# Double clutching and nestbox removal



## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

The babies are now 35, 33, 30 and 28 days old.
The nestbox is still in the cage, only Baby 4 sleeps in it while the others prefer to sleep perching outside. Occasionally they will go inside the nestbox when they want to be fed, but the parents feed them regularly outside too.

Trilly hasn't tried to mate since she laid the eggs. I am convinced that the biological father was Yoghi (who passed away) so maybe she isn't willing to mate having lost the only companion who made her eggs fertile.

Frank isn't looking for mating with Trilly, but he is trying to mate with two of the babies.

I don't think I am running the risk of a second clutch, but I would like to reduce the chances to 0% if possible.

Should I take the nestbox away?
Should I put Trilly and Frank in two different cages?
All the birds roam free during the day so the splitting would be just for the night, when I put them all to bed, two adults in each cage.
Of course I can keep one of the parents in the cage all day, if needed.

Maybe I should leave Trilly with the babies and take Frank away, since he wants to mate with the babies?
I am still convinced that Frank doesn't know how to mate properly, but still I don't want anything to happen in case he learns.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It's fine to remove the nestbox if baby 4 can stand on a perch without struggling for balance. Once the chicks are steady on their feet they don't need the nestbox. 

Can Trilly feed the babies adequately by herself? It's usually the male who does more of the feeding after the babies fledge. You could use a light application of hormone control techniques on Frank to reduce his desire to mate with the babies, but you don't want to reduce his hormones so much that he stops feeding them. Another alternative is to keep him with the babies that he doesn't mate with, and let Trilly take care of the others. The main thing is to make sure the babies are being fed, because they aren't old enough yet to fully satisfy their own needs. At this age it's extremely unlikely that the girl babies would have any egg-laying issues, so I don't think you're running any risks if Frank does continue to mate with them.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

You know, it's the weirdest thing: he will go to the babies and feed them, and one minute later he gets on top of them. The babies are extremely irritated and scream until I get there and shoo F away. 
He is now doing it with all three babies, only baby 4 is immune... For now! 
Is this an indicator that the three older babies are female? Or he'd try to mate even if they were males? 

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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

I would definitely separate Frank. He sounds like he's causing more trouble than it's worth.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Yes I guess I will follow Tielfan's suggestions and move Frank alone with Baby 4, leaving Trilly with the three older babies. 
I feel sorry for him though, he has been such a wonderful dad

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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Be sure to keep weighing the babies to make sure they're getting enough to eat, and offer them millet spray and other hanging or "on the floor" foods to encourage them to start eating on their own. Babies are much better at foraging-style eating than they are at eating from a bowl.


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