There is a wide difference of opinion, whether to start breeding early, or to wait until the weather is a little warmer, say from February onwards. The reason many fanciers start early, is because they wish to have the youngsters ready for the early shows.
Individual fanciers must decide upon this question for themselves. If you are a complete beginner I would advise you to delay your breeding until at least the end of February when the days are lengthening, by which time you will probably not have to use any heat in the birdroom.
Personally, I prefer early breeding, as I have always had very good results and my birds always come into breeding condition about the middle of November.
Where my birdroom is situated, it does not receive a lot of natural light, so I have a bulb burning all day long. In winter, the lights are on until 2130 hours each night. This helps to bring my birds into breeding condition. Heat is also provided using tubular heaters, which maintains the birdroom at approximately 45 degrees F (8 degrees C). Also, I keep a 15 watt bulb burning all night, just in case some of the youngsters need feeding and to enable the adult birds to find the seed pots.
Even though I advocate early breeding, it is absolutely essential that the birds be in perfect breeding condition. They must be alert and full of activity. The cocks tapping on the perches with their beaks, and the hens chewing the woodwork. Breeding condition does not mean exhibition condition. There can be feathers missing, tails missing, and even quills on heads, but as long as the birds are in perfect health, they should be ready to go to nest. All your pairs will not be in breeding condition simultaneously, so you only use the pairs that are ready. I have room for ten breeding pairs, but and I may only start with five pairs. I will put the remainder to nest as they come into condition. My pairs are usually put down during the first week in December, so that the youngsters will be ready for ringing early in the new year, when my current-year rings have arrived.
What are the minimum ages at which birds should be allowed to breed? Different breeders certainly vary in their opinions. I have known breeders who have successfully bred with birds at seven months old, but perhaps I am old fashioned. I never allow my hens to breed until they are at least eleven months old and my cocks ten months. A lot depends on the actual development of the birds. Some birds mature more rapidly than others and it is then up to the experience of the breeders to decide if they are mature enough for breeding.
People sometimes ask me, what is the maximum age for breeding? This is a difficult question to answer as there are so many variations in the fitness of the birds. I generally answer, "that cocks can be used much longer than hens". I put the age for cocks at approximately five years, and hens at approximately three years.
I never advise pairing two old budgerigars together, unless they have been very good breeders in the past. Always try, if possible, to have one mate older than the other.
All my cocks and hens have access to the same flight, and I only separate them about two weeks before I commence breeding. The birds are put into eight feet (2.4 metre) stock cages, so that I can check the ring numbers with my record book. I decide at the same time, which are in breeding condition and which birds will be going together to make a pair.
The selected pairs are then placed in show cages, so that I can assess the good and bad qualities and to see if they are compatible with one another. I always keep twice as many hens as cocks, because when you are selecting your pairs it is only when you see them together in the show cages that you realize both birds may have the same fault.
All my boxes are fitted to the fronts of the cages with the entrance hole facing away from the light. Access to the nest box is made through the side, so I have no need to enter the cage to inspect. Over the years, I have found this the best method, as you do not disturb the birds and it is easier to ring the chicks. Sawdust is not used the eggs being laid straight on to the concave. Before each clutch is laid I dust the underside of the concave with an antimite powder.
There are different theories on how the pairs should be introduced to the breeding cage. Some breeders prefer to put the hen in first and leave it there for at least three days, before introducing the cock; others do it in reverse. I have found through experience, that it makes very little difference. My pairs enter the breeding cage at the same time, from the show cage in which they have been for about an hour. By keeping them in the show cage it gives you an indication if they are going to take to one another.
All my breeding cages have been prepared beforehand with seed, grit, iodine blocks and water, and the nest boxes are all in position. Consequently when the pairs enter the cages, there is no need to disturb them.
One small point which is very important. Most of the nest boxes sold by the pet shops are correct in every way except for the entrance hole which is much too small. Breeders have asked my why the hens will not enter the nest box? When I have examined the size of the hole, the answer has been obvious. So please make the entrance hole size at least 1 3/4 inches (45 mm) in diameter.
After two or three days, it will be noticed that the hen is regularly going in and out of the nest box and it should not be long before the first egg is laid. Ten days is about the average length of time before the hen commences to lay. The eggs are laid on alternate days until the clutch is from five to eight eggs, but an average of five is quite satisfactory. The incubation period is eighteen days, but sometimes the hen does not start sitting until the second egg has been laid so always calculate the eggs to hatch at twenty one days.
As we have stated, the eggs are laid on alternate days so this means the chicks will hatch every other day. If by chance we have a very large clutch of say seven young ones, try to even them out by transferring the smallest to another nest, which perhaps has only two chicks. Try to even them out so there is very little difference in their size. By using this method, you will be able to save many chicks that would have been crushed by their older brothers and sisters. Always try to transfer the chicks to birds of another colour so that when they grow their feathers you will know which nest they have come from. Most important - always keep a record of where the chicks have been transferred.
I myself always have extra pairs which I only use as feeders. These are birds which are not of show quality, but which are very good breeders. When some of my best show birds lay more than six or seven eggs, I number the eggs with a felt tip pen from one to seven. After four young have hatched out, I transfer the three remaining eggs to my feeders', providing they already have eggs of their own. The feeders' eggs are disposed of.
At approximately five to seven days, the chicks must be rung and a record taken of their ring numbers.
I inspect my nest boxes every day to check if the rings have stayed on and to see if any of the chicks have died. If all the chicks have hatched out and there are two or three infertile eggs left in the nest, leave them, since it helps the smallest chicks from being crushed. If the weather turns cold and the hen tries to sit too close, the small chicks will be protected between these eggs.
When the youngsters are about 30 to 35 days old, they will start to leave the nest. You will probably see the hen trying to push them from the box so that she can start laying again. Sometimes she will appear to be pecking the feathers at the back of the chicks heads. Now is the time to act. If all the chicks are fully feathered, take them from the nest box and place them on the floor of the cage. The cock will continue to feed them and there is less chance of the hen plucking the young ones and inflicting permanent damage.
One guide that I always use is that if the youngsters tail feathers are approximately two inches long it is safe enough for them to be out of the box.
Now we clean out the nest, wash and clean the concave and don't forget to use the antimite powder under the base of the concave. The hen should start to lay her second clutch.
The chicks should be left with their parents until they are seen to be feeding themselves and are flying from perch to perch. This usually takes about seven to ten days after which they can then be moved to stock cages approximately four to five feet long (1.2 - 1.5m). Always make sure of having at least two older birds in the stock cages, to show the young ones where to find the seed and water. Lastly place a millet spray in the cage. Young birds find these easier to dehusk and this seed breaks down more easily than canary seed in their crops.
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