All about breeding parrots

It is not difficult to keep parrots at home, as this represents minimal care and financial investments in various accessories. But breeding parrots is not an easy process, and requires some effort on the part of the owners. In more detail about the conditions necessary for reproduction of parrots, this article will tell.

Breeding parrots is an interesting and exciting business, but much depends on the breed itself. Consider the best species of birds, capable of simple and rapid reproduction.

Perhaps, there are no people in the world who do not know or have not seen budgerigars. Representatives of this species of birds are cheap, besides their maintenance does not require special conditions. For breeding is best to choose a male and female of the same age, but not older than one year. It is noted that the color of individuals does not affect their mutual sympathy or antipathy towards each other. Budgies often choose their own feathers to build a nest.

In the wild, wavy parrots begin to multiply in June. During the mating season it is necessary to feed the birds with grated shells or chalk. This is the rare case when unfertilized eggs need to be removed from the nest, as sometimes the female can carry a lot of eggs, most of which will not bring chicks.

Especially for them as a nest you need to install a house the size of 20x20 cm, and put there a few dozen twigs. The female builds her nest from branches, splitting them into fibers. On average, the incubation period is just over three weeks. After 40 days, the chicks are driven out of the nest by the mother, but she continues to feed them for the next couple of weeks. Breeding periods usually occur from February to May or from August to October. These birds do not tolerate increased dry air.

They are of small stature and weight, but can be aggressive. First of all, this is manifested in the killing of his offspring in the absence of appropriate conditions. Usually the male is engaged in the destruction of chicks, so such a wild individual needs to be isolated in a separate dwelling on time. For the same reason for breeding is best to choose young parrots. The period of incubation of eggs is 20 days, after another 30-35 days the chicks are fed by the parents (not all the males kill the chicks). Later, the chicks are driven away by the mother, but she still feeds them for the next three weeks.

One of the obvious advantages of breeding and keeping parrots at home is the greater number of eggs laid, and therefore the chicks. For example, if in a wild environment, parrots demolish up to five eggs, then at home, from ten to twelve. It is worth noting that parrots breed from about the third or fourth year of life. It is up to this time to try to create good conditions for successful reproduction.

The first thing you need to equip the dwelling of birds is a nest. If a pair of birds lives in a cage, then it is necessary to install only one nest, if there are several pairs, then the corresponding number. The place of laying eggs may look like a normal nest, but can be built in the form of a small house, a mink or a mini-shed. Design can be chosen to your taste. It is important to equip the nest with a removable cover.

The optimum temperature for breeding birds is from 20 to 24 degrees. Humidity must be high - 70%.. To create such conditions, it is necessary to additionally purchase a lamp, put sponges with water in the cage, and, of course, purchase a thermometer with a hygrometer. Of course, the cage itself should be spacious for birds. They must move freely on it, without the risk of injury to the wings on the rods.

The most important requirement for breeding birds that must be met is to pick up a pair. Birds need to settle together, and if after a while they began to brush each other feathers or "kiss", then we can assume that they will soon lay eggs. If the relationship they have not gone wrong, then you need as soon as possible to settle them in different cells.

Parrots are monogamous, and with a chosen partner remain for life. Of course, it would be best if the parrot chooses a partner for itself. But if a razvodchik chose a partner, then there is nothing wrong with that - it will be enough to ensure that the individuals like each other.

An interesting fact: in the natural environment, parrots begin to multiply only when there are suitable climatic conditions.

As already mentioned, these birds can begin to breed at the age of three or four years. But in some breeds, breeding may begin at one and a half years. It should be noted that the age of puberty in large breeds as a whole comes later than in small parrots. Usually parrots begin to mate around mid-spring. This period can last until the end of summer.

The ideal conditions for the mating season are: 15-hour daylight hours, temperatures around 25-26 degrees Celsius and an abundance of vitamin-rich food.. It is necessary to gradually increase daylight for parrots. For these purposes you need a lamp. The temperature must also be gradually brought to the desired.

During the mating season, the male feeds the female, while she can defiantly open the beak, asking for food. This is a kind of courtship period. If the female narrows her eyes and is always near the male, then we can assume that soon both individuals will be preparing for laying eggs.

Understand that there is an active preparation for laying, it is possible for a certain behavior of individuals. The male is singingly but quietly singing, and the female begins to train the material for the construction of the nest and actively viet it. Usually the "material" for the nest is small sticks, dried grass. After about two weeks of the beginning of the mating season, the female is already able to carry the first egg.

After the female pulls the eggs, she incubates them for 17 to 30 days. All this time, the male is next to the female and brings her food. After this difficult period, blind chicks of parrots with fuzz hatch. Worth mentioning that the female blows one egg a day, and later the chicks also hatch in that order.

The main food of parrots should be green food. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, you must give them leaves of birch and linden. It will be useful to diversify their menu and leaves of nettle and dandelion. Some breeds well absorb germinated crops, and even boiled eggs. It is they who compensate for the lack of vitamin D, and a small weekly dose of fish oil improves the general condition of the body of parrots.

Chalk and crushed shells help individuals with calcium and phosphorus deficiency. Vitamin K, which is necessary for birds just before laying eggs, should also be added to the diet, having previously purchased it at the pharmacy or at the pet store.

As a rule, thin individuals do not feed their chicks, and often do not even hatch eggs. Therefore, before the beginning of the mating season, it is best to feed the birds, but not to bring them to the state of individuals with a large excess weight. Separately, it is worth noting that the male and female must be active and not have an untidy appearance. Constantly wet or disheveled feathers speak of poor bird health. Hope in this case on healthy and viable chicks is not worth it. It is sometimes possible to restore the health of sick birds with proper nutrition.

After 10 days of incubation, you can see which eggs are fertilized. To do this, it is enough to enlighten each egg with a flashlight. In the fertilized eggs, the embryo will be clearly visible. Usually at that time it is a cluster of pulsating vessels. If you find an unfertilized egg, you don’t need to throw it out. It is able to warm the rest of the eggs. Thus, you can find out the approximate number of future chicks. In large breeds it is usually from two to four parrots, and in small breeds it is from four to eight. Strongly smeared with natural bird waste eggs should be carefully washed under water.

The chicks begin to peck the egg from the blunt end. It is rather rare, but it is possible that two chicks (twins) live in one egg. Parrots start feeding their young 12 hours after the first hatching. To feed the chicks for adults at home is usually not difficult. The female regurgitates the absorbed food in the chicks' beaks. A common misconception about the large appetite of chicks. In fact, they stop asking for food as soon as their gobs are filled.

As already noted, the eggs are demolished one per day, and after the chicks hatch in the same manner as the eggs were demolished. After hatching, the chicks are blind and do not have feathers. A week later, they begin to see, even after 5-7 days, feathers begin to form on them. After half a month, the parrots are covered with down, and a month later - with feathers. All this time, individuals feed their chicks with goiter milk.

Usually, The average age of the chicks in the nest for small breeds is one month, and for large ones up to four months. 40 days after the chicks have "left" the nest, they can be transplanted into a cage separate from the parents.

If you grow parrots in a purely domestic environment (a small apartment), then in no case should you touch the nest with the chicks before they are at least 10 days old. In enclosures for professional breeding of parrots this is allowed, but only in extreme cases.

If you decide to breed parrots at home, you need to take into account some more tips.

• Some species of parrots can be quite prolific, and hatch chicks several times a year. This can bring both inconvenience and become a good source of income for the owner.
• Interesting fact: if you remove the nest from the cage, then the reproduction of parrots can be nullified.
• In some breeds of parrots, the male is also engaged in incubation of eggs. He only replaces the female for some time.
• The larger the parrots, the less often they multiply. Usually, the largest breeds breed chicks once every two years under suitable conditions, and sometimes even less.
• It is necessary to remember about the elementary hygiene of the habitat of birds. This includes attention to the regular replacement of water, washing of water and food tanks, collection of garbage and waste, as well as the replacement of sawdust. Try to disinfect cages or cages as often as the life of parrots can allow.
• In most species of parrots, males become mature before females. For example, in wavy parrots, the male is able to give offspring already at 10 months of age, while the female is only 12 months old.
• Almost all types of parrots do not tolerate drafts. This does not mean that the room in which there is an open-air cage or a cage cannot be aired. It is necessary only to ensure that the birds do not fall under the draft.
• It is undesirable, as in other animals, to cross closely related individuals. And, on the contrary, the distant kinship of the male and female is capable of producing more healthy offspring.
• Sometimes it happens that even under all conditions, the birds still do not breed. The reason for this may be loud sounds, noise and the presence of unauthorized people or animals. The cage should be placed in the corner of the room and, preferably, in a quiet and secluded place, but in no case should you deprive the pet of light. Try to disturb the birds less.
• If the number of eggs is too large for the female to warm them evenly, hatching, or she has abandoned her nest, then some breeders use specially equipped incubators that provide the necessary temperature and humidity around the clock. In this case, the chicks will also be fed by artificial feeding.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that pledge of good in all senses of the offspring is healthy parents. Therefore, you also need to include in your life and regular checks at the vet.

How to breed parrots, see the next video.