# why some parents kill their chicks?



## dingweding (Jun 2, 2012)

Recently my fantails start breeding, so I had quite a few chicks born in last a few weeks. I already had 2 incidents the parents killed the chicks.

The first pair are new parents, the 2 chicks were hatched, look healthy, the first day, they did not feed the chick, I left them alone, but the following day, I found both chicks died, both cold and flat, look like being squashed or stamped on...


the second pair, the cock is old bird, the hen is new mum.. The first chick hatched and grow very well, the second chick hatched 2 days later, so it is much smaller than its nest mate. I hand feed the small chick for 2 days now, it doing ok. however, I found it dead tonight after work.. look like being killed or squashed as all its internal organs were squashed outside its poor little body 

why do they kill the chicks?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I let my pairs under a year old sit fake eggs till they are over a year old, if they sit the fake eggs tight and the cock does his part too, they do not have trouble caring for hatchlings. They get better as they mature. even if only one is young can make a difference. I don't let them test their skills on live ones when young. But sometimes if one is too much smaller than the other it is best to bring it in ...ESP if one or both of the parents are young.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

I find even young birds given the correct envorinment and space can rear young well most times but I agree with Spirit that its best not to let them breed.

In saying all that, For this many young to die there could be a disease present, food and water may not be up to scratch, maybe not enough vitamins and minerals are given to the birds to give them the nutrients they need to produce potent crop milk, So many possibilites but if its happening when the birds are matured I would be getting them checked out.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Do you have single males in the loft? Or a very aggressive one?


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## dingweding (Jun 2, 2012)

I have some chicks grow up successfully. . however, young parents should start at some point, to feed their first live chicks..... as for single male, yes, I do have 2 singel male, so you think they will get into the nest to kill the chicks? possible I think, as all the nest bowl is on the floor..


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

The whole nesting box is on the floor? Mine like to be off the ground. Think they feel more secure off the ground. The more dominant pairs take the highest nesting box. They really seem to want to roost high (even the single ones) at night.


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## sev3ns0uls (Jul 2, 2011)

Well ill put my two cents in too.Today after work i found my two chicks dead. They have been attacked. Their beak is all scratch up and their back is all bloody up. Seem the attacked had ripped off their back skin. However it was probably a battle going on in the nest because the nest bowl has moved out to the opening. 

When i saw this, i was puzzled at first but fortunately i had found my attacker. The attacker is a young hen i bought 5 months ago. I know this because when i move the pair out, his young hen flew right into their territory and claim as her until when i release the pair back and they kick her butt out... anyway, I guess jealousy can lead her to do this this crime. After all She have been woowoo with the father of the two dead chicks a lot of time but he only just playing with her. 

I dont know, has anyone experience hen fighting and murdering chicks/egg due to jealousy?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Usually it's a male, but anything is possible. It is more often another bird other than the parents.
sev3nsOuls, maybe the other female came in to fight with the cocks mate, and the babies got hurt during the scuffle. Or do you think that she directly attacked the poor babies?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

sev3ns0uls said:


> Well ill put my two cents in too.Today after work i found my two chicks dead. They have been attacked. Their beak is all scratch up and their back is all bloody up. Seem the attacked had ripped off their back skin. However it was probably a battle going on in the nest because the nest bowl has moved out to the opening.
> 
> When i saw this, i was puzzled at first but fortunately i had found my attacker. The attacker is a young hen i bought 5 months ago. I know this because when i move the pair out, his young hen flew right into their territory and claim as her until when i release the pair back and they kick her butt out... anyway, I guess jealousy can lead her to do this this crime. After all She have been woowoo with the father of the two dead chicks a lot of time but he only just playing with her.
> 
> I dont know, has anyone experience hen fighting and murdering chicks/egg due to jealousy?



YES. I had a figurita hen without a mate try to steal mates and scalp babies. she had to be put in the homer loft and found a mate of her own within an hours time. I did not want to put any figuritas in with my homers but something had to be done...................... for dingweding - pairs only in the breeding area really make things easier. ANY lone birds in the breeding area needs to be removed. the birds making nests on the floor should be trained to a nest box.. basically lock in one till they use it..the floor is another reason hatchlings and squeakers are not safe.


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## dingweding (Jun 2, 2012)

I keep indian fantail, they are not good flyer, so they prefer to breed in the nest box on the floor. so you guys think some other birds kills the chicks instead of the parents? I do have a lone cock bird, he like to chase hen even when they sit on eggs.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

dingweding said:


> I keep indian fantail, they are not good flyer, so they prefer to breed in the nest box on the floor. so you guys think some other birds kills the chicks instead of the parents? I do have a lone cock bird, he like to chase hen even when they sit on eggs.


 pairs only in the breeding area really make things easier. ANY lone birds in the breeding area needs to be removed. the birds making nests on the floor should be trained to a nest box.. basically lock in one till they use it..the floor is another reason hatchlings and squeakers are not safe.

nest boxes for fantails can be a few feet off the floor. the problem with the floor is one or more birds can think the floor is their territory... you could have several problems going on... one the pairs are too young or one of the pair is.. and you have single birds in with your pairs. plus some are on the floor, not up even a few feet.


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

I have American fantails, and yes they are not the best flyers but they seem to want to be off the ground. The only time they are on the ground is to feed and drink. Otherwise they are in their nesting box or on a perch. I also put some large branches in their like a tree and the really like to perch on that.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

spirit wings said:


> pairs only in the breeding area really make things easier. ANY lone birds in the breeding area needs to be removed. the birds making nests on the floor should be trained to a nest box.. basically lock in one till they use it..the floor is another reason hatchlings and squeakers are not safe.
> 
> nest boxes for fantails can be a few feet off the floor.* the problem with the floor is one or more birds can think the floor is their territory... you could have several problems going on... one the pairs are too young or one of the pair is.. and you have single birds in with your pairs. plus some are on the floor, not up even a few feet.*





I agree for all the same reasons.


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## sev3ns0uls (Jul 2, 2011)

Jay3 said:


> Usually it's a male, but anything is possible. It is more often another bird other than the parents.
> sev3nsOuls, maybe the other female came in to fight with the cocks mate, and the babies got hurt during the scuffle. Or do you think that she directly attacked the poor babies?


There is another dominate cock but i doubt its him cause he has his own offspring to take care of at the time so no way he would do such to steal other claimed territory. 

Well i was very puzzle and im not really 100% sure its the young hen. I dont know but i only point finger at her because she seem desperate to take over.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Um there is a way, He might be looking for a second nest to start a new clutch, You cannot rule birds out.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

For Fantails it is good to have a breeding compartment. That is 18 to 20 inches high. 20 to 24 inches deep and 30 to 36 inches long. per pair. They can be locked in Or let to open loft. Nesting on the floor where all birds will be eating drinking and moving around Problems can happen. Yes fans can fly. NOT that great. I never offered any perches for Fantails. As I never want there tails messed up. Just the breeding loft was set up for breeding There other sections NO perches and birds remained on the floor. BUT hens and cocks were seperated. ANY as people have said extra birds in a breeding section will only be TROUBLE. Now some people that do not show there birds yes will use perches. From reading this it sounds like the parent birds did not kill there young But may have fought to protect there nest. Which happens when you are not setup right to breed the birds.


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