Winter breeding, do you have to remove nest boxes?

[appps]

I'm babysitting the adult fantails again and have noticed the female in particular wants to spend all day in the box part of their house. We are heading into late autumn here.

Is it normal for them just to hang out in there or should it be blocked off to discourage nesting behaviour this time of year?

 

[sourland]

The only effective way that I have been able to keep them from breeding is to separate the cocks and hens in early autumn. I would then put them back together mid February. If you block the nest boxes, they will try to nest on the loft floor.

 

[appps]

Well bother. that isn't really an option as there are only two of them so they would be on their own if seperated and the female fretted something shocking when alone between her last mate dying and adding this one.

 

[Hokum Coco]

You could boil the eggs and let raise a dud clutch. If you are so inclined. I had eggs hatch in December in the nothern Hemisphere.

 

[appps]

I was more thinking it's probably better for them not to sit at all so they eat properly etc? Won't it take a toll on them always being broody (or the pigeon equivelant)?

There are no plans for anymore hatchlings from this pair.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Won't it take a toll on them always being broody (or the pigeon equivelant)?

You are probably right I never gave that much thought to be honest.

 

[sourland]

Well bother. that isn't really an option as there are only two of them so they would be on their own if seperated and the female fretted something shocking when alone between her last mate dying and adding this one.

I always penned the hens and cocks in adjacent pens. That helped limit lesbian pairings and the birds would maintain contact with one another visually and vocally. I would put them together on Feb. 14 (yeah, I am a romantic) - what a celebration. Within two weeks most pairs would be down on eggs.

Constant egg laying can cause calcium deficiency in some hens.

 

[jak2002003]

I advise letting them sit on fake eggs.

Brooding will not take it out of them like it does chickens.. because both male and female share incubation.. so they get plenty of time off the nest to eat, drink and rest.

I use to cut back on the mix of seeds in winter to discourage breeding... I only fed wheat. On this diet they got enough calories for keeping warm.. but not too many to but them into breeding mode.

Now where I live ifs warm all year around.. so I can't stop them breeding... so I always use fake eggs now.

 

[appps]

I might have to do that because locking them out isn't working, she is just nesting outside the door. Silly thing is there is no eggs.