I have posted before about breeding pairs and our lack of action.. We have decided to pair the birds up and have one pair in the breeding cage now.

 

They have been there for close to a month with nothing happening. She has gone into the box and there are feathers inside plus they do seem to have bonded.

 

Should we just keep them in there for longer or what? Advise would be helpful..

 

Brett

Hi Brett,

 

Not too good when it comes to cage breeding, are the birds getting sufficient light? I know with canaries they need a certain amount of light before they will start nesting. So if you have the budgies in a dark area this may create a problem.

 

Are all your birds in breeding condition? Maybe try separating the hen and cock for a couple of days and then place them together again.

 

Hopefully someone with a little bit more caged breeding knowledge will help you.

First time breeders can sometimes take a while to get started. One thing that might help is to pair up several pairs in separate breeding cages at the same time. Budgies will feel more comfortable breeding if they know that other birds around them are breeding. It's funny, but they really do copy each other in everything.

 

The suggestion about light is a good one. Make sure that their days are longer than their nights.

Brett, you are not alone.  I have 3 pairs set up to breed.  Dec 1, one of my hens started to stay in their box.  Other 2 nothing.  One other hen went into her box but would ont lay eggs.  I am learning just to be patient.  My pairs have bonded, but they are not interested in laying.  My birds outside in the aviary, only the males are kissy kissy

I was going to ask others how can I get my birds interested.  I have been feeding them a mixture of parakeet food, petamine, millet and egg food.  Oh yes and I have been adding wheat germ.  The one female layed 5 eggs and I only saw her breeding after the second egg was layed.  She might have mated without me seeing.

So if you guys know anything I am doing wrong, or if you have any suggestions, let me know.

separate male/ females for a week or so try again

Okay so I have separated my pairs and I put the hens in the cage first.  Except for one lutino hen who paired with a cobal cock.  They are really interested.  Another breeder told me to put millet in the nest box to lure the hens in to investigate the box.  This Saturday I will put the males into the cage to see what happens.  I will keep u guys posted.

don't get me wrong, but birds don't feed themselves in a nest box, forget millet- she either wants to breed or not, may be too young (I have two nine month old sibling hens, using the same nest box, 2 different cock birds) they just fledged 7 young and have 8 new fertile eggs, they tag team brooding and feeding, I do not show birds although I only buy from well known breeders in WA, therefore I don't care about their lineage as I will create my own as time goes by, I will re-join a club when I retire and then ring and show

what I was trying to say is that I'm not a respected breeder - I buy from them, but have been involved in clubs both here and Victoria, I don't have the time to get right back into it, but I have bred budgies since I was 7 yrs old, about 48yrs now