Hi
My Female (and male) have laid 6 eggs & now the first one has hatched today. She is in the nest box with the baby & 5 other eggs, the male is on “watch”.
She is acting quite strange in the box, shuffling around, banging her beak & generally not calm. Is this because its her first batch? Will she harm the baby with her frantic movements? Is this normal behaviour?
Hi Paula,
You didn’t mention what species these are, so it’s hard to give specific advice. Since this is their first time, it may not go well. First clutches almost always fail. Yes, she might hurt the chicks or break the eggs. This often happens with first clutches. They do turn the eggs, so that can account for some shuffling around. The best thing to do is give them plenty of privacy and hope they figure things out. It takes a lot of patience to breed birds, and you need to be prepared for disappointments. But most pairs get things right by the 2nd try. Things still may turn out well. Again, give them privacy and hope for the best. I hope things turn out well.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
