Breeding parakeets is a very fun hobby, however you need a lot of knowledge! You will also need to keep all the parakeets happy and healthy to have a nice happy family.
Steps
Part 1 of 6: Select the Pair for Playback
Step 1. Find a suitable pair for breeding
Both animals must be over 12 months but less than 4 years of age. They must be in full health and have no deformities.
If you want eggs to eat, that is, infertile, do not take the male; the female will be enough for you to lay edible eggs
Step 2. Make sure the breeding pair is eating a healthy and balanced diet based on good quality seeds, fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, etc
Step 3. Wait until the parakeets have adapted to their new environment, give them at least 4 weeks if you have recently purchased them, and allow them time to get to know each other
Part 2 of 6: Prepare the Breeding Cage
Step 1. Use a suitable cage
Choose one that is at least 60 cm wide. This cage must be wider than high (the parakeets fly horizontally), with the top rectangular and not rounded, and have at least three openings: one to put the food, one to put the water and one for you, to being able to comfortably access the cage. You may need to cut a small hole in the cage for the nest (see below).
Step 2. Get everything you need
You will probably need perches, some toys for the male (do not put the toys too close so the male does not risk getting hurt), containers for food and water, cuttlefish bone, soluble calcium or in sand (at least two sources of calcium), a block of mineral salts (optional), extra containers for water and food to be placed on the floor of the cage when the chicks are feathered, milk powder for birds, a small syringe and a place to keep the chicks in the in case they were to be orphaned.
Step 3. Find a veterinarian who specializes in bird care if you don't already have one
Have all contact details, including phone number, ready. You can't know if something will go wrong; if it happens, call him immediately.
Part 3 of 6: Prepare the Nest
The couple needs a comfortable and welcoming place to build the nest.
Step 1. Purchase or build a sufficiently large box for the parakeets to nest in
Good dimensions are: 25cm high x 15-20cm long x 15-18cm wide, with a 5cm diameter access hole.
Step 2. Use a coconut shell as a nesting place
If you want, you can make the container using coconut shells. The coconut shell is an ideal choice, because not only is it comfortable, but it also offers something to grab with the beak if the parakeets want to.
- Place three coconut shells. They must be about the same size.
- Drill holes in one of the shells with the drill. Make a hole in the top, one on one side and one on the opposite side.
- Do the same with the other two shells.
- Tie them together using cord or string that won't hurt the parakeets. Thread the thread through the holes you made.
- Make a hole to hang the frame on the front of the shell, or where it feels best to you.
- Hang the structure in the cage.
Part 4 of 6: Pairing
Step 1. Wait
Do not disturb the parakeets. They will do what they have to in their own time; disturbing them and being around them constantly is not helpful. It is difficult to see them mating, but if it happens, do not disturb them (otherwise, the female will drive the male away without finishing the mating).
Step 2. When the eggs are laid, wait until each has five days to candling (observation of the egg to see if it contains an embryo)
You can see on the internet how it is done. Be very gentle and avoid touching the eggs. In any case, remember that this step is optional; we strongly recommend that you do your research before deciding whether to do so.
Part 5 of 6: Chick Care
Step 1. Check the eggs regularly
They should eventually hatch, so it's very important that you check the nest every day. Try to do this when the mother comes out of the box to eat. Temporarily block the entry of the box (for example with a newspaper clipping). That way the female won't be able to rush in and peck you.
- Check the chicks for lesions, seeds or air bubbles in the goiter (the sac at the base of the throat).
- Check that the goiter is full (swollen).
- Make sure they don't have food stuck in their upper jaw (upper beak). If they have any, gently peel it off with the tip of a stick or the pointed end of a feather.
- Clean up excrement and / or food scraps from fingers, beak, eyes and other parts of the body with a soft, damp and warm cloth.
- Remove any dead chicks.
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Note that parakeets have a very poor sense of smell, so they won't care if you touch the chicks.
Breed Budgies Step 12
Step 2. Clean
The presence of the chicks implies a large amount of excrement, so the box that houses the nest must be cleaned regularly. When the female goes out to eat, remove the chicks and eggs and place them in a small container lined with soft absorbent paper. Scrape the dirty litter and droppings off the bottom of the box, then replace the dirty nesting materials with clean ones. Gently return the chicks and eggs to the nest. Do it as fast as possible.
Step 3. When the chicks reach three weeks of age, give them an ear of millet a day
Simply put it in the box. The mother will nibble it and regurgitate it immediately for the chicks. They may also peck at her a bit, trying to imitate her mother. This will encourage weaning later, as the chicks learn to recognize seeds as food.
Part 6 of 6: When the Feathers Sprout
Step 1. When the chicks begin feathering, at 28-35 days of age, place a saucer of seeds and another separate container of water in the bottom of the cage
Even if the father feeds them fully at this stage, you will encourage them to start eating solid food as soon as possible. It's also a good idea to provide a bowl of chopped fresh fruit and vegetables - at this age, chicks like to explore and discover new things!
Step 2. Place a house in the bottom of the cage for the chicks, so that they can take refuge in it if the mother is grumpy
If you let the female lay more inseminated eggs, she will easily become aggressive towards the chicks. Since the chicks have to stay with their father for as long as possible, provide them with an empty, clean, face-down ice cream box with a door cut out to the side, or a hamster house, which you can purchase at the pet store.. The chicks will take refuge there.
Make sure the chicks aren't in there all day. Maybe take them out for a few hours a day so they can explore the cage and remember to eat and drink
Step 3. Remove the nest box
You can let the female make a second brood, but this often causes a lot of stress for the couple. When the last chick feathers, immediately remove the box for the nest and seal the hole it was in. Maybe separate the mother from the father and the chicks, because she could be a little aggressive with the little ones.
Step 4. Name the birds
You may not be able to tell the sex of the chicks, but when they are one month old you can give them a name. You've created a beautiful parakeet family!
Advice
- Give fresh fruits and vegetables daily, especially when the chicks are feathering.
- Provide a cuttlefish bone and a block of mineral salts.
- Provide lots of toys for the chicks.
- Do not put ropes in the cage, otherwise they could get caught.
Warnings
- Never breed more than one pair at a time in a single cage. This often results in nest looting, chick injury or death, egg breaking, parental fights / injury / death, etc. Although in nature parakeets reproduce in colonies, they have a lot of space and dozens of trees and hollows to choose the place for the nest and the whole sky to fly.
- Do not let parakeets reproduce in nest boxes that are too small or in a container not designed to house the nest. If the eggs end up in another container you placed in the cage, replace them with fake eggs and confuse them with real ones (mix them quickly).
