Breeding Time?

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Clynos1
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2014 10:31 am

Breeding Time?

Post by Clynos1 »

Hi,
I would like some explanation please.
I have read that some breeders keep their pairs together all year round and at the same time keep the breeding boxes in place all year round, presumably, leaving it up to the birds to decide when to breed.
Other breeders place the birds together at the beginning of the breeding season (or just before) and place the breeding boxes in just a short while after.
My questions are: If I leave the boxes in place all year round will the birds breed at any time during year? (I am based in the UK). also, If I place the birds together say in November when will they breed?
Many thanks
David
Wessel Gordon
Posts: 408
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:02 pm
Location: South Africa
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Re: Breeding Time?

Post by Wessel Gordon »

David,

First of all, I'm from South Africa and a hobby breeder not a professional so I can't answer your question about breeding season in the UK.

In my case I have 3 pairs that I house together throughout the year with nestboxes in their cages/aviaries year round. My experience with that kind of setup is that the females tend to go into "house-keeping" mode only during the beginning of the breeding season and only lay eggs during that season.

From my pairs the one female has plucking issues and although she lay eggs for two years in a row she never incubated them successfully (I just leave the eggs in her nest past their "hatch by" date to keep her occupied). In the other pair the male is only a year old so he will be ready for breeding in about 18-24 months but his female is a bit older so will potentially breed if I pair her with an older male. My other pair is currently raising my first ever clutch of IRN babies...so far I have 2 confirmed babies with a third egg unhatched on Friday so it could be 3 babies by now. Due to mobility issues on my part I'm not able to check their nest as often as I would like and have to use a volunteer to help with that.

I hope this helps.

Wessel
Clynos1
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2014 10:31 am

Re: Breeding Time?

Post by Clynos1 »

Many thanks,
I will keep my fingers crossed for your third baby!
David
Wessel Gordon
Posts: 408
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:02 pm
Location: South Africa
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Re: Breeding Time?

Post by Wessel Gordon »

Thanks David

I spent some time around the aviary today and as small as those babies are they sure voice their disapproval if their mom leave their side, hehe. From the increasing noise and discarded eggshells on the aviary floor it does seem likely (I hope) that the third chick did hatch.

Wessel
ush2611
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 8:24 am

Re: Breeding Time?

Post by ush2611 »

hi, im a breeder from the u.k north east and i can tell you..for the past 3 years i have bred in a colony..nestboxes 6ft apart...next season though i want to concentrate on certain colours so hav invested in seperate flights...but one thing i will never change is when i put my boxes in...i always wait until the first week in feb ( my breeder/mentor told me that as you only have that one shot in the year...too early and you could risk losing eggs to very cold weather)...so this year my pairs are all in seperate 6 x 3 flights some are new pairs and will be going in next week so they have 4 months to bond ..then boxes in ...as soon as chicks leave the nest at 7-8 weeks i tend to take the boxes down as they dont go back in...hope this helps :)
Clynos1
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2014 10:31 am

Re: Breeding Time?

Post by Clynos1 »

Hi Ush2611,very many thanks, just what I needed.
Your mentor in the North East, would it be Chris Smith near Hull? If so we have something in common, I purchased all my six birds from him back in August.
Finished the Bird Rooms and Flights two days before collection - a bit tight time wise!!
Again thanks for the info.

David
ush2611
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 8:24 am

Re: Breeding Time?

Post by ush2611 »

hi david, no my breeder/mentor as i call him :) is dean johnson from goole..he has an amazing collection of rare mutations/pieds opalines and clear tails...his website is www.indianringnecks.co.uk...many of his birds are belgium bred and are stunning..most of my most beautiful birds are from him
good luck for next season :)
rickyc
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 2:19 pm
Location: Walsall england

Re: Breeding Time?

Post by rickyc »

If you want really good birds go to dean johnson all of my birds are from him and he can help you with any questions about irn chris smith although having nice birds has only been breeding for 4 years and doesn't have the experience that dean does
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