New Red-rumps

[Viraba]

Hi Everybody,
Well it looks like we're the proud owners of 6 red-rump chicks that hatched over the last 3 days.

I know I asked before about handraising and I thank you all for your comments on this. I'm pretty sure that my daughter will have a go at this with 1 of these young guys. I've heard that it's best to leave the young with the parents for a couple of weeks before starting to hand raise, what do others think about this ?

Also, should I be altering the diet of mum & dad over this time to assist with feeding the young ? They currently get a good mixture of fresh fruit & vegies each day along with the usual availability of seed and fresh water. Someone has suggested to me that I should also be giving some egg/ arrowroot mix !!

I'l try to get some photos posted over the next few days.

Thanks heaps

Viraba

[AussieBirds]

Hi Viraba
Bieng the resident Red Rump Breeder of the forum here are a couple of tips for you.

Dont leave the babies in the nest any longer than 3 weeks before you pull them for hand rearing, any longer and you will have trouble getting them to feed. Next time you are at the super market buy a packet of plain Arrowroot biscuets, crush a couple up and just but it in with the food, you should also get a loaf of whole grain bread and give them a slice a day of that. Increase the sunflower content in the seed but other than that just continue to give the same as you are giving.

Once you pull the babies, providing you pull them all, you will find that she will lay again as they usually double clutch.

Hope this helps you out and good luck with the babies.


John

[Viraba]

Thanks folks,
Good to have the support here !!

John, a couple of questions for you that my kids have asked that I can't answer.............besides that I want to know as well !!!

1) What's the earliest that you can sex the young ?

2) You say to get arrowroot.....you don't use the egg mix as well ?

3) How long can I keep the young with the parents before they start to get bullied or become bullies ?

4) Will keeping the young with mum & dad stop them from trying to double clutch once the young are fully fledged or will this increase the chances of conflict ?

5) What would be the latest that you'd allow the parents to try to breed or should I pull the nesting box out after they've fully fledged this lot ? I live in NQ and it's already getting pretty hot.

I was thinking of only let them have one clutch this season anyway as it's the first for both parents.

Sorry for the thousand questions............but you are the expert


Viraba

[AussieBirds]

Not too sure about the expert bit ;D

You can sex the young as soon as they colour up in the nest, females are always duller in colour, and depending on the parents you can sex them by the genitics. If the male birds has the Ino gene and the hen is a normal then any Ino babies will be hens so it depends on the colour of the parents, but it is best to wait untill they feather up in the nest.

No I dont use the comercial stuff on the red rumps they love to chew on the bickies ;D

I still have offspring with the parent from last season so depending on how they are housed depends on how long you can keep them with the parents. If they are in an aviary they will be okay but if they are in breeding box or cabnet remove them as soon as the parent have stopped feeding them.

Keeping the young with the parents wont stop her from double clutching as Dad will take over the feeding duties while Mum goes down again once the kids have left the nest box.

Red Rumps will breed from September through to December I leave the breeding boxes in all year around but i clean them out once they have finished for the year and then around August every year i put fresh nesting material in the box. If you remove the nest box you may find she will find a spot to nest, it wont hurt to let her double clutch on her first attempt. Let her make up her own mind she may decide one clutch is eneough.

[glow=red,2,300]John[/glow]

[Viraba]

Thank's John for the info,
I've mentioned before that Dad's a normal and Mum's a cinnnamon (or so I've been told ??).........I have my doubts given some other info I've got. Suspect that she's just a lighter coloured normal

Either way, it's could to know that they feel comfortable enough to breed (not a real big aviary about 1.5metre square) .........new larger suspendeds under construction as we speak !!. The kids are pretty excited which is what it's all about in my books. Let's get them interested in birdkeeping young !!!

Viraba

[hillcresttiels]

Well said Viraba as i always say"A kid thats into Aviculture is One less kid off the steets" By the genetics of the parents all chicks will be born normal any male chicks will carry Cinnamon cheers Frank