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Post by nat on May 9, 2013 15:28:58 GMT
Having fought Juliets desire to breed ever since I got her and Romeo a while ago I gave her a nestbox and replaced the eggs she layed with dummies just to try and get her to sit and stop incessently laying. This has worked and she is sitting on 4 dummy eggs.
But I have decided to let her keep the last 2 eggs laid and if they are fertile she can finaly have a go at being mum as there has been some interest in celestial chicks.
So far she has 1 real egg :-)
Pics will follow as shes sitting so well I can actually pull out the nestbox drawer, lift her out and take pics easily :-)
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Post by mizloco on May 9, 2013 17:56:32 GMT
Ah new little family on its way...come on Juliet, there's a good girl.
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Post by stace on May 9, 2013 22:54:38 GMT
You're such a big softy, Nat.
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Post by Hezz on May 10, 2013 0:41:25 GMT
Just hope the interest doesn't wane and you are left in the situation you didn't want to be in. Hope like hell you have more interest than the number of eggs Juliet hatches.
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Post by BudgiesBuddy on May 10, 2013 13:24:05 GMT
Best of luck Nat  |
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Post by nat on May 10, 2013 15:15:42 GMT
Thanks guys. There are 2 eggs now which I shall mark later and any more will be replaced with dummies. I suppose if the interest wanes Hezz then I might have to build a little aviary within the big aviary for them lol ;-)
I think if I can get them tame they are more likely to have a chance of finding nice homes as people seem nore likely to lose interest as time gos on unless they are tame :-(
I don't know why they are not more popular as tame pets as they are such an easy bird to keep. They are clean as they don't flap so much as budgies, quieter, eat everything offered to them, and can be as cuddly tame as any parrot :-)
Romeo has taken up the solitary post on his favorive swing. They adore all swings whether rope or wood and need many especially with pretty beads on lol. They never seem sit on perches for some reason.
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Post by skysmum on May 10, 2013 16:13:10 GMT
Good luck nat, i will look forward to seeing the little chick's . |
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Post by Hezz on May 11, 2013 2:12:26 GMT
I am looking forward to watching this thread mature. |
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Post by birdguhl on May 11, 2013 7:48:22 GMT
Nat, I am amazed and impressed at your capacity for managing so many animals and being up for taking on more and more!
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Nov 11, 2012 3:33:05 GMT
ponky42
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 23
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Post by ponky42 on May 11, 2013 9:10:22 GMT
Good on you Nat. I'm sure you will have no trouble placing the offspring if they're anything like their parents.
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Post by lousette on May 11, 2013 9:17:15 GMT
Nat you are amazing. She sounds like a dedicated girl and will probably make a great mum. So sweet of you to give her the opportunity to be one. Looking forward to following the progress.
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Post by nat on May 11, 2013 15:27:44 GMT
Aw, thanks all for your kind words! I do feel a bit like I need to employ staff sometimes lol ;-)
I've been doing a bit more breeding research and its a bit scary to be honest! It sounds like celestials can either be great parents, or murderous ones! I suppose thats why alot of people pull them out early for hand rearing. Also they are prone to killing and eating their very young chicks :-O
Crikey if these 2 eggs hatch its gonna be some journey!
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Post by Hezz on May 12, 2013 1:20:57 GMT
Wow! Sounds like you may be in for a roller-coaster ride, all right! You won't be able to take you eye off them for a moment. I am sure you'll be great though. I have faith.  Wish I was around and could give you a hand, just for the pure experience of it all - it would certainly be worth it. What a great learning experience it would be. |
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Post by nat on May 12, 2013 18:16:32 GMT
Thanks Hezz. I'm kind of looking forward to it but also have a feeling of dread lol! I've now been advised to pull them at 3 weeks and hand feed to avoid any parent attacks and a lady has even offered to do it for me! I've just had a rummage round and found my heat mat, thermostat and incubator. It would be nice to try it myself. I hand fed 6 budgie chicks before but it was a nightmare as the oldest were a bit too old to start being spoon fed so had to be tube fed. I'd hate to have to tube feed again!
Info on the web suggested to just leave them to it and let nature take its course. They wean at 4 and a half weeks so at least thats not quite so long as budgies :-)
Theres a couple of Brazilian guys at work who I know would love to have a tame celestial or 2 and are knowledgable enough about parrots having kept them before moving to the UK.
She laid the 3rd egg today and I replaced it only leaving in the marked 2 eggs :-) Lol, I'll probably read somewhere soon that they are better off having lots of chicks! :-O
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Post by Hezz on May 13, 2013 0:47:24 GMT
 LOL!!! You can second-guess yourself till the cows come home, and there will still be something else to worry about! I can well imagine that feeling - half excitement, half dread ...... and probably all for nothing, and Juliet will do a great job. Does Romeo get to do much of the raising? |
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Wish I was around and could give you a hand, just for the pure experience of it all - it would certainly be worth it. What a great learning experience it would be.