The answers to most of your questions can be found by doing a search on the site. I will try and provide as much info as possible
1) Nest box - We use 3 different sizes and all seem to work. A box that is somewhere around 7 inches square by 14 inches high should be fine. That is very close to cockatiel box dimensions so no problems. Make sure you have at least 2 boxes per pair in the aviary.
2) Feeding - Kakarki should take care of the feeding duties in regard to young. Make sure you supply plenty of fresh fruit and veg daily as well as a good source of calcium for the hen. This is best done by providing an after market supplement that is readily available for pigeon breeders.
3)Candling - This is done to check eggs for fertility. A special torch is used which shines through the egg to indicate whether the embryo is growing inside. Good local pet shops or specialist bird dealers will help you out there. Perhaps a search on the internet of suppliers in your local area would be the best bet.
4) Young chicks can be removed from their parents once they are independant and eating on their own. This usually occurs once the red iris has formed around the outer edge of the eye. As a general rule we leave chicks with their parents for 2 - 3 weeks after they leave the nest box.
5) Observation is the answer to this question. All birds are individuals and what works for one doesn't mean it will always work. If there is no fighting and everyone gets on well then leave them all in the aviary.
6) Nest box material - We use a dust free sawdust mixed with a small amount of peat moss in our boxes. Try and keep the material as dust free as possible as Kakariki do suffer respitory problems if the box becomes too dusty. We found straight saw dust created problems with hens hiding their eggs below the surface and not incubating them properly. The peat moss is used to tighten the saw dust and prevent this.
There is an advanced search button at the top of the page, and to the left in the "quick search" box u can seach for words and short phrases in differnt parts of the site.
Or u may like to use other parts of the box to run google saerches and even translate this and other sites into your own language...
Thu I havnt coded a conversion from English to Aussie yet _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
There is a couple of rather detailed "diet" threads on veggies and fruit, also calcium intake which is critical.
Many suggest different sources, from cuttle fish to cooked egg shell
Calcium is a found in many chemical forms, and it is too often assumed just because a source has calcium it will do...It Doesn't. For extreme example, lets take cement and plaster of paris..both very high in Ca but feed to your birds it will kill them. Sources range from there down to those that are required.
Most probably the most effective source is raw clay. Which is also great for trace minerals and elements and what birds use in the wild.
Birds will naturally seek out suitable sources in the wild. It is at these locations they will be seen in flocks licking the cliffs. The problem with this is that not all clays are equal and without chemical analysis we would not know if the clay we give is suitable.
So it is necessary to give supplements. These come in various forms from powders to additions to water supplies. The general consensus so far for experienced members here is mineral/vitamin powders added to veggies and fruit. This is also covered in other threads.
We do the same in our world. Take NZ for example...our soils lack iodine and in many areas cobalt. Up to the 1920s gout was a major heath issue in the human population, So legislation was passed that all table salt had to have iodine added...within a very short time gout was no longer a heath problem...A few yrs ago a few PC do gooders lobbied that these additives in our food was wrong, so now our hospitals are filling up with gout patents again
One cannot supply a fully natural food to a captive animal/fish/bird (even plants)...one doesnt have access to the natural native trees, berries and plant, nor is able to supply what is required on a seasonal basis. Hence the need for supplements for Heathy well balanced birds _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
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