Breeding Management of Pet Birds

There is good demand for breeding management of pet birds and it ensures good revenue also. The breeding birds should be in good health condition during breeding season and the breeder should known the breeding season of the particular birds.

Age of the breed bird is also important too young or tool old birds are not fit for breeding.

Pair Compatibility in Pet Birds

In most instances, the breeding period will progress without problems. Care must be taken to avoid hen being unduly persecuted by cock bird, if the female is not ready for breeding.

It usually occur in the early part of breeding season. This is most likely to occur in Australian Parakeets, Pheasants and pigeons, and it may be that the hen is not as advanced in terms of breeding season as the cock bird.

Under these circumstances, the cock bird should be removed and returned to the hen a week or later.

Never introduce the hen back to the cock, as this will almost certainly lead to further displays of aggression

Aggression is mainly restricted to male birds during breeding season, they may chase and fight. The birds should be watched carefully and it should be separated at the earliest.

Clipping of one wing may helpful to reduce the aggression. Sometimes the aggression is only for short period until the female get in breeding mood.

Nest Boxes and Nesting Materials

A comfortable environment should be ensured for good mating.

An overgrown aviary without any other birds around is a must for some species, while other species are quite happy to raise one nest after another with lots of other birds around, with in a limited amount of space.

Sufficient number of nest boxes or nest baskets should be firmly fixed in several places. As a rule, the number of nest boxes in the aviary should always exceed the number of couples, so that the fight for favorite place to nest is kept to a minimum.

Nest boxes should be of a suitable size and made of the right kind of material for the species we breed.

Pigeons, for example, prefer open plates or platforms, while other species prefer to breed in nest boxes that are fully enclosed. It is better to prepare a nest box with a provision to open at the top.

Birds can be helped to build their nest at high or hollowed tree trunks by providing them with steps, which can be minimize the egg breakage.

Plenty of nest materials should be provided to built their nets. Suitable nest materials are dried plats, leaves, plant roots, coconut fibre, animal hair and little twigs.

Serins or domestic canary

The serins, which include the domestic canary, construct an open nest, and for this reason, a plastic pan can be used as a base.

On which they can built their nest. Dried moss available from florists, or horse or dog hair can be provided to them to built nest.

Some pairs will accept thick stems of grass and hay should not be offered, it is source for fungal spores, which may affect the chicks or even adult.

Budgerigar

For birds like budgerigar, nest boxes can be fixed outside the cage, so that the birds have maximum area available to them, and it is easy to inspect the contents of the nest box.

A wooden or plastic concave will provide the are for the female to lay egg.

Most members of budgerigar family do not built nest, hence damp peat moss, rotten wood can be layered in the bottom of the nest box. This prevent the dehydration of egg and stop rolling of egg to one side.

Parrots

For parrot like birds, a more natural set up may be required. Many species prefer a relatively deep nest box, and this can be lined with wok clips.

The more destructive parrots will prefer to gnew and chunks of softwood to create their own nest lining.

For this birds, reinforce the entrance hole to a nest box with pieces of tin, carefully hammered around the edges so that the birds will not be able to gnaw the exposed pieces of wood.

Parrots generally do not require nesting materials, but love birds and hanging parrots, which strip pieces of bark and leaves, as well as making use of other suitable material in the aviary.

Feeding Prior to and During Breeding

Some birds have slightly different dietary requirements prior to and during the breeding seasons. Each species has its own preferences for certain nutrients.

Additional calcium may be a good idea, but if the birds always have access to sufficient amount of grit mix do not have to add extra calcium.

During breeding season, several seed eating species eat small amount of animal food such as insects and egg food. There are quite a few seed eater species of birds that partly fed their young.

Live food or animal protein during the first few days of their lives. If such birds are kept, it is important that they should be allowed to become acquainted with egg food and small insects long before they start to nest.

If they do not introduced this food until the young birds have arrived, there is a chance that the parent birds will not recognize the food and therefore not feed it to their young.

The beak of young bird is not as hard as those of their parents. They are often as yet, unable to digest hard insects such as meal worms and grasshoppers. Softer insects are more suitable for young birds.

It is always important for birds to have a well balanced and varied diet, but it is literally of vital importance for young birds.

They should not be constantly fed with same kind of insect, it should be provided with variety of insects.

Care at Fledging

The moment of fledging varies per species. It is true to say for all species that the birds cannot take care of themselves immediately after fledging.

They do not have their final plumage yet and still need to be taken care of and fed by their parents for a certain period.

The young are highly vulnerable during this period. A sudden heavy storm or shower may cause damage to such birds.

It may be worthwhile screening off part of the aviary so that the young birds can take shelter in rough weather.

Proper care from their parents, shelter, and a good supply of varied food will help the birds get through this vulnerable phase of their life within a matter of weeks.

This is the time when we should catch the young birds and start housing them separately.

This certainly has to happen in the case of aggressive bird species, which then usually no longer tolerate having their independent offspring in the same space.

Breeding Requirement for Finches

The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed eating song birds.

Adequate supply of food material is essential for successful breeding. Most of the species both male and female will very active in building the nest and rearing the chick.

Finches built their own nest with grasses, animal hair, and feathers. Entire nest is built by the female and male will guard the territory.

Finches usually highly attentive to their newly hatched offspring and tend not to leave the nest for the first few days after hatching. Live food is essential at this stag.

Chick can be removed from the nest early and hand Reared so that the hen will come for next clutch and young can also be protected from aggressive cock.

Incubation period ranges between 2 to 3 weeks depending upon the species.

Young finches fledge in abut 12 to 17 days, still they are fed by the parents and male will feed less and less unit the young become independent.

During this time the young should be removed because the male become aggressive to the young now, particularly with the male young.

Breeding of Canary

Most commonly canaries bred in cages with a suitable nest pan attached to one of the walls.

Two different breeding strategies are commonly used. In the first, cock and hen are introduced to the breeding cage simultaneously and remain together throughout the whole of the breeding period.

Alternatively, the hen is placed in the cage on hen own, with nesting material being provided, while a cock bird is close at hand.

Once the hen has constructed the nest, she solicits the cock, who is introduced for several days to enable mating to take place.

The hen is then left to lay and rear the chicks on its own. This method means that one cock can be used to mate with several hens in fairly rapid succession and will not be above to disturb a sitting female.

The hen canary normally lays within two weeks of the cock being placed in the cage.

The bluish green eggs, speckled with brown are laid one a day, usually in the morning. Four eggs form a typical clutch.

It is common practice for the first three to be removed and replaced with dummy eggs, the real eggs being stored carefully in the box lined with cotton wool or tissue paper.

On the morning that the fourth egg is anticipated, the dummy eggs are all removed and the real eggs replaced carefully under the hen.

The idea behind this system is that the chicks will hatch together and have a greater chance of survival, since there is no age gap between them.

Hatching of egg and rearing of young one

The eggs will hatch after thirteen days and the earliest sign is the presence of egg shell on the floor of the cage. Nutritious food is essential for successful rearing of chicks.

The chick will grow and start begging for food when they are about ten days old, being clearly visible in the nest at this stage.

If the hen is to have a second round of chick, reintroduce the cock bird approximately eighteen days after the first chicks have hatched.

A second nesting pan should be available for the hen at this stage along with additional nesting materials.

Breeding Budgerigar

Several precautions should be taken to minimize the risk of fighting among breeding group.

First all the budgerigars should be paired, if one odd hen is in the cage they become aggressive during breeding season.

All the nest boxes should be located at same height to avoid fighting between the hens to secure the highest nest box.

More number of nest boxes should be provided than the pair number. This will ensure adequate choice to breeding female. This will also minimize the territorial aggression.

They do not built nest, hence nest box designed for Budgerigars should have recess in the bottom to prevent rolling of eggs.

The nest box floor area should be 6 inch x 6 inch size and the height should be 8 inches. An entrance hole size of 1 ¾ inch diameter is sufficient.

New bird should not be introduced to the established breeding colony during breeding season.

Budgerigar are more prolific breeding and will breed over most of the year, if given opportunity.

The number of egg in a clutch is usually about 5 and female will incubate and hatching takes place after eighteen days.

High protein rearing food or even brown bread soaked in mill will be useful once the chicks hatch.

Chopped green food placed on top of the dish can encourage reluctant individual to taste the food.

Once the chick is one week old the bedding should be changed to avoid accumulation of dropping.

The hatchlings are altricial-blind, naked, totally helpless, and their mother feeds them and keeps them warm around the clock day and night.

Around 10 days of age, the chicks’ eyes will open, and they will start to develop feather down.

The appearance of down occurs precisely at the ages (around 9 or 10 days of age) for closed banding of the chicks. Budgerigar’s closed band rings must be neither larger or smaller than 4.0 to 4.2 mm.

They develop feathers around 3 weeks of age. (One can often easily note the colour mutation of the individual birds at this point.

At this stage of the chicks’ development, the male usually has begun to enter the nest to help his female in caring and feeding the chicks.

Some budgerigar females, however, totally forbid the male from entering the nest and thus take the full responsibility of rearing the chicks until they fledge.

Depending on the size of the clutch and most particularly in the case of single mothers, it may then be wise to transfer a portion of the hatchlings (or best of the fertile eggs) to another pair.

The foster pair must already be in breeding mode and thus either at the laying or incubating stages and/or rearing hatchlings.

Breeding Cockatiel

Several pairs of cockatiels can be kept together in an aviary, but breeding results are likely to be better if pairs are housed on their own.

The breeding age is about 1 year but young pairs do not always best parents. The average clutch size is about 5 eggs.

The cock bird incubates the egg for much of the day, with the hen taking over in the late afternoon.

The chick hatch out after a period of 19 days. Sitting bird should not be disturbed; it may cause damage to the egg or chick

The presence of newly hatched birds will be evident from outside the aviary, young cockatiels have a loud easily discernible call.

Bread and milk or a high protein insectivorous food may be a good food for breeding pair.

These birds breed throughout the year, breeding activity can be restricted during warmer months by removing the nest.

Breeding Love birds

Lovebirds can be successfully bred indoor. Pairs are too amorous towards each other, and may pluck feather from around their partner‘s neck.

This is the sign that they are keen to nest. Nest box should always available in the cage, since lovebirds invariably will roost inside it if give a preference.

A nest box in the shape of a cube, with inner dimensions of about 23 cm is sufficient for all species of lovebird.

Depending on the species of lovebird, the female will carry nesting material into the nest in various ways.

Peach-face Lovebirds for example, tuck nesting material in their tail feathers while Green Masked Lovebirds carry nesting material back with their beaks.

Once the lovebirds start constructing their nest, mating will follow. During this time, the lovebirds will mate repeatedly. Eggs follow 3–5 days later. The female will spend hours inside her nesting box before eggs are laid.

Once the first egg is laid, a new egg will follow every other day until the clutch is complete, typically at four to six eggs. Without a nest, lovebirds will not produce eggs.

The incubate for a period of 23 days and some pairs may produce two rounds of chicks in a season.

Breeding of Cockatoos

Breeding sulfur crested Cockatoos is not easy. It takes four to five years before the birds are sexually matured.

The female lays 2 to 3 eggs that are incubated by herself and the male in turns. After about 26-30 days, the young hatch and two month later fledging occurs.

At that point, they are not yet able to look after themselves and are fed and nurtured for some time longer.

During the entire breeding season, peace and quiet is extremely important. During the breeding season, normally tame bird can become far from friendly to wards their keepers.

Breeding of Macaws

Macaws are not easy birds to breed. A lot depends on whether the breeding pair get on well together and on the food and the right environmental factors.

It may take four years or longer before the young birds are sexually mature. In order to breed the birds preferably need to be housed in a large, roofed outdoor cage.

They like to breed in a large nest box (a hollowed out tree stump) or a small beer cask. The females lay 2-4 eggs on average which then she incubate it for 24 to 28 days.

Fledging occurs in 3 to 4 months. The young cannot take care of themselves yet and both the parent will nurtured during this period.

Breeding of Parrots

When breeding blue fronted Amazon parrots, it is important that the two birds get on with each other.

A hallow tree stump or a large nest box, with some damp peat dust on the bottom is ideal.

Wood twinges can be placed inside so that the bird will break up and use as nest material.

The floor of the nest box should be approximately 12×12 inches and the height 20-30 inches.

The entrance hole should be 4-5 inches in diameter. Usually 2 or 3 eggs are laid, although there are sometimes more.

They are not laid on the same day but at intervals of several days.

The female incubates the eggs. She is provided with food by the male so that she does not need to leave the eggs.

After about 4 weeks, the eggs hatch. Fledging occurs after about 6-8 weeks.

Until they can look after themselves the young are given extra food and nurtured by both parent birds.

They are usually independent by the time they are three to four months old. However, it will not be until they are four or five years old that the young are sexually mature.

During the entire breeding period the bird must be left in peace as much as possible to prevent stress causing them to leave the their nest or young.

Breeding of Parakeet

The breeding pair should be transferred to a separate inside flight or breeding cage.

During the breeding season, Plum-headed parakeets that normally live together in harmony may become aggressive towards each other. Care is therefore required.

The birds will use a manufactured nest box or a hollowed-out tree stump as a nesting place.

The nest box must have a diameter of at least 10 inches and the height of the nest box must be approximately 16-20 inches.

An entrance hole of, on average, 3 inches is sufficient. The nest box should preferably be hung up in the night house.

The birds do not build nests but will use pieces of rotten wood or damp peat moss. Plum-Headed Parakeets lay 4 or 5 eggs and ring necked parakeet lay 3 to 6 eggs.

The female incubates them alone and the young hatch out after between 22 and 24 days on average.

Fledging occurs when the young are six weeks old. The young are then fed and nurtured for a time primarily by the male adult.

They young only get their adult plumage when they are about 1½ – 2 years old and sometimes even later.

Before that time it is better not to try to breed them. It is extremely important that the keeper should allow the birds as much peace and quiet as possible during the breeding season.

If they are disturbed too much, they may reject their eggs or young.

Breeding of Mynah

Mynah is a fearless and tame nature bird; pairs will almost certainly attempt to nest. Sexing is difficult in Mynah surgical sexing is necessary to recognize a true pair.

Cock has darker eyes than hens, but this not true in every case. Mynahs built an untidy nest, often taken over a parakeet nest box for the purpose

Care watching of breeding pair is essential; the cock‘s desire to nest may lead him to attack the hen if she does not respond in a positive manner.

Even tame birds can become nervous when breeding and should not be disturbed, particularly in the presence of chick.

The normal clutch consists of two or three bluish eggs, speckled with brown markings. Both the sex share the incubation duties and the incubation last for 2 weeks.

A regular supply of live food at the incubation stage is essential for successful rearing of young one.

Crickets and meal worms are usually taken readily, and these should be dusted with a vitamin and minerals

Chick fledge(Fledge is the stage in a young bird’s life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight) a month old and easily distinguished by their duller plumage and the bald, pale yellow areas on the head where the wattles develop later.

They also able feed themselves within days of fledging. Once they have reached this stage, it is safest to remove the young mynahs at the earliest opportunity. Other wise they may be attacked and killed by their parents.

Adult mynahs breed throughout the year.

Breeding of Pigeons

Individual mating cage provide the best means of progeny control.

They enable unrestricted mating and permit nest building without interference from other birds.

Breeding cages or nest boxes for a breed pair should be provided with two nest bowls so the eggs of the second round can remain clean.

A hen normally mate at 1 year of age. After the first mating an egg is laid in about 10 days.

The second egg is laid two days later. Egg must be fertilized in the oviduct about 24 hours prior to being laid.

After the second egg is laid the hen and the cock commence serious incubation of the eggs. incubation takes 19-20 days from the second egg.

The hen sets during the night and is relieved by the cock by midmorning and until she returns in the afternoon.

At about 30 days of age a squab (young one) is called a squeaker, at at about 6-7 week it is termed as youngster.

All this time both parents feed the nestlings until they are mature enough to eat on their own.

The hormone prolactin from the pituitary gland triggers broodiness and crop milk secretion.

The crop wall forms longitudinal folds and is lined with epithelial cells, which begin to thicken by the eighth day of broodiness.

Considerable thickening and proliferation may be noticed by the thirteenth day and by the following day the holocrine crop gland begins the production of curdy, creamy coloured crop milk. Which contains about 77% water, 13% protein, 7% fat and 1.8% minerals.

Breeding of Japanese Quails

Japanese quails are not particularly good breeders. In an ideal situation, the hen lay her eggs (generally more than 8) in a shallow hole in a sheltered area.

The colour of the eggs is off white with brownish spots. She incubates her eggs for approximately 16-18 days.

The young are precocious and are able to walk with their mother and pickup food almost immediately after birth.

The fledglings like to eat some small live food in addition to special quail food for young birds and small seeds.

They young are independent and can be separated from their parent after about four weeks.

The cock does not take an active part in the incubation and rearing of young throughout the breeding season.

He does, however, guard the nest and its surrounding area. Egg can also be incubated in the hatchery and the young can be hand reared. The young should be give infra red lamb brooding and feed with tropical seeds, insects and worms.