Breeding
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Breeding
How do i know if my irn going to breed, the female has started to work the nest, or scratch around in the nest and the male started to feed the female.The male moves from a high up position to a lower position from left to right when he feeds the female, does this meen they are going to breed ?
Right on again! She is getting ready to lay the eggs, especially if she is spending many hours inside the nesting box. It’s also a good idea to check the hen once a week. A word of caution! Do not check the eggs during the day, and wait till the nighttime.
Checking the eggs during the day can be very disastrous for the eggs or for the hen. Ringnecks do not abandon nests very easy so I don’t think that’s a problem; however, if you startle her it might cause her to struggle and she’ll smash her eggs. Here is how to do a successful egg check.
First, wait till night and I do mean night at about 9 – 10 pm. This should be enough time for the Ringnecks to settle down for the night. Calmly whistle before you even get near the cage, just to let the Ringnecks know you’re present. Gently take a ladder and unfold it. Quietly climb up the ladder and open the top of the nesting box. With a small flash light quickly but calmly look inside the nesting box. Do not poke or move the hen. You’ll know when there are eggs.
Do this once a week. I know it can get addicting and exciting to check daily but it will cause the hen too much stress and the possibly of broken eggs.
Once the eggs are present, I’ll show you how candle the eggs safely without even touching them.
Hope this helps and please keep us updated!
Best wishes,
I.C.
Checking the eggs during the day can be very disastrous for the eggs or for the hen. Ringnecks do not abandon nests very easy so I don’t think that’s a problem; however, if you startle her it might cause her to struggle and she’ll smash her eggs. Here is how to do a successful egg check.
First, wait till night and I do mean night at about 9 – 10 pm. This should be enough time for the Ringnecks to settle down for the night. Calmly whistle before you even get near the cage, just to let the Ringnecks know you’re present. Gently take a ladder and unfold it. Quietly climb up the ladder and open the top of the nesting box. With a small flash light quickly but calmly look inside the nesting box. Do not poke or move the hen. You’ll know when there are eggs.
Do this once a week. I know it can get addicting and exciting to check daily but it will cause the hen too much stress and the possibly of broken eggs.
Once the eggs are present, I’ll show you how candle the eggs safely without even touching them.
Hope this helps and please keep us updated!
Best wishes,
I.C.
Breeding Ringnecks
Hi.. Im new in Indian Ringneck.. just got a pair the other day.. I was wondering if its okay if i put the pair in a 2x2x4 ft breeding cage? And also what size of nestbox do you prefer? also.. can I also ask about the diet you give to your Indian ringnecks to enhance their color? What do you usually do to make them ready for the breeding season? tnx so much...
Question One
The female will incubate the eggs and she will take minimal brakes to stretch and to eat. The male does not help, but may sleep inside the box during the night. The female will stretch about every 3-4 hours. If the weather is extremely hot, and temperatures exceed the incubation limit, the female will let the heat incubate the eggs. Last year my female Ringneck nested during a heat wave and I saw her outside the box four about 2 hours. I thought she might have abandoned the eggs. But, they still hatched and everything went through great. So don’t be alarmed if she leaves for sometime. She knows what she is doing.
Question Two
Yes it’s ok to keep them in a breeding cage 2x2x4 ft. Although, if you can try to get it larger do it. If you cannot afford a lager cage then use the cage you got. I know many breeders insist on having a large cage for breeding Ringnecks. Many breeders insist that cages, which are smaller, lead to Ringnecks laying infertile clutches or failure to mate correctly. I have not had this problem. I believe the key here is to suspend the cage about 8 feet in the air. This gives the Ringnecks a sense of security and the impression that they are higher off the ground. Make sure the bottom the cage is above your head when suspended.
Ringnecks are not too picky about nesting boxes. Really they are not! I use a deep box made for Conures. If I gave my Ringnecks a cockatiel box, they would produce just as well. Just make sure you suspend the nesting box outside the cage. This makes it easy for you to monitor the hen and chicks.
The diet of the Ringnecks should always be fruits and veggies. Offer a small bowl of pellets and keep the basic seed diet. A nice little trick I learned through another site was the use of apple cider vinegar. This has worked wonders for me! Use it. Just put a few drops into the water.
Getting my Ringnecks for breeding season usually starts by me opening the nesting box. My hen will then start to scratch around and then I just wait for them both to get into heat. The hen is the one who really sets the pace and makes all the decisions. If the hen is content with her surroundings, she’ll get into breeding fast. If she feels her cage or home is not what it’s supposed to be, then she will not thrive. So keep a happy hen and the male catches on really quick when she is ready to breed. The male will start to display and pin his eyes. They will start to preen and eventually mate; once that has happened, except them to produce eggs.
Hope this helps guys!
Best wishes,
I.C.
The female will incubate the eggs and she will take minimal brakes to stretch and to eat. The male does not help, but may sleep inside the box during the night. The female will stretch about every 3-4 hours. If the weather is extremely hot, and temperatures exceed the incubation limit, the female will let the heat incubate the eggs. Last year my female Ringneck nested during a heat wave and I saw her outside the box four about 2 hours. I thought she might have abandoned the eggs. But, they still hatched and everything went through great. So don’t be alarmed if she leaves for sometime. She knows what she is doing.
Question Two
Yes it’s ok to keep them in a breeding cage 2x2x4 ft. Although, if you can try to get it larger do it. If you cannot afford a lager cage then use the cage you got. I know many breeders insist on having a large cage for breeding Ringnecks. Many breeders insist that cages, which are smaller, lead to Ringnecks laying infertile clutches or failure to mate correctly. I have not had this problem. I believe the key here is to suspend the cage about 8 feet in the air. This gives the Ringnecks a sense of security and the impression that they are higher off the ground. Make sure the bottom the cage is above your head when suspended.
Ringnecks are not too picky about nesting boxes. Really they are not! I use a deep box made for Conures. If I gave my Ringnecks a cockatiel box, they would produce just as well. Just make sure you suspend the nesting box outside the cage. This makes it easy for you to monitor the hen and chicks.
The diet of the Ringnecks should always be fruits and veggies. Offer a small bowl of pellets and keep the basic seed diet. A nice little trick I learned through another site was the use of apple cider vinegar. This has worked wonders for me! Use it. Just put a few drops into the water.
Getting my Ringnecks for breeding season usually starts by me opening the nesting box. My hen will then start to scratch around and then I just wait for them both to get into heat. The hen is the one who really sets the pace and makes all the decisions. If the hen is content with her surroundings, she’ll get into breeding fast. If she feels her cage or home is not what it’s supposed to be, then she will not thrive. So keep a happy hen and the male catches on really quick when she is ready to breed. The male will start to display and pin his eyes. They will start to preen and eventually mate; once that has happened, except them to produce eggs.
Hope this helps guys!
Best wishes,
I.C.