usually had a bulged back of neck. This was a 'pipping muscle oedema' which prevented them from pipping properly. Many successful hatches ended up failing to thrive with a few finally fledging but being small etc. This went on for years with my spending a fortune on pathology etc etc, changing food, water, diet, every thing I thought. In frustration I sold the lorikeets and got into IRNs. I built them all new nest boxes out of the plywood and moved house. So with a new species with different diet and and piped in water supplied, in a new environment, the problems continued with the IRNs. Finally I sacrificed 2 long term foster breeding hens and commissioned new pathology and finding that these were the first of the many expensive prior autopsies that had had their lungs looked at. Lesions were found in both sets of lungs. They were visually healthy birds which bred well but like the others, on average failed to hatch healthy chcicks of their own, After over 10 years of getting birds expensively autopsied by the very respected vet school in Perth, I find out they had never thought before to have a look at their lungs. I had ruled out the plywood many years previously, plywood boxes are pictured in all the bird magazines and books you read, and I had researched for any hazards. I built all new boxes out of 19mm untreated pine. What a transformation!! This was from dozens of pairs. The pine brought immediate results 3 years ago. Last year I had 75% of all eggs laid fly and 80% fertility. They only failed to fledge 6% of their fertile eggs.

Do not make nest boxes out of plywood. Some sources I am guessing, exude fumes from the formaldehyde glues used. This compromises the egg quality with inutero defects from the toxin leaving the parents otherwise visually healthy. That was my experience and I accept that many use plywood with no issues, however I would strongly advise against it.

[Ring0Neck]

Willy,

I took your advice when you told me a few months back and managed to make about half the boxes out of untreated pine .
I ran out of time to make all of them as i was busy with other things.
Thanks for sharing!

[Johan S]

some tips for you: link up with other breeders and if you end up needing to move eggs / chicks then you have a backup.

Lee, you gave some very good tips, but unless I misunderstood the above, I can not agree with the above. I have heard too many stories of people swapping eggs, chicks and even mature birds and having to deal with the introduction of disease in their flocks, or having their birds pick up something nasty at the other breeder. And the worst example is taking chicks to individuals that specialise in hand rearing and offering it as a service at a fee. They take in any chicks from all sources as this is their income, and more often than not this causes problems esp. with PBFD. I.e. I would be very very cautious of the above, and rather try to solve the problem myself.

On the subject of nest boxes, I too build my own. I always used 19mm plywood from Bunnings for them, starting with mutant lorikeets. I always had problems with early or late DIS and DAH chicks. They usually had a bulged back of neck. This was a 'pipping muscle oedema' which prevented them from pipping properly. Many successful hatches ended up failing to thrive with a few finally fledging but being small etc. This went on for years with my spending a fortune on pathology etc etc, changing food, water, diet, every thing I thought. In frustration I sold the lorikeets and got into IRNs. I built them all new nest boxes out of the plywood and moved house. So with a new species with different diet and and piped in water supplied, in a new environment, the problems continued with the IRNs. Finally I sacrificed 2 long term foster breeding hens and commissioned new pathology and finding that these were the first of the many expensive prior autopsies that had had their lungs looked at. Lesions were found in both sets of lungs. They were visually healthy birds which bred well but like the others, on average failed to hatch healthy chcicks of their own, After over 10 years of getting birds expensively autopsied by the very respected vet school in Perth, I find out they had never thought before to have a look at their lungs. I had ruled out the plywood many years previously, plywood boxes are pictured in all the bird magazines and books you read, and I had researched for any hazards. I built all new boxes out of 19mm untreated pine. What a transformation!! This was from dozens of pairs. The pine brought immediate results 3 years ago. Last year I had 75% of all eggs laid fly and 80% fertility. They only failed to fledge 6% of their fertile eggs.

Do not make nest boxes out of plywood. Some sources I am guessing, exude fumes from the formaldehyde glues used. This compromises the egg quality with inutero defects from the toxin leaving the parents otherwise visually healthy. That was my experience and I accept that many use plywood with no issues, however I would strongly advise against it.

Thanks for sharing that experience, Willy! It is a very interesting read. I suspect that the suppliers of the plywood needs to be investigated. I only use plywood (so does my dad) and we haven't had any problems. The number of DIS and DAH chicks in the last two seasons can be counted on one hand. However, I'll keep this in mind and phase out my plywood boxes over the next season or two.

[sheyd]

I have removed and replaced the young cock... the hen is none too happy - I hope she gets over it..

Willy, I made my box out of plywood (from bunnings)- I can't tell you how stressed out I felt reading what you went through with yours! I won't be making anymore from plywood and if I get time (and def before next season) will make another one out of untreated pine just to be safe- Cheers for the advice.

[trabots]

I didn't want to alarm everyone who uses plywood that is why I specified it was Bunnings plywood which I used over 12 years of breeding. Bunnings may source plywood from different suppliers depending on state. Some suppliers must use glue which isn't toxic otherwise this issue would have been raised decades ago. I just wanted to share my experience.

[Lushen1600]

Wow that's early, I noticed about 4 of my hens in boxes, but haven't inspected, looks like we going to have an early season this year

Thanks
Lushen

[Carr.birds]

Lee

It is early, it must be the herbal tee and seed you are giving them. Breeders in the North (Pretoria) have hens on eggs, but it is to cold for Bloemfontein. From the 10th of July my hens normally start laying eggs.

Tienie

[sheyd]

fingers crossed for you Lee.

as for me- (QLD) Au
My pair seem to not be making any more progress apart from the hen working the box more than what she had been, but the cock isn't trying to court her anymore-might have to introduce a rival.

For others in my area, there have been lots of reports of matings and one report of eggs.

[McmillanBirds]

Hi all

Just got back from holidays. My first pair has laid. Same pair that laid first last year funny enough and basically on the exact same date bar 1 day. Last season the hen laid on 06/07/2012, this year she started on the 07/07/2013. Last year her first clutch consisted of 3 eggs, all were fertile, her second clutch was 3 eggs, all fertile but one was cracked and dried out at some point.
This year her first clutch has 4 eggs.
Another pair started laying yesterday, so the season has kicked off for me.
Anyone else in Pietermaritzburg as yet?

Carmen

[sheyd]

Update! I caught my pair mating today!! It's funny because yesterday I used my pet Blue cock bird as a teaser as I hadn't found a replacement rival..- I held him up on the outside and he was displaying to both of them much to the aviary cocks disgust lol. After that the pair in the aviary immediately started showing some interest in each other

Best thing that's happened all week

[McmillanBirds]

Update! I caught my pair mating today!! It's funny because yesterday I used my pet Blue cock bird as a teaser as I hadn't found a replacement rival..- I held him up on the outside and he was displaying to both of them much to the aviary cocks disgust lol. After that the pair in the aviary immediately started showing some interest in each other

Best thing that's happened all week

That's fantastic news! Amazing what a little competition can do

[sheyd]

Update! I caught my pair mating today!! It's funny because yesterday I used my pet Blue cock bird as a teaser as I hadn't found a replacement rival..- I held him up on the outside and he was displaying to both of them much to the aviary cocks disgust lol. After that the pair in the aviary immediately started showing some interest in each other

Best thing that's happened all week

That's fantastic news! Amazing what a little competition can do

Haha, that's funny! as my (pet)Blue is about half the size of the aviary cock lol-

Seems the aviary birds have been making up for lost time- they're at it at every opportunity

[sheyd]

I am about to find out if; 2 weeks from the beginning of mating to sitting tight will mean fertile eggs after 8 full days of incubation.. hold thumbs for me!

[McmillanBirds]

Holding thumbs

My 1st pair to go down, babies have started hatching!!!! All 4 eggs were fertile, the last egg should hatch today or tomorrow:)
2nd pair, laid 1 egg and then stopped. 2 weeks later another egg appeared however that 1st egg is infertile. She would not budge for me yesterday so could not check if there was any further progress.
3rd and 4th pair that went down, 4 eggs with each pair, all eggs are fertile.
5th pair started laying on the 02/08/13 (2 eggs yesterday)
6th pair started laying on the 03/08/13 (1 egg yesterday)

Have 3 other pairs that are very busy in their nests but still no eggs.
Have 5 pairs that are marginally nest active but no major signs yet.

[sheyd]

Congrats on the new babies!

[SCB 22]

SO much of jealous Carmen... SO much of jealous...

Maybe I'll have to wait and get my Angry Bird a girlfriend this year from you