Napoleon weavers

[Mark1957]

Hi can anyone tell me what sex these two are please many thanks

[Alf63]

I have had Napoleons for a number of years and out of breeding season they are very difficult to tell apart even when you know what you have.

The only thing I can offer is that even though male and female are generally the same size you may find the cock has slightly larger feet and the head is a fraction broader.

very much a guess from your photos but perhaps cock above and hen below

[Mark1957]

Thanks for your reply Alf63 that's the way round we thought, I bought them from a dealer here in the UK just before xmas he said he thought they were both hens his premises was heated and it was quite cold here that's why they are in a double breeder I have read a lot about different ratio's can you tell me what yours is please I have two avairys each with 1 cock and 2 hens so if we are correct I have 5 hens and 3 cocks I was thinking of putting them all together in one avairy do you think I would need more hens? Or just run 2 cocks with the 5 hens any advice would be appreciated many thanks

[Alf63]

I run two trios in different aviaries.

I have seen them run as multiple cocks in a colony but in each case they were in substantial aviaries. The cocks tend to set up territories so you can get varied degrees of aggression. You may find you have a dominant cock, a 2IC and the third that stays out of the way

In my limited experience with weavers I have found the cocks to be more important than the hens. If you get a cock that displays, drives the hens and is a good nest builder then you will be successful. If they display and chase but don't build or build poorly the hens lose interest

I would keep a cock in reserve in case one of the others is an underperformer

Collector & Buyer breeds Napoleons so he would have more to add

[Mark1957]

Thank you for your reply and advice Alf63

[collector_and_buyer]

In regards to what sex are they,the only way to be sure is to get them DNA'd.Saves a lot of time and guesswork.I agree with everything Alf63 says about having to have a good cockbird,it is one of the most important factors for successful breeding results.Not too sure what the success rate is for hens nesting and rearing young when you have say,five hens and two cocks.I feel that is a lot of work for the cockbird as you generally get one dominant male and one subordinate male.If you have a big aviary,as Alf63 said and you get two dominant males,they can set up their own territories and build with the hens picking who they want to nest with.The larger ratio can work well then with the two males both putting the hens down,but if smaller aviaries,i would run two pair.This way you can have one dominant cockbird and he only has to look after two hens with the other cockbird being a distraction for him,thus taking some pressure off the hens.You could add a third cockbird to the mix in a big aviary,but i would have a young one who is not going to engage too much with the hens or wants to get into a biffo with the maturer males.

[Mark1957]

Thanks for your reply and advice. I have two small avairys that face each other, avairy 1 has 1 cock and 2 hens he has built a couple of nests and had made a start on several others he's very placid I have never seen him chase the hens or the few silverbills I have in there and don't eat much of the live food I put in for them. Avairy 2 has 1 cock and 2 hens he eats live food chasees the hens and a couple of the other finches I have in there when he was in breeding plumage he's attempted to build a couple of nests I am putting more plants in the avairys at the moment thank you both for your advice photo is one of the nests what avairy 1 built

[collector_and_buyer]

Definitely need more shrubbery and tall,thick stemmed grasses.Mine mostly nest in the tall,thick grass,but at times will build in the tea tree that is provided for other birds.I provide coconut fibre for nesting and the cockbird gets thin dead grass that grew in the aviary.You can grow the grass in pots and then place in the aviary before breeding season if you can't grow it in there.Mine love their maggots,mealworms,termites and moths-insects.Best of luck with them.

[Mark1957]

Thanks for all your advice do you think running water like a small fountain would be good I have read they nest near water in the wild

[collector_and_buyer]

Wouldn't hurt,but not at all necessary to get them to breed.What i have said works for me,others may have different ideas.