Breeding Management Practices  of Pet Birds

Breeding Management Practices  of Pet Birds

There is good demand for breeding of pet birds and it ensures good revenue also. The breeding birds should be in good health condition during breeding season and the breeder should known the breeding season of the particular birds.Age of the breed bird is also important too young or tool old birds are not fit for breeding.Recent advances in breeding management of pet birds, especially those caught from wild and domesticated over the years led to development of present-day pet birds. The process of domestication has changed the importance with respect to breeding, nutrition, management and disease prevention. Main crux is to understand the natural behaviour of pet birds that will help to make the relationship between pet owner and bird more enjoyable for both. Most individual pet birds will not breed successfully in captivity. In addition, requirements for breeding of pet birds are complex, vary between the species and you would not standardise the protocol common to all pet birds. The full range of information pertaining to breeding of pet birds is not possible here but will discuss the common breeding management protocols that would give the understanding of rearing of pet birds under captivity.

Selecting the Pet Bird Species

It is always a crucial one, because most people or beginners just go with the pet bird already, they own. For beginners, completely new to pet bird rearing, always choose a bird species which are easier to begin breeding.

Criteria for Selection ——

 

• Smaller (for easier to manage) • Early age at sexual maturity (requires less initial care) • Strong and sturdy (delicate species are harder to breed) • Enough information on how to do breeding Bird species that match up to the above criteria includes Budgies, Canaries, Finches and Cockatiels.
• Physical Features ———-
• Pet birds are in many sizes and colours – ranged from finches with a wingspan of just a few inches, to macaws whose wingspan can be up to four feet. • Pet bird feather colour types ranged from natural grey, yellow, red and green to unusual colour combinations, which are resulting from selective breeding. There are some physical features are important, while purchasing a particular pet bird. For example: the bird’s eyes should be bright, clear and there should be no discharges from the eyes or nostrils; its feathers should be in good condition, clean (free of droppings) and never remain ruffled or puffed up; and legs, feet and toes should not be excessively scaly.

 

Behaviour —————–

 

• Watch the bird’s behaviour; there should not be tail bobbing (tail feathers moving up and down in a pumping action with breathing). • Adult birds that keep their eyes closed with people in the room should be avoided, as this may indicate illness. • Adult birds should always be on alert with people around, but healthy baby birds will sometimes fall asleep despite activity. • Personality traits vary widely among pet birds. 1. Parakeets are friendly and relatively easy to tame if reared at younger age. 2. Cockatiels are usually active and cheerful birds. 3. Small to medium-sized parrots such as conures and large parrots such as Amazons, Macaws and Cockatoos have unique personalities that require more time and effort by their owners to ensure their social and behavioural needs are met. • Young, weaned birds are frequently easily tamed and trained. • If a person is interested in a large parrot, he/she should get a smaller parrot as a “starter bird” to learn about their needs and behaviour. • However, a responsible pet bird owner should never assume that these smaller birds will require less skill, knowledge and commitment.

 

Source of Purchase ————-

 

• Pet birds may be purchased from local pet bird breeding centres and directly from other pet owners. • Local companion pet bird clubs, other non-profit organizations and avian veterinarians are also good sources of recommendations. • Be aware that there is significant risk involved when purchasing a bird sight unseen (e.g., from the Internet). • If you have the necessary skills and experience, you might consider adopting a bird with special medical or behavioural needs. • Finally, wherever you purchase, the seller should allow its return within a reasonable period of time if it is not a good fit for your household.

 

Caring for the Bird and its Environment ——————

 

• Although a caged bird may appear to be a lowmaintenance pet, this is definitely not the caseall birds need regular care and attention. • If cleanliness is a priority for you, a bird may not make a good pet. • Birds will drop feathers, dust and food from their cages and generally cannot be housetrained. • If you live in an apartment, a caged bird might make noises that could bother your neighbours and some species of birds are noisier than others. • Most birds do not respond well to being left alone for long periods of time and finding someone to care for your bird when you travel could pose a challenge.

 

Companionship with Owners ——————

 

• Pet birds are beautiful to look, and many species have an amazing ability for song and speech, and they can make wonderful companions. • However, most species of companion birds are not domesticated; therefore, they are not adapted to continuous physical contact, such as prolonged stroking or being allowed on a person’s shoulder or lap for prolonged periods. • Continuous physical contact may encourage inappropriate hormonal behaviours and may lead to undesired behaviours and activities such as regurgitation, self-stimulation, aggression and excessive egg laying. • Some individual birds appear to do best, when kept individually and other birds, such as finches, are happiest living in small groups. • Parakeets make excellent pet birds as they can be kept singly, in pairs, or in small groups in a flight cage.

 

 Breeding of Pet Birds ———–

 

Before pet birds being used for breeding, one should check the following

 

• Gender of the Bird —————-

 

Which is easy in some species, but much harder to determine in others and you can even do it genetically by molecular method of sex determination

 

• Age at Sexual Maturity—————

 

Each species will mature at different ages and needs different environments under captivity and find out optimum and correct age atsexual maturity before you start breeding.

 

• Healthy and Disease Free ————

 

It is important to prevent diseases from spreading to the offspring.

 

• Genetic Health———–

If possible, it could be done with breeding records to assess the level of inbreeding. Determination of genetic health is very much valid and the most important one for pet birds. But this aspect is still in a primitive stage in India. Other factors include, cost of the bird, its size, noise level, cost of cages, diets and veterinary care should also be considered.

 

Sex Determination in Males——————

 

• Most male birds do not have a penis, which can be confusing for pet owners, when trying to identify the sex of their birds. • Identification of a male bird may be possible based on feather coloration or other physical features and phenotypic traits. • Male reproductive organs are located well inside the body; and the sperm is produced then expelled into the female reproductive organ during copulation (cloacal kissing).

 

Breeding  Behaviour in Females——————-

 

• Female birds can be quite choosy about their mates, and it will take several tries and exposure to different males, to mate successfully • Female birds are receptive to male attention only at certain times of the year, specific to particular season and onset of breeding. • Sometimes, social enrichment at nest boxes brings the onset of breeding. • Factors such as age, environment, light cycle, presence of a suitable nest box, food types, socialization, proximity of other birds and the presence or absence of potential predators (Ex., dogs) will influence the success of mating.

 

Breeding Methods—————

 

There are two main practices for breeding: colony breeding and breeding individual pairs.

(i) Colony Breeding ————

 

Colony breeding involves setting up several pairs in a large flight. The flight should be about 6′ L x 3′ W x 4′ H, with wire spacing of no more than one-half inch and to provide a nest box for each pair, plus one extra nest box to prevent fighting, and all the nest boxes should be hung at the same height near the top of the enclosure. While colony breeding may provide some convenience, such as having one area to clean and ensuring your pairs get enough exercise, it also has some drawbacks. • There may still be fighting even though having a balanced number of males and females usually keeps things peaceful. • There’s a small chance that some parents will attack babies that aren’t their own and eggs are sometimes damaged as well. • You may not be able to keep track of which chicks belong to which pair if you allow the parents to raise them through weaning.

 

 (ii) Breeding Individual Pairs —————–

 

It’s much easier to control the situation if you give a single pair for breeding. • You’ll never have doubts about any chick’s parentage. • There’s far less chance of fighting between the adults. • Eggs are rarely damaged.

 

 Breeding Setup ———–

 

There are certain preparatory steps are needed to encourage pet birds to bred under captivity and make sure the following items are mandatory to achieve the breeding goal.

 

Breeding Cage ————–

 

The cage for a single pair should measure approximately 24″ L x 12″ W x 16″ H, and it should have a separate door, it will attach the nest box to the outside of the cage so the birds can enter it from the inside of their cage. The cage should have several perches and one should be placed close to the nest box opening so the chicks can reach it easily when they are old enough to leave the box. In addition, provide a hanging mineral block and cuttlebone from the side of the cage to deliver the female with extra calcium for making eggshells. There should be dishes for food and water, as well as an extra dish for fresh and soft foods. There are two main types of bird breeding cages.

Small bird breeding cages – for finches and parakeets.

Large bird breeding cages – for Macaws and African Greys.

Nest Box ————–

Nest boxes come in many sizes and designs, and they’re usually designated for specific breeds so select the most appropriate one with your requirements. Usually, a nest box with 1.5-inch hole for the birds to use as a doorway. If possible, choose a rectangular box with the opening at one end and a circular recess in the floor on the other side for the eggs. The box will either have a lid on top or on one of the sides so you can check for eggs or hatchlings.

Breeding equipment

If your birds are healthy, you can begin the breeding process. Here’s what you’ll need.

Breeding cages: A breeding cage is essentially two normal cages with a middle divider, which allows you to separate males and females when necessary. Each section of the cage has its own food, water, and perches to keep your birds comfortable.

• Breeding box: The majority of breeding cages have doors that let you attach a breeding box directly to the cage. This is where you’ll encourage your birds to lay their eggs.
• Incubators:Incubators can hold a few eggs at once, and they provide the heat eggs need to hatch properly. If you intend to keep the clutch and want the mother bird to be involved, there’s probably no need for an incubator, though it varies from breed to breed.
• Brooder:Once the birds have hatched, they’re extremely fragile and need adequate heat and humidity to grow into healthy baby birds. A brooder helps keep them warm until they’re old enough to get by with a heater.
• Thermometers and hygrometers:Eggs need warmth to develop properly, so you’ll want to maintain the correct temperature. A digital thermometer is easiest for keeping track. You’ll also want a hygrometer to make sure the air isn’t too dry.
• Lighting: While baby birds get all the heat they need from their parents or incubators and brooders, older birds need adequate lighting to remain healthy.
• Scales:One of the best ways of tracking growth is weighing young birds. Specifically designed avian scales have perches so your bird can sit comfortably while you weigh them.

 

Nesting Material ————–

Safe choices include aspen shavings and recycled newspaper. Even shredded newspaper is acceptable, but do not use cedar shavings because their fumes are toxic to birds. Don’t be surprised if breeding pair pushes all the nesting material out of the box.

 

Incubators ——————-

Incubators are needed if anything happens to the parents of the birds. Incubators can be designed to hold several eggs, provided optimum heat and monitoring; and will rotate slowly so that heat is dispersed evenly.

 

Brooders ——————-

After incubation, the eggs are hatched and the hatched newborn chicks can now be transferred to a brooder (if the parent is unable to help the chick). A brooder provided heat and humidity for newly born chicks whilst they are in this fragile period of time.

 

Thermometers and Hygrometers ————-

 

Constant warmth is needed for a properly fertilized egg to develop. When using an incubator or brooder, to keep the warmth at a steady temperature and the best way to monitors via a digital thermostat. This also tracks the humidity levels using the built-in hygrometer because sometimes, the heater making the air too dry.

 

Avian Scales —————–

Monitoring the weight of a newly born chick is useful to assess the growth patten. The problem is that it’s quite hard to get your birds to sit still on normal scales. Luckily, specially made avian scales exist, that come with a perch pre-installed into them – which makes your job much easier.

 

 Identification —————–

 

All new pet birds that have been born should eventually have a leg band to identify easily.

 

Lighting———–

Pet birds normally needs about 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness and rest under normal conditions. They tend to come into breeding condition when the days are longer, so it can be beneficial to extend their daylight by a couple of hours using full-spectrum lighting. The light is also necessary to help females synthesize vitamin D so they can produce strong eggshells and bones.

 

Breeder Diet ———-

Soft foods are especially helpful for bringing a pair into breeding condition, and the pair needs soft food to feed the chicks as well. Feeding these foods before breeding helps ensure your pair will eat them readily once the chick’s hatch.

 

This diet should include ————

• High quality pellet mix It offers rounded nutrition to the birds and keep them available constantly. • Fresh, organic leafy greens, vegetables and fruits Especially good choices include broccoli, carrots, peas, corn, apples, bananas, cooked sweet potatoes and bell peppers. Sprout mixes also offer a lot of nutrition. Wash and chop these foods before serving. • Cooked, chopped eggs or commercial egg food Eggs provide extra protein, plus they are a soft food that digests quickly so the male can feed the female, and she can feed the chicks. Chop the shells up with the rest of the eggs because the hen will get extra calcium to help prevent egg binding. • High quality seed mix Choose a mix that has a variety of seeds and grains • Abundant clean water Soiled water is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Change the water at least three to four times a day, or any time it gets dirty. Throw away old soft and fresh foods after two to three hours and replace it with fresh so the birds don’t eat anything that’s spoiled.

Mating—————–

 

Once your pair is settled into their breeding set up, it’s usually only a matter of time until they begin to breed. But, to provide them with basic care such as fresh food, water and empty their bottom tray to get rid of their droppings.

 

 Inappropriate Copulating Behaviour ———–

 

• Pet birds ideally should be paired with a mate of the same species. • Birds that are not paired with suitable mates or that are bonded with their owners, may attempt unnatural copulation. • The targets of this misplaced behaviour are often cage fixtures, toys, human hands or other species cage mates. Such behaviour should not be encouraged. • If two species are paired that may produce hybrid offspring, it is best they be separated and properly paired.

 

 Fertilization————–

 

When the female is ready to be bred, she will lean forward on the perch and raise her tail slightly. The male will position himself over the female and begin rubbing his vent against her in order to deposit his sperm. He may breed her several times a day, and the female will begin laying an egg every other day. The average clutch size is usually about four to five eggs.

 

 Egg Lying and Incubation—————

 

• All birds reproduce by laying eggs. • In most female birds, the ovary produces an unshelled egg which may then be fertilized by the deposited sperm during copulation. • The newly fertilized egg then travels through several accessory glands that added the egg white (albumin) and deposited layers of shell material over the egg. • The shelled egg is then expelled through the cloaca and deposited in the nest. • In pet birds, the time between mating to laying a fertilized egg and the length of egg incubation also varies between species. In captive female birds, egg laying, which is actually the equivalent of ovulation in mammals, can happen without fertilization or even the presence of Table shows the common pet birds and the egg production per clutch and incubation time a male. In some species, both female and male birds sit on the nest (cockatiels and pigeons), the female incubates at night while the male takes his turn during “working hours”. While other species either leave this chore to the female only (hummingbirds) or leave it to nature to provide the warmth needed by the developing chick. Many first clutch birds commenced an incubation process in a nest under captivity usually have anxiety or stress to care for their offspring, leaving the owner no choice but hand rearing of the new-born chicks. But in some 90 per cent of bird species, the males stay around to help the duties of nest-building, incubate eggs, feed brooding females and the chicks, even train their young for independent life in future.

Table shows the common pet birds and the egg production per clutch and incubation time

  Name of the pet bird                                          Egg production per clutch (Nos.)

Canaries                                                      14 to 15

Cockatiels                                                 21 to 23

Cockatoos                                             28

Conures                                                   24

Finches                                                    14 to 19

Parakeets —                                                 18 to 20

Lorikeets –                                                   22 to 25

Lovebirds —                                             23 to 24

Macaws                                                   28

Parrots                                                    28

Pigeons                                                  17 to 18

Raptors                                                 28 to 42

 

Checking for Fertility —————-

 

Eggs aren’t always fertile, but you can attempt to check them by “candling” about a week after the female begins sitting. Gently pick up each egg and hold it in front of a strong flashlight. • If you observe a yellow glow with red squiggly lines inside, the egg is fertile. • If you only see the yellow glow, the egg is most likely infertile. • The faint outlines indicate as the chicks are developing, but the eggs will become rather opaque with a clear air space on one end as the chicks get closer to hatching.

 

Care of New-born and Young Pet Birds—————-

 

• Chicks of most pet bird species are born blind and without feathers. • Depending on the type of bird, the eyes open within one to two weeks. • Feathering is complete in about one month for smaller birds, but it can take up to five months in larger birds. • Proper care during breeding, good sanitation and nutrition, nursery management and egg incubation (if needed) can help reduce diseases in newborn chicks. • In general, chicks should not be disturbed, but should be closely monitored to ensure that they are receiving proper care from the parents. • Be sure to keep the cage in a warm spot away from any flow of air. • If the newborn does not appear to be thriving, contact your avian veterinarian immediately for instructions on hand rearing. You have two choices for raising baby chicks after they hatch. Either let the parents raise them, or hand feed them yourself.

 

Parent Raised —————-

Chicks are quite small and can be difficult for anyone, but the most experienced breeder to go for hand feeding. Many breeders opt to let the parents raise the chicks up to weaning and handle them daily once, when they are 14 days old in order to hand tame them. The male usually feeds the female because she will only come out of the nest to relieve herself and get a drink. She will then feed the chicks although some males will also help with feeding the baby chicks.

 

 Hand Feeding ——————-

 

New-born chicks need to be placed in either a commercial incubator or a homemade one in order to keep the chicks warm until they have a complete set of feathers. At 21 days old, the chicks will need to be fed a special feed with supplements via a pipette or small syringe approximately every three to four hours regularly. The food is typically fed at a temperature of 105°F. This temperature ensures not to burn the chicks’ crops, but it’s still warm enough for proper digestion. It is always quite challenging and time consuming, as the chicks must be fed on a regular schedule throughout the day. Hand raising also decreased a bird’s immune system strength, increased the chance of infection and decreased necessary parental care for development. This can lead to behavioural problems later in life and sometimes, it will cause death of a young one.

 

How to Hand Feed——————

 

• It’s easiest if you face the chick towards you. 2. Gently insert the tip of the feeder into the right side of the beak, aiming it toward the back left of the chick’s mouth. If the chick is especially wiggly, just take a special feed from the tip of the syringe in whichever position it seems most comfortable. 3. Slowly squeeze the pipette or syringe to begin delivering a special feed. The chick will begin to bob its head up and down as it swallows. 4. When the chick is finished eating, gently wipe away any spill over from its face and chest with a warm, damp paper towel. 5. Throw away any leftover feed, clean the feeding utensils thoroughly, and put them away until the next feeding. As the chicks grow, they will eventually go longer between feedings and require fewer feedings per day, especially when they begin eating on their own.

 

Weaning ——————-

 

It begins around five to six weeks of age while the chicks are either still being fed by the parents or hand feeding them. • Begin by offering millet sprays so the babies can learn to crack seed. • Add a dish of pellet crumbles which are small enough for the chicks to nibble on. • Once the chicks eat millet and pellet crumbles, begin offering small amounts of finely diced/processed greens, vegetables and fruits. • Weaning is complete when the chicks eat well on their own, and the parents no longer feed the chicks, or the chicks refuse hand feedings from you. • Even after weaning, watch them carefully to make sure they continue eating. • Sometimes a chick will revert a bit and need an occasional hand feeding until it’s eating on its own again. Once the chicks are completely weaned, it’s time to take them to an avian veterinarian for a bird checkup.

 

Tips to end Breeding Activity

 

Some pairs don’t know when to quit and will continue producing one clutch after another. All this egg laying and feeding chicks will exhaust the hen and could lead to her death. Allow the pair to produce two clutches at the most and then encourage them to stop.

 

 Limit Day Light ————

 

Since breeding activity is stimulated by longer days, limit their daylight hours for several weeks. This is easily done by draping the cage with a dark cover after they’ve had eight hours of daylight. Remove the cover first thing in the morning and repeat the process daily.

 

 Remove the Nest Box————-

 

At the same time, remove the pair’s nest box and any hanging toys and similar items. The hen is less likely to lay if she doesn’t have an ideal place to lay.

 

Separate the Breeding Pair—————–

 

If needed, move the hen to a separate cage. Lack of access to her mate and the distraction of new surroundings should help her move out of breeding mode.

 

Be a Responsible Breeder —————

 

Breeding pet birds can be a wonderful hobby, but keep in mind that you’re working with live birds. If you are planning to breed your pet bird, you should have a thorough understanding of kind of bird or species, requirements under captivity, experience on pet bird rearing and knowledge about handling of pet birds. One way, you could improve your skills by contact and talk with an experienced pet breeder and you can learn about incubating, hatching, feeding and judging whether or not your bird can or will take care of the chicks.

DR ROHIT, PET CONSULTANT, KOLKATA

IMAGE-CREDIT GOOGLE

References ———-

1. Bhardwaj, A. (2021). Care and Management of Parrots and Pet birds (www.pashudhanpraharee.com).

2. Breeding and Reproduction of Pet Birds. (2020). Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. 3. Sreeshma, M. P., Geetha, N., Reeja George, P., Sasidharan, M., George, S., Anil, K.S. and Sunanda, C. (2018). A Study on Management Practices in Pet Birds in Thrissur District. J.Vet.Anim.Sci. 49(1):14.