How to Breed Parrots
Pet parrots can be an exciting source of entertainment and companionship. Many people who keep parrots also entertain the thought of breeding their parrots. Raising parrots can be a rewarding experience, helping you to learn more about the birds you love. However, parrots are tricky birds to care for, and breeding them can complicate their care and well-being. Always fully research and understand the parrot breeding process before deciding to breed your parrots.
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Instructions
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Provide your breeding pair of parrots with a large area. Birds that are comfortable and have enough room to move around are more likely to be successful breeders.
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Feed your breeding pair a varied, highly nutritious diet. Birds on a nutrient-rich diet are healthier, and therefore more likely to have healthy babies. Some weeks before you plan to breed the birds, you should start them on a varied diet and enhancement it with vitamin supplements. You can also start feeding your hen, or female parrot, almonds at this point, to make sure she's getting enough calcium to produce eggs.
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Supply a nest box for your parrots. This box should be large enough to comfortably house your birds. For example, a box that measures anywhere from 1 foot by 1 foot to 36 inches by 48 inches will comfortably house macaws, which are large parrots. The box should also be a foot to 1 1/2 foot deep. You can purchase a nest box or make one out of wood.
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Fill the nest box to about one-third full with bedding, such as wood shavings. Place the box in an area of the cage that is easily accessible to both you and the parrots.
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Let your parrots live together and get used to each other. Parrots will breed when they're ready. Different parrot breeds prefer to lay eggs at different times of the year.
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Allow the parents to nest the eggs after they've been laid. As long as the parents continue to care for the eggs, there should be no need to artificially incubate them.
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Check on the chicks frequently after they've hatched. The chicks should look healthy and should be growing. The parents should be supplying food. If the parents stop feeding the chicks or the chicks look sick, remove them from the nest and begin hand feeding them.
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Decide whether you will sell or keep the birds as pets or as breeders. Birds that will be pets should be removed from the nest and hand-fed, so they can get used to human care. Birds that will be breeders should have as little human exposure as possible.
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Tips & Warnings
Always select a healthy pair of parrots to breed. Know as much as you can about their history and their genetics. Never breed parrots with underlying issues, such as sick parrots or parrots who pluck their feathers.
References
- Photo Credit parrot image by Mariusz Blach from Fotolia.com
