How do I make them stop

[CindyM]

One of my pair wont stop breeding. The female is looking tired. Their 2nd clutch is just starting to come out of the box and they are trying to do a 3rd. I have tried a blanket over the cage to cut out the light but that didn't work. I can't and don't want to put them in different cages because they have babies in the box. If you seperate them they scream untill they are back together. I don't want her to have anymore babies this year so she can rest. The only thing I can think of to do is to let her lay the eggs and then freeze the eggs and let her sit on them untill she gets off then remove the box. If anyone has a better idea please tell me. I really don't want her to lay more as im worried about her health.

[Plukie]

I don't know for sure because I've never bred them, but I think you have to take out their next box. Somebody will be along soon that knows a lot more than me, but yes, it does sound like the little lady needs a rest.

[xxxSpikexxx]

I would think that taking down the nest box would help. Mabey put the babies in something comfortable on the bottom of the cage. Hopefully someone knowing more about breeding tiels will know the answer. Have you tried calling a breeder or an avain vet and asking them?

[sweetrsue]

How well feathered are the babies? if they are pretty well feathered they don't actually need to be in a box. The amount of warmth they require reduces as they get more feather coverage. If you're worried about the warmth issue you could try putting a heating pad on low under the tray of the cage directly under the box you put the chicks in on the floor. Hopefully it will reduce your pair's drive to breed. It won't be like a nestbox exactly. If the chicks are 3 or 4 weeks you could remove them and the box and hand feed! They should be down to 4 or 5 feedings a day at that stage and don't require feeding overnight. Kay Tee Exact handfeeding formula is great! you just mix with hot water and feed. You want it to be about the same temp as human babyfood. I use a measuring spoon bent to mimic the shape of a parents lower beak. They take what they need off the spoon. Is there someone at home all day? That would be one way you could ensure they won't go to nest again.

[Will]

I've never bred tiels but with my budgies i had to wait till the babies were out of the nestbox and then remove it. by that time my budgie had already layed an egg or two but she did stop once the nest box was out.

[atvchick95]

your going to have to remove the male if the babies aren't fully feathered or close to it.

put him in a cage and sit it beside her. as close as you can get.

she will take care of the babies - i've removed many of my males and the females did a great job.

if you remove the eggs you can replace them with fake eggs ( i believe marbles work as well), but you must do this in the same manner as eggs are laid, If there is more then one when you go to change them out you must remove one real egg, and put in a fake egg then 2 days later do the same , and so on until all the eggs are fake. IF you take them all out at once and replace with fake eggs all at once she'll know these are not her eggs , kick them to the side and start laying her real eggs all over again.