Hello this would be my first post. Just wanted to say hello and I am new to keet breeding. I said that I was a breeder but I am a want to be breeder. I have just aquired 2 pr. I think of parakeets and would like to raise some babies from them...I have a lot of learning to do about them and will do so. One of the first questions that I have is...is this a good time of the year to let them breed or will they even breed this time of year. I have them paired up and in seperate cages with a nest box on the cage. One pair is acting real broody and the female is going in and out of the box all the time. These are about 1 yr old birds...Thanks and I am glad to be here.

Hi, welcome to the forum

I'm not a breeder so l do not have experience with it but there are alot of members who are and will help your questions.

Remember to check out the FAQ section on here for alot of info on breeding and also in the breeding sections

Edited December 4, 201113 yr by birdluv

Hello and welcome, first ask yourself how old the birds you are going to breed are if the hen is over 3 1/2 years dont breed her, and please dont try and breed any birds yet your going to fast try to learn before doing so or you will learn the hard way like me, and end up with to many dead or sick birds, please listen to me as the other members will tell you the same. But you are on the right track in a month or so try but learn before or it will have effects on the birds and probably you, best of luck, Corey

Edited December 5, 201113 yr by corzstunt

Hi Roller, welcome to the forum!

 

I agree with Birdluv and Corztunt. Read up on the FAQs section of the forum. There is really a LOT to learn about breeding budgies if you want to do it well, and not have problems when something happens that you didn't prepare before hand to handle.

 

If you are keeping your birds indoors, then they can breed any time of year. Whether or not they will breed when you want them to is a different story. They have to be in proper breeding condition, or they won't do anything.

 

Also read a lot of the threads and questions posted by other members in the breeding section. You can learn a lot from reading other people's responses.

 

Reading threads about how to feed breeding birds properly is important, too.

 

Good luck. Look around, and if you have more questions, ask away!

Hey Roller, Glad you've found your way to this corner of the WWW. The others have given good advice I just wanted to welcome you to the forum and I hope you hang around and show us pictures of your "keets".

Hey Roller, Glad you've found your way to this corner of the WWW. The others have given good advice I just wanted to welcome you to the forum and I hope you hang around and show us pictures of your "keets".

 

 

Thanks for the welcome and when I figur out how to post pics I will...I have not seen my birds breed yet but they sure are active with each other and the female is really into the nest box. She spends about half of her time in there...Starting them on there new improved diet today..

Hi Roller and welcome

 

 

.

Starting them on there new improved diet today..

 

the new improved diet should have been well in place and well established long before now. its part of normal dietary practices for the birds and part of preparation if you are breeding to have the diet right long before breeding is thought of.

 

 

I have just aquired 2 pr. I think of parakeets and would like to raise some babies from them

 

also when you first get birds they need at least a few months of settling in before you put them down to breed.

Hello Roller and welcome to the forum

The birds were given to me by a friend 2 weeks ago. There were 3 of them in the same cage. 2 females and 1 male. They were said to be about 1 yr. old and they belonged to a friend of mines grandson and he could not keep them any more because they had moved into a place that no pete were aloud. These 3 birds have been together for a long time as pets. I was ask if I would take them because I raise Pigeons and gamebirds and knew something about birds but not Budgies...So I said yes I will take them.

 

So that is why the new and improved diet was put into place. I took one of the females out and put her into another cage. The pair that was left loves each other very much and has shown it on many occations. Well now she has laid 1 egg and that was yesterday..I am just going to leave them together and let them do there thing and take the very best care of them that I can. I have been reading about their diets and care for 2 weeks now and I know much much more about them than before. If they want to breed and lay and raise their young then I will let them do so...Thanks for your help and we all have to start some where each of you did...I can see in my future a very nice large avery with many Budgies in it on a well fed diet and a happy long life...

Edited December 13, 201113 yr by Roller

The birds were given to me by a friend 2 weeks ago. There were 3 of them in the same cage. 2 females and 1 male. They were said to be about 1 yr. old and they belonged to a friend of mines grandson and he could not keep them any more because they had moved into a place that no pete were aloud. These 3 birds have been together for a long time as pets. I was ask if I would take them because I raise Pigeons and gamebirds and knew something about birds but not Budgies...So I said yes I will take them.

 

So that is why the new and improved diet was put into place. I took one of the females out and put her into another cage. The pair that was left loves each other very much and has shown it on many occations. Well now she has laid 1 egg and that was yesterday..I am just going to leave them together and let them do there thing and take the very best care of them that I can. I have been reading about their diets and care for 2 weeks now and I know much much more about them than before. If they want to breed and lay and raise their young then I will let them do so...Thanks for your help and we all have to start some where each of you did...I can see in my future a very nice large avery with many Budgies in it on a well fed diet and a happy long life...

 

I'm curious, what exactly is this 'new and improved' diet? Could you possibly tell us the old diet too?

The birds were given to me by a friend 2 weeks ago. There were 3 of them in the same cage. 2 females and 1 male. They were said to be about 1 yr. old and they belonged to a friend of mines grandson and he could not keep them any more because they had moved into a place that no pete were aloud. These 3 birds have been together for a long time as pets. I was ask if I would take them because I raise Pigeons and gamebirds and knew something about birds but not Budgies...So I said yes I will take them.

 

So that is why the new and improved diet was put into place. I took one of the females out and put her into another cage. The pair that was left loves each other very much and has shown it on many occations. Well now she has laid 1 egg and that was yesterday..I am just going to leave them together and let them do there thing and take the very best care of them that I can. I have been reading about their diets and care for 2 weeks now and I know much much more about them than before. If they want to breed and lay and raise their young then I will let them do so...Thanks for your help and we all have to start some where each of you did...I can see in my future a very nice large avery with many Budgies in it on a well fed diet and a happy long life...

 

I'm curious, what exactly is this 'new and improved' diet? Could you possibly tell us the old diet too?

 

 

The birds were just being fed a plain seed mix from Walmart. After reading on this forum about combining different typs seeds for a better mix I have done that. I also added leefy veggies (greens) and mixed veggies and fruits.

I also cooked up some Bird Bread with different oils veggies and fruits mixed in it...( recipe from this forum ) and I am giving them a 30% protine turkey crumbles NO MEDS in it..They love that stuff.. And they now get bottled water...I also have 2 eggs now and she is setting on them.. I am also giving them some egg mixture that I got at Petsmart...

The birds were given to me by a friend 2 weeks ago. There were 3 of them in the same cage. 2 females and 1 male. They were said to be about 1 yr. old and they belonged to a friend of mines grandson and he could not keep them any more because they had moved into a place that no pete were aloud. These 3 birds have been together for a long time as pets. I was ask if I would take them because I raise Pigeons and gamebirds and knew something about birds but not Budgies...So I said yes I will take them.

 

So that is why the new and improved diet was put into place. I took one of the females out and put her into another cage. The pair that was left loves each other very much and has shown it on many occations. Well now she has laid 1 egg and that was yesterday..I am just going to leave them together and let them do there thing and take the very best care of them that I can. I have been reading about their diets and care for 2 weeks now and I know much much more about them than before. If they want to breed and lay and raise their young then I will let them do so...Thanks for your help and we all have to start some where each of you did...I can see in my future a very nice large avery with many Budgies in it on a well fed diet and a happy long life...

 

I'm curious, what exactly is this 'new and improved' diet? Could you possibly tell us the old diet too?

 

 

The birds were just being fed a plain seed mix from Walmart. After reading on this forum about combining different typs seeds for a better mix I have done that. I also added leefy veggies (greens) and mixed veggies and fruits.

I also cooked up some Bird Bread with different oils veggies and fruits mixed in it...( recipe from this forum ) and I am giving them a 30% protine turkey crumbles NO MEDS in it..They love that stuff.. And they now get bottled water...I also have 2 eggs now and she is setting on them.. I am also giving them some egg mixture that I got at Petsmart...

 

I see. That's certainly an improvement, however, I'd highly recommend switching away from seeds and to a good pellet brand such as Harrisons, ^{www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com}. The problem with a multi-seed diet, aside from it being incomplete, is that birds, Especially budgies, will often just pick out their favorite seeds and disregard the rest. Your conversion to bottled water is little to no difference, as opposed to regular tap water, but it doesn't hurt. You may, however, find an increase of algae or that green slime growing because of the lack of chlorine/chlormine in the bottled water, just make sure you wash it very well. Good luck, anyway~

Edited December 14, 201113 yr by Sean

The birds were given to me by a friend 2 weeks ago. There were 3 of them in the same cage. 2 females and 1 male. They were said to be about 1 yr. old and they belonged to a friend of mines grandson and he could not keep them any more because they had moved into a place that no pete were aloud. These 3 birds have been together for a long time as pets. I was ask if I would take them because I raise Pigeons and gamebirds and knew something about birds but not Budgies...So I said yes I will take them.

 

So that is why the new and improved diet was put into place. I took one of the females out and put her into another cage. The pair that was left loves each other very much and has shown it on many occations. Well now she has laid 1 egg and that was yesterday..I am just going to leave them together and let them do there thing and take the very best care of them that I can. I have been reading about their diets and care for 2 weeks now and I know much much more about them than before. If they want to breed and lay and raise their young then I will let them do so...Thanks for your help and we all have to start some where each of you did...I can see in my future a very nice large avery with many Budgies in it on a well fed diet and a happy long life...

 

I'm curious, what exactly is this 'new and improved' diet? Could you possibly tell us the old diet too?

 

 

The birds were just being fed a plain seed mix from Walmart. After reading on this forum about combining different typs seeds for a better mix I have done that. I also added leefy veggies (greens) and mixed veggies and fruits.

I also cooked up some Bird Bread with different oils veggies and fruits mixed in it...( recipe from this forum ) and I am giving them a 30% protine turkey crumbles NO MEDS in it..They love that stuff.. And they now get bottled water...I also have 2 eggs now and she is setting on them.. I am also giving them some egg mixture that I got at Petsmart...

 

I see. That's certainly an improvement, however, I'd highly recommend switching away from seeds and to a good pellet brand such as Harrisons, ^{www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com}. The problem with a multi-seed diet, aside from it being incomplete, is that birds, Especially budgies, will often just pick out their favorite seeds and disregard the rest. Your conversion to bottled water is little to no difference, as opposed to regular tap water, but it doesn't hurt. You may, however, find an increase of algae or that green slime growing because of the lack of chlorine/chlormine in the bottled water, just make sure you wash it very well. Good luck, anyway~

 

 

Thanks but I will just stick to feeding them seeds as part of their diet. So far they are not picky about them and seem to enjoy all of them....No green slimy stuff here clean fresh water everyday...So far they are enjoying all the different foods that I am giving them...

Sounds like you're doing a great job Roller... Good variety in the food. Some people are pro pellets, other people are anti pellets, I've even heard of people doing half pellets half seeds... I think your new and improved diet sounds a treat. That might be because I'm on night shift and even a Macca's burger sounds great to me right now. Don't get me started on food!

 

No seriously, sounds like you're doing a good job.

Sounds like you're doing a great job Roller... Good variety in the food. Some people are pro pellets, other people are anti pellets, I've even heard of people doing half pellets half seeds... I think your new and improved diet sounds a treat. That might be because I'm on night shift and even a Macca's burger sounds great to me right now. Don't get me started on food!

 

No seriously, sounds like you're doing a good job.

 

I wouldn't say 'pro pellet', but there's undeniable proof of it's benefits when being fed a good pellet.

but there's undeniable proof of it's benefits when being fed a good pellet.

 

That is a statement for feeding budgies pellets... otherwise known as being pro pellets. I don't think being "pro pellet's" is a bad thing, opinions are there for everyone to have. I've heard people turn around and say, "I've never seen a budgie in the wild eat pellets. I'm pretty sure they live on a mostly seed diet." Hard to argue against that logic...

 

Doesn't mean I don't though

but there's undeniable proof of it's benefits when being fed a good pellet.

 

That is a statement for feeding budgies pellets... otherwise known as being pro pellets. I don't think being "pro pellet's" is a bad thing, opinions are there for everyone to have. I've heard people turn around and say, "I've never seen a budgie in the wild eat pellets. I'm pretty sure they live on a mostly seed diet." Hard to argue against that logic...

 

Doesn't mean I don't though

 

Was going to say the same thing Jimmy, sounds like Roller is doing a great job.

but there's undeniable proof of it's benefits when being fed a good pellet.

 

That is a statement for feeding budgies pellets... otherwise known as being pro pellets. I don't think being "pro pellet's" is a bad thing, opinions are there for everyone to have. I've heard people turn around and say, "I've never seen a budgie in the wild eat pellets. I'm pretty sure they live on a mostly seed diet." Hard to argue against that logic...

 

Doesn't mean I don't though

 

Was going to say the same thing Jimmy, sounds like Roller is doing a great job.

 

Well, in reality, they don't.. They eat all sorts of things, completing the diet, because seeds alone do not complete a diet, even with vegetables and fruits. It's impossible to mimic their wild diet. Birds that eat mostly seeds have beaks designed to make eating seeds easier, (see finches). Budgies (and the likes) wouldn't need a "parrot beak" if they just ate seeds. If you use an organic (like harrisons) pellet, a lot of the things, you'll find, are found in the wild, where lots of commonly kept parrots live. Please don't take this the wrong way, by the way, because I do think you've made a great improvement that I know the birds appreciate, and are doing a very nice job.

 

I suppose I am pro-pellet, or at least Pro Pellet as opposed to seed, but with good reason, one of which being an immediate (A few weeks) improvement with all 17 of my various small parrots, 5 being budgies. I've noticed just so much by switching from a multi-seed (no sunflower/safflower) diet to Harrisons pellets including color/behavior/energy levels and feather health, based on my own observation and tests from my local avian vet.

Edited December 15, 201113 yr by Sean

I do not have a problem with pellets just do not want to put them on them full time..That would be like me eating Peanut Butter all the time..As a matter of fact I had planned to get some pellets the next time I am at Petsmart. They will have a seperate dish for pellets if they choose to eat them...I especially like the Bird Bread and so do they. I feel like they are really getting a boost when they eat that...I am off in the morning to buy 6 more budgies that are 4 mo. old and will be placed in quartine for 30 days away from the ones I have now...This lady that I am buying them from really has the verity of colors in her flock and that is what I am looking for...thanks for the comments I do pay attention to what ya`ll say.

Well I have 2 new babies from the first pair that was given to me...

Well I have 2 new babies from the first pair that was given to me...

 

 

Your first two ever? How exciting!

 

 

Got photos?

How are they going? I can't wait to start breeding my budgies

 

Congratulation

Thanks they are doing great. There is a 4 day spread between them but both are little pigs...I will take some picture`s and try to figure out how to post them...

Thanks they are doing great. There is a 4 day spread between them but both are little pigs...I will take some picture`s and try to figure out how to post them...

 

 

The 2 babies are all grown up now and I was unsure about the color so lastnight I did some research and found out that they are both spangle. Is spangle rare ??? The female has laid again and has 9 eggs can she possibly hatch that many ???

Spangle is not necessarily rare, it just depends on what people in your area are breeding. It took me a year to find my first spangle budgie for sale, but then after that, I began seeing them at the Bird Fair quite frequently. (Our bird fair here is 4 times a year.)

 

 

In the pet stores around me (Indianapolis) the birds only come from commerical bird brokers, not from any private breeders. I never saw a single spangle budgie in any pet store for my first three years of looking. Then last summer I found one at PetSmart, and about a month after that, there were 6 of them in 4 different PetSmarts. So I think the commercial breeders have finally gotten a hold of some spangles.

 

 

In the South, where you are, there are more Exhibition breeders, and probably more of them have spangles.

 

 

As for hatching out 9 eggs, it is possible. I have found that with the larger clutches, a few of the last eggs are dead in shell. I think that comes from the oldest chicks kicking them around. By the time the 9th egg hatches, you would have eight other chicks in there ranging from 2 to 16 days old. That's a lot of crawling around on their younger sibs still in eggs. So don't be too upset if they don't all hatch.

 

Plus then, even if they do all hatch, that is probably more chicks than the mother can handle, especially seeing as this is her second round. A lot of times the last few chicks to hatch just won't be as well fed as the older ones, and those will grow a lot slower, and sometimes even die. I have heard people advocate removing some of the eggs, to make it easier on the mother. Another route is to help the mother with the feeding. I guess it depends on how much you want to intervene, and how much you want to let nature take its course.

 

My record so far is 7 for the mother to raise all on her own. I have had nests of 8 and 9 where they all hatched, but chicks were removed for fostering or hand raising, so the mother only got to raise half on her own. I have a hen raising 7 right now. All eight of her eggs hatched, but she never even fed the last chick, so it died. And the 7th chick, at 8 days old, only looks the size of a 4 day old.

 

 

 

There was a thread about large clutch sizes recently. I think Kaz had a mom who raised 10.

 

 

How ever many your hen raises, I would say she needs a rest after this round.