Nest Bowls?

[symbro]

when do i place the nest bowls in with pairs?

 

do i place a nest bowl in with two birds i am trying to get to bond?

do i leave a nest bowl in with the cock when i seperate the hens?

do i replace the bowl the day i put the hens back in with the cocks?

 

ahhhhhh please help me.

 

right now i have the bowls in the nest boxes with the cocks locked in and i have the hens free flying in the same room.  i dont have another room to put the hens  :*(

 

Symbro

[Chatrace]

Are you planing what birds will mate with each other or Open loft. Put aome long pine needles in the pens with the bowls and also some on the floor and open the doors and let sthe pick there mate,if it gonna be a open loft, But wait till at least the Dec 1 so you can get bands intime

[symbro]

i have six pairs that are bonded.  and two pairs i am trying to have bond.

 

the six pairs that are currently bonded - the cock is locked in the nest box bowl and his hen is flying in the breeder loft.

 

the two pairs that i want to bond - both bird are locked in the nest with the bowl as soon as i see they are bonded i planned to seperate them.  it is getting to the point where it might be too late.

 

i am planning on only breeding one round.  i will be reintroducing the hens back to the cocks all at the same time so that they all lay their eggs so the babies are about 8 days old on jan 1st - jan 8th.

 

but i dont understand how the bowl effects the birds.  i dont know if leaving it in there now is ok or if i should remove it till i put them back together.  And i dont know if i should have a bowl in with the birds i am trying to get to bond.

[Guest]

Symbro

 

How long have you been flying, you may be eleible for the AU Help a Beginner Programme

[Guest]

Symbro, I don't put the nest bowl in until well after the pairs are bonded... 5 days?

 

I'm not sure what you are trying to do...  if I have chosen pairs, I have in the past 'introduced' them to each other for an hour to make sure that they will take - they should show interest in each other, and show through the bars - I then put the hens back in their own section.  

 

I use widowhood type nest fronts with the cock on the 'open' half and the hen in the 'closed' half. If you have these, and no other section for your hens, you may be better to lock the hens in their cock's box in the closed end. Otherwise you risk the free-flying hens taking up with the wrong cock... any cock!!!  

 

After your pairs are going in and out the box no problem for about a few days.. give them a nest bowl.

[symbro]

my breeding loft has locking nest boxes and only the birds i am using to breed with.  so my cocks are locked in the boxes and my hens are flying loose and there are no cocks for them to pair up with accidentally.

 

i am having a problem with two pairs.  they are either too young are females.  one is a red check with that black ticks.  which most people agree means it is a cock.  but i think he is too young.  i have another pair i wont be breeding at all this year but they are both indigo bars so i wanted them to bond.  i think they are both female though :*)

 

my other six pairs are well bonded and seperated.

[jimmy white]

i woud say take hyacinths tip, you may get a lot of valuable information

[speedbird]

sometimes if a pair are finding it hard to pair i put them in a hut on there on for a couple of days this works as a rule for me