mommy bird not being nice!

**kristenn** · 06-02-2012, 10:04 PM

so my youngest baby is about 40 days. i have 3 babies. they are all coming out of the nest and hanging out in the cage pretty much all day....i havent seen them eat food yet. the parents are mating again like crazy and im worried she is going to get knocked up!! i dont want anymore babies. WHEN can i take the nest out??? also she is being really mean to the babies! i hear the babies chirping and go over and shes biting at them, attacks them kind of, its sad! WHAT should i do?? thanks so much!!!!

**kristenn** · 06-03-2012, 09:40 AM

PLEASE i need some advice!!

**mask** · 06-03-2012, 04:04 PM

You can take the nest away as soon as the babies start leaving the nest, so take it out now.

Hens often pick on the young at fledging age, so remove the hen and leave the young with the father.

**vmorrison** · 06-03-2012, 04:31 PM

If you remove mom, which is what you are going to have to do, you can leave the nest for a few more days, but definitely no longer than another 7 days. The concern is for the youngest, as that one isn't quite 6 weeks (42 days). Dad will take care of the babies and he will teach them how to eat, which is his job anyway. If you don't want more babies, leave mom by herself for a few weeks. If not, she's family minded so you know what will happen, even if the nestbox is absent.

**kristenn** · 06-03-2012, 10:40 PM

OK thank you!! i guess i will have to go out and buy another cage tomorrow

but it will be worth it of course....i dont want anymore babies and i dont want the babies to get hurt.

i just went to peek at them, they have been covered for about an hour now and all the babies were sleeping outside the box. i also saw the youngest eating some hard boiled eggs today!