BBBQ and getting them to survive

User avatar
mr.fox
...............................
...............................
Posts: 118
Joined: 31 Jul 2010, 20:59
Location: South of Adelaide

I have not kept or bred the Black breasted, only Littles, but i would suggest the problem is the male bird not feeding the chicks correctly. You are obviously providing the perfect conditions and ample livefood. I would be trying a different cock and see if there is any improvement in survival. By all means, give the current one another go, he might learn. :thumbup: Like humans , there are good parents and some bloody shocking ones!
User avatar
desertbirds
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1318
Joined: 21 Nov 2010, 09:13
Location: Alice Springs

I think there is a common theme on this one - some first year males are hopeless. Doesn`t matter what you do .
User avatar
Trilobite
...............................
...............................
Posts: 324
Joined: 03 May 2011, 17:28
Location: Brisbane

Thanks everyone for your feedback, tips and suggestions :thumbup: . I swapped the female into another avairy with another male :crazy: . The newer male is now sitting on 4 eggs and she has been removed, he is still sitting :clap: . She is back with the dud male, so here is hoping he might get better - will even try the guinea pig hutch to constrain him this time around :roll: .
Thanks again everyone. Will update either way with the next round with the new and original male.
Cheers
Trilobite
User avatar
Trilobite
...............................
...............................
Posts: 324
Joined: 03 May 2011, 17:28
Location: Brisbane

Hi all just an update re keeping the little ones alive. So taking all of the below into consideration I have some some good news and some bad news. Good news is that the second good male sat on three eggs, bad news one was clear, good news 2 hatched. Contained dad in a "rabbit hutch" as sggested below to stop him running around all over the place and so I could concentrate the food and water in there with them all in the hope he got the hint and done what he needed to do. Good news is that he immediately commence feeding them ( he also walked into the shallow water dish sat down and then walked back to the chicks to let them take water from his feathers - that was a cool moments to watch), bad news is that the ants found the live food tray and took out one of the chicks. Good news is it has now been a week with the sole survivor and it is running around with dad and is approx double its size. I am hoping I am not tempting fate by postng this update but hell this is as advanced as I have ever been - so fingers crossed. Good news - the original dud dad is also down with three more eggs. He will get the same treatment with added ant protection in the hope he learns what to do and raises the next clutch. Will update on the success or otherwise of the dud male and the good male.
Cheers
Trilobite
Post Reply

Return to “Poultry & Game Birds”