Two Strawberry hens with One male?

[L in Ontario]

I am wondering if the Strawberries would get along if 2 of them were hens? Anyone know? What if there was a nest in the cage too?

[dfcauley]

Liz, I know mine are not in a cage, but I have three males and one hen and everyone gets along perfectly. They are so sweet together.

[Jan]

Same here... I used to cummunity breed them & balance of males to females was not an issue for me

[L in Ontario]

Thank you Donna and Jan!

I just picked up two new Strawberry hens today and do not have any spare males for them. So I was thinking after quarantine that I would add one of them to two of my other pairs - making 2 threesomes (until I can find males for them).

These hens are from a breeder that I think I can trust but unfortunately he sold them to a petstore - so I had to pay a stupid amount to get them but I guess I was still lucky to get them at all. They are domestic bred - one is closed banded 2009 and the other is split banded and is supposed to be 2010. I am trying to find out what month each of them hatched (or at least the 2010 hen).

Randa and Jeremy - it was a lovely surprise to see both of you at Exotic Wings today too! I didn't expect that. Do you go there often? Do you get a lot of birds from Mark?

Jeremy - your female silver Button Quail is doing fine with my regular pair of Chinese Painteds. I believe they will be best friends very shortly!

[dfcauley]

Liz, congratulations on your new strawberry finches.
Please post a picture of them soon. They are beautiful and sweet little birdies.

[L in Ontario]

Thank you Donna. I'll give them a couple of days to settle in and then snap a few shots.

[cindy]

More Berries for Liz....now that is a good thing!!!! Congratulations on your new additions...I know you are berry happy!

[Sally]

That is wonderful news, Liz! So you have a nearby breeder, maybe you can get him to contact you first before he sells to anyone else. Young hens are at such a premium, as the Strawberries seem to produce more males than females, at least so far for me and some other breeders I know. If I could only get some birds into Canada, I'd send you a couple of males! I have been sending out males to some who have lonely hens, hoping for more babies.

I would think two hens and one male would work just fine, and that would double your chances at getting fertile eggs out of the hens. One time I did try two males and one hen, and that didn't work very well, as the males get aggressive to other males if they have a hen present--without hens, my bachelor males get along just fine.

Good luck with this!

[L in Ontario]

Thank you Cindy and Sally. They are doing wonderfully so far. I think one has not moulted into her adult feathers/spots and one has all the lovely spots.

I will definitely ask him to contact me before selling any of his Strawberries to a petshop again.

[Pukasand]

Now is that a female with the reddish rump feathers? I may have 2 hens together instead of a pair..

[L in Ontario]

Yes that is two hens. Both males and females have reddish rumps but the males have much more red - including on their breasts and heads when in breeding condition.

[lovemyfinch]

They are beautiful Liz
You sure have been on a fid shopping spree lately

[B CAMP]

They look great

[L in Ontario]

They are beautiful Liz
You sure have been on a fid shopping spree lately

Thank you Janine and everyone; and yes, this weekend has been quite 'busy'. All at once or nothing for a long time seems to fit.

[Pukasand]

Yes that is two hens. Both males and females have reddish rumps but the males have much more red - including on their breasts and heads when in breeding condition.

OOPs... that answers alot of questions for me, then. I thought perhaps the 'male' was just young and hadn't grown into his adult plummage yet. Since I finally got a camera I can operate, I'll have to post some pics. I just have to find out how to control the size .. they come out gigantic when I try to email them or post them anywhere.

Thanks, Liz