Cockatiels are quite easy to breed. However, make sure you breed Cockatiels responsibly. Also, make sure you can provide a suitable place for the Cockatiel. Before starting, make sure the male and female Cockatiels are suitable for mating. In addition, make sure that all of Cockatiel's needs to care for their children are met.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Finding the Perfect Cockatiel Pair
Step 1. Make sure the Cockatiel is mature enough
When mating, male and female Cockatiels must be at least 18 months old. When laying eggs, female birds who are not old enough may experience problems, such as compressed eggs. In addition, young birds may not be able to take good care of their young.
Compressed eggs are a condition when the eggs cannot get out of the female bird's reproductive tract. This can lead to infection and death
Step 2. Make sure the two Cockatiels are not siblings
If the pair of birds are siblings, the chicks may become weak and disabled. To ensure that your bird mates are not siblings, contact your bird breeder. Do not mate with birds that are siblings.
Step 3. Make sure the bird is healthy
Before mating a Cockatiel, it's a good idea to take your bird to the vet to make sure it's in good health. It can protect birds from diseases and disorders. Body weight is one indicator to determine the health condition of birds.
- Overweight. Birds can be sterile if they are overweight. In addition, being overweight can cause compressed eggs in female birds. To ensure that the bird is not overweight, touch the breastbone. If you don't feel it, your bird is overweight.
- Underweight. Lack of body weight can be an indication that the bird is diseased. In addition, this can also indicate that the bird has difficulty in consuming its food because it is disturbed by other birds. Find out why birds are underweight before breeding them.
Step 4. Remember, not all cockatiels can take good care of their young
You may have to take care of the baby birds if the mother Cockatiel neglects or does not take good care of the chicks. Before breeding Cockatiels, make sure you have the energy and time to care for baby Cockatiels.
Part 2 of 3: Preparing to Breed Cockatiels
Step 1. Make sure the Cockatiel is exposed to the sun or light for 10-12 hours every day
Cockatiels can breed at any time, but they need sufficient light. Make sure the Cockatiel is exposed to the sun or light for 10-12 hours every day.
Step 2. Feed the Cockatiel well
Before breeding, make sure the Cockatiel gets a good diet. Give Cockatiel a balanced and appropriate diet. Check the condition of the Cockatiel regularly to ensure that it has access to its food and drink. If one of the Cockatiels is keeping available food and drink, add an extra feeding and drinking bowl to the cage. Some foods that are good for Cockatiels are:
- Cockatiel specialty mixed grains
- Soft foods such as vegetables, pasta, rice, cooked beans, whole wheat bread.
- bean sprouts
- Cuttlefish bone or minerals as a source of calcium
- Supplements (for sprinkling on bird feed) such as spirulina, Echinacea and Prozyme
- Clean water (must be changed every few times a day)
Step 3. Place the Cockatiels to be bred in a large cage
Cockatiels need a large cage to breed. After the eggs hatch, the Cockatiel needs an even bigger cage. Make sure the Cockatiel couple cage is 2 m x 1 m x 1 m. You can place a cockatiel pair into the cage a few weeks before the nest box is placed. This is done so that both can get to know each other and prepare to breed.
Place the cage in a quiet area to give the Cockatiels some privacy to breed, lay eggs, and care for their young
Step 4. Create a nest box
Once the Cockatiels have spent 2 weeks together and gotten to know each other, you'll need to provide a nest box for both of them. When choosing a nest box, consider the following:
- Ingredients. There are various nest box materials that can be used such as iron, plastic, and wood. Wood is a good choice. Cockatiel will peck the driveway to suit his will.
- Size. A 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm box is a good choice for breeding Cockatiels.
- Back door. Some nest boxes have back doors. You can use this to check the baby bird's condition without disturbing it.
- pedestal. Cockatiel mothers use mats to make a comfortable and safe nest for their young. A good base is one made of dust-resistant pine wood grain or colorless paper such as newspaper and white paper. Do not use fir wood fiber because the oil content can endanger the safety of the chicks.
Part 3 of 3: Breeding Cockatiels
Step 1. Watch the male Cockatiel preparing the nest
One of the indicators that a Cockatiel will mate is when the male Cockatiel begins to prepare its nest. The male cockatiel will gnaw the hole in the nest box to get it to the desired size. He will also arrange bedding to suit his wishes. After the male Cockatiel prepares his nest, he will let the female Cockatiel in.
Step 2. Observe the characteristics of birds about to mate
Once ready to mate, the male cockatiel will dance to lure the female cockatiel. When dancing, the male Cockatiel will raise its head, jump up and down, and sing. In addition, Cockatiel will preen more often. When the female Cockatiel is ready to mate, she will curl up. This position will make it easier for the male Cockatiel to mate with the female Cockatiel.
- Cockatiels only take a few minutes to mate. When finished, the male Cockatiel will fly away.
- Female cockatiels will lay eggs after 2 weeks.
Step 3. Let the mother cockatiel incubate the eggs
Male and female cockatiels will incubate the eggs alternately. However, female cockatiels incubate the eggs more often. The cockatiel may pluck its fur to expose its skin. This is called a “brood patch”. The cockatiel does this so that the shell can attach to the egg directly.
- The eggs will hatch after 3 weeks. The female cockatiel will continue to lay eggs for 1 week before she is ready to incubate her eggs. The female cockatiel will lay eggs every 48 hours until she produces 2-8 eggs.
- The male cockatiel will provide food for the female cockatiel while incubating the eggs.
Step 4. Do not disturb the Cockatiel nest
After the Cockatiel has incubated its eggs for 21 days, the eggs will hatch. You can look at the nest to make sure no Cockatiel chicks die or are stressed. However, try not to disturb the Cockatiel's nest. Give Cockatiel and her kids time and privacy to get to know each other.
Cockatiels will not begin the weaning process (unassisted feeding) until their cubs are 8-10 weeks old. After 8-10 weeks of age, separate male and female Cockatiel chicks so they don't mate. Sibling cockatiels will still marry whenever possible. Therefore, it is better to separate male and female Cockatiel chicks so that they do not breed
Step 5. Make sure the Cockatiels don't breed again
After the Cockatiels mate and have offspring, you may have to prevent the Cockatiels from mating again. There are several ways to prevent Cockatiels from breeding.
- Reduce lighting. You can reduce the lighting of the Cockatiel's cage to prevent it from mating again. For example, you can reduce the lighting duration of a Cockatiel's cage from 10-12 hours to 8 hours per day. This will simulate winter so the Cockatiels won't mate.
- Take out the nest box. Once the Cockatiel has stopped incubating the eggs and is raising her young in the nest box, you can remove the nest box from the coop.
- Do not give Cockatiels soft foods. Don't give Cockatiels soft foods, such as pasta, beans, and moist bread. However, make sure the Cockatiel gets adequate nutritional intake.
Tips
- Seek information or consult a cockatiel breeder before mating your cockatiel.
- Find a veterinarian who specializes in poultry medicine. This is done so that you can ask him for help if Cockatiel is sick.
- If the female Cockatiel looks tired, it may be due to the formation of her eggs.
- Make sure the Cockatiel lays eggs in a comfortable place. For example, if the female Cockatiel is laying eggs in a wooden box, make sure the bottom of the box is covered with cloth so the Cockatiel doesn't hurt.
- When the eggs hatch, after 1 or 2 weeks, start holding and holding yourself close to the Cockatiel chicks. Make sure the mother is not stressed.
