Forbes

[wellingtoncdm]

I think they are referring to most productive period. Some breeders I know breed their birds strong until they are finished with their second year and replace them. After two years of fostering clutch after clutch they are considered past there productive prime.

[kcdozy]

With parrot finches 18 months would be the prime age, 9-36 months should be very good years for breeding. I have had uncolored 4 month old RH hens lay eggs before. With the forbes I have been told if nothing is happening give the hen or hens different males. With the RH & BF if nothing is happening in 3 months, I leave the male in his cage and give him a new hen. Albert had 3-4 pair set up once with no eggs after quite awhile, I told him to leave the males and rotate the hens over one cage. Within a month they were laying eggs. Before switching mates at about 6-8 weeks take the nesting material out of the nest and let them rebuild it, sometimes that will work. Rich

[debbie276]

great information, now I just have to find a pair or two.

thanks

[monotwine]

I've also heard that PF's need to be bred early on in life and that they become less productive thereafter. I've had my oldest PF for 2 years only and they show no indication of slowing down, but my clutch sizes have never been huge. I always seem to only get 2-3 chicks and on the rarer occassions 4 that survive.
They do like to get a head start in life though and young hens just colouring out will start mating and laying if you don't keep them seperated.

[debbie276]

With Forbes, usually after their 6th breeding season their fertility rate drops by 50%. I have never had a Forbes laying fertile egg at 5 years of age.

I'm confused, if they had 6 seasons wouldn't they be 6 years old? Yet they never laid a fertile egg at 5 years old?

Does anyone know the life expectancy of forbes? Having a hard time thinking that if they live 6-7 years (which is what I've read) they would only be productive for 4 or so years. In nature that doesn't seem to make sense?

Having a good time learning about them though
thanks

[debbie276]

6 "breeding" seasons => 2 breeding seasons per year => 3 years.

Ok, makes more sense now ... I was thinking one breeding season a year and 2 or 3 clutches per season.
thanks for clearing that up.

[annague]

Thanks for sharing your experiences with the Forbes PF's, Fardad and Rich. If we are fortunate, maybe one day we PF folks can trade some bloodlines -- I love my little Forbes and their constant trilling and activity, it would be nice to be able to continue to have them in my aviary.