too hot for nesting?

[woodisgood]

I have a lilac crowned hen sitting on 3 eggs. The pair lives on my enclosed and covered back porch in Tennessee where it is forecast to get to 104-110 degrees over the next few days. Is that a problem? I could move the cage indoors to air conditioning but am concerned about disturbing them.

Advice is appreciated.

 

[henpecked]

DON'T Move Them. If your using metal boxes ,then maybe too hot. Wooden boxes are best in warm weather,IMO. Shade is what you need, i also use ceiling fans. IMO inside of boxes should not be hotter than 100F and 85 F would be better. BTW my ceiling fans are outside the breeder cage and under the roof. Not know how your set up is. Good luck , shade and a fan. PS welcome to the forum, hope you stick around.

 

[ann]

welcome! im not sure if this applies to parrots, but my finches bathe and then sit on their eggs with wet bellies. I imagine this must cool them off somewhat, so maybe put a bathing dish out? good luck with your baby zons

 

[woodisgood]

Evidently the heat wasn't a problem. Two hatched!

 

[henpecked]

Are you giving the parents anything special to feed the babies?

 

[woodisgood]

No, nothing special. Just the normal zupreem pellets (mostly), seed mix and fruits/veg. Maybe a bit more seed mix than usual because I am feeding more often which gives them more of a chance to pick out what they prefer (I.e. the seeds).

Do you have suggestions?

Also, my tentative plan is to hand feed starting at "pin feather stage" (about 3 weeks from what I read), to get more socialized chicks. Advice or opinions on that?

 

[henpecked]

Lost my post so i'll start over, LOL. I pull mine at 3 wks. Yes feed the parents a breeder pellet,it higher in crude fat and protein (9%) also sprinkle baby fromula on the parents food so the babies will be a custom to it.Parents will seek it out on their own because of the higher fat/protein. Do you have a shield to cover the hole in the nest box so you can access te babies? Keep the parents out. I give my less than 5 day old babies extra fluids (pedialite,in baby food section of grocery store) a few CCs in a syringe is good. may i recommend a book, "Parrots,handfeeding and nursery management" by Howard Voren and Rick jordan, you can find it used on amazon.com pretty cheap and it's the bible as far as handfeeding.

 

[melissasparrots]

My yellow nape pair will not feed their babies adequately unless I give them LOTS of soft veggies. Their favorite is thawed frozen sweetcorn. They consume huge quantities of it. If I slack off on the corn, the babies don't get fed very well. I normally pull mine from the nest somewhere between day 10 and day 30. Although I check on mine almost daily to make sure everything is okay. There have been years that I pulled them at less than a week because I was concerned about something. I slide a board over the entrance when I look so that the parents can't get me. Usually I weigh the babies and record any observations like how full their crop is, when their eyes open, skin color and level of hydration. That way I know they are really making progress while under the parent's care. If a baby starts to kind of stall out in the growth department for more than a couple days, I pull it. Some pairs are not tolerant of that kind of intrusion and will hurt the babies so be careful.

 

[woodisgood]

Thanks. I've ordered the book.
Also, i have been very hesitant about checking on the chicks because the parents are so defensive. Do I need to worry about disturbing the mother by checking (when she is out)?
My curiosity is hard to resist!

 

[henpecked]

Like i said get something you can slide over the entrance hole. I put sheet metal on the end of the cage that has the box. So she can't see what i'm doing with the babies ,although she knows something is up and is POd. Like melissa said you need to learn your birds and know what they will tolerate. I have a pair of YNs who if i check the babies i'll have to pull them or they will kill them, they don't handle my interference well at all. I'm prepared to feed those babies from day one. it's a fine line but you need to know your birds. My oldest pair of OWAs will left me handle the babies and could care less, i check them everyday,mom and dad are POd but put up with it. You won't go wrong with the book and i raise healthier babies because of it.

 

[henpecked]

A lot of this depends on wether you put your own breeder birds together or buy birds from someone else. They might have incubated their eggs and the parents have never feed chicks before. Many birds won't feed babies and kill them because someone has always pulled the eggs or chicks and expected them to go right back to laying. I think zons should hatch and feed their babies for best pets, but that's just me.Alot will depend on what your birds want and you'll have to make the best of that.If young they should lay for 30+ yrs so it's a big commitment on your part to learn your birds.