Behaviours of BFPF after young have hatched

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BJohn
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Posts: 37
Joined: 13 May 2011, 23:39
Location: Greenbushes Western Australia

Hi,
I am after a bit of advice here.
This morning I went to check on things and found two chicks & one egg ( maybe < week old, eyes still shut, etc ?) on the ground, dead ! I am assuming the chicks came from the BFPF since they are nesting in direct line to where I found the chicks about 0.5m away. I examined the chicks and it appeared their crops were full, and they appeared with no deformities? I don't have any forensic experience to determine one way or another. The disturbing thing is that this is the second time this pair have done this. ( i assume they are throwing / carrying the chicks out). I can hear other chicks in the nest calling (for food?), and I assume they are being ignored, and will soon die. i do not go near or touch the nest and only by chance i observed a BFPF sticking its head out one day from this nest. This is exactly what happened to the previous brood. The BFPF are in a mixed collection so I am theorising that 1.) too many other distractions or interference, 2.) not being fed live food, 3.) other factors I do not understand, 4.) "I" have too many birds in the aviary. I do give them greens daily when I am around. However I am not always at home during the week to observe what goes on, since I travel away for work a couple of days. I am starting to think it is my behaviour that is contributing to the mortality, (ie overcrowding).
Many thanks
BJ
Bruce
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spanna
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Joined: 03 Jun 2010, 16:03
Location: Bullsbrook, Western Australia
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It may be one of those reasons, but have the birds bred successfully before? If they are still young birds, they may take a few nests to get the hang of it. I had a diamond pair that took 8 failed nests. THAT was frustrating. If they have full crops, I would say that maybe the parents weren't incubating at night, with them being a bit too young, the cold overnight may well have killed them, resulting in food in the crop still. That may be caused by a night fright, or could again simply be inexperienced breeders.

The fact that they had food in the crop to me means that the diet isn't the issue for them, if it were, the crops would be altogether empty.
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BJohn
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Posts: 37
Joined: 13 May 2011, 23:39
Location: Greenbushes Western Australia

Thanks spanna. A bit slow in getting back to you, but a kind thank you for those well placed comments. I did notice the BFPF are again nesting in another location, about a metre off ground, with another set of eggs. A quick peek from afar, it looks like 5 - 7 eggs. Perhaps better luck this time. Are their meal worm breeders around Perth environs?

On another note, lost a red brow recently, in what appeared to be very unfortunate circumstances. I only this weekend noticed the absence of the red brow, and scoured the aviary floor and nooks and crannies, but could not see her. Then just in the late afternoon today, i was putting in greens and I saw the distinct features of the red brow, in the grasses in an off the ground grass stuffed wire cage. When i picked the body out, i noted the orientation was head down, and a very sharp long seed head was impaled straight into the chest cavity, which I assume had perhaps pierced the heart. I can only assume she was startled one night, and took a dive into the grasses, very unfortunate, as I have a soft spot for red brows.
Bruce
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spanna
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Hope they go better this time. Shame about the redbrow hen. I have some young ones but I think they're all males sorry. When I do my next aviary catch up (should be soon) I'll get in touch if I have a spare hen.
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