no available uncles??

CharchiesMum · Member Joined: Jul 20, 2012 Posts: 14

Hi
My brilliant other half has spent the last few months building me six breeding flights, a main aviary, and a flight for recently fledged chicks. I'm all ready to go.
I purchased 5 young from Kev (cattscapes, thanks Kev) about six months ago - 4 hens and 1 male. I already had 2 males and 1 female, a dozen budgies and 20 odd cockatiels, all in a mixed aviary.
AFter patience and swapping pairs, I now have 3 bonded pairs. Two of the three pairs have already laid one clutch each( one with 5 and one with 7 eggs). None hatched and the hen eventually left nestbox and I then pulled eggs. most were infertile which I expected, being their first time. Two eggs had dead chicks, so,although we have seen them mating, we know they are doing it right!
Both hens have now swapped to the other nestbox and within two weeks or so have started their next clutch :)
My question is - if Im lucky enough to get babies this time around-when i move the fledged chicks to the holding flight will my two spare/unattached females (currently in mixed aviary) be able to help feed/lookafter the chicks the same as spare young males?
cheers

jo

Steptoe · Site Admin Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 4550

Kev is a top breeder.
If not producing any chicks in 1st batch and some eggs where fertile, I suggest that the female has been unnecessarily disturbed in this time... espec if 1st batch.
Let the male raise the chicks as they come out of the nesting box for 1st 2 weeks... this gives the parent a chance of some normality of raising and prevents issues further down the line if environment/ circumstance change.

Putting a batch of new birds into a community flight goes without hitch... unlike adding only 1 or 2 birds in a smaller flight.