Breeding Bird

Successful breeding is achieved in fix stages:

1. Courtship and display. The cock bird performs a ritual to attract his desired mate. He may show off his colorful plumage, dance around his hen, or sing. Once a hen responds and accepts a partner, mating takes place.

2. Nest site selection followed by nest construction and preparation. Nest sites are chosen with care and both birds usually carry materials in their beaks and sometimes tricked under their wings to the site. The nest is lined with moss, feathers (often plucked from their breasts) and other soft material.

3. Egg lying and incubation. Once the hen begins to lie, the cock often feeds her, often on alternate days. He also stands guard at the entrance to the nest. One or both parents incubate their eggs.

4. Chicks hatch and feeding and rearing commence the young chicks are fed on regurgitated food supplied by their pa-rents. Soft rearing food which is easily digested by the parents is of great help. Many birds also require insects to feed their young.

5. Chicks fledge and leave the nest Once the chicks have grown a covering of feathers comprised of down and an outer covering of quills, they are ready to emerge from the nest for the first time.

They usually return to the nest each night to roost. At this stage they are in juvenile plumage. The parents may still feed them, although they are now largely capable offending themselves.

6. Juvenile molt when youngsters be-come independent Young birds first moult when they are around three to four months old. They attain adult plumage and should now be able to fend for themselves. They should be closely observed to ensure that they are fit and healthy. This first moult is quite a strain on the body of young birds and they cane lost suddenly and unexpectedly. Thesis is particularly true of the Gould Ian Finch.

There are certain basic preparations that encourage birds to attempt to breed. Aide choice of nest boxes, baskets other suitable receptacles should be made available. These facilities need to he well spaced out all over the accommodation at different levels. Plenty of cover encourages the birds to investigate these potential nesting sites. Nesting materials maybe placed in the aviary, such as grasses, hemp teasing, fine wool, mosses, small twigs and chicken feathers.

Many birds are stimulated into breed-in condition by the amount of daylight available, while others may attempt to breed at any time of the year. Most birds choose spring as their breeding season. You can help birds into peak condition by feeding soaked and sprouted seeds or extra live food as the breeding season approaches. Oats are a useful aid as they stimulate birds into breeding condition. Remove the oats once the hen has com-minced sitting, or the cock bird may pester his hen with continuing advances. Do make sure that the birds are protested from heavy rainfall and that nest sites are not too exposed, particularly to harsh winds. Some nest boxes and bas-kits should be hung in the shelter, as many birds prefer this additional security. Nest boxes and baskets should not beloved around once they have been positioned as this only confuses the birds. Notifying tip or cleaning of the flight should be contemplated at this time. The birds must feel secure and be disturbed as little as possible.

Once incubation commences, keep any inspection of the nests to the absolute minimum. Some birds will desert their nests at intrusion. If uncertain, leave well alone.

One of the problems most often encountered is that of chicks dying in the eggs before hatching, known as 'dead-in-shell'. This can be caused by a variety of factors: lack of humidity, dietary deficiencies or sometimes because the chicks unable to pierce the shell when it is time to hatch. Infertile eggs also account for great many failures, particularly with young, inexperienced birds.

It is possible to determine whether eggs are fertile by holding them up to a strong light. An infertile or `clear’ egg wills beery light in weight, lack color definition and actually appear hollow. A well I-filled egg is easily recognized.

Some parent birds throw their young out of the nest the minute they Hitchcock birds being the usual offenders. Thesis also attributed to inexperience in most cases.

Many large species, such as parrakeets, cockatiels and budgerigars, can be hand reared if necessary. All incubator or hospital cage is required. Hand rearing, although a time-consuming and tiring task may be accomplished by those with patience. A temperature of 33°C (91°F) must be maintained for the chicks. Cardboard box, placed in a hospital cage, provides suitable housing. Paper tissues should be placed in the base of the box to absorb excrement.

The rearing mix should be made from milk and baby cereal in a thick consistently. An eye dropper (or a syringe) maybe used for feeding small chicks. Larger chicks may be fed with a teaspoon. Besides of the teaspoon should he bent upwards to facilitate easy swallowing of food. As chicks develop, the mixture should be gradually thickened. It is help-full to add finely grated cuttlefish bone and fine powdered bone meal to the mix to help form strong, healthy bones and claws.

Great care must be taken to avoid overloading the crop. It is easy to do this when using a syringe and a greedy bird often takes too much nourishment. When the crop appears overly distended, gentle massage often helps. All hand rearing tools should he warm before use or chicks refuse to feed. Weaning should he accomplished by feeding soaked seed and soft fruits in most cases, using other foods for certain species.

Australian finches are not difficult birds to breed, however there may be one or two problems. If a young pair shows no interest in building a nest, it may be that either the cock or the hen is not yet inbreeding condition or that the pair is incompatible. Sometimes it helps to separate the pair for a few weeks and there introduce them to one another, possibly offering them a further selection of nest boxes or baskets. Existing sites should not he removed. If, however, there’s still no activity, consider changing their partners.

If the hens lay eggs but fail to incubate, this usually indicates a feeling of insecurity. It may help to adjust the boxes slightly to admit more light to the entrance. Gould Ian cock birds, in particular, often refuse to enter a dark hole. Alternatively, a little more cover may be needed around the site. Most changes, however, should he keep to an absolute minimum. In many cases where parents are young and inexperienced, chicks may hatch and their parents may feed them insufficiently or not at all.

Masked Grass finches and other Austrian finches consume large quantities of charcoal when breeding and this should always be provided. They spend allot of time on the ground and must not bellowed to become chilled. If they roost with damp feathers prior to egg hatching, this dampness can help to soften the eggshells for the young chicks to break out. But at other times it is not helpful since the parents can develop a cold.

Softball breeding is easier to accomplish in a well planted aviary. Not only do these types require plenty of cover, but good mixture of plants helps to encore-age insects to inhabit the flight.

Many softball species become pugnacious during the breeding season. Birds should be watched to make sure fighting does not take place and offenders may have to be segregated to their own quarters. Do not make it necessary for softbillpairs to compete for live food by keeping too many birds together.

It inlay be worth while putting a com-post heap in the aviary to provide valuable source of small insects. Perhaps the easiest softballs to breed are the starling family, since their young will take maggots and small mealworms from very early age.

Softball chicks may also he hand reared in a hospital cage with a small pot of water, covered with a piece of mesh, for humidity. Very young chicks need feed-in every hour from around S am in the morning to midnight, a somewhat daunt-in task. A week-old, medium sized soft-bill chick will require feeding every 90minutes and a slightly older chick, every two hours. During winter months it is necessary to provide twelve hours of lighter day so that parents may feed their chicks properly.

Most parrots like birds are whole nesters and logs and boxes are their chosen nesting sites. They should also be sup-plied with hark and rotting wood. They appreciate plenty of humidity and in very warm weather their nesting sites should be sprayed with a fine mist to help eggs hatch satisfactorily. This is best done from outside the aviary if possible. All breeding brides need extra food when there are more mouths to feed. As much soft food as possible should be given at this time. Parrot like birds eagerly devour sweet corn (maize) when rearing chicks. Many types of soft food may be given. Oatmeal porridge in medium con-sentiency can be fed with crushed sun-flower seeds (kernels only). Make sure, however, that the parents receive plenty of roughage. Greenford and mashed carrot will be very welcome, but do not overfeed. Whole meal bread in small quantities, moistened with honey and water, is another popular standby. Try ovary the diet as much as possible and note which foods are taken with the greatest eagerness.

Crushed risks, stale white orwholemeal bread, soaked in milk and fortified with mashed hard-boiled egg, are very good for rearing chicks. During the breeding season, extra care should be taken to make certain that all feeding dishes and drinkers are comp-lately clean. Scald all dishes and tubes in boiling water daily. Remove uneaten food before it spoils. Prepare all feed unclean conditions and always wash your hands before preparation, particularly if you have been using household sprays, insecticides or perfumed substances of any kind.

Once birds have reared a maximum of two or three broods in a season, it is wise to segregate cocks from hens to prevent over brceding, which only weakens the stock, resulting in inferior young. Hens may be lost if they are allowed to breed too often. It is often difficult to replace as hen as there are fewer hens for sale than cocks. Many cock birds pine for a lost mate and refuse to accept a new substitute for some time, thus ruining a whole breeding programmed. Many species like to use a nest box to roost in throughout the year, so segregating cocks and hens means that you can allow them to do this without having to worry about them going to nest. If preferred, remove nest boxes and baskets instead, and leave cocks and hens together, but the cocks may still indulge in mating activities and try to find other nesting places.

Do not allow birds to go to nest before they are at least eight months of age, or preferably a year old. Young hens can suffer from egg binding, when the bird is unable to expel the egg from the oviduct. It is painful, distressing and can kill the bird.

Split ringing birds for identification purposes is helpful, especially to record their age, as is a system of small indexed record cards detailing hatching dates and progress.

Many fanciers ring their chicks with closed metal rings. It is normally advisable to do this if hoping to exhibit birds in shows in current year bred classes, since this proves that they are owner fired ands often a condition of entry. This entails removing the chicks from the nest. It should be done as quickly and carefully as possible. The age at which chicks are ringed varies: according to their rate of development. Gould Ian Finches, for example, are usually ready between 11 and 12 days of age. Never try to ring a chick if the leg has grown too large. Rings for particular species are obtainable from specialist suppliers or cage bird societies. Rings should fit well but not be too tight.

Holding the bird's leg gently, fold back the rear claw and slip the ring over the front claws. It may be eased on to the leg with a match stick which has been filed to a point. Only one leg is rung. Rings are coded with letters and numbers relating to the breeder's surname, registration number and the year.

Split plastic rings in various colors may also be used to identify birds for pairing up at a later stage. They are not acceptable for exhibiting purposes. These may be used at any age, since they fit on toady size of leg.

Young budgerigars are always in great demand with pet stores. The well organized fancier can find a good outlet here for surplus stock.

The keynote for success in breeding birds is patience. Give your bird’s time to adjust to their home. Feed them adequately at regular times and let them know that their home is a safe, secure and comfortable place before you expect too much from them. If they do not attempt to breed during their first season, they may well go to nest immediately the next season commences. Modify their quarters as little as possible unless the birds scent to be restless and insecure and always observe stock well before contemplating any major change.

Certain species are far more ready to breed and appear more domesticated than others. Try to start with the easy-to-breed species, and then use that knowledge to help you breed the less willing types.