Female Red Rump- Can She Still Raise The Babies On Her Own?

[zena]

Hi all,
Today I lost my male Red Rump- he got out and flew away while I did the seed (in a few seconds he was gone! ) Will my hen still be able to look after her babies and herself without the male? I just worry because she only ever came out when he tweeted to her, and never any other time, and I don't want her to stay on her babies and starve herself. I would prefer not to have to hand raise, but I will if I have to...

Thanks for any advice/information

[avinet]

Nov 12, 2013 19:16:09 GMT 10 zena said:

Hi all,
Today I lost my male Red Rump- he got out and flew away while I did the seed (in a few seconds he was gone! ) Will my hen still be able to look after her babies and herself without the male? I just worry because she only ever came out when he tweeted to her, and never any other time, and I don't want her to stay on her babies and starve herself. I would prefer not to have to hand raise, but I will if I have to...

Thanks for any advice/information

Sorry to hear of your loss  - really bad luck.  How old are the babies and how many?  If there are one or two and say 3 or 4 weeks old then she should cope OK.  If there are more and they are younger then it may be a struggle.  Most hens will try to raise the babies, and in feeding the babies will get enough food themselves to be OK.  Make sure good food is easily available close to the nest box.  However some hens would basically give up so you will have to keep a close eye on the babies and be prepared to take them away if necessary.  Check them every day to make sure they have food in their crops.  If you find empty crops from mid-morning onwards then there may be a problem - if they have empty crops the next day you definitely have a problem - take them out.  Have hand raising equipment and formula ready just in case it is needed in a hurry.

Good Luck

Mike

[zena]

Thank you
This is her first time breeding, so far today she hasn't come out of the nestbox- I will check on them when she does come out. Last time I got to check there were 2 babies, and they are about a week and a half old.
Also what temperatures should I have for certain ages? (the websites only give average/range for pin feathers and before) And what should the formula temperature be? (I can only find Farenheight- and I don't know how to convert it ) and the times I should feed them (some say 2-4 hours and some are different)
I am hoping that I won't have to hand feed but I want to be prepared just in case my hen stops feeding, or she stays in there and doesn't come out- I would rather be prepared than have something bad happen because of wrong information/not knowing

Thanks in advance

[avinet]

Nov 13, 2013 12:35:28 GMT 10 zena said:

Thank you
This is her first time breeding, so far today she hasn't come out of the nestbox- I will check on them when she does come out. Last time I got to check there were 2 babies, and they are about a week and a half old.
Also what temperatures should I have for certain ages? (the websites only give average/range for pin feathers and before) And what should the formula temperature be? (I can only find Farenheight- and I don't know how to convert it ) and the times I should feed them (some say 2-4 hours and some are different)
I am hoping that I won't have to hand feed but I want to be prepared just in case my hen stops feeding, or she stays in there and doesn't come out- I would rather be prepared than have something bad happen because of wrong information/not knowing

Thanks in advance

It might well be necessary to remove the babies - check tomorrow and chase her out of the nest if necessary to have a good look and handle the babies to check their crops for food.  She should return afterwards but watch for a few minutes to make sure.  Red Rumps are usually good mothers but it is her first time.

See my articles at scas.org.au/html/articles.html -  it gives temperatures for different ages, formula temps etc - should be everything you need and if not then ask away.  I'll check in here mid morning Thursday.

If you don't have any hand rearing mix then get Vetafarm's Neocare - do not get the Hand Raising mix - it isn't as good as Neocare.   There are others that are better than Neocare but they are hard to find (Roudybush and Kaytee are espcially good).  If you have a small pack of Neocare available it is always a good investment - either for a baby emergency or to feed a sick adult.  It can be kept in a freezer for over 12 months without going off.  Anyone breeding birds should have an emergency kit of feeding babies or sick adults.

cheers,

Mike

[zena]

Thank you, I have checked today- there was only one baby (maybe I miscounted as she often won't move) but it was dead when I got to look (she had been feeding them well, but not after her mate got away)
I feel like a horrible person - she lost her mate and then I took her other eggs (she wasn't feeding herself just sitting and never coming out- even when I did make her she just went straight back in) she did go back in after I took her out (she isn't tame but she doesn't panic with nest inspections and I had to pick her up to get her to come out) there were seven eggs (one was old, and I hadn't had the chance to take it out) three were infertile. She ate a lot now that she has been out. We are going to get her another mate when I get the chance. I do have some hand feeding stuff (we get the Roudybush one here)

[avinet]

Sorry to hear the baby was lost - hopefully she will pair up with another mate and breed again after the summer. 

Presumably you don't have a safety porch on your aviary - they are a bird saver!  If not then it is generally best to hang some sort of barrier - tarp or similar - on the outside of the door so that is in place as you slip into the aviary.  And having half height doors also helps to avoid escape since birds tend to fly upwards when you enter an aviary - and high perches also encourage that behaviour.

cheers,

Mike

[zena]

I have a half height door, I did want to get a safety porch but I wasn't allowed
I hope she does pair up with the new male when I get him