Continued from page 2The "Big Plan"
Only this one chick hatched. My goal in breeding birds is to eventually have the parents rear their own young, so I try to give every pair an opportunity to raise at least one clutch. This also gives me a chance to learn more about the breeding behaviors of the particular birds. While the bleus were in the outdoor aviary, I had devised a plan that would allow the bleus to have a practice clutch, and at the same time increase the chances of any baby bleus surviving. Understandably, I wasn't all that keen on sacrificing a baby bleu for a practice clutch!
The plan was to set up a pair of zebra finches and a pair of Bengalese for breeding at the same time the bleus started to nest. If all went well, all three pairs would have fertile eggs, of approximately the same age, all at the same time. Then I would give the bleu eggs to the Bengalese, the Bengalese eggs to the zebras and the zebra eggs to the cordon bleus. The bleus would then be able to gain some experience by raising (or failing to raise) the zebra finches. The pair of Bengalese, because the species is known for their relatively reliable parental drive, would hopefully raise the fostered baby bleus to adulthood. That was if everything went well. What actually happened was my so-called "pair" of Bengalese turned out to be two females, and the zebras and Bengalese didn't start breeding until far after the birth of the baby bleu. So much for thinking ahead.
Off With Their Heads!
The day after the baby bleu hatched, I noticed that the male bleu was eating only the heads of the mealworms. I worried that the baby bleu might not be getting enough food, so I increased the ration of mealworms. I provided servings of 30-50 worms, and gave about 3-4 of these servings a day.
After 4 or 5 days since the hatching of the baby bleu, it became apparent that the baby was developing at a rather slow rate. The baby looked no bigger than when it hatched. I doubted the parents were feeding it enough.
The female remained glued to the little chick, so I rarely got a good look at it's crop. When I did it was never very full. I could have tried to hand feed the baby bleu, but I didn't have the time, nor was I in the right frame of mind to tackle this task. I had no one to whom I could foster the baby, so left it with the parents. This would have to remain a practice chick.
On the sixth day I found the male bleu setting, so was glad that I could get a close look at the young bird. However, I was disappointed to find that the baby's crop was completely empty. I touched the baby on its back and it moved slightly, then tried to lift its head. I had a feeling this was the end. I put the baby back in the nest and the female bleu went in to brood.
I later checked on the baby again, when the male was in the nest, and found the baby still alive. It had propped its head up on the side of the nest and was begging for food. I quickly left the aviary as I was afraid I had disturbed the male during a feeding. I left the bleus alone for the rest of the day.
Day Seven
"Be prepared for bad news," I said to my family as I went to check on the baby. The male bleu was in the nest. The female was on a nearby perch preening, and it looked as if she had been relieved of some duty. I knew what that duty was. The baby had died. I told myself this was the bleu's first clutch and I should be glad a baby hatched at all. At least the bleus had gained experience. I removed the nest from the aviary and took out the dead baby and three unhatched eggs. Two of the eggs were dead-in-shell (i.e., contained dead embryos) and the third was infertile. Although I was surprised and mystified at first, I later discovered that the eggs probably died due to the low humidity in the bird room.
I am left with the memory of the first baby blue-capped cordon bleu in my care, and a little more knowledge. I was also left with a pile of questions. Should I have checked the nest so often? Should I have provided more mealworms? Should I have given a greater variety of insects? Should I have put more effort into my "plan?" I asked myself these questions and many more. But there was one very important thing that I learned. I needed a practice clutch even more than the bleus. I needed to be aware of the questions listed above before I could answer them, and this baby bleu gave me such insight. Thanks to my practice clutch (or perhaps I should say clutches, as there were several of them), I was eventually able to provide a more appropriate diet and environment for the bleus, and they successfully raised a clutch in my outdoor aviary. Another pair of bleus are now working on their first clutch and doing great, because I am more able to provide the necessary circumstances. So although I believe birds can improve and adapt their parenting skills with practice, our own bird keeping skills have a lot to do with their success as well. But that is an article in itself, one which even I am not done learning yet.
| Emma Greig | About Emma Greig |
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This article first appeared in the February, 1997 issue of Caged Bird Hobbyist.
Published here with permission of the author.
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