Hey all, I would like to breed my budgies when they are a little older, and when I have learned what I need to. One thing I havent learned yet is how the heck you hang the nest box outside of the cage. I find it to be very confusing . And also do you have to cut a part of the cage so the birds can even get to the hole on the side of the nest box so they can enter it?

Thanks

Generally you would have a hatch door somewhere in your cage that can be raised for the nestbox entry to align with. Then you just attach the nesting box by whatever means...sometimes by wiring it onto the side of the cage. You may need to prop it so it balances well. A good size cage is needed to future fledglings space, not just thinking in terms of two parent budgies. Babies when they fledge need to learn to fly about the cage so they need some kind of space. You usually dont need to cut a hole in your cage to acchieve the nesting box outside if you have enough hatch doors on your cage.

When most people breed do they create their own hatches? Because with the cage I have, there are only two small hatches for food and water. and there is one one the front of the cage that will lift up or it will open, which creates a big opening, but that is how i take my budgies out.

When most people breed do they create their own hatches? Because with the cage I have, there are only two small hatches for food and water. and there is one one the front of the cage that will lift up or it will open, which creates a big opening, but that is how i take my budgies out.

On the whole. most people are using a purpose built breeder cage made and designed for the purpose of breeding. When you make do with what you have, like your existing cage you have to be creative. So, it comes down to either using one of your existing hatches or cutting a hole in your cage higher up to align with a nesting box hole. Is your cage big enough to use for breeding ?

Or you can put the nest box inside the cage. I used to do that, it's a little harder to get to it to clean but not too bad and if you have a big door it would be easy.

Yeah I think I will have to make do with what I have, because no where around me that I know of sells breeding cages or specialty items. I dont know if I would want to put the box in my biggest door because if I ever needed to get one of my budgies out while they were breeding, that is the door I would have to use and if there were chicks or eggs in there that would be a problem. I could put the box inside, but I thought that budgies wouldnt really go in it if it was inside, or would it just take more time?

Edited October 8, 200618 yr by hops523

Makes no difference in my experience.

Really? okay thank you I will have to see how it works

How big is your cage? Can you put up a photo and we might see a place to put it.

 

Information on Nest boxes.

sure I will put up a picture, one sec I will go take a couple

 

these are not the best pictures but here are two. top half:

 

and bottom half:

Edited October 8, 200618 yr by hops523

I see what you mean. It's not easy to put a breed cage there. Are the two you want to breed in your signature?

 

Can you get a better shot of them because I think they are a bit too young to breed at the moment. They should be 12 month old.

Edited October 8, 200618 yr by daz

Yeah it will be a bit difficult. Yes they are. Oh yes they are definatly too young at this time. See the thing I wanted to do was just plan ahead, so I am doing my research now and by the time I have learned all I can, they will be old enough.

I would be concerned that a pair of breeding budgies and a number of chicks might find your space a bit limiting. It definitely would be if the nesting box was also inside the cage. If breeding is quite a way off in the future maybe you can make a breeder cage yourself. Daz has some good info on those as he makes them himself too. There are shortcuts you can use based on available materials and costs, but it might be worth the exercise for future breeding to try and have a breeder cage setup. Maybe someone you know could help if you dont do woodwork yourself. PM Daz for some dimensions and structural ideas.

Yeah it will be a bit difficult. Yes they are. Oh yes they are definatly too young at this time. See the thing I wanted to do was just plan ahead, so I am doing my research now and by the time I have learned all I can, they will be old enough.

 

Sounds like a good idea. Might give you time to build a breeding cage suitable.

Check my web site or look in Breeding tips in this forum.

Cable ties are very handy for attaching nesting boxes. I used them to attach my nesting boxes to the aviary wire.

 

You may have to look for an alternative space for breeding these two, it would be a shame to cut the wire on such a decorative cage.

Yeah since I do have plenty of time, I think that making a breeding cage, or even trying to just find some place around here that has stuff like that. What would be the proper dimensions for a breeding cage?and thank you for the website, all the times you have replied to my posts I havent even noticed it in you signature haha

Edited October 8, 200618 yr by hops523

I also have one more quick question. Rite now my budgies are on a pellet/seed mix diet with greens, and an egg supplement every once in awhile. I have a cuttle bone, and mineral block in the cage. When they are old enough and ready to breed would this diet be enough to get them in breeding condition?