Help!! My kakariki laid an egg?

[LoveMyKaks]

Hi guys. My kak (Sunny)laid her first ever egg last night but sadly i found it this morning cracked at the bottom of the cage and it was leaking. She wasnt near it (it was like she new it was broken) so i took it away? did i do the wrong thing?? Ive gave her a nest box and shes been in there for a few hours now. ive put the male (Boss) in a different cage as for some strange reason ever since we have had the pair, he picks on her. chases her round the cage and room, but loves her at the same time. They mate all the time and he regurgitates for her. did i do th right thing separating them?? i just dont want him chasing her in the nest box and damaging the eggs? What do i do!! I would love for sunny to experience having a baby chick. Do i take the eggs and incubate them?? do i leave them in the nest box for her to incubate?? do i check on the eggs or leave them be? help meeeee please x

 

[DuffanoErskineBirds]

Like everyone, first time moms aren't always the best. The egg could have been bad and got cast away, or she made a mistake.

If she is nesting, try not to bug her much. Please also try to keep in mind her agee and she needs a bit of extra calcium in her diet. Eggs take a lot out of a hen. If she is too young she could die. If you incubate them, prepare to handraise yourself a clutch. Breeding is a huge undertaking, even if it is just once.

 

[MonicaMc]

Do you plan on hand feeding or allowing the parents to raise the chicks?
Do you know how to hand feed?
Do you have hand feeding supplies?
Can you hand feed every 2 hours around the clock?
Do you want breeders or pets?


I don't think you are ready to allow your birds to reproduce at this point in time, so I cannot recommend encouraging them to reproduce. Pets generally don't make good breeders, and breeders generally don't make good pets. In 99% of parrots, both sexes have parental roles in raising their offspring. Depending on species, the mother may incubate and raise the chicks entirely by herself (with the male bringing her food to the nest) to a certain age before the male starts helping out feeding the chicks, or both sexes may incubate the eggs, taking turns in who's foraging and who's incubating, and both will feed the chicks from day one of hatching.

In short, your pair needs to be together to be a successful pair. However, as you say, since Boss picks on Sunny, he may not be a proper mate for her and may potentially be a terrible father. Unless you are interested in getting a better mate for her, I would not suggest allowing them to reproduce.

If you don't know whether you should keep them together or not, or if you need to incubate the eggs or leave them in the box, you aren't ready.


Take down the nest box, discourage them from reproducing, and if you want to be serious and allow them to breed, then find a breeder who is willing to mentor you so that you know what to do and how to do it, and how to handle emergencies.

You can buy books and read articles on breeding, hand feeding and raising chicks, but it's nothing compared to hands on experience, if you can get it. It's better to be taught than "learn as you go" because you might be putting the chicks life at stake if you don't know what you are doing before something happens.

 

[DuffanoErskineBirds]

Please also research the age of sexual maturity. Its safest to wait one to two breeding seasons past this age for her health and safety. Most birds revert to a feral nature or near it when becoming breeders. Do you really never want to handle your pet again? There's so much to say, but I'm on a phone, so I'll leave it be at this.

 

[LoveMyKaks]

Thanks for the replies. Well i dont feel ok taking the nest box away as everytime i go near the cage or the nest box shes inside screaming at me, also she popped her head out and went to bite my boyfriend which she has never done before. This is why i think she has eggs in there, she hasnt come out of there since yesterday. I really dont want to distress her by taking away the nest box. dont know what to doooooo