Budgie Information

Question: New too budgie breeding.?

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Answer #1:

Selecting A Pair

* Both the male and female you wish to breed should be at least one year old.
* Selecting a pair that is already bonded will help ensure a shorter time until they begin to mate and lay eggs.
* If you wish to breed for a certain variety, learn about budgie varieties and genetics.

Set-Up

* Each pair should be set up in their own cage at least 24"w x 16"d x 16"h (70x40x40cm). The cage should not have a grate on the bottom. If the cage has an irremovable grate, place the newspaper lining on top of the grate. Use only black and white newspaper to line the bottom.
* A wooden nest box should be attached outside of the breeding cage. Click here to learn more about choosing a nest box.
- A wooden insert with a concave circle should be in the bottom of the nesting box to prevent splayed legs.
- Pine shavings (unscented) should be layered in the bottom of the box over the wooden insert. The hen will adjust the pine shavings to her liking.
* It is very important to have a cuttlebone and mineral block in the cage. An iodine salt spool is also recommended.
* At least two perches should be provided. Try to provide variety in perches, including a safe natural wood branch.
* Food and water dishes should be provided. I recommend attaching two water tubes, especially after all the babies have hatched. I also recommend putting a large jar feeder on the cage floor. The parents will go through a lot of seed and water when caring for a nest full of growing chicks.
* Pieces of soft wood for the female budgie to chew on will satisfy her need for gnawing and also can help get her into the mood to breed. Be sure the wood is safe for birds by buying this material at a bird or pet store.
* If only breeding one or a couple of pairs, you will need a large cage to put the babies into when they are weaned. If breeding large scale, you will need to build a flight cage to keep non-breeding budgies and newly weaned babies.

Environment, Timing, Etc.

* It is better to start out with 2 or 3 pairs, because they help stimulate each other into the breeding mode. Also, if something goes wrong with a pair, you would be able to foster out the chicks under another pair.
* In the US, the best results for breeding season is from October through March.
* Most comfortable temperatures to keep them in is 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 24 degrees Celsius).
* Some humidity helps the eggs to hatch better.
* They need good light, but not direct sun during the day. They need 12 hours of darkness with cage covered at night. Try to go by the sun; cover the budgies at sundown and uncover them around 6 to 7 AM each morning.
* It is important to use a full-spectrum light bulb in the breeding room to assist in vitamin-D formation and to allow for proper vision.
* Budgies need to have a comfortable environment and to be healthy and happy to breed.

Proper Care of Breeding Pairs

* Budgies need a very good diet when breeding.
o Enriched variety of parakeet seed mix.
o A supplement of pellets for parakeets either in an individual dish or mixed with seed.
o A powdered vitamin supplement added to food (not water).
o Organic fresh greens should be provided daily. Examples are dandelion leaves or carrot-tops. All produce must be organic! Even a tiny amount of pesticides are enough to kill a baby chick. Bits of shredded carrots are good too. Also give them little tiny bits of cooked chicken or eggfood for protein, but only when breeding. The better variety of good foods you feed, the healthier the chicks will be.
* Try not to interfere too much with the breeding birds. Have a regular routine when you clean the cage. Keep the breeding cages very clean.
* Change the food and water each day. Check the food and water levels both in the morning and night.
* Nest boxes should be checked once per day, preferably when the hen comes out to poop and stretch her wings. Remove broken egg shells or any dead chicks right away.
* Budgies pairs will try have a third clutch, right after the first two, in one breeding season. However, if they have successfully reared chicks from the previous two clutches, they should be stopped from starting the third clutch for health reasons, to prevent burnout, weak chicks, etc. Also, the pair should be rested for a whole year until next breeding season. To stop a pair, remove the mother from the cage when the youngest chick is about 10 days old. The father will take over the care of the chicks. Watch them closely for the first 48 hours, as it sometimes takes a day or so for Dad to realize that Mom isn't coming back and he needs to take over. If you notice the babies' crops empty, you may need to give a hand feeding.

Budgie Chick
Proper Care of the Chicks
* If you need to handle the eggs, be sure to completely clean your hands with soap

Answer #2:

I reckon you would end up with harlequins (patchy colours) with a few violet, blue and white birds.
With two breeding pairs, you probably need at least four boxes, like us they like to shop around and choose their home. The higher you place the boxes, the more likely the are to be used.
Providing nesting material is uselsess with budgies, in the wild they nest in tree hollows and make their own nesting material. Expect your birds to chew on the entrances of their boxes.
Expect some chicks to die, budgies aren't hatched knowing exactly what to do. It may take two or three clutches for them to figure out what they are doing, and if a parent knows that something isn't right with a chick, they will let it starve to death. This is the way of the world of animals.

Best of luck

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Question: New too budgie breeding.?

Answer #1:

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