Breeding IRN South Africa

[Supadave]

Hi Guys

I need a bit of advice if you dont mind, i have breed with amazons,african greys,senegal parrots and various other birds before but i recently got hold of 3 pairs of IRN which where on a terrible diet of only sun flower seeds and not looked after by there previous owner, i have in the last two days got them eating a nice mix i created of Rice,bird seed mix,sweet potatoe,pomagranite,mango,orange slices,crushed egg shells for calcium and small amount of lettice cut up which is great and they really enjoying it and eating me out of house and home anyway i have only had them for three days now i have a few questions.

1. How long does it normally take them to settle down and to start breeding?
2. When is the breeding season in South Africa
3. I have 3 pairs in a 2m x 2m cage with next boxes will they be ok like that? we are fixing up a much larger cage for them but that takes time

These little guys are my pride and joy and i want the best for them so any advice to get them breeding and healthy would be great.

[SCB 22]

Hi!

First off - seperate your pairs rather, if you are sure who is matched to whom, as females can become aggressive and kill others during breeding season.

Secondly breeding season here starts just before spring... My first clutch usually hatches within the first week of september....

My best advice is to give them till the end of April to settle in, then see who is pairing with whom, and seperate them into pairs, and put up nest boxes for them... Around june july they start mating, august they will sit mostly, and september they start hatching... Some are a little before, some a little later, but thats roughly the time frame.

Im a breeder from Durban have been breeding 3 years now.

Hope this helps.

[SCB 22]

also STOP with the lettuce... it is not recommended for them... along with cabbage and AVO is a big NO....

[fionalouise1989]

The lettuce wont really harm them from what Ive read but its more that it has no nutritional value so its pointless giving them it unlike Avocado which is harmful.
Fi

[SCB 22]

Lettuce and cabbage are known for giving them diarrea, hence i say stop with it, its not good for them...

[MissK]

Is that due to a high water content or something else?

-MissK

[Little Buttercup]

Yes Missk, I've read its because of high water content, i've also heard about cucumbers being high in water, so they get diarrohea. I don't give my birds those.

Ash