Budgie breeding

Breeding budgies for pleasure or profit can be quite rewarding, the breeders who do so for pleasure get great satisfaction from managing to rear birds in their chosen colours, many budgie breeders like to pair certain birds so that they can achieve a distinct colouring in the hope of making their birds unique.

Mostly those that are breeding budgies for profit do not have any particular colour preferences and instead just try to achieve a healthy breeding pairing of birds so that maximum profit can be gained.

Budgie breeding cages need not be overly large as the nesting pair do not stray far from their eggs or young. As with their main cage, there should be a supply of fresh water and food, replaced daily. There should be minimal disturbance of the nesting box once the birds have settled in, the temptation to take a peek "to see how they are getting on" should be resisted.

Even if there is no desire to get into budgie breeding it must be remembered that if there are several birds of opposite sex contained in the same cage then sooner or later two or more birds will pair up and produce eggs, so it is either keep the different sexes separate or prepare for and provide the necessary breeding boxes when the time is right.

On the whole, budgie breeding requires very little input from the owner, a secure cage and nesting box, along with adequate food and water and the job is done, budgies have been breeding in the wild for hundreds of years and have managed quite well without the interference of man. Budgies, like most creatures, will, if left alone, select their own mate and nature will do the rest, the owner can of course attempt to influence the pairing of certain birds so that a particular colouring may be obtained but this is not always guaranteed to be successful.

Initially start with two bonded adult pairs. you must observe your birds so that you know when they they come into breeding condition. Budgies usually lay between 3 to 5 eggs. The female budgie will start laying eggs; every second day and will begin hatching 18 days after she begins sitting on them The babies will hatch in order, they are born totally blind and featherless.

Budgie Breeding Tips

If your budgie should lay infertile eggs, remove them and allow her to lay another clutch, hopefully. One possible cause for infertile eggs is that the hen laid the first clutch too soon, a pestering cock is another reason.

You should keep the nesting boxes clean prior to them being used and have a supply of nesting material, such as pine shavings, positioned so that the nesting pair can take what they need.

Remove broken egg shells or any dead chicks right away, avoid having any bright lights directly shining onto or near the nesting box.

The room temperature should be allowed to fluctuate normally, budgies, as do most creatures, have the ability to cool down or warm themselves up as needed.

Try not to interfere too much with the breeding pair or their chicks, nature will always take its course.

Make sure to keep the food and water supply topped up. The parent birds will visit the feeding area more often once the chicks have hatched.