First Egg - 2013 Breeding Season (Adelaide, Australia)

[DavidAdelaide]

Today I have found my first egg for the season (after a few years break from IRNs) . I am very happy!
A quick question, is it normal for IRNs in Adelaide, South Australia to start laying in August (winter)?
I am certain the eggs have a good chance of being fertile, but should I discard them and wait for the next set of eggs to be laid in Spring? Any recommendations?

The first egg is from my Lutino Cock to Creamino Hen. My other pair (Blue Cock to Pastel Blue Lacewing Hen) are not evening showing interest in the nest box or each other... Should I split this pair or continue to wait to see whether they will begin to show interest later in the season?

Appreciate any advice,
David

[Ring0Neck]

Hi David,

WB to IRN world.

Given the cooler wheather in SA i guess the breeding season is just starting there.
I don't see the need for you to discard the eggs unless you forsee s-thing i can't think of.
they will hatch around 15 Sept and weather should be favorable by then, no more freezing nights i'd say.
Here Qld way, we are about a quater of the way into breeding season.

With your other pair i would leave them i guess they have not been struck by breeding vibes as yet.
if you have other ringnecks it might pay to keep it as an option.
I did make some changes about a month ago, sometimes it pays off.

I see you're eager to do the right thing by them that's great however s-times doing nothing is the best thing to do.

83IV

[DavidAdelaide]

Thanks to both of you for your responses and recommendations.
On the basis of your experience and recommendations, I will leave the egg/s alone and keep my other pair together and see what spring might bring.
Thanks for your responses,
David

[JonoH]

Yep perfectly normal, i'm in Adelaide also.

Last year i was on my second clutch this time, i have 3 eggs in one box with one hatched today, and the other box is still waiting eggs. Hopefully we don't have too many cold days now with winter coming to an end!

[Ring0Neck]

it is quite normal for irns to commence breeding after mid winter. its natures way of prepping for the availability of food for the young. this happens around the world. I know that in the northern hemisphere the cold snaps caused problems aplenty and most of Europe complained about this during the last breeding season.
waiting until the weather warms up and reducing losses through cold snaps just reduces the duration of the season ,,,,imo.
I suggest heat control systems and incubating/handrearing for areas prone to this problem.

Molossus,

Some breeders i know near Brisbane had a slaggish start of the season, contrary to upper north qld who i understand have a great season.

I wonder if the Europe season had the same symptoms as described above?

To note in particular that CT birds have had the slowest start, wonder y?

83IV

[JonoH]

First hatchlings this year so far -

[DavidAdelaide]

Hi All,

An update, my second pair have started their courting. I noticed the blue cock bird feeding the pastel blue lacewing hen, but didn't see him get to the important part of the deal, even though the hen was ready... Hopefully this will progress in the next few days... (They are roosting very close together at night so I am taking all of this as good signs)... From pair one, the Creamino hen is on 4 eggs and is sitting well!

JonoH, great looking chicks, (hope they are going well despite the wet and windy weather...) what mutations are the parents?
How many other pairs have you got?

Any other updates from Adelaide?
Regards and best breeding wishes...

[JonoH]

Chicks are going really well, getting big fast! The parents for these ones are just a normal blue female and a male lutino.

My other pair is just starting to get into the box so a little behind but they are a new pair from over the eastern states so i guess there not used to the cooler weather yet.

I have a Green male, a violet male and a violet lacewing female.

Jono

[DavidAdelaide]

Hi All,

An update on my breeding progress for 2013 breeding season:

Pair 1: First chick hatched 11 September 2013 (one chick each day subsequently, currently three chicks) with one egg remaining. When I candled the eggs at day 11 three looked fertile, 1 looked clear so I will leave the egg for another 7 days and then remove if it does not hatch. Parents feeding chicks well, happy with the progress.

Pair 2: A big thank you to Molossus for recommending I stick with the pair a bit longer... I checked the nest on 11 September and found no eggs. Checked again today (13 September) and 2 eggs have been laid... So am keeping my fingers crossed for some additional success in a months time.

A question for all of the seasoned breeders, which is the proper way (and why) for leg identification rings? Right leg with characters facing up towards the birds body or characters facing down towards the birds toes (again, and why)? I have decided I want to stay in IRNs for the long haul at this point in time and want to be sticking with protocol in terms of leg ringing for future record keeping. I appreciate all responses.

Thanks,
David

[DavidAdelaide]

14 September - Update

Pair 1: Egg 4 has hatched. All chicks seem to be doing well... I have been surprised with the fertility of the final egg... (Obviously candled too early).

Pair 2: Still on 2 eggs. Hen doesn't seem to be sitting tight, so I am predicting an additional egg or two... (Wait and see)...

[JonoH]

14 September - Update

Pair 1: Egg 4 has hatched. All chicks seem to be doing well... I have been surprised with the fertility of the final egg... (Obviously candled too early).

Pair 2: Still on 2 eggs. Hen doesn't seem to be sitting tight, so I am predicting an additional egg or two... (Wait and see)...

Sounds like almost a clone of my pairs!

Except the 4th from my first clutch was clear, and as far as i can tell only one of the violet's eggs are viable. Don't worry, they normally don't sit on them all the time till there are 3 eggs. They normally lay between 4 and 6.

Unfortunately i lost one of the babies from my first clutch, when i took them out to be handraised i realised one of them had broken its leg in the box somehow and it had set completely wrong, i took it to the vet but they were unable to do anything about it. I have never seen anything like this happen before, it was actually walking on its knuckle or leg join so as you can imagine it was swollen and causing it to suffer.

[DavidAdelaide]

Hey Jono,

So sorry to hear about your chick! The poor thing must have been in heaps of pain...
Hopefully the others are growing perfectly well!

My 4 from Pair 1 are growing well, touch wood. All seem to be thriving, which continues to surprise me
Pair 2 are on 4 eggs, I suspect 4 eggs will be all for them this season...

Have your pair gone down for a second time since you pulled the chicks. If I leave pair 1 to raise the chicks themselves is there enough time for them to go again? What do you think?

D

[JonoH]

I normally pull the chicks around 20 days old and hand feed from there, last year they then went down for a second clutch. At the moment the hen is still going into the box but i haven't seen anymore eggs yet, time will tell - however last year their first clutch was about a month earlier.

Second pairs eggs should start hatching in about 1.5 weeks.

[DavidAdelaide]

Put leg bands on the two largest chicks today. I think I was just in time for chick 1 as it was a bit of a squeeze to get the band on but it hasn't come off. Chick 2's band has fallen off once and I found it in the wood shavings and have put it back on again. I have never really looked at a baby IRNs feet but the claws seem so close to the knee joint at the 10 day stage. They are adorable, like little squirming warm water filled balloons... LOL...