# Indian Fantails



## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

hi fellas,

I have a pair of Indian Fantails aout 2 tears old and which are reallyt in very good condition. But the only problem I have is that I have not got any babies from the pair. The pair seems to be mating everyday (I see it mating twice a day for sure), but never seen any eegs laid in the nest box. Also the male start courting calls from 6am in the morning and continues it till 8am. This has been a daily situation wherein the male calls loudly to its mate but wherein I see the female just sitting next to its mate while its calling.

Please advice me as what steps to be taken from my side in order to get babies from this pair as its almost a year I am seeing them mating but with no result.

Thanks all for your advice in advance.

regards,


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Sounds like you've got a pair of boys!


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## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

nope, I dont think so. As the breeder whom I took this pair assured me that its a perfect pair and also I can clearly tell that one is male and the other is female by its behaviour.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

If the behavior where such a sure way to tell, many of us wouldn't have a problem 
Many hens start to act more like males with old age, because the hormone layer around the ovaries begins to wear off. And young birds in general sometimes appear 'confused' as to what gender they are. In most same sex pairs, one acts like the hen and the other like the male. Normally though, with a pair of boys you'll see both mount instead of one. And in a pair of hens it doesn't matter, because in the end you'll end up with 4 eggs. If the mating has just started, wait a couple more weeks and see if eggs come. Do they have a nest bowl/box with material, and grit?


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## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

Yep, they do have nest boxes and grit provided. Also the nest boxes are provided with some hay and twigs.
With regard to mounting, I always see the same bird on top of the other and the hen seems to accept its mate mounting on it.
I also tried pairing it with another cock, but the hen becomes aggressive and does not allow the other cock to come near her.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

That agressiveness also makes it sound a little if-y. I don't know what else to tell ya. I'm hoping some other members will come along with some advice here.


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

OMG I WANT I WANT!!!! Been looking for a pair of indian fantails for sooooooooo long its not even funny anymore  but you live in India? Or are you somewhere here overseas but just put in banglore india?


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## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

hi Gurbir,
I live in Bangalore, India (termed as IT capital of India).

Lastly, I spoke to the breeder I took this pair and told me that he used to have a nest bowl (round) and I am using next box (square).

Was wondering if would effect the breeding??


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Not that i know off....i don't even use nesting bowls. I have the nesting boxes, and then there is shavings on the ground. And then i put in stuff like sticks and feathers and they make their nest on top of it. So that way the eggs don't move and they stay warm. You could try a round bowl, might make a difference?


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## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

Let me give a try and hope that it works !!!!


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## loftkeeper10 (Jul 31, 2004)

are you sure it is male and female two males or two females will mate and act like pair but with females you will get 4 eggs my w.o.e. cock pen there are two pairs of cocks that have bulit a nests and act like a pairs i know that they are all males i raised from each one and hens in seperate pens you can put real eggs under them and if you can get some fertile ones and see if that might make them start after raiseing a foster set.


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## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

I will gie a try and see.

Thanks for the advice.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I've used both nest bowls and boxes, and had some pairs prefer to nest on the floor, and nothing really effected them (of course anything is better than being on the floor, though). As long as they have proper nesting material and the box/bowl is the right size for the birds, everything should be alright. Regardless, that shouldn't effect the fertility of the eggs. I agree with loftkeeper that letting them raise some babies may help kick them in breeding gear. It's worth a try. Also if you can find a good vitamin/probiotic mix to put in the water or something, that might help.


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## Owlskeeper (Nov 5, 2008)

2 males will mate and one will act like a female had it happen a couple times. The aggression of the one bird put with the male also says it's a male and no eggs still says you have 2 males.
Pigeons will lay eggs 3 to 5 days after they mate and the nest rarely has anthing to do with the hen laying.


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## santhosh_pigeons (May 29, 2002)

ok try this .....
separate the birds and keep them single for 2 weeks ....... try pairing them with different mates after that..... this might solve the problem..... 
i am from bangalore(r t nagar)


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## santhosh_pigeons (May 29, 2002)

two males or two females acting like a pair is very rare case..... this is mostly caused due to hormonal changes...... please check the wter you give them.........water in bangalore is heavily treated with chlorine and potassium permanganate and some coagulating agents in the purification proces...... not sure if these chemicals cause any hormonal changes.......get your regular water checked at a local lab for harmful substances....


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## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

hey Santosh,

I use the borewell water what we use to drink.

Also I will try out to separate them and see as I believe that one is male and the other is female.


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## santhosh_pigeons (May 29, 2002)

borewell water is usually good .......
ok have the birds been inbred ..... inbred birds show unusual behaviour sometimes........


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## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

Hey Santosh,

id not get what you mean by "inbred"


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Mating offspring to parents and nestmates together a lot can increase the chance of problems with the birds.


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## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

in that case, I dont think that this pair is inbred


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*white indian fantails*

I have had a mated pair for 2 1/2 years and they have laid eggs more then ten times but never hatched and this time last night an eeg hatched, I am waiting to see if the second egg will hatch. My say in this is you should have had an egg fertile or not in that time frame. I will put pic's of the young in my album when they get big, it is cold here, 37 degrees today so I will let them keep it warm and wait for pic's>>Kevin


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

On the other hand, I've had Indian Fantails almost as long as pigeons in general. My fantails only had a few infertile eggs during that time. I think keeping the feathers around the vent trimmed down helps a lot with that.
I have noticed though that my Fantails are sometimes a little picky on what they want to breed in. Sometimes they only seemed to do something in the loft, and other times they seemed to only want to nest when in individual breeding cages.


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## santhosh_pigeons (May 29, 2002)

new blood in the gene pool brings better birds always ...... i bring in new birds every three months and i have never had problems with those birds...

As for infertile egg situation specially with breeds like fantails the pair needs enough room to mate several times and the trimming around the vent is very necessary not only for successful fertilization but to keep infections away.....and some pairs dont like to mate inside their lofts ...... i put my fantails in an area where they are not disturbed by other birds while mating......


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Not on topic, but my high flyers tend to mate on my neighbor's roof...odd...and then some mate on my neighbor's porch. lol.


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## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

my Fantails usually mate outside and also several times a day. But still waiting for those precious eggs.


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