double clutch

[jusdeb]

I have a fair idea of what it means but could anyone please in laymans terms explain what the term double clutching means ...

I take it its not what I used to have to do in my old Mini Cooper

[Fincho162]

Tis normally a hookbillers term meaning a pair of parrots that lays twice a year - 2 nests in the same breeding season.
As many parrots only have one clutch a season a "double clutcher" is generally a good outcome. Not used if the eggs/chicks are taken for handrearing but only if they fully rear the 2 clutches themselves to independence.

Obviously some parrot species have more as when we had Swifts many had 3 clutches and good luck stopping Rainbows once they start breeding!!

Guess if u had finches that were only "double clutching" you'd be dissapointed!!! But guess when u get to be as old as parrots there aint no "need for speed" in the breeding stakes. To that end my breeding Quaker cock is 20yo!!

HTH!!

[djb78]

I take double clutch to mean that when a finch lays a clutch and then lays a second clutch over the top of previous clutch usually around two maybe three weeks later when your thinking the eggs from the first clutch have hatched. In some cases people call large clutches as a double clutch due to the amount of eggs laid for example when a gouldian hen lays around 9-10 eggs in one clutch people call this a double clutch due to hens are averaging 4-6 eggs a clutch.

[jusdeb]

Thanks for the reply . Its what I thought but for some reason thought it involved running 2 nestsboxes .

Wow I am lucky then with most of my parrots giving me 2 and 3 clutches a year and a very determined Red Rump who wants to make it 4 despite the nest box being removed .

[Fincho162]

Must admit when I had Red-rumps & Cockatiels they did as u say and had heaps of chicks -and, again as u suggest, stopping them was the problem!!!

But double-clutching was uncommon in the Rosellas I had only one pair of Greens that did it. And of the 4 pair I currently run none!!! Bit of a bumer if you lose that first clutch as it's all over for the season.........
My Quakers only ever double-clutched one season.

[jusdeb]

Would you ever let a hen go 4 clutches ? She is in great condition , good weight and good feather apart from a few ruffled chest feathers where the eggs have been under her .

Im a bit concerned she is either going to keep laying eggs which raises calcium issues or become egg bound with these cold snaps we keep getting .

She has raised 3 clutches ...1st 2 chicks then 3 chick then 1 chick .

They are both fantastic parents , there is never any aggression from the father .

Any thoughts on that one ?

DJB I had a few things running around in my head about the term double clutching too ...

[Fincho162]

With our Swifts we never let them go beyond 3 clutches - some tried but we stopped them.
Our feelings were that after 3 rounds the strength and vigor of the offspring would suffer - or, as u say, risk the hens.
We had seen what certain unscrupulous breeders had done with Kakarikis - basicaly bred the hens to death...........and u ended up with poor quality, small scrawny young and dead hens........lots of young but at what cost which I suspect is not your preferred way to go either.

I reckon 3 nests from any hookbill is great - but possibly enough in a season for reasons outlined.
Just a personal call though.

[jusdeb]

Perhaps a time out in one of the verandah cages until its too hot for them to want to breed will fix it . Change of scenery and closer to me for observation .