Double D
145 posts
Feb 28, 2006
6:24 PM
|
I have a pair that have young birds almost a week old and I'm seeing some behavior that I'm not sure what it means or what to do about it. The last 3 or 4 days or so I've noticed the hen sitting on the young no matter what time of the day it is. Whenever the cock gets near her she begins to shake her wing like birds do when they are being attacked and they're going to flip the wing out at the other bird. The cock dances around making his noises as if he's challenging another cock, being kind of agressive towards her. Well, tonight, while I'm feeding them, this is going on again and on a couple of occasions he jumps in the nest, pecks the hen out of it, and dances all over the baby birds, stepping all over them as if they weren't there, then jumps out of the nest and they begin to fight and then she hops back in the nest. He doesn't seem aggressive towards the young but he doesn't seem to care that he's stepping all over them either. I haven't seen him attack the babies with his beak, I've only seen him step all over them.
He's always been one of the cockier cocks I have and I'm concerned he might kill the squeaks. I'm hoping you guys can tell me what might be going on and why he's acting like this as well as give me some advice on what to do. I've considered separating the cock from the hen and squeaks for a day or two or maybe indefinitely but I'm not sure what the hen would do in response to that. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Darin
|
fhtfire
349 posts
Feb 28, 2006
7:11 PM
|
Darin,
I have had the same problem as you..but it was the cock that would not let the hen near the babies. What I did is remove the cock at night so that the hen could sit on the babies and then put the cock back in the loft in the morning. My suggestion is to pull the hen for about an hour and see if the cock sits and feeds the babies. Then put the hen back in the loft. Then the next day do it for a couple hours. You for sure do not want them fighting in the nest. Try removing the hen for periods of time. Then the cock will feel like he is doing his part and the hen should let the cock on more when they start getting a little older...they should straighten up in a couple days of pulling the hen....when the young get older the young will be to much for the hen to handle alone. Trust me...she will give in. Pigeons just do some wierd shit every now and then.
I would not pull the cock...especially if you have young breeders....then hen may not raise the young...Just try what I have mentioned. It should work.
rock and ROLL
Paul Fullerton
rock and ROLL
|
Double D
146 posts
Feb 28, 2006
7:14 PM
|
So you think the hen's the one with the problem and the cock is simply fighting for his fair time on the nest? How about for a few days pulling the hen out during the day and pulling the cock out when the hen normally sets during the night to break this habit of fighting with each other? Would that be detrimental?
Darin
Last Edited by Double D on Feb 28, 2006 8:00 PM
|
fhtfire
350 posts
Feb 28, 2006
8:11 PM
|
Darin,
By the way that you explained it...that is what it seems like...the hen does not want to get off...she is being a super mom....LOL!!! When the babies hatch...it seems like the mom spends a little more time on the nest then the cock for the first week or so. I would just pull the hen for just a couple hours or so....unless you are going to be able to check on them...because if the cock decides to get off the nest for whatever reason..the hen will not be there to jump on....you want to be able to monitor them. The cocks seem to jump off the nest whenever they feel like it and then the hen will get back on in a flash...I would first try pulling the hen for just an hour or so...or pull the hen when the cock wants on and she starts whooping on him...then pull the hen and let the cock sit for awhile...then let the hen back in and she should switch with him...then he will feel like he had his shot on the nest. If an hour does not work then make it two hours...then three...or you can just pull her from late morning to early afternoon...as long as you can keep an eye on the cock so he stays on the nest. Young pairs...and I am assuming that they are young...will do wierd things as new parents.
My pair that acts up are 2000 birds...older birds!...It only happens after the 2nd or 3rd round...I think that the cock gets stressed and acts up. Anyway...try an hour or two first and if that does not work...pull her for most of the day...they may need to just go through the routine of switching.
rock and ROLL
Paul
|
C.J.
24 posts
Mar 01, 2006
3:58 AM
|
Double D
What kind of breeding set up do yoiu have?
Is the hen doing a good job feeding them on her own?
I have had this problem and the cockie cock bird ended up scalping the young. The only thing I say is if you remove the hen she may not re sit the young. I would rather move the cock and have her raise the young on her own. Sounds like the cock bird hasn't proven his true natural right to sit them. There is something about him she isn't comfortable with. Is he the only cock bird in this loft? Is it possible that he isn't the father?
These are all things to be considered before you pull that hen. Because if you are wrong it could cost you the young.
Just My Two Cents!!
C.J.
|
J_Star
280 posts
Mar 01, 2006
4:30 AM
|
I've read all the post and some good advice there. But, in my opinion, I would not do anything. Let nature take its course and if the cock proves to be a troublesome bird, then he should not be in the breeding program at all. This cock will be trouble and his offspring will be trouble. So my suggestion is to leave things alone and see how it turns out and based on the outcome, a correction measure will be put in place.
It is possible that they were having a big argument in regards of color vs. performance (LOL).
Jay
|
Velo99
237 posts
Mar 01, 2006
5:12 AM
|
Darin,
Sounds to me like he is trying to drive her to another nest already. He may be just a little early. The pair will usually try to start another nest around two weeks after the chicks are hatched.
JMHO
V99
|
Double D
147 posts
Mar 01, 2006
1:14 PM
|
V99, you may be right as I'm seeing some courting going on with some of the other pairs I have but their young are a few days older than this pair in question.
C.J., I have my breeding pairs confined. I use the 8-compartment breeding cages and each pair has it's own cage. I don't practice an open breeding loft as my breeders are unproven and I want to know who's producing what.
I followed Paul's suggestion this afternoon and the cock immediately took to the nest and started feeding the squeaks. When they were done eating, he just nestled over them. He's never shown any agressive behavior towards the squeaks. He's not the gentlest bird I've notice just in moving around in the nest, etc. in that he sometimes steps on the squeaks but never in a mean way that I've witnessed. I'll keep an eye on him and the squeaks and we'll see how it progresses.
Granted, all my breeders are less than a year old and just learning the ropes but I seem to have a number of hens who don't want to give up the nest. It all cases but the pair in question, the cocks don't seem to care. They seem content to let the hen sit the nest morning, noon, and night. I'm sure they'll all mature a little more as the breeding season goes on. This is the first time any of these birds have been through this so I'm sure over a 3 to 4 clutch breeding season, they'll learn to lighten up a little bit.
Thanks guys for all the feedback!
Darin
Last Edited by Double D on Mar 01, 2006 1:18 PM
|