A FEW BREEDING TIP FOR BREEDING BUDGIES----FOR THE BIGINNER

rastalovebird · admin. Joined: 09 Jun 2007 Posts: 66 Location: jamaica

BIGINNER TIP

I thought i'd post a few tips that will help new breeders on their way.

- your breeding pair should be a cock and a hen both over 12 months old and both 100% unrelated

- both birds should be in top physical condition and already fed on a balanced diet containing a good quality seed mix, pellets, egg food, fresh veggies, cuttlebone and a source of iodine

- the hen should not be over 4 -5 years old and the cock should not be over about 5-7 years old. After these ages complications are more likely to occur and fertility rate in the eggs can be reduced

- the selected breeding pair should be placed in a breeding cabinet with a wooden nesting box, nesting materials are not required and most budgies will reject anything offered

- during the whole period of time from being placed in the breeding cage to the chicks leaving the nest box it is especially important to supply fresh foods and sources of calcium and iodine as well as protien

- eggs will be laid 8 - 10 days after mating. The pair will continue mating until the whole clutch is laid and the hen will start incubating the eggs usually sometime after the second egg is laid

- eggs are laid every second day

- the eggs will hatch 18 - 20 days after being laid depending on when the hen started incubating

- it is important not to disturb the hen and chicks too often as this may cause the hen un-necessary stress and could possibly end in her abandoning the chicks

- the cock will usually not start feeding the chicks until they are 3 weeks old, he will however feed the hen

- at about 3 weeks old you should begin handling the chicks carefully for about 5 - 10 mins a day to socialize them, this should result in friendly and tame baby budgies

- the chicks will begin to explore outside the nest box after about 4 weeks of age

- at approx. 6 weeks of age the chicks will be fully feathered and eating on their own so they are ready to be separated from their parents

I hope this is helpful to some people.......If anyone has any questions about anything to do with breeding, colour mutations and telling gender in baby budgies just ask and i'll try to help.
_________________

http://www.myspace.com/janseenie