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Sam,

OK, I will go back and get Aspen for the babies. I don't want to take any chances. Here are pictures of the containers I have for the them.

The first one I made out of a rubbermade type container, it is 17"Lx11 1/2"D x 7"H. I cut part of the top off and added a plastic mesh fencing material to it.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff24 ... ngo001.jpg

The second one is a Bird Carrier that I have had for some time. It is 18"Lx10"Dx12"H.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff24 ... ngo002.jpg

Let me know what you think, I will also get a spoon for cleaning. It is so funny watching this. They are still spending alot of time preparing the nestbox, they must be very picky. Each day they spend more time in there, but are not staying in it at night. I have been patiently waiting for the "Big Poo" and today when I had their tray out for cleaning ... plop right on the floor and it was huge LOL.

Thanks again,
Lori

Sounds like they are getting close Lori!

The containers are perfect, and while it might be a bit of overkill, they will last forever. You'll want to put chicks in there when cleaning and changing the nestbox, but other than that, let them do their thing in the box. Probably won't need to change shavings in the box till about day 10, if even then, depending on how many eggs you get. Oh yeah, you want to candle the eggs about day 5 to 7 to see if they are fertile. All you need is a really bright flashlight (maglite) or a source of light you can concentrate into a small area. Not sure, but I think I have some pics of a fertile egg vs. a clear egg.. I'll look and see, and if so, will send it to you. Pretty easy to tell the diffs at 5-7 days. Fertile eggs will be kind of dark and you should be able to see tiny blood vessels or veins, where a non-fertile egg will essentially be clear except for the yolk. We'll deal with that after the eggs are laid. Once the kids have fixed the nest as they want it, the hen will probably go in and lay, stay for a while, then come out. The male may or may not start incubation right away.. Smokey does, but according to what I've read, they are weird.. maybe the author of the article I read had birds that were weird Who knows..

Sam

Thanks Sam ... yes "Over Kill" is my middle name. I am excited and more nervous than I was when I was pregnant LOL! I was going to ask about candling the eggs, that scares me a little ... but I will do it. I am going to have to be really careful when they are in the nestbox, if I try to peek they scramble! I don't want them to trample the eggs or hurt the little birdies. I'll keep you posted

Lori,

One of the easiest ways to check eggs is of course, when the parents are not in the box. I had one egg from this last clutch get a hole punched in it by Missy. I had opened the box top to candle the new eggs, and she went berserk, something she had not been doing. Anyhow, I figured that egg would never make it, especially if the membrane was punctured, but amazingly, the egg did hatch the next day. Most of the time, I could open the box and either Smokey or Missy would just get out of the way, but for some reason, Missy was extremely protective of her last clutch, and would fight me every time just about. It does not make for good practice to get them all riled up with eggs in the box, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. If your kids are prone to not leave the nest, after they have eggs, probably will just have to somehow get them to leave without a big fuss. Is your nestbox cardboard, or is it a wooden box? Not that it makes any difference, but how it opens might help run them out when you want / need to candle.


Sam

Sam,

The box is wood and opens from the top. I have a fertilization question too. They have been breeding in the water dish for months, I was watching the other day and I don't think it will be possible for Tiki to fertilize the eggs if their vents are supposed to be touching. He is rubbing on the side of the water dish? I moved the water dish to the other side of the cage and now I have not noticed them mating since. Tango is making the noise and Tiki is following her around but I have not seen the actual event. Unless of course they are doing it in the nestbox? Any suggestions on that?

Thanks again,
Lori

Lori,

I'm not positive if vent/vent contact is necessary, however I do know that watching Smokey and Missy mate, it never appeared they made contact, we now know the eggs got fertilized, cause I got 8 chicks to prove it I'm sure it would help, but if Tiki is / was rubbing on the water dish and not even getting close to Tango's vent, the likely eggs might not get fertilized. I've never seen any ejaculate from Smokey, either on him or on Missy, so not sure what any would even look like. I'd assume some sort of fluid, but not knowing how it is dispersed doesn't help either. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable about the reproductive organs in birds can enlighten us. Somehow, I suppose if it were like a mist, the sperm could be captured by the "twinkie" and then make the trip up to the eggs. If you've ever watch the female closely during mating her vent looks like a fish mouth of sorts, almost "winking" or opening and closing like it's sucking in whatever is available. *sorry if this topic gets a bit graphic, but it's nature* I assume this is how the female is able to pull the sperm into her body, but that is only a guess since the males have no other way to physically put the sperm inside the female.

Sam

Sam,

Here is why I am asking (I don't want to be graphic either ) but you have the experience and I don't

COCKATIELS - ADVICE FROM A BREEDER

by Linda Greeson

MATING

Prior to mating the cock is very vocal. He will fly back and forth in the cage, persistently repeating a high pitched, loud call. He will perch before the female with wings pulled away from the body, his crest lowered, and his head twisted from side to side. Every now and then he will give a little jump as he calls, following his prospective mate closely.

The hen solicits mating by lowering herself on the perch with her tail elevated. She does this as the male courts her with song and as he then steps directly on to her back. The actual pairing takes some time, the male's tail tucked under the female's as they rub their vents together. The female utters a continuous "chittering" noise as long as copulation is taking place. Mating usually precedes egg production by about one week and often continues at intervals while the eggs are being laid. One mating, however, is sufficient to fertilize the hens eggs for about 30 days. Stable and steady perches must be provided for successful copulation to take place. The number of matings has no effect on the number of eggs laid.

The cock usually spends considerable time going in and out of the nest box prior to the hen's entering, presumably to assure her safety. When he is satisfied that all is well he invites his mate into the box. The hen then starts a process known as brooding - spending a great deal of time in the box for three to four days before laying her first egg.


Thanks again,
Lori

That is pretty much how it goes... The one thing that puzzles me even to this day, is why the hen always picks a place on a perch instead of on the floor or somewhere that would be more stable for them. I've seen Smokey and Missy mating on one of the ropes out in the bird room, and even Suzie and Chirp have mated on the rope. That is a precarious location, and I would think a solid surface would be better, but alas, I'm not a birdie I do understand how a flat surface would / could interfere with the male's tail feathers, so maybe they do need to be elevated.

Sam

Sam,

I find this very interesting. As stated before Tiki and Tango always have mated in their Water Dish. When I read the article I posted, I became concerned about fertilization. So I put their water in their 2nd food dish and left the other bowl out of the cage. They were so confused, Tango would make her little chittering noise and Tiki would follow her all over, however she will not allow him on top of her on the perches. So I put seed where I had the water and put it back in the cage, not a 1/2 hour later they were mating in that dish again. I really don't think fertilization will occur this way because she sinks way down and they are not making contact, but who knows. So I took the dish out again and covered it with fabric and tied it on with twine, my hope is that they will mate on that. This way she can sink down a little, but not too far so fertilization will occur. Who knows, only time will tell I suppose Thanks again!

Lori

Offer a bigger perch if their current perch moves at all they will not feel secure and the water dish rim is probably wide and stable enough but he may not get contact due to their positioning.... My birds have wider perches and this eleviated any variables ..Same with bigger birds she must be able to lift her rear and be horizontal for his balance for his stability and he will mount and breed almost from the side so he can get his tail folded right under her (his tail goes straight down then up under her on other side wiggling it the whole time and then he stops and holds it there and he's done) i do not think a bowl can help achieve this unless its a really deep tall dish and they are on outside of rim breeding. More than likely its a perch problem, causing them to seek their only other alternative....the dish for stability.
Hope this helps...

Oh, one more thing.... if changing perch doesn't help and this pair just likes dishes turn smaller in diameter ceramic dish upside down for a platform this might help.

That is a great idea! But they have already laid eggs I am hoping that they are mating inside the nestbox now. They don't seem to be mating outside of it anymore (they spend very little time outside)? My only clue that they are mating inside is Tiki is singing and singing ... he is usually happiest after mating LOL!