Breeding a New Pair.

[sarahlouise]

Hi there

I am going to pick up a pair of budgies on the 11th of December. The lady I am buying them from has told me that they are bonded and ready to mate. I have 8 weeks of holidays starting from the 2nd of December. When I get the budgies I plan to set them up in a new cage with a nest box. I hope for them to breed ASAP as I want to raise the budgies within the 8 weeks I have off school. Do you think this is possible? or unrealistic? This is my first time breeding and I plan to do it as a holiday project. 

A picture of the pair:




xo

[skysmum]

Lovely pair . However i think its a little unrealistic, sorry. It takes three months from start to finish to raise a clutch of chicks. Your new birds will be very stressed at the move and change, i think you will need to give them time to settle before attaching a nest box and even then, you can lead a horse to water but you cant make them drink.
The chances are that she will be coming out of breeding condition by then too. There is so much to consider and think about when breeding budgies, have they had a good diet with plenty of fresh foods and egg in the months leading up to it, plus calcium etc. Is the cage large enough, if they have a big clutch you could be looking at having 8 to 10 birds including the parents in that cage for three to four months.

Patience is the key when breeding, take time and think of the pairs needs first, read as much as you can and be prepared for heartache as well as joy. Whatever happens good luck and be sure to let us know how things go

[sarahlouise]

Thank you so much for your advice, i will definitely take it into consideration ☺️☺️

[Hezz]

And good advice it is too, from skysmum.

Eight weeks school holidays over the Christmas period leads me to believe that you are in the southern hemisphere - Australia, possibly NZ ...... am I right? It is a pity you weren't able to get a pair for breeding earlier in the year, possibly June holidays, take time to interact and get to know them and they you, letting them settle into their new abode, and then put the nest box in halfway through fourth term, so that if things did kick off for them, you would have you long summer holidays to enjoy the whole egg-to-fledgling experience.

[sarahlouise]

Yes I'm from Australia 
Yeah I will have to re-consider my plan for these holidays. I was hoping to do it these holidays because next year is my final year of school so I'm not sure if I am going to have the time to do it at all. Thanks so much for your advice  

[Hezz]

The long-term thing to think of as well is what happens with your birds once you finish school? If you intend to go to uni, are your parents prepared to look after them for the time being? Possibly you will be able to do so from home; good from the birds' point of view .... which is my main concern.

[sarahlouise]

Yeah I have talked to my parents about it and my dad is happy to look after them when I have to go if I can't keep them where I'm living.  

[Hezz]

Good old Dad, hey. That's good. It would not be good to have to give them up.