How To Breed Budgies Correctly

[*Nerwen* 0]

Many think that it’s as easy as buying two budgies and adding a nest box and the money will flood on in. First I will make this clear:

 

YOU WILL NOT GAIN MONEY BY BREEDING BUDGIES!

 

There are many things that need to be considered before a nest box is even put down on the shopping list.

 

Age:

The age of the bird must be known so that you know they are mental and physically ready to rear offspring. The youngest that most breeders accept as safe is a year. Many feel that 18 months is better. Budgies themselves are physically ready to breed by the age of 6 months, but this equals in humans 13 -14 years of age. They are simply not mental ready for the task of breeding. They can start to eat eggs, which once started can me hard to stop a bird from continuing, they can abandon nests and eggs or worse attach they young when they hatch.

 

Birds from a breeder you should expect a correct month of birth if not the actual date of hatching. I’m not meaning off the top of they heads but they should have it some where in their records. Older birds in the show side should have coloured bands on their legs which will give you a year of hatching. Ones from pet shops can come with leg bands but if you clearly tell them why you want to know the correct age they should be able to tell what info the breeder gave when selling them. You still take these ages at a risk that they picked a figure from air to tell you for a sale.

 

You also need to know if your birds are too old to breed. Hen should not be used over the age of three, sometime a breeder will removed eggs to another clutch on a four year old hen if the hen if is high value. Males shouldn’t be used over the age of 6.

 

Once you know if your birds are ready or not you can look at other issues.

 

Health:

Both the mother and farther need to be in tip top health. This is making sure there are none of the normal signs of illness: Sitting fluffed up continually, Discoloration/discharge present on feathers above nostrils, Lethargy, Vomiting, and Inability to balance, Stains or accumulated poop on vent feathers. If you can’t tell this apart rethink your idea of breeding them right now and study behaviour. You can also take the birds to your vet to get an all well check up. They also need to be in breeding condition. The hens will have dark brown cere or turning brown while the males cere will be a deep and even blue.

 

Relationship:

The closer the bird the more risk of defects and problems arising. Beginner breeders should not even t think of starting of with line breeding it takes a lot of effort to do correctly. The closest most people deem acceptable is grandparent to grandchild or aunt uncle to nephew niece. But Line breeding or inbreeding can not be taken lightly

 

Set up:

Yes using a normal bird cage can work but you need to think about where to put the box, and if it’s inside the cage is there enough room for 6-10 birds still? Making sure you have enough clear space around the sides or ground to either hang or play extra seed dishes and fresh food plates.

 

Hand feeding:

You will need to have hand feeding formula before any babies appear for the in case moment of having to feed a newborn chick. Added to the food are syringes for problem feeders and a spoon bent into a spout. It would also help for you to visit a breeder or a vet that handles bird who can show you the way to feed them correctly.

 

Afterwards:

What are you going to do with the chicks? Give them away to friends and family, sell them privately?, sell them to a pet shop or even keep them. What ever you choose to do it needs to be thought over first.

Edited February 6, 2007 by Nerwen

[Guest Shellball]

Great post! The only thing I would add, is that you can't count on the pet store telling you the truth about the age or relatedness of the birds you buy from them. I called pet stores to see if they had any adult females, because my adult female had laid an egg and then died only a week after I got her. (long story)

Most of the stores said no, but one that I called said that she did have adult females. I went there not knowing much of anything at the time and chose one of her "adult" females. This was before I got on this forum. It turned out that she was just a baby. The lady only told me she was an adult, because that was what I wanted. I have caught her in many other lies too. She will tell me whatever she thinks I want to hear, so that she can make a sale. I have learned so much here that I don't fall for it anymore, but I still go back to sort of teach her a bit at a time and subtly let her know that I know she lied. I hope that I can improve the lot of the birds at the shop. People should know though that you can't always trust people who are selling you stuff.

Thanks for listening to me ramble, :budgiedance:

Shell

[Feathers 0]

Caveat Emptor

 

"let the buyer beware"

Edited December 30, 2006 by feathers

[Elly 0]

added to article Points to Consider BEFORE Breeding Budgies in the FAQ under Budgie Breeding

[xnannax 0]

Really enjoyed your post. I have somehow or another fluked some of the troubles you covered. My first Budgie was one thrown out of its nest, he was under 4 weeks, so I got an unplanned job of hand rearing, he was such a little cutie, and when he finally decided to do the boy thing with one of the 2 females my Husband bought home, he still used to chatter away to me. From him I learned pretty quick smart that he would mate as much as he could, and as soon as he could, so another lesson learned about seperating Hen & Cock. I am identifing my hatchlings using leg bands, and yes I do write down the day the chicks hatch, (my husband laughs at me), and when I have sold I give the buyer the date that their bird was hatched. Before pairing off I have been in the practice of making sure both Hen and Cock have had at least a month of controlled diet supplements.

Your article has reassured me that I am not overfussy as my piers try to make me.

Thanks

Edited November 13, 2008 by KAZ

[GenericBlue 0]

this was good reading and so true i must admit even though i have checked all my dots something always pops up if your not careful one thing i would like to add is quarinteine a must

[JimmyBanks 0]

I agree great post...