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Post by agent44 on Oct 2, 2006 22:54:48 GMT 10
I've got some bad Alex news. I will start with a little background information. The last time I tried to breed Alexs (the clutch Pablo is out of) my cock Alex killed all chicks but Pablo (as he was still in his egg) so I carried this little egg across the garden and put it under a Rinneck hen who had eggs hatching at the exact time. He actually hatched and stay with his foster mum till 4 weeks. I put it down to my cock doing the killing because there was a young from the previous year in the aviary with them. That is going back three years now. He takes them out of the box at about two days old and drops them on the floor to die. Not nice to find babies all over the floor  This year I thought he might not do it and with a family death at the same time I wasn't able to catch him in time and remove him before they hatched. I'm not sure what started him doing it because he's had clutches before with no hassles. I really want more Alex's and so does my hen but I can't trust him. Mum suggested I sell him and get a new cock, but I don't think I can bare to see him be taken away ... Even if he has done this again. |
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Post by vankarhi on Oct 3, 2006 6:52:10 GMT 10
do you know how to handraise??? Especially babies newly hatched?  if you can do this, then you would be able to still breed with him without giving him up....................or you could do what your mother says..............I would not trust him ever with newly hatched babies. There are some very knowledgable people on this board who do handraise from newly hatched who could help you here. Or you could take the eggs out just at hatching time.............like Pablo. Good luck and keep us posted................I would love to see you with some baby alex's too. |
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Post by silvercloud on Oct 3, 2006 10:28:48 GMT 10
Oh that is awful news. Is this guy tame? Maybe you could get another cock and keep the naughty one in a separate aviary or cage.
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Post by AussieBirds on Oct 3, 2006 10:37:04 GMT 10
Sounds like you have a rouge cock there and there isn't a lot you can do to stop him other than remove the babies and hand raise. I would suggest you get rid of him and get a new one as your mother says, mums knows best, I know it's hard to let them go but think of the babies you would have ;D.
John
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Post by petiel on Oct 3, 2006 10:41:51 GMT 10
Are you sure it is the male who is throwing out the babies? You said you thought it was the male doing the throwing out because there was a young male in the same aviary. I don't think having a young male in the aviary would be a problem. I breed 4 pairs together with know problem.
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Post by agent44 on Oct 3, 2006 22:38:48 GMT 10
I'm 98% sure it is him taking them out because one year I caught him in time and removed him, leaving the hen to do it all and it was all fine. It is really hard to check everyday and take him out in time because I don't live where my birds are.
Yeah he is friendly, very. Thats why I don't think I could see him go.
I've left the box in and if she lays again I will make sure EVERYONE watches very closely and we seperate him from the babies.
I'd love to hand raise day old chicks but I don't think I'd feel safe enough to do it. Youngest I've done is two weeks, a Sun Conure.
I think next year I will aim to get a new cock.
Does that happen often, cocks killing young?
I'm not too worried about it this time, just annoyed for my hen, all that wasted effort from her. She is reaching about seven or eight years old too !!
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Post by vankarhi on Oct 4, 2006 13:54:26 GMT 10
well if you allowed her to raise them once on her own.............could you let her do it again. You would have an idea of when they are due to hatch so you just have to be dilegent and keep a close eye on them and get him out of the aviary before he damages the babies again. Or if he is a good tame bird...........make him a house pet again and get another male. I just know that I would not allow him near babies again. Whether I chose to handraise, or to take him out of the aviary.............but if I took him out of the aviary, I would be inclined to try to take a couple of bubs out just to make life easier for the mum and you would have to make sure she has plenty of fresh food and water every day so she does not get sick from having to do "all" the work.
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Post by agent44 on Oct 6, 2006 22:30:38 GMT 10
Thanks for all the help. I'm undecided on if I should let her re-sit again this season. She spends a lot of her time in the box as I've left it in.
She looks in good health. She looks fat too !! Eating food to prepare for babies that aren't around anymore.
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Post by vankarhi on Oct 7, 2006 8:21:58 GMT 10
She will probably go back to nest soon by the sounds of it.
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Post by agent44 on Oct 21, 2006 16:22:10 GMT 10
You'll be glad to hear that my Alex has started to lay again after the incident a few weeks ago.
Checked her Sunday and you could see she had a egg waiting to come out and checked Thursday and she had laid. Not sure on the amount just yet as I didn't want her to get off them but I could see the tip of a egg sticking out from her chest.
Will hopefully go there tomorrow to see her and she how many she actually has and make a date for them to be hatching and remove Oscar.
Do you think she will be ok doing it on her own?
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Post by vankarhi on Oct 21, 2006 18:53:09 GMT 10
well you said she did it before on her own and she was ok. Just make sure she has plenty of fresh food and veges and if it were me I would make sure she has plenty of soft food too. Are you going to take the male out??? I would not risk him doing it again. Keep us updated and if you lived closer I would offer to handraise a couple for you..............but WA is just a tad toooo far away.
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Post by agent44 on Oct 22, 2006 23:15:41 GMT 10
Yeah I wll be taking him out defiantly !! She has three eggs, same as last time.
I'm counting the three weeks from today.
Wish us luck !!
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Post by vankarhi on Oct 23, 2006 9:34:49 GMT 10
I will be waiting with bated breath. I hope it all goes well for you this time and when it gets close to hatching time...........keep an extra special close eye on them. Three babies might not be too bad for her (I am not a breeder either by the way) as long as you keep up all the food she needs every day as she will be relying on you to help her out from then. When she comes out to feed try to have a closer look at the babies if possible to make sure they have enough food in their crops.
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Post by silvercloud on Oct 23, 2006 10:31:10 GMT 10
How wonderful she's laid again. Good luck with them and getting the boy out in time.  |
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Post by agent44 on Nov 10, 2006 21:01:24 GMT 10
I've got some really good news !!
My Alex has hatched one egg today. Oscar has been seperated from her for about a week now, so hopefully it is all smooth from now on.
She has two more eggs to hatch.
I'm going over there in the morning so I will make sure she is doing ok.
Wow it's so exciting !!!
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Post by vankarhi on Nov 11, 2006 17:19:01 GMT 10
Congratulations...............and looking forward to more updates.  |
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Post by silvercloud on Nov 13, 2006 10:38:16 GMT 10
Oh thats fantastic. |
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Post by agent44 on Nov 15, 2006 15:33:55 GMT 10
She has now hatched all three and they seem to be doing very well. She is also eating well. Lucky it isn't cold weather so she can spend more time off them trying to eat enough !!
Atleast I know for sure it was my male, Oscar, killing them.
She is an amazing Alexandrine !!
Might try and get some photos of the babies next time I'm over and she is out eating.
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Post by Jane on Nov 15, 2006 15:46:37 GMT 10
That's great to hear all is well  |
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Post by silvercloud on Nov 16, 2006 10:39:02 GMT 10
Thats fantastic. Can't wait to see pics.
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if you can do this, then you would be able to still breed with him without giving him up....................or you could do what your mother says..............I would not trust him ever with newly hatched babies. There are some very knowledgable people on this board who do handraise from newly hatched who could help you here. Or you could take the eggs out just at hatching time.............like Pablo.
