# Separating Pairs



## RC Lewis Lofts (Jun 25, 2014)

How soon can breeding pairs be removed from their baby's, The squabs are right at 3 weeks so question is can i remove one parent now or how soon as i'm going to separated at some point until i'm ready for more breeding. Thanks


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

wait till they are eating on their own.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

RC Lewis Lofts said:


> How soon can breeding pairs be removed from their baby's, The squabs are right at 3 weeks so question is can i remove one parent now or how soon as i'm going to separated at some point until i'm ready for more breeding. Thanks


Most fanciers separate the young when they're 25 days old as if the growth is normal, young usually start to eat on their own at this age. For early weaning,offer feed inside the nestbox so that young copy and learn from their parents on how to pick feed and drink.

Parents will start to mate again soon. Squabs don't need to be removed especially for this purpose. The hen will lay regardless the young from previous clutch is still in the nestbox.


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## alby68 (Mar 18, 2013)

*why seperate*

Could you elaborate a little more on what you are trying to do R. C. If you simply don't want that pair to breed anymore, when they lay more eggs just discard their eggs right away-before they develop- and substitute fake eggs in their place. If you are going to split the pair up, and mate to different partners, follow Sams advice.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

some or most race hobbiest seperate the pairs to give the hen a break from the cock bird and laying eggs. it does not always keep them from laying but it does slow them down allot.


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## RC Lewis Lofts (Jun 25, 2014)

Yes, I want to split the pairs and have everyone on a perch in a separate cages hens in one and cock birds in another and remove all nest boxes all cage's have wire bottoms with walk boards and perches. As i really don't want to have them on fake eggs if there's a way around it. Thanks


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## bigislerollers (Jan 20, 2008)

Aloha RC,
I have successfully removed the hen while the squeakers are 3 weeks old. At that age the cock is the one that usually feeds them anyways and depending on your set up, the squeakers are already learning to feed themselves.


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## RC Lewis Lofts (Jun 25, 2014)

I have all breeding pairs separated into individual cages (4 pairs total=4 cages), Sunday puts me at 3 weeks with the first set of breeders,(The other 3 trickle in over a 2 week time frame). They have 1 nest in the cage with them. When it's time to wean the squabs i'm splitting and moving the pairs into another cage that's setup for hens only and another cage for all the cock birds, as for the squabs when it's time i already got their cage built it's a community yb cage until they get older. I'm wondering how soon can i remove either the hen or cock so that they can not keep breeding, but i want the squabs to not be at risk of moving either parent to soon? That's my setup and what i'm trying to achieve. Thanks (Just trying to control things safely)


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## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

You can remove the hen, but don't remove the cock bird until the young have a good start on losing the pin feathers under the wings. When the under wings is fairly well feathered they should be able to feed themselves.


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