Help With Breeding Please

[ange2971 0]

This may seem like a silly question, but it has been doing my head in and I'd appreciate some advise and thoughts please.

I have a large aviary that I have 4 budgies in. They have had one lot of bubs without any incidents. I have some more budgies in a few large cages, but they are just enjoying life and not breeding. I do not want to colony breed as I don't wish to invite trouble with hens killing and fighting.

I have a bit of trouble getting my head around keeping pairs in flight/breeding cages as I like all my birds like them to have heaps of room but I can't fit 30 aviaries on my property with only 2 birds in each lol.

Nor do I want my aviay going to waste because all pairs are breeding in flight cages/breeding boxes.

I guess my question is, do breeders who are breeding in the flight/breeding cages for two sittings then return them back to the aviary for a rest.

Once breeding season starts do I catch them all and return them to the breeding cages.

Does this stress them out with all the shifting about?

What do other breeders do?

Do you leave them in the flight cages all the time but take off nesting boxes after 2 rounds.

Do I sell the aviary and have them permately in the flight cages/ breeding cages.

Any help and tips would be greatly apreciated.

Edited November 12, 2012 by ange2971

[PJI 0]

Check out this web site and look under the tab "aviary" that is how i breed my birds,you can use a cheaper alternative like wire cages which can be purchased for aprox $25 each & hang a nest box on the outside.

http://phillkathybudgerigars.weebly.com/index.html

I am not sure how many birds you have ,but you need noise and lots of it in my opinion to have good breeding results.You have to make sure they are fit & ready to breed and not in a moult.If they seem ready to breed ,then separate the hens from the cocks for about two weeks in separate flights giving them B12 week on week off ,then put the hens into the breeding cabinets with access to the nest box for a few days on there own "making sure to trim the vents on the hens & cock".Then introduce the cocks,you should have eggs within a week using theis method,works for me hope this helps.

[Bird Junky 0]

Hi

 

 

Colony breeding troubles are caused by breeders not applying these simple rules.

(1) No odd numbers of cocks to hens.

(2) nest boxes too close together. At least a box & a half space between them.

(3) Extra boxes must be provided to give hens choice.

(4) All nest boxes placed at the same height.

(5) An aviary, 6 high x 6 long x 3 wide, in mtrs of ft. would easy hold 5 or 6 breeding pairs.

 

 

Birds are returned to aviary but if they have only raised one or two babies they sometimes let them sit another round if the birds are still in breeding condition.

 

The point of breeding in cages gives you control of which cock is paired to which hen.

Hope that's covered your questions

 

 

okay......B.J.

[Daz 0]

After breeding for one or more rounds. I put the hen in an breeding cage (with out a nest) with other hens to settle down for a few weeks before returning back to the flight.

 

To pair up, I look for a hen that is coming into season. I'll catch her and place into a show cage. I'll then check her parentage and catch the best related cock bird for her. These birds are places in show cages around her so that i can compare features and pick the best match from there.

 

If the hen isn't coming into season, there is no good pairing her up.

[robyn 0]

I have an aviary that is basically divided into 3. I put breeding cages (only 4 nests) in first section. close that off to other non breeding birds. Second section is an under cover aviary, next section is a fully wired outdoor flight open to rain sun etc. The birds fly from middle to flight at will while breeding takes place in 1st section.They are only caged during the egg/to fledged chick stage then released back to aviary with chicks in kindy cage for a while, to make sure they are all fully feeding etc then they are released in with adults, cages removed then all sections open for free flight throughout aviary. Works really well for me as a pet only breeder. See picture.