Breeding Your Pet Birds
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Be sure to buy your stock from a well-known source, either a reputable breeder or someone who has been recommended to you. The time spent selecting good stock and paying that little extra is well worth it, because it will save you so many problems later on.Be sure that the stock is unrelated. Do not presume that the birds are unrelated just because you obtained each bird from a different source.
With parrots, for example, birds are often sold throughout a wide area in a very short space of time and it is not uncommon for people to buy a male and a female from different regions and then discover that they are brother and sister.
Once you have obtained good stock, you must be sure to feed them properly. This involves obtaining the best-quality feed and making sure that they are not needing for anything. With good, unrelated, well-fed stock, you are on the way to breeding success.
When the nesting period approaches, do not disturb the birds more than is necessary to monitor their progress. If you constantly peer into the nestbox, use the lawnmower close to the birds, let the cat or dog interfere with them, etc., this will put the birds off breeding.
Birds that have been in your collection for a few months are more likely to breed than newcomers, simply because they are settled in and familiar with their surroundings. Therefore, do not expect new arrivals to begin breeding, even if it is the right time of year; they need time to become acquainted with all that is new to them.
As soon as the breeding season arrives, keep a discrete eye on your birds’ behaviour so that you know what to look out for during future breeding seasons. This is very important, as you might experience certain problems at this time. For example, it is not uncommon for the male to come into breeding condition before the female. If this happens with a pair of parrots, the male is quite likely to attack the female, in some cases, extremely ferociously. In other cases, as with softbills, the male may chase the female around the aviary and this can result in her death. Clearly, learning about your birds’ breeding behaviour is essential.
When they begin to lay, the majority of birds will need extra calcium. Without help, a female laying many eggs can exhaust herself. You can provide extra calcium as a powdered food supplement or by placing a cuttlefish bone in the aviary. Once your birds begin to lay, you will realize that it is not necessary to look at the eggs every day; there will be very little change from one day to the next. It is best to make a note of when the eggs were first laid and then check them approximately once a week. If you fail to register this date, you are likely to find yourself becoming increasingly impatient for the eggs to hatch. It is a good idea to make a note simply so that you know what to expect and when.
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