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Post by sycamore on Nov 12, 2012 19:44:25 GMT 10
I have 4 baby Turks in a breeding tree trunk that is 400mm by 120 mm round. I am worried that as they get bigger the adult bird will suffocate them! Should I take them out & put them in a shallower box or let nature take its course! First time breeder!
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Post by avinet on Nov 12, 2012 21:11:15 GMT 10
I assume you mean the inside diameter of the log is 120 mm? That is a bit tight, I would like 150 mm myself, but for wild Turks it is pretty normal.
In fact a study of wild Turks nesting gave an average nest diameter at the bottom of the hollow as 123 x 86 mm with the range from just 75 x 40 mm up to a luxury nest that was 250 x 140 mm (taken from 115 measured nests in NE Victoria). The range of depths was from 350 mm up to 1400 mm (those parents would have been fit by the end of nesting!)
So your log fits right in the middle of that range for the wild birds. Just keep an eye on them, if you try to move them to a different nest box then there is a risk the parents will not go back to feeding them and you would have to hand feed through to weaning time. Once this lot of babies are fledged you can then remove the log (I don't like logs since they are so hard to clean properly between nests) and give them a standard Neophema nest box.
cheers,
Mike
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Post by anzac on Nov 14, 2012 10:26:19 GMT 10
Wow I can post now as a turk breeder with my pair having successfully raised 2 clutches of 3 babies last year  I then took the nesting box out as I think 2 clutches a year is sufficient. Mine love their standard Neophema nest box, plus it easy to clean out between clutches and with a removable lid, I can check on progress, take out clear eggs etc which Tilly seems to lay 1 every clutch. They will fledge at 4-5 weeks and my first ones of this season and fledged already and are just starting to eat seed. The babies are indeed clumsy flyers so you'll be hearing alot of crashing about in the aviary. I have put larger potted grevillas in there and they seem to crash into them which helps. Here's a good basic guide to breeding turks. Good luck. Leanne www.birdcare.com.au/turquoise_parrot.htm |
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I then took the nesting box out as I think 2 clutches a year is sufficient. Mine love their standard Neophema nest box, plus it easy to clean out between clutches and with a removable lid, I can check on progress, take out clear eggs etc which Tilly seems to lay 1 every clutch. They will fledge at 4-5 weeks and my first ones of this season and fledged already and are just starting to eat seed. The babies are indeed clumsy flyers so you'll be hearing alot of crashing about in the aviary. I have put larger potted grevillas in there and they seem to crash into them which helps. Here's a good basic guide to breeding turks. Good luck. Leanne