Breeding of Moorhen in Captivity

One-year old moorhens (Gallinula chloropus) hatched in an incubator and kept in captivity laid their eggs and bred for two successive years. In their first breeding season, one pair was formed and they had one brood and raised two young. The second year's breeding of the same pair started nearly two months earlier and they had 3 broods in the year. The growth of the body parts was completed within about 65 days according to the growth curve, but the tarsus reached adult size by 30-35 days. In captivity the moorhens are monogamous and they were in pairs only during the breeding season. In the breeding season they defended their territories rather strongly. Molting takes place after their breeding and they cannot fly for nearly one month.