Help For First Time Breeder.......

[newtobudgies 0]

Hi everyone! Just a few quick questions I'm hoping someone may be able to answer for me. I've set up two of my budgies in a breeding cabinet, they were in an aviary together with others but seemed to pair up the instant they came out of quarantein so I thought I'd try breeding them. Both birds are just over a year old and are in condition. They've been in the cabinet for two weeks now and at first showed no interest in each other so I was going to give up but had to rush to my Grandmother as she had a health scare. Now I'm back I've noticed they are all lovey dovey again! Sookie the hen will let Barney the cock into the nest box with her, is this normal behaviour? Sookie doesn't spend a great deal of time in the nest box but they both seem to hop in and out a bit. The entrance hole to the box has been chewed a bit as well, is this okay? The cabinet was brand new when I bought it so I know they are the ones doing the chewing. Sookie also seems to have gained a bit of weight and her rump looks rounder, am I jumping the gun in suspecting that she may be carrying? Any help would be appreciated.

[Sunnie 0]

Cocks hopping in and out of the nest box is quite normal and if she lets him in, thats a good sign they have bonded. Hens will usually chew the nest box, both inside and out. Usually their vent looks bulgy if the hen is carrying an egg, I dunno about putting weight on around the rump.......

Good luck with your breeding, it sounds like you might have some eggs in the very near future

[**Liv** 0]

sounds like everything is going smoothly so far. Your hen will get an "egg bum" and will look swollen around her vent for a day or two before she lays an egg

 

Keep us posted

[Ikon 0]

Congratulations, your birds are about to raise a family. All behaviour is normal so no need to worry.

[newtobudgies 0]

Thanks for the replies. I've been keeping an eye on them as this is my first go with breeding I'm a bit nervous! I'll keep you all posted and hopefully soon will have some good news and pictures! Another quick question, is it normal for them to drop a few feathers in the box? I haven't put any nesting material down as I was told not to bother as the hen would probably pull it all out but I've just noticed a few stray feathers in the box. They aren't feather plucking so it's not from that.

[**Liv** 0]

feathers are fine Most nest boxes get some feathers in there

[Ikon 0]

Feathers are fine. I use wood shavings as it keeps the nest box cleaner even if the Hens throw it all out I find after laying that if you add some then they leave them.

[Guest george]

If your nest box is big enough to fit a icecream container,I would put that in the nest box

& put a mixture of cat litter & wood shaveings.It saves a lot of time cleaning out the nest

box.If the hen kicks out the shaveings,leave it out till the hen finished laying & then put the shaveing back then,

[newtobudgies 0]

Some great ideas there.

If your nest box is big enough to fit a icecream container,I would put that in the nest box

& put a mixture of cat litter & wood shaveings.It saves a lot of time cleaning out the nest

box.If the hen kicks out the shaveings,leave it out till the hen finished laying & then put the shaveing back then

What a good idea, I might have to try that as I was wondering how I'd manage to keep the nesting box clean without disturbing the parents.

 

 

Thanks everyone.

[JimmyBanks 0]

sounds like things are coming along nicely for you? Good luck with the pairing... Feel free to post some pis of the hen and cock if possible. would love to see them.

[newtobudgies 0]

Will definately post some photos of them. I'll try to do that tomorrow.

 

 

Also, I've posted another topic about the use of Vetafarm's breeding aid, I'm using this every second day at the moment but should I be using it daily? I also use other Vetafarm products, soluvet and calcivet once a week each with plain fresh drinking water every other day, am I doing the right thing? I feed them Trill budgie seed every day with a fruit and vegetable dish every day as well, this includes a mix of apple, celery, zucchini, brocoli, and carrot, is there anything else I should be doing? Cuttlefish bone is also in the cage as well as a calcium and charcoal bell.....

 

Thanks all.

Edited June 11, 2008 by newtobudgies

[Neat 0]

when your hens are about to lay you'll notic her poos are runner and bigger then normal - I've noticed that after the 3rd egg their cere changes from crusty brown to lighter brown....