Basic Parenting Gone Bad
Well, you had fertile eggs and now you have babies. You are excited but then find that the parents are not feeding one of their babies. Why would perfectly healthy birds not feed their young? I will propose several reasons why this would happen.
I find the number one reason for parents not feeding babies is nest predation. Now, you may be saying: "I don't have predators in my nestbox!". Well, the number one predator in the nestbox may be looking back at you in the mirror. That long snakey hand going in there to check on the babies MAY be perceived as an immediate threat. When faced with a treat, there is a fight or flight response. So, either the parents will leave the nest box and come back to check on the "damage" OR the parents will leave and not come back in. Even pet birds that have gone to nest now consider you the "temporary" enemy. So, limiting time with your hand in the nestbox is crucial to development of the chicks.
Water and food. Sounds easy enough. Give the parents lots of water and food. But, parents often drink and eat more than they normally do and you must keep the buffet going all the time. This helps when parents are feeding alot of babies. I oftentimes will see parents desert the two younger babies because the two older babies are doing so well. The parents want to proliferate their genes to future generations and are just interested in getting some of their offspring to flourish. As an aviculturist, you have to make a decision: let nature take its course OR pull the older babies so that the younger babies may have a chance to survive. The decision is up to you. Breeding birds is not like breeding domestic animals. Sometimes despite your best efforts, the pair may continue not to feed the youngest babies.
Before babies are even born, I would suggest the first time breeder get knowledgeable with handfeeding techniques. As you continue to breed, only time and experience will help you learn how each pair is going to act with their babies. Some allow disturbances without a problem. Some are very hostile and need to be let alone. Some are great feeders, some will only feed the first two and may even kill subsequent babies. This is not a "bad pair". This is how this pair chooses to raise babies to adulthood. Unlike breeders, parents often choose quality over quantity of offspring. Learning how your pairs will react to certain circumstances is always learned by trial and error and no article can teach you this.
Good luck on the babies. When in doubt, make sure you have a knowledgeable breeder to help you through the rough times.
Related Articles
And Baby Makes 3!
Setting up Pairs
I find the number one reason for parents not feeding babies is nest predation. Now, you may be saying: "I don't have predators in my nestbox!". Well, the number one predator in the nestbox may be looking back at you in the mirror. That long snakey hand going in there to check on the babies MAY be perceived as an immediate threat. When faced with a treat, there is a fight or flight response. So, either the parents will leave the nest box and come back to check on the "damage" OR the parents will leave and not come back in. Even pet birds that have gone to nest now consider you the "temporary" enemy. So, limiting time with your hand in the nestbox is crucial to development of the chicks.
Water and food. Sounds easy enough. Give the parents lots of water and food. But, parents often drink and eat more than they normally do and you must keep the buffet going all the time. This helps when parents are feeding alot of babies. I oftentimes will see parents desert the two younger babies because the two older babies are doing so well. The parents want to proliferate their genes to future generations and are just interested in getting some of their offspring to flourish. As an aviculturist, you have to make a decision: let nature take its course OR pull the older babies so that the younger babies may have a chance to survive. The decision is up to you. Breeding birds is not like breeding domestic animals. Sometimes despite your best efforts, the pair may continue not to feed the youngest babies.
Before babies are even born, I would suggest the first time breeder get knowledgeable with handfeeding techniques. As you continue to breed, only time and experience will help you learn how each pair is going to act with their babies. Some allow disturbances without a problem. Some are very hostile and need to be let alone. Some are great feeders, some will only feed the first two and may even kill subsequent babies. This is not a "bad pair". This is how this pair chooses to raise babies to adulthood. Unlike breeders, parents often choose quality over quantity of offspring. Learning how your pairs will react to certain circumstances is always learned by trial and error and no article can teach you this.
Good luck on the babies. When in doubt, make sure you have a knowledgeable breeder to help you through the rough times.
Related Articles
And Baby Makes 3!
Setting up Pairs
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