# In-breeding



## Nayrose (Jul 17, 2012)

Hey everyone,
So this might be long because it could be hard to explain but anyways:
So basically in my avairy I have mum, dad, son, daughter and another female thats not related at all.
We put 2 nest boxes in the cage hoping that the mum and dad would breed again and the son and female thats not related would breed. 
One box is on the floor though, I know they dont like it but there really is no other place I can put it so they dont really use it.
So we put the boxes in and the parents started laying eggs (it's been hard to keep track if it's her and how many clutches because of there being 3 females and they were laying them on the cage floor)
Then the daughter started checking the box out sometimes she would go down to the other box and lately she's been really stressed and she has literally plucked almost all of the feathers off her stomach. I was worried and thinking about separating her but I didn't know if that might make it worse (because she'd be on her own). Anyway yesterday we saw the son and the daughter (yeah brother and sister) going in the nest. So I got my phone and took a video and it turns out someone layed an egg there. Not sure whos it is because I saw the parents going in there today as well. But today I also saw the son and daughter mating. Ahhh I was really hoping this wouldnt happen. They have done it before when they were younger about a year ago when they were in a separate cage to their parents. But never again until now. Pleaaassse help! I tried to research but in most cases they just separated them (which isn't ideal) or they didn't have a nest box in there in the first place. 
Yeah so that was long but hope it makes sense. Any advice would be great!


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## JaimeS (Nov 28, 2011)

I don't know that there is anything you can do other than separate them or not breed. Sorry. Maybe others will have more suggestions. Good luck!


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

any eggs the related pairs lay, boil them. inbreeding is very dangerous and can cause organ deformities, external deformities and can severely impact the health of the babies. its better and safer to boil any eggs and do not let them breed. i would remove the parents from the aviary if you wanted to breed them again, and put them into a breeding cage instead


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Unfortunately cockatiels actually seem to prefer incest with their clutchmates if they have the chance, probably because they've known each other all their lives. You can use hormone control techniques to keep them out of breeding mode, see http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32330 I spend half the year doing this with Teela and Squeebis.

You also need to arrange things so you know who's laying eggs where. If the forbidden pair is getting nesty in spite of your efforts to prevent it, you need to keep them away from the nestboxes belonging to authorized pairs.


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## Nayrose (Jul 17, 2012)

Thanks for the advice. I really have no idea whos egg it is though. Everyone goes in the nest (except the non related female) The parents go in when the son and daughter go to eat. I really can't tell sometimes the parents go in and sometimes it's the son and daughter. Separating the parents is defienetly not ideal for me because I really don't have a cage big enough when this avairy is the right size. Thanks for everything though, just going to keep watching them for now.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

personally, i would not chance any of those eggs. i know it may seem harsh, but if you dont know which ones are inbred, i would boil all of them. remove the nest after they give up on the eggs.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Another idea may be to get rid of either the son or daughter to prevent any more breeding. I would suggest the daughter since you already have a non-related hen that the son could bond with.


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

I agree with Roxy. Remove the daughter. Keep her as a pet inside if you want, but keep her away from her brother.


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## Nayrose (Jul 17, 2012)

I don't know about the eggs but do you think it would be too much stress for them to take the mum and the non related female out and let them care for the babies? They have both had clutches before.I just don't really have a big enough cage :/. I could easily take just the daughter out because I already have a cage that's big enough for just her but would it be even more stressful for her since some of the eggs may be hers? She is already plucking herself so would it make it worse? and taking her out wouldn't make them stop fighting over whos going in the box since the son would still be in there. ahhh I dont know please help. Thanks for all the advice though. Much appreciated


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i would boil all of the eggs. ALL. because you do not know which ones are inbred eggs and which are not, are you willing to take that chance of the baby dying of a low immune system? or what about a chronic organ failure? some inbred birds have a malformed pancreas, which slowly vanishes, and kills the bird, from what i have been told, these birds die usually before 18 months old. are you willing to chance this? it will be a slow painful death if that is the choice.

a low immune system means these babies will get sick easily and chronically. 


my two lovebirds were from a lady who had unwittingly inbred the parents and the result are mango and munch. munch is worse off, she been sick left and right and shes only going on 2. she has been very sick a lot and her droppings are not ever right, she has been suspected of having some organ malfunction from being inbred. i worry for her at times. do you really think its worth letting those eggs hatch only to have these birds suffer from illness after illness because they have trouble fighting off illnesses that most birds can?


please read this article, especially the last paragraph

http://www.cockatiel.org/articles/inbreeding.html


i would boil all the eggs and future reference separate the related female.


im not trying to sound harsh, if i am i am sorry i dont intend to. im just telling you the very real risks with inbred birds, and why its better to not let these eggs hatch this time because you dont know if theyre the moms or the daughters, and inbred birds often suffer some deformities, be it internal or external or a low immune system. 

boil all the eggs, dont let them hatch. its to prevent any babies from suffering. after they give up on the eggs, remove the daughter into her own cage and take the box down. you do not want inbreeding, it can be very nasty. its gambling. its only a matter of time 


good luck, but please think carefully about what was said


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Removing the daughter would actually be good for her, she shouldn't be laying without an un-related mate anyways. Its not only unhealthy for her but for any potential babies that would hatch out. I would not let the eggs hatch. I would remove both nest boxes and work on some serious hormone reduction techniques and not put the daughter back in the aviary. Her and her brother should not be breeding together and letting the eggs hatch is unfair to any babies has they have less of a chance of survival because of the inbreeding.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

got some further reading for you


this is about a baby who was born without an eye from inbreeding

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=22078&highlight=inbreeding



more inbreeding information

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?p=240335&highlight=inbreeding#post240335


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