It's easy to breed cockatiels, but it's important to do it responsibly and make sure you can guarantee a home for the chicks that will be born. Before starting, you need to make sure that the male and female are suitable for breeding and that they have everything they need to be able to hatch their young.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Finding the Right Couple
Step 1. Make sure the cockatiels are big enough
Both male and female should be at least 18 months of age to reproduce. Younger females can suffer from problems such as egg retention; furthermore, birds that are too young may not be able to care for their chicks in the right way.
Egg retention occurs when the eggs get stuck in the cloaca. This can lead to infections and even death
Step 2. Make sure the male and female are not related to each other
Birds that breed with a family member are at greater risk of giving birth to weak or malformed chicks. If you're unsure, contact the person who raised your cockatiels to find out if they are related to each other. If they are, do not make them reproduce.
Step 3. Check if they are healthy
Before breeding them, it is best to take cockatiels to an avian vet to ensure they are in good health. This will help protect them from any disease or abnormalities. Weight is also a good indicator of their health.
- Overweight. Excessive weight increases the risk of infertility in both sexes and of egg retention in females. To understand if a cockatiel weighs too much, try to feel the hull or the sternum; if you can't feel the sternum, then the bird is overweight.
- Underweight. The fact that a cockatiel is underweight could mean that it has a disease or that the other parrot is in control of the feeder and prevents it from feeding. Find out what the cause is before making them reproduce.
Step 4. Keep in mind that not all cockatiels are good parents
You may have to raise the chicks yourself if the parents are negligent or mistreated. You need to be sure that you will have time and energy to devote to the little ones before you decide to have your parrots breed.
Part 2 of 3: Prepare for Playback
Step 1. Make sure they get 10-12 hours of daylight, natural or artificial
Cockatiels can breed at any time of the year, but they need enough light.
Step 2. Feed them properly
Before breeding them, it is important to make sure they are eating well. Provide your cockatiels with a balanced diet suited to their species. Check regularly that the two birds have equal access to food and water containers; if one of the two has taken possession of it, you can add other bowls. Foods you can give to cockatiels are:
- A mixture of seeds for cockatiels.
- Soft food, such as green vegetables, pasta, cooked rice and beans, wet wheat bread.
- Germinated seeds.
- Cuttlefish bone or blocks of mineral salts, for the calcium supply.
- Supplements (for spreading on food) such as spirulina, echinacea and probiotics.
- Fresh, clean water (should be changed about twice a day).
Step 3. Place the couple in a large cage
Your parrots will need a lot of space to mate and even more after the chicks have hatched. Make sure the cage measures 2x1x1m. You can put them in a few weeks before entering the nest, to allow them to get to know each other and get in tune.
Place the cage in a quiet area of the house to provide the couple with the privacy and tranquility they need for mating, hatching, hatching and growth of the chicks
Step 4. Install a nest in the cage
Once the cockatiels have spent at least two weeks together and have begun to get along, you need to get them a nest. There are some things to consider when choosing a nest:
- The material. There are artificial nests of many different materials, including those of metal, plastic and wood. Wood is a good choice, because cockatiels will peck at the entrance to adapt it to their needs.
- The greatness. A 30x30cm cassette is sufficient.
- Access on the back. Some nests have an opening in the back that allows you to control the chicks without disturbing the hen.
- The litter box. Cockatiels will use it to create a safe and cozy bed for the chicks. The best materials are pine wood shavings or uncolored paper, such as newspaper or white paper handkerchiefs. Do not use cedar shavings: they contain oils that can harm the chicks, if not even kill them.
Part 3 of 3: Have the Cockatiels Breed
Step 1. Watch the male prepare the nest
It is a sign that the cockatiels are preparing for mating. The male will widen the entrance up to the width he deems appropriate and will prepare the bed in the way he prefers. Only when he is satisfied with the nest will he allow the female to enter.
Step 2. Observe the mating rituals
When the time comes to mate, the male will begin a courtship dance during which he will head up and down, jump in all directions and sing. You will also see them grooming each other frequently. When the female is ready, she will crouch on the ground, allowing the male to mate with her.
- Mating can last up to a minute; then the male will fly away.
- The female should spawn about two weeks later.
Step 3. Let the parents hatch the eggs
The cockatiels take turns in hatching, but it is the female who hatches most of the time. You may notice that both parents pluck feathers to expose a portion of bare skin. it is called "brood patch" and they do it so that their skin comes into direct contact with the eggs.
- It takes about three weeks to hatch, but the female will lay eggs for about a week before hatching. It will lay one more or less every 48 hours, until it has a brood ranging from 2 to 8 eggs.
- The male will supply the female with food during hatching.
Step 4. Leave the nest alone
After an incubation period of 21 days, the eggs will hatch. You can take a quick look to make sure there are no dead or distressed chicks, but other than that try not to disturb the new family. Let parents and chicks have the time and intimacy they need to bond.
Weaning of the young will not begin until they are 8-10 weeks old. At that point it would be advisable to separate the males from the females to prevent them from reproducing. Brothers and sisters may mate if conditions are right, so it's best to keep them apart to prevent unwanted chicks from hatching
Step 5. Limit playback
Once the cockatiels have mated and have had chicks, you should take precautions so they don't breed again. There are several things you can do to prevent further mating:
- Dim the light. Providing less daily light can discourage mating. For example, you can reduce the daylight hours from 10-12 to 8, simulating the winter season and thus making birds less likely to mate.
- Remove the nest. Once the cockatiels have finished using the nest to hatch and raise the chicks, you can remove it from the cage.
- Eliminate soft food. Do not give the parrots any kind of soft food, such as pasta, beans and wet bread. Make sure, though, that they continue to receive nutritious foods.
Advice
- Talk to experienced breeders and read as much as you can on the subject before attempting to breed your cockatiels.
- Find a veterinarian with experience or interest in bird care so that you have the right support if any problems arise.
- If the female looks tired, it could be due to egg formation.
- Make sure that the place where the cockatiel lays its eggs is comfortable. For example, if you built or purchased a wooden nest, cover the bottom with cotton so the bird doesn't get hurt.
- A week or two after hatching, you can start holding the chicks and interacting with them, while avoiding agitating the mother.
