# Male kills his babies



## dotonearth (Oct 24, 2017)

I'm considering purchasing a new breeding pair and adding to my flock. I only have secondhand information on this pair's history. Apparently the previous owner was an experienced cockatiel breeder but recently passed away and her daughter attempted to continue breeding with this last pair she had. 

From what I've been told the pair recently successfully hatched out 3-4 chicks but within a few days, the male bird apparently killed the entire clutch.

As all of us cockatiel breeders know, it could've just been stress and there are many reasons that parent birds (usually the male) will decide to exhibit this behavior. So I can solve all those possible causes but in my many years and many breeding pairs, I've never seen this actually happen before even though I've heard and read about it.

So my question is, after a parent bird has done this once, are they always going to do it even if conditions are fixed? Once a killer bird, always a killer bird??

If not then I'd really like to acquire this pair and give them another chance!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I have always been told to not breed a bird after it has killed it's babies. For me, personally, I wouldn't take the chance in trying to breed him again.


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## ninfatiel (Jul 22, 2016)

I have a hen who is a wonderful mother when relaxed but would kill newhatches-if she is stressed-she would grab the wet NB baby by the wing and throw it to freeze in the corner of the nestbox. I also have a cock who did savage latest chick of a clutch-by breaking open his head,but as terrible as those bird crimes sound-these birds do work well in different conditions..However if killing babies is the same as plucking for a cock then there would be no stop to it. I tried my best to stop plucking with one cock but to no result he just got worse and worse with more clutches (despite the rest,change of partner,diet etc). Finally he got to the point of completely remowing any feathers on chicks,they use to look like plucked chickens..And at that I did sell him to a lady who fall in love with his color and has no intentions to breed him ( I told her of his issue). So I would say its a 50/50 chance with this couple,you may or may not get lucky


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Definitely don't breed him again. It's not worth the risk.


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