A 24in x 24in x 48in nest box was quickly built, and 9 babies out of 12 eggs were hatched in the next 12 month period. The pair actually remained friendly (especially the female), and would interact with Joe when he went into their cage, even while the hen was sitting eggs. After leaving the first clutch of 3 eggs with the parents, and having had all 3 babies die in the shell, learning about the process of artificial incubation seemed imperative. Unfortunately, 2 of the next 9 babies later died due to genetic, nutritional, and husbandry issues, however, the experience helped to bring about vast improvements in the way future babies were reared.

After a year of laying eggs, the pair was brought into the house, as pets again, to give them a break from breeding. After several months they were introduced into their new breeder cage, where they became more hostile, probably because they became aware that their eggs were being swapped with blanks. For the first several seasons, it was necessary to bring them in for 3 or 4 months each year, to break the breeding cycle, otherwise the hen would continue to lay eggs. They would actually regress into the pet mode every time they were brought back indoors. Eventually she settled in to seasonal egg production.