i currently have 2 boxes, how many more would i need? do i also need more boys? i have 3 boys and 8 girls. i was told that girls like to be able to choose and there should be more boys than girls. also with nesting boxes, i was also told that you need 2 boxes for each 'potential' pair, as they are fussy with this too.

i am only interested in building up my own numbers, i would like only 2 or 3 pairs breeding at the same time...i dont want to be overrun with birds, and dont want to breed them just for the sake of it.

unless you used breeding cages you wouldnt be able to pick annd choose mates so you will need at least 6 boxes so the females who are going to be raising a clutch dont fight over them

thanks andy....i know how much ply i need now!

hehe they should also all be about the same hight otherwise they will all fight it out over the highest one, and not too close together either or the males may start to fight , if you havent done any reserch yet i suggest you do loads before you start as it can get very complicated, good luck anyway

oh and are you sure none of the males and females are related?, because they should never be allowed to breed if they are.

oh and are you sure none of the males and females are related?, because they should never be allowed to breed if they are.

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3 are related, but they are still young (approx 5 month) so i think i am safe if i let the older ones get on with it and prevent the younger ones from getting involved! even if it means taking them away...i could always house them in a converted wardrobe! (sorry, ive just been reading that post! good idea!)

yeah you should deffo take younger ones out, are you going to make one of those wardroble thinks? thaey are so great arent they?

yeah you should deffo take younger ones out, are you going to make one of those wardroble thinks? thaey are so great arent they?

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i like the idea of them yes...maybe do a whole wall...(Laughing out loud)....

If you have 8 females then you need at least 16 nest boxes females can be verry fussy about nesting sites and you can have very bad fights if you hav,nt got enough boxes the more the better

#GILL

but wont only the females with a partner want a nest box and since there are ont 3 males there can only be 3 couples, needing at least 6 nestboxes, or am i totally confuddled again (Laughing out loud)

i am only interested in building up my own numbers, i would like only 2 or 3 pairs breeding at the same time...i dont want to be overrun with birds, and dont want to breed them just for the sake of it.

 

Then why not breed in single cages. That way you can pick which ones to to breed together making 100% sure then that none are realated and with only one pair in a cage together there will be no fighting over the nest, and lest risk of chick death over fighting hens or cocks. Also then you only breed the numbers you are wanting to.

 

ps- if you wish I'll take Cloud and trudy off your hands they are cuties.

Edited May 21, 200519 yr by nerwen

but wont only the females with a partner want a nest box and since there are ont 3 males there can only be 3 couples, needing at least 6 nestboxes, or am i totally confuddled again (Laughing out loud)

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NO!!! Cause nesting boxes will make all of the girls want one to lay some eggs! Even with no partner! I think you should breed in individual cages. I tried to just put some boxes in my aviary and ended up with one of my hens having no toes! They all got bitten off! The nest boxes were covered in blood too! It was very truamatic!

so maybe use your cupbord things for the breeding couples

I have heard that a male can breed with multiple females but in a single cage situation.

 

 

One Cock With Multiple Hens

 

Budgerigar hens, as is common among a number of species of birds, have the ability to store semen for ab8.jpg (35327 bytes) limited period of time. Some evidence suggests that this period is up to 20 days long. Biologically, this is quite adaptive as it insures fertilisation of a clutch of eggs if for some reason, such as death by predator, the cock is unavailable.

 

Some knowledgeable breeders, taking advantage of this, have used a single outstanding cock bird to fertilise a number of hens during the same time frame. This is not a particularly difficult procedure and there are several variations used by different breeders, all of which have been effective. One of these methods is, once having selected three complimentary hens for the cock that is to be used, set them up in breeding cages one above the other.

 

 

That would take some doing.

That's a lot of effort to go to. It's much easier to have a cock for each hen.

Here is the really hard bit....

 

This arrangement is used so that:

 

1. They are out of sight of each other.

2. It keeps one from getting confused as to which breeding cage the cock will be rotated to next.

 

Next take the cock bird and place him in one of the cages and watch for signs of acceptance by the hen, if they are present then leave him with her for one half of a day. The rest of the day do the same in the next cage and on the second day move him to the third hen. If any of the hens reject him, try several others until all three hens find him suitable. For the rest of the second day, place him back in cage one where he stays until the next morning. Then rotate him to cage two for one day and then cage three for one day. From this point on he should be rotated from one hen to the next on a daily basis until the last egg is laid.

 

If you wish you may leave him with the hen that finishes egg laying last. In this case, the other two hens are left to raise their clutches on their own. These hens cannot be used for a second round as it is too taxing on them, to both lay eggs and feed chicks by themselves.

 

Alternatively, remove the eggs as they are laid from all three hens, to be fostered to pairs specifically for this purpose or to other nests where there are clear eggs. In this way, you can get the equivalent of two rounds of eggs from each hen without putting any of them in a position of having to raise chicks on their own. This also allows time to rest the hens for a month and then mate them to different cocks. This alternative method is preferable but circumstances do not always favour it.

 

Any one want to try it.

I'll pass thanks!

Then why not breed in single cages.  That way you can pick which ones to to breed together making 100% sure then that none are realated and with only one pair in a cage together there will be no fighting over the nest, and lest risk of chick death over fighting hens or cocks.  Also then you only breed the numbers you are wanting to.

 

ps- if you wish I'll take Cloud and trudy off your hands they are cuties.

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I agree with nerwen you may have better success with breeding without all the fighting. Have fun and good luck . :fear

Wow Daz that is some serious work there. Some people are crazy.

 

Passing too thank :fear