nest box issues.........please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hi , i have 2 budgies female and male, i have them since november 2004, and in the past few days i saw them kissing and ect...now, yesterday i put the nest box, they dont go in at all, the male goes to pick on it, now what i would like to ask is how long takes to them go in? or am i doing something wrong?

please help!!!!

 

Hi it can take anywhere from day1 upto a few weeks before they will use the nest box. Its usually about 10days after the introduction of the nest box when she will lay her first egg.

Never breed any bird under 18months old.


When you say they are kissing each other this is the male actually feeding the female and this happens even when breeding is not taking place.

You will notice a when the female is in breeding mode there is a change in the females cere it will go a very dark brown crusty looking colour but do not rely on this as an indication they are ready to breed and lay eggs as some females that look like they have come out of breeding mode will still actually lay eggs.


Birds do not always mate to produce eggs they sometimes mate and never produce any eggs.

Make sure they are getting about 12-14hours light that includes switching on a light in the room they are in to make up the hours.

Make sure the cage is situated in a quiet place away from alot of noise and traffic as this will put them off.

Make sure the temp in the room is kept the same at all times.

Make sure she has cuttlefish bone and mineral block in her cage at all times this is a must.

Offer them soft foods such as Boiled Brown rice, Boiled Pasta, Wholewheat bread, Boiled eggs mashed up with the shell, Also give them fresh fruit and vegtables dark leafy greens are excellent for making sure that the birds are fertile.

Place about 1-2 inches of plain woodshavings inside the nest box they will probably throw it out but just keep putting some back in.

Budgies lay between 4-6 eggs more have been known they lay 1 egg every second day and do not start incubation until 2-3 eggs have been laid.
The incubation period is 19days do not worry if the first clutch does not hatch or the chicks do not suvive as almost all first time parents do not know what to do this results in losing chicks so keep a very close eye on them to make sure any chicks are being fed.

Mike

 

how do i know how old are they, when i brought them they didnt tell me. the female as tan, brownsh cere, and the male as dark blue cere. i have them in the kitchen, some people have tell me that birds have to stay away from the sun, and instead of the cuttlebone i have swing that they can pick on it, saleman tell me that its the same as the cuttlebone, is that true?
they will eat only seeds, i try to put fresh fruit and lettuce, but they dont eat it.

i never had birds, that a first time.
thanks

 

Young birds have black barring on there heads.
Since they have there full coloured cere this indicates birds over 12months of age.

Birds should never be kept in the kitchen as some pans contain teflon which is highly toxic to birds.

They need to be placed in a room away from the kitchen they should not be placed in a window or where there is a draught as a draft will kill them.

Cuttlefish is essential to egg laying birds without this there is a risk of egg binding which is fatal to the female if not noticed and treated ASAP.

When buying birds its always best to buy from a reputable breeder or a reputable petstore.
Petstore birds should be observed and should not be shy, they should have clear bright eyes no feathers missing not over croweded in there cages and there cages should be clean.
Most petstores do not know anything about birds apart from the basic of what to feed them.
But please give your birds a cuttlefish bone as i would not like to hear that your female passed away from egg binding.

You can buy an egg food which is a food designed for handfeeding and weaning of baby birds this can be given wet or dry.
I mix this in with my birds seed aswell as giving them a seperate dish of it i give my birds it dry.
You can buy it from any good petstore and is called either EMP or CeDe egg food this will give them lots more vitamins and minerals.

Mike

 

i'm back again, i would like to know i put something like cotton for bird on the bottom of the nest, is that good, or i need something else ?

 

I prefer to use plain woodshavings these are safest as the parents cannot get stuck in it neither can any chicks.

 

Hi,
I'm not sure if this will help with the birds going into the nesting box but I have found that my adult cockatiels refuse to go through the hole in the front of the box and I have to actually leave the lid off otherwise they never go into it. The male will sit on the perch at the hole and chew the box but I have never actually seen them go through the hole.

This is a bit strange as the box is near the roof of the cage and there is only enough gap to fit their bodies through so it's not like the hole isn't big enough.

Mel.

 

Making the opening at the front of the nest box bigger usually helps.

The lid of the nest box should never be left off as there is always a risk of eggs or chicks becoming chilled and this will kill them instantly.

Mike

 

hi, the nest box, is outside of the cage, and i never them out of the cage, because sometimes my brother come with his cat, and i guess he doesnt like birds
so its been more then 2 week and they still didnt go in, actually they pick on it, i dont know why, but, i'll wait till they go in... the entry is 2 inches and half, so i guess it is big!

bedda!

 

I would suggest removing the nest box for about 1-2weeks and then try again.

The female will signal her readiness by crouching down on the perch with her tail up in the air.
Also make sure they get 14hours of light and have plenty of soft foods, Keep the room temp the same at all times.

Birds do not usually breed out in the wild until the spring rains fall so you can mimic this by using a water mist spray bottle and gently mist the birds.

Also giving them a shallow dish of water in either there bird bath or in a dish on the cage floor but never place it under a perch.

Mike