breeders
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- Posts: 109
- Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:38 pm
- Location: australia
breeders
hey leo isnt it funny we have the same bird and name.does anyone in melbourne australia no of any good breeders.im thinking of getting a couple of aviary birds and breeding them.
Hey,
Good job on starting your research before you jump into breeding. I must tell you that it is really enjoyable and well worth the effort. Here are the basic of I do during breeding season.
Food
Food is greatly increased and I offer a lot more fruits and veggies for the mama bird. I also add a great deal of parakeet seeds. This makes it really easy for the mama bird to feed the chicks without working too hard. Fresh corn is also placed into the aviary. I tend to feed more wholesome foods that are soft and easily digested. I tend to stay away from spinach and substitute broccoli—I find that it keeps the stools from becoming runny.
Water
I add several bows inside my aviaries to ensure the babies have fresh water. My ringneck’s enjoy dunking their food in the water and if not changed regularly bacteria will quickly develop. During incubation and the time the mama bird feeds the chicks I do not use bleach to wash the aviary bowls. I’ll use a bit of apple cider vinegar for many reasons. Firstly, it’s kills any harmful bacteria around food and water dishes and secondly it helps to avoid any complications of sour crop. I have never lost a baby bird to apple cider vinegar. Just be sure to use about a table spoon per gallon or a few drops in the drinking water. The water should not taste or smell like apple cider vinegar.
Handing feeding
I like to remove the babies from their mother around 15 days—I try not to pull to early or too late. An early pull will require more frequent feedings and the baby will not get the natural nutrients it needs from the mother’s crop milk. A baby who stays with its mother for 15-20 will be strong, fat, and healthy. If you pull to late you might run the risk of stressing the bird out. A 20 day old bird will require more attention when hand feeding—they’ll get it..but it takes several feedings until they get it right.
Complications
Remember when breeding there are so many things that can go wrong. I always mark the date each egg was laid and wish for the best. I have helped a few babies hatch because they have passed the due date. I have an incubator ready and heated the week before and after the hatch date. A cold egg will quickly lead to a dead chick—warmth is a must. Have a hatch kit ready—here is a great article on assisted hatching: http://www.lovebirdsplus.com/assisted.html
Remember one important thing.
Ask yourself why you want to breed. I breed because it’s a hobby and I never expect to get rich off it. In fact—I’ll spend more money on food and supplies and I have never made a profit on breeding my parrots. I do it simply for the joy. At times while handfeeding I often wonder why I am doing it and it’s too late to place the babies back with their mother. I have to set my alarms and continue the rigiour task of feeding until the babies are weaned. It’s a lot of work and well worth the effort.
One thing is for sure—the work does not stop after weaned and the socialization process will continue until your babies have been purchased.
Hope this helps!
Best wishes,
Imran
p.s sorry for the typos..i am out to bed!
Good job on starting your research before you jump into breeding. I must tell you that it is really enjoyable and well worth the effort. Here are the basic of I do during breeding season.
Food
Food is greatly increased and I offer a lot more fruits and veggies for the mama bird. I also add a great deal of parakeet seeds. This makes it really easy for the mama bird to feed the chicks without working too hard. Fresh corn is also placed into the aviary. I tend to feed more wholesome foods that are soft and easily digested. I tend to stay away from spinach and substitute broccoli—I find that it keeps the stools from becoming runny.
Water
I add several bows inside my aviaries to ensure the babies have fresh water. My ringneck’s enjoy dunking their food in the water and if not changed regularly bacteria will quickly develop. During incubation and the time the mama bird feeds the chicks I do not use bleach to wash the aviary bowls. I’ll use a bit of apple cider vinegar for many reasons. Firstly, it’s kills any harmful bacteria around food and water dishes and secondly it helps to avoid any complications of sour crop. I have never lost a baby bird to apple cider vinegar. Just be sure to use about a table spoon per gallon or a few drops in the drinking water. The water should not taste or smell like apple cider vinegar.
Handing feeding
I like to remove the babies from their mother around 15 days—I try not to pull to early or too late. An early pull will require more frequent feedings and the baby will not get the natural nutrients it needs from the mother’s crop milk. A baby who stays with its mother for 15-20 will be strong, fat, and healthy. If you pull to late you might run the risk of stressing the bird out. A 20 day old bird will require more attention when hand feeding—they’ll get it..but it takes several feedings until they get it right.
Complications
Remember when breeding there are so many things that can go wrong. I always mark the date each egg was laid and wish for the best. I have helped a few babies hatch because they have passed the due date. I have an incubator ready and heated the week before and after the hatch date. A cold egg will quickly lead to a dead chick—warmth is a must. Have a hatch kit ready—here is a great article on assisted hatching: http://www.lovebirdsplus.com/assisted.html
Remember one important thing.
Ask yourself why you want to breed. I breed because it’s a hobby and I never expect to get rich off it. In fact—I’ll spend more money on food and supplies and I have never made a profit on breeding my parrots. I do it simply for the joy. At times while handfeeding I often wonder why I am doing it and it’s too late to place the babies back with their mother. I have to set my alarms and continue the rigiour task of feeding until the babies are weaned. It’s a lot of work and well worth the effort.
One thing is for sure—the work does not stop after weaned and the socialization process will continue until your babies have been purchased.
Hope this helps!
Best wishes,
Imran
p.s sorry for the typos..i am out to bed!
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- Posts: 109
- Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:38 pm
- Location: australia