aviary. For some breeders such a trio has led to results repeatedly. Successfully breeding in a flock has been
reported by Chester Zoo only. Also Bengt Person in Sweden tried breeding in a flock, but as for me and Mrs. Louwman without any positive result. Most (coincidental) breeding results are obtained with one single pair, usually housed in a large aviary.
In Madagascar Lesser Vasas probably
breed from September, in our autumn. I draw this conclusion because the birds I’ve bought myself in Madagascar late October, clearly were fledglings born that same year. It took several years before my wild caught birds adapted to our seasons. Moreover, males and females didn’t come in breeding condition simultaneously. Still males don’t come in breeding condition all
22 BIRD SCENE
at the same moment. This also makes it difficult to consider prematurely which pairs should be separated best. Now my birds have adapted to our seasons more, the hen’s mandibles changing colour starts late February usually. Most males follow this a little later. They also begin to whistle more frequent and louder. Around May / June the birds feed each other frequently. It varies by individual birds when the first egg is laid. The earliest bird in my collection starts in July, but I also found eggs in September. In particular, where a hen previously has not laid eggs it is very sensitive to egg- binding. But also hens that have laid before remain vulnerable. Several hens I have lost by egg-binding, even in summer when the temperature was relatively high.
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