# Duke and Daisy's breeding journal!



## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Yep they haven't been here a week, but Duke and Daisy are mating like CRAZY!! Anyway, the lady that sold the pair to me said that they have been together their whole lives and have had two very successful clutches together last year (13 babies!!) I put them a nestbox up, just to prevent any egg laying on the bottom of the cage as I expect they will be coming soon. They are currently working the nest box, making sure that it is just so. It is odd because Daisy is the one doing most of the "working!" Duke was the first to approach the nestbox, but soon after he began chewing at the entrance hole and venturing inside, she began working the nestbox like mad as well!! She has been chewing the box and arranging bedding so maybe she is just picky when it comes to her nest. I peeked inside this morning and they have created a bowl-like indention in the pine shavings, so eggs are definitely on their mind. Hopefully I will see the first one soon! I'll keep you posted! Oh and by the way, Daisy is normal gray split to pied and Duke is normal gray, so I am looking forward to some normal gray split to pied babies!


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## SweetSimmy (Sep 1, 2008)

Im Looking forward To hearing more 
My pair are on their very first nest, they got 3 eggs so far

Hope We Both See Some very cute babies soon


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Still no eggs today, but hopefully it will be soon! Daisy is really protective of the nestbox and sometimes won't even let Duke near the entrance without fanning her tailfeathers and having a go at him! She will be such a good mommy! They are still mating several times a day so I'm hoping for a bunch of fertile eggs with this pair! Another clutch of infertile eggs would be very disappointing! Poor Sadie and Pearl... no babies for them this year! Anyways, I'll be keeping you all posted!


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Oh I really hope all goes well for you with this pair, you will have to keep us up dated on their progress, it is so exciting, I have just bought a male and a hen, and although they are only 12 months old the male is already singing to the hen, they are in separate cages at the moment, the breeder I got the hen from said they can live together but don’t give them a nest box, he didn’t recommend breeding until the birds were 24 months old, although I think if I put them together they will be mating nest box or not, lol

I will have to see what happens; do you know what age they were when the lady you bought them from was breeding from them?

Jenny


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

They were both a year and a half old when she paired them up and they raised two clutches last year. They had a total of 13 big healthy babies together so they are an exceptional pair. They are about two and a half to 3 years old now, so hopefully they'll give me a bunch of babies! Daisy still hasn't laid yet, but I'm hoping it will be pretty soon! She and Duke have been mating a lot and going inside the nestbox so that is a good sign! It has been around 9 days since I brought them home, but I didn't set them up for a few days after their arrival. I'm hoping Daisy starts laying by next week, because I don't think I can stand the anticipation!


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

EGG #1!!! Daisy has been in the nestbox all morning, so I expected her to be laying. When I went back in the room to feed she was out, so I took a peek inside the nestbox and there it was! I'm so excited! Duke is going in and out of the nestbox like a proud new daddy! Oh I can't wait for the babies to get here!!


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## SweetSimmy (Sep 1, 2008)

Congrats On the egg ^^
hope they are very healthy babies!

Freya just laid her 5th today, im so excited!


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

I'm expecting egg #2 tomorrow! Can't wait! They seem to be great parents, so I don't think I have anything to worry about with this pair! Oh and congrats on egg#5 today!!


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Congratulations on the egg, keep us posted, I am reading a little jealous at the moment, because mine are a little to young, so really enjoying your excitement as well.

Jenny


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Found egg #2 in the nestbox earlier when my husband and I got home. Mom and dad seem to be incubating them already, so hopefully I'll see my first baby by May 25 or 26th. Can't wait!!


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Found egg #3 in the nestbox just a little while ago when I got home from work. The first two are looking fertile, but we'll see when I candle them this weekend. They are a really stark white as opposed to having a pinkish cast like Pearl and Sadie's infertile eggs. I didn't want to mess with the nest much or I would have candled the first two tonight. Daisy is very aggressive when it comes to her nest so I just lifted the lid long enough to take a peek. So far so good!


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## SweetSimmy (Sep 1, 2008)

Thats Great to Hear, hope your eggies are developing well 

my first baby is due to hatch next week


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Oh yay! Can't wait to see some pics when your babies get here! I just candled my three eggs b/c I couldn't stand to wait any longer and two are most definitely fertile! It is still a bit too soon to tell with the third egg, but the first two are developing beautifully!


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Found egg #4 today!!


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

The parents are doing great, lets hope you see some little fluff balls soon, lol

Jenny


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Just candled Duke and Daisy's clutch of 4 eggs and all of them are fertile and are developing normally. I am expecting the first baby to hatch about the middle of next week (Wednesday or so)! I already have people interested in the babies and they haven't even been born yet! I will probably keep all of the hens from this bunch for breeding since I have more than enough fellas at the moment, but I don't think I'll have a bit of problem finding good homes for my little boys!!


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## SweetSimmy (Sep 1, 2008)

yeah my mom found homes for my babies too.. well some anyway lol, hope to see pics when they hatch


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

One more week! The anticipation is killing me! I swear these birds are going to be the death of me one way or another b/c all I do is worry all the time about them! lol

I can't wait to have a bunch of little yellow fluff balls! My other pair, Coby and Angel has started nesting as well so I will have a nest full of yellow downed babies (grays) and a nest full of white downed babies (whiteface)! My husband thinks I have lost my mind!


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

You will have chicks everywhere lol, hope you have thought about where you will put all these babies when they are old enough to leave mum and dad, lol 

You will probably be able to tell me, Zeus and Hera my two birds I bought to pair each other both around 12+ months old, not in the same cage yet, but Zeus is already singing and she sits on the perch chirping away slightly bobbing her wings up and down, I am assuming this means she wants to breed with him? I was planning to house them together until they were older for breeding, but am now thinking if I house them together they will be doing the deed, lol

Jenny


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Oh yeah if they are already interested in each other then it is pretty safe to say that they will start mating as soon as they are in the same cage. lol You can breed cockatiels as soon as the hen reaches 18 months and the male is 12 months. If your birds are both a year then it is pretty safe to say that they can start breeding in about 6 months if you are ready for them to do so. 

As far as what I'm going to do with all my babies, I already have several people interested in my birds once they are weaned so I don't think I'll have too much trouble homing them. I am going to keep any whiteface babies from Coby and Angel's clutch, and if I get whiteface lutinos without bald spots I will keep them as well, but otherwise they will be sold as pets. I am also going to be keeping the hens from Duke and Daisy's first clutch so that just leaves me finding homes for the males. I have a huge flight cage that I will be putting all the babies into once they are weaned. I am going to pull my babies at 2 weeks for hand feeding so they will be super tame and gentle. It isn't hard to find homes for a hand-tamed baby!


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Hi, thank you, I am in a dilemma now what to do with them, they are currently in the study in separate cages making a mess everywhere lol, as they are placed where I can find room for them, hubby is talking about getting a big flight cage for the two tomorrow because he wants them out the study so our home can be orderly, lol, the plan was to have them in the garage in a flight aviary type cage on wheels so I can push them easily into the sunshine by the garage internal door to the garden, he said he is going to a meeting up buy the area tomorrow where we have just bought the other cage for my two hand reared tiels, I will have to think now what to do for the best, I mean getting the birds into a nice big cage is a lot better for them than being stuck in smaller cages in the study.

Its good to hear everything is working out well for you, that’s what I plan to do with the babbies, is to hand rear most and keep a few for myself maybe to show or breed from and sell the others as tame pets to devoted owners, lol 

The breeder I got the hen from said I would get really nice chicks from my pairing and I should keep the first 3 eggs laid because they are usually the best chicks from the clutch and sell the rest, don’t know if anyone else has heard this theory? Although he should know what he is talking about, he has won best breed in white faces many times?


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

I like the idea of having a group of birds in a large flight or aviary because they are able to select their own mates (unless you want to pair a certain couple) and they live as a colony together like they would if they were in the wild. Once you put them together don't be alarmed though if you notice some squabbling or arguing. This is normal in establishing rankings amongst them, and they will argue from time to time. Unless you start to notice injuries (bloody toes/ceres, and things like that) you don't have to worry about separating them again. Your husband sounds like mine! lol Just a little while ago AJ asked me if I could just put all my birds in one big cage so we could have more space. I told him no because I have 2 active breeding pairs and I can't disturb them now, but I am going to compile all of my other cages into one big flight as soon as it is delivered!


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Two of the eggs have external pip marks this morning so hopefully I will be seeing some fuzzy little yellow fluff balls soon!


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

I am so excited for you, Congratulations, keep us all posted and some pics when you can.

Jenny


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Oh I will! lol
I just checked on them when I got home from work and the pips have gotten slightly larger. Hopefully we'll see some babies by tomorrow some time!!


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## JoshM56 (Mar 31, 2010)

Can't wait to see the wee cuties ahahaha


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

I checked the nest box when I got home and look what I found!!
Baby #1!!


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Three more fertile eggs to go!! Two more are already pipping!!


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## SweetSimmy (Sep 1, 2008)

Congrats on the babies!!! hope to see more


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

YAY a baby ! Congratulations! How adorable.... can't wait for more and to watch their progress as they grow up into little cute birds.


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Baby #2 hatched sometime last night. I will post pics soon! I'm having a bit of a family dilemma at the moment, but will snap some pics ASAP!


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## SweetSimmy (Sep 1, 2008)

I seen that post u made. sorry about the situation. Hope it works out.
btw congrats on baby 2.
my baby 1 is on the way


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Thanks! Yeah I think the move will be for the better, even if I do have to compile all of my birds into one big flight. I will still be able to breed them, just not in a one on one setting. 

Congrats on your baby! Can't wait to see some pics!!


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Wow, he looks so fragile, but he looks a good healthy pink, congratulations, you must be so excited.

Mine have been at it again, they seem to do it every other day, lol, my hubby caught them at it early hours of the morning, it was still dark in the room they were in, we hadn’t opened the blinds, and someone has eaten a whole cuttle bone, I have replaced it now with a new one and bought mineral calcium bells.

The earliest Hera could lay would be this coming Monday I think, that would be 7 days from when they first mated.


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Well if she is eating the cuttlebones that much then it is possible she may be getting ready to lay. Don't put a nest box or anything up until you start seeing "nesting" behaviors because you don't necessarily want to encourage her to lay. Just be prepared for it if she does happen to start laying. I know your are anxious, but just let them take their time. Good luck with everything!!


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Baby #3 hatched today while I was at work!! Just waiting on baby #4!! Will post pics as soon as I can, but I'm in the process of moving so it's pretty hectic around here!!


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Congratulations on your baby’s

Jenny


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Congratulations!!! Two of my pairs have been going at it pretty regularly too but I'm not sure if the one's going to lay or not seeing as how it's been a while and she hasn't even been interested in laying. Can't wait to see more pix of the babies!!!


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Egg #4 hatched today while I was at work!! I will be posting pics as soon as I can. I am still boxing stuff up and trying to get my cockatiel flight situated before I put my birds in there, plus I work full-time but I will try to post some pics tomorrow or on my next day off! lol

I hate moving!! =P


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

Updated baby pics!! I posted them on the cockatiel pictures forum so here is the link:

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?p=117233#post117233

They are growing like weeds!! I can't believe how big the are getting!! They are fat little piggies!!


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