Budgie Breeding Advice.

Question

Hi,

I have a few questions for budgie breeders.

Firstly do you condition your birds before breeding? If so what with?

Secondly do you split the c***s and hens up before you place them in a breeding cage?

Thanks any other knowledge would be greatly appreciated,

Answer 1

Hi,

I find that letting them live in a large flight cage/aviary is a great way to let them fly around before a breeding season.  Flight is the best way to conditon them for breeding, and helps to reduce the chance of the hen becomming egg-bound.  Or, if you have a large bird-safe-room, they can fly in there.  But I find that with Budgies that are not tamed, such as breeder birds, they will not "fly" in a room, as much as sit and hide. So the cage is your best bet.  They will have a lot of fun flying around with eachother in their cage.

Also, you'll want to make sure that your birds [moreso the Hens] have enough minerals and calcium and both birds have enough nutrients. I personally rarely use those dietary supplements, but if you feel worried, you can try AviX supplements. That is a great brand! AviX:

http://www.parrotworldusa.com/disu.html

I only keep my budgies in pairs, year-round, and when breeding season comes; I simply add a box, plenty of cuddlebone, fresh foods & place the cage in good morning sunlight and let nature take it's course.

But for your situation [I assume you have a flock of Budgies], you may want to keep your birds in a larger flight/aviary during the duration of the year, and then when breeding season comes along, you can place a pair in a smaller breeding flight with all their essentials. I use these small flights as breeding cages:

http://www.parrotworldusa.com/prflca.htm...

And they are good because you can get a stand and stack up to 4 cages in one spot.

This method also allows you to control who breeds with who, which is especially important if you're breeding for mutations & certain genetic traits, and also will reduce any tension that may occur from other birds while one bird is nesting, so on & so forth.

Good luck!