Have some young budgies that are healthy and happy currently and I've verified they are not closely related through DNA testing. I am working closely with a local Avian vet here in Virginia in the USA but I'm mostly just announcing my plans, explaining my intentions and getting feedback from more experienced breeders.
My experience with birds in general goes back to a teen. I'm 33, but as a teen I had a friend with a CAG and another who kept several Tiels. I started helping a local aviary owner about a year ago and have helped socialize and prepare both budgie and lovebird chicks for socialization with people and some were successfully transferred into homes. I'd say my own personal ownership is probably at a 4/10 experience level, very book informed but I've had times where I've had to ask for help from people smarter than me.
My breeding duties at the aviary included:
Weighing the parent birds every other day to ensure they weren't losing weight.
Playing with chicks to encourage socialization
Feeding by syringe (not gavage, just the tip inside the beak) and spoon.
Hand weaning babies
Training babies in basics such as step up and "come!" Plus how to play with balls and such.
Also preparing food for parents.
Lovebirds were lower maintenance but when I had to intervene I was almost always guaranteed to bleed. I do not own lovies for this reason.
I have two hens I intend to breed and one suitable cock. I'm still searching for another cock. All are under a year old and one is overweight so she's off the direct docket. The target pair will be 14 months old in July. That will be when I attempt to pair them off from my larger flock of 7.
They are a sky blue dominant white face cock and a Lutino hen. I do not know terminology super well but the sky blue one has some pied markings in his head feathers (flecks of blue inside his bars) which is super cute. Both are friendly but not "pets" to me so they're not horrible candidates: not going to necessarily go out of their way to attack me but also not my best friend in the flock.
My plan is to design a 3d printed nest box with a webcam, recessed floor to help prevent splay leg, a removable brood tray for cleaning and a shutter to lock out mom if I'm busy with her chicks. I do not intend to handfeed, probably just co-parent as much as possible. I can take the babies with me to work when they fledge so it's not impossible for me to give them the 24 hours attention they need.
