# 2 Pairs raising babies in the same Flight ?



## Tony's Tiels (May 21, 2009)

Has anybody here ever experienced 2 pairs sharing a flight cage (indoors) 
& have both pairs with their own nest box raise babies in the same cage ?
The cage is about 4 feet wide 2 deep 3-4 high.
The 2 nest boxes are actually in place to block wholes the previous owner made, but does double duty well as knowing when a pair wants to raise a clutch.
(the cage door is left open all day, every day too)

one pair is proven, the other pair may not ever actually breed, Soooo
Should I take a chance & see if it all works out, or do I need to remove the proven pair to their own cage.

BTW, we have a lot of other things taking up our time right now, while we can
do farm work in Mn's summer time, so breeding the Tiels is not a high priority,
right now.

Many Thanks in advance to anyone who has experienced this for answering


----------



## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

If you don't want to breed the tiels the nest boxes will have to come down. You'll have to find another way to block the holes. This sounds like way too close quarters to me to breed two pairs. Tiels usually become territorial when they nest and you are asking for trouble. Even when colony breeding in a large aviary it is wise to provide twice the number of boxes as breeding pairs to cut down on fights. The size you are talking about is only one foot wider than what I use for a single breeding pair.


----------



## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

if you don't want birds to breed don't give nest boxes 

I have cages i've cut holes in to place nest boxes, when I'm done breeding I remove the nest box and attach a metal ladder with a washer, nut and wing nut to the hole - it covers the hole nicely 

giving birds a nest box is only telling them to go breed. 

I do not colony breed but I do believe that cage isn't big enough for 2 pairs. Because everything i've read on colony breeding states to use 2 nest boxes PER PAIR , all hung at the same level.. To attempt to cut down on fighting, and one bird going and killing eggs/ babies of another pair. 

this is one of the cages i was using - if you look on the right side you can see the ladder 









here is another one ladders are on the left side of the top and bottom part I have it divided off as i had a pair in the top and a pair in the bottom breeding at one time.


----------



## Tony's Tiels (May 21, 2009)

Okay, Thank You for clarifying the correct space needed.
We will move the proven pair, since they have had a full year to rest, 
& we do want to have some of their babies, they are getting on in age...
We do want to make sure their bloodlines continue.


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Yes...you can have 2 pairs in the same cage. I have done so for several years with no problem. Most times it is 2 bonded pairs...or 1 bonded and a pair that I would like to go to nest. Initially there will be a squabble on who is going to get which nest, once settle each pair tends to their own eggs and babies.

susanne


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*Because everything i've read on colony breeding states to use 2 nest boxes PER PAIR , all hung at the same level.. *

I *do* colony breed in a large outdoor flight. You do not need 2 boxes per pair....just 1 or 2 extra boxes that total pairs. The pairs in the colony were originally cage bred (individual pairs) ...once they have proven they have been good parents and are bonded then I will put them in an outdoor flight....and the next breeding season boxes are hung up on a flight. Once bonded these pairs stay together in a colony setting. With new parents I never take all their babies. I will leave one baby for them to raise and wean out. Ususally this baby was the best of the clutch and also a bird that I planned to keep for myself.

Susanne


----------



## Tony's Tiels (May 21, 2009)

If we did not want to breed at all, we would not have the boxes, so Many Thanks for answering a question not asked.
The question is 

*Have You *ever had 2 pairs in one cage, 

I can only assume your answer is No, and SRtiels clearly has.

And, as an update, everyone is getting along just fine.
These birds have a variety of background history I was able to discuss more in depth with SRtiels & the decision is to let everyone share the cage for now, & remove any pairs only if needed.


----------



## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

"so breeding the Tiels is not a high priority, right now." I guess I got the wrong impression from this in your original post.


----------



## Tony's Tiels (May 21, 2009)

Sorry for the misunderstanding with my 'priority' statement


----------

