Parrot breeding. Incubation period for budgie eggs

The cherished desire of the owners of budgerigars is to receive offspring from them. In the future, you can consider their breeding as a business. By doing this at home, it is quite possible to achieve effective results. Undoubtedly, in order to start breeding parrots at home, you need to properly prepare.

For this you need:

1. Choose the right pair (parrots for a girl and a boy), based on the following criteria:

• birds must be healthy;
• the age factor is important;
• the couple must not be related;
• psychologically match each other.

2. Provide suitable conditions for the birds:

• daylight hours;
• sufficient air humidity;
• optimal temperature of the content;
• comfortable cage and place for a nest;
• feeding.

If you are considering breeding budgerigars as a business, you need to take the choice of a pair with all seriousness (this also applies to lovebirds and cockatiels). It is necessary to make sure that the boy and girl are not related to each other, have different parents. The offspring as a result of inbreeding are in most cases not tenants. Other selection criteria are also important - the age of the future parents and their state of health. It is impossible to get strong, viable offspring from birds with poor health or those that are no longer young.

It is important that between the couple there is affection for each other, attraction. If there is sympathy between a male and a female, then they will live together in unison. An unusual sense of loyalty is present in the relationship of lovebirds. The fact that they are psychologically suitable for each other is evidenced by their tender relationship with each other, which is manifested in courtship, cleaning plumage. For parrot breeding as a business to be successful, you should simultaneously breed several varieties of birds.

The most suitable age for breeding offspring in parrots is 1.5 years. When a bird reaches the age of 2-4 years, it is at its most productive. An important feature of budgerigars is that, like lovebirds, they are considered flocking birds and prefer to breed at the same time as other birds in the flock. The presence of several pairs instead of one gives a high probability of getting chicks in a short time. This property of birds should be remembered if the breeding of parrots at home is supposed to be turned into a business.

Under what conditions should parrots be kept

The chances of getting chicks from budgerigars (also lovebirds and cockatiels) in cramped cages are almost zero. For birds, you need to choose a convenient place to keep them. It should be spacious, preferably rectangular, elongated in length. For all birds, except cockatiels, a cage with a length of 60 cm or more, a height of 40 cm or more is suitable. To keep Corella parrots, you will need housing wider and freer.

If the birds are kept for the purpose of their further sale and this occupation is a business, then it is preferable to place them in an aviary. For example, keeping necklace parrots in a cage is generally not possible. In the interests of business, one should remember and apply the property of synchronous reproduction in budgerigars and lovebirds.

Thus, it will be possible to achieve offspring from many pairs of birds, while getting chicks with plumage of different colors, this will only spur and benefit from the business. It is most effective to engage in the withdrawal of offspring in summer period when daylight hours are at their longest. The second favorable argument in favor of summer is the large presence of various vitamins and essential macronutrients. And this is important when keeping and breeding budgerigars is carried out at home. Difficulties of incubation and feeding of chicks are much more easily tolerated by birds in the summer.

seasonality

Of great importance for business is the possibility of obtaining offspring throughout the year. In this case, some effort is required. It is required to provide daylight hours of 14-16 hours. AT winter period this is done artificially, with a consistent increase in the day by half an hour - an hour. The optimum temperature should be at around 20-24 degrees, and air humidity - from 60 to 70%. To keep abreast of these indicators at home, you should buy a thermometer and a hydrometer. In order for the parrot breeding business to prosper and be successful, it is necessary to observe the most suitable conditions for birds, then they will be lively, lively, and capable of breeding. And healthy, active parents have strong, tenacious chicks.

Feeding

The diet during the breeding season should be as vitamin and complete as possible. Most of all, young branches of apple trees, lindens, birches, mountain ash, and dandelion greens will be needed. In addition, the diet should include a lot of different foods: vegetables, fruits, cottage cheese, sprouted grains, an egg (you need to give it several times a week). To prevent vitamin D deficiency, a drop of fish oil should be added to the feed. Also, with growth, the body will need calcium and phosphorus. To do this, you need to finely crumble the egg shell and chalk, and gradually add this powder to the feed.

Nest selection

The choice of a nest site should also be taken seriously. Properly chosen nesting site favors the reproduction of both budgerigars and lovebirds. There are nests different types:

• vertical;
• horizontal;
• combined (compromise).

A compromise nest combines all the best borrowed from other types of nesting. In such a place, it is spacious enough for the chicks and it is reliable in terms of safety. The main disadvantage of compromise nesting is that it requires a lot of space. Your choice should be stopped on wooden nesting houses.

Lovebirds will need a larger nesting area than budgerigars. In the nesting house, disinfection should be carried out using special preparations or a hot soda solution. In order for the lovebirds to build a nest, the birds must be provided building material. Budgerigars in this case use sawdust. The layer should be about 2-3 cm thick.

In order to disinfect, you need to add a small amount of dried pharmaceutical chamomile, about 1-2 teaspoons. Nesting is best placed outside the cage, higher. Install the nest at the second entrance, if there is none, you can unscrew a few bars of the cage. Lovebirds and budgerigars need a nesting box with a roof that can be removed for easy cleaning. All actions should be carried out when there is no female.

The appearance of offspring

If the pair is chosen successfully, suitable conditions for breeding at home are created, the birds will begin to produce offspring. After 8-10 days, the female parrot will lay the first egg, then new eggs will appear at intervals of a day. They are oval, with a thin shell, the weight of each is about 2 g, the length is 19 mm, and the girth is 15.5 mm.
In wavy birds, you can initially find out: an egg with a fruit or an empty one; in cockatiels and lovebirds, it is not possible to see this. The matte-white egg makes it clear that the chicks will hatch in the near future. Often the laying of eggs has 6-8 pieces, but sometimes 10-12. The female sits on the eggs, the same happens with lovebirds. During incubation, the male is engaged in feeding his girlfriend, while accompanying him with beautiful chirping.

When 17-18 days pass, the first-born chick will appear, the next parrots will hatch at an interval of one day. After 7 days, the chicks open their eyes. By the 10th day of life, plumage stumps will appear on the back and head, 3 days after that, the young growth will be completely covered with downy plumage. At the age of one month, the chick is completely covered with feathers. At 35 - 40 days of life, parrots fly well, feed themselves, so they need to be transplanted into another cage.

Business performance

During the year, 2 - 3 egg layings can be expected from parrots, which are the norm for birds and will not lead to a weakening of their health. When breeding budgerigars, it must be borne in mind that birds need to rest. Successful engagement in this type of activity can be gradually turned from a hobby into a profitable business and make a good profit. At the same time, it should be remembered that the success of the event depends on the provision of suitable conditions for keeping the birds, quality care for them and a sense of affection for the wards.

At home, you can easily get offspring from budgerigars, lovebirds and other types of small parrots. In the enclosures cockatiels breed well, as well as necklace parrots.

It is very difficult to get a brood from large parrots, since the sexual differences in these species are very pronounced and puberty does not occur earlier than 3 years. Breeding of large parrots is carried out mainly by zoos and special bird rooms.

Most breeders mate parrots in winter, in December or January. However, some bird breeders are of the opinion that parrots are best mated in the fall, in September or October, since this is the period when they nest most actively.

There is another opinion on this matter: birds should be mated in spring or summer, since chicks raised in winter are often weakened.

In any case, to ensure optimal external conditions, it is necessary to carefully prepare for the nesting season.
Hygiene plays an important role in the successful breeding of parrots. Cages, cages, nest boxes, drinkers, feeders, baths and perches should be washed and disinfected.

An equally important role in preparing birds for breeding is played by good nutrition. You should not mate with each other parrots that are not ready for the nesting season, as well as birds weakened by diseases. When selecting producers, it is necessary to pay attention not only to the color, but also to the physical strength of the birds, the absence of any diseases and injuries in them.

It is undesirable to mate closely related birds. Such breeding is called inbred, and the offspring obtained from such mating is called inbreeding.

Different parrot breeders have different opinions about how birds should be paired. However, many parrot breeding manuals describe the following method of pairing.

After all the necessary external conditions have been created (cleaning, disinfection, hanging nesting devices, etc.), in the morning on the day the nesting season begins, a female can be placed in a cage or cage, and a male is placed next to her in the evening. This allows the female to get used to her new "house", to the nest box and feeder, and also to feel like a hostess before the male appears. In order for the offspring to be full and strong, active, healthy, mobile and mature birds are selected at the age of 12 months to 4 years. Old parrots do not give very good offspring or are generally barren.

Lovebirds, as the name suggests, never separate from their partner or change him. Perhaps that is why they choose their mate very carefully, which presents certain difficulties. Quarrels and even fights can arise between unsuccessfully matched male and female. In this case, it is recommended to seat the parrots and hold it for a while, and then settle it together again. As a rule, after such a maneuver, the birds begin to live together. If not, it is recommended to replace one of the partners.

In the usual breeding of parrots, you can use a common aviary or a large cage where several pairs of birds can raise chicks.

With planned breeding, that is, when breeding, taking into account color and other signs of the breed, it is necessary to place parrots in separate cages. Moreover, in each cage there should be only one pair of birds.

In a room for breeding parrots, there should be sufficient lighting not only in the daytime, but also in the morning and evening. Therefore, to provide the necessary intensity of illumination for 12–14 hours, it is necessary to install additional illumination in the aviary or cage. Most breeders use fluorescent lamps controlled by a clock relay for this purpose.

Since in their natural habitat many species of parrots nest in closed hollows, in order to stimulate birds to breed, special nesting boxes (hollows) made of planed outside, dry, well-fitted hardwood boards with a thickness of 1–2 cm.

The nest box should be spacious enough: it should be borne in mind that, in addition to the parents, the chicks should also fit in it. However, it shouldn't be too big either. When buying a ready-made nest box, you should pay attention to the fact that it is accessible for monitoring parrots and for cleaning.

Currently, three types of nests are used for breeding parrots: vertical, horizontal and the so-called compromise. The latter, according to experts, are the most optimal for successful breeding of birds.

The design of the horizontal nest box prevents damage to the masonry or chicks by an incoming female. In addition, not only the female, but also the chicks can enter and exit such a nest box. This circumstance worries some fans who fear that the chicks, which have not yet grown strong, may fall out of the entrance. That is why experts recommend using nesting nests of a compromise type for breeding budgerigars.

The internal dimensions of the vertical nest box are as follows: bottom - 15 by 15 cm, height - 25 cm, notch with a diameter of about 4.5 cm (located about 3 cm from the top edge). The bottom of the vertical nesting box is made of a thick board, in the center of the bottom it is necessary to make a tray about 1–2 cm deep. 5 cm. The end of the perch inside the nesting box will allow the female to calmly go down.

The internal dimensions of the horizontal nest box are as follows: the bottom is 25 by 15 cm, the height is about 15 cm, the notch is 4–5 cm in diameter. The perch in the horizontal nest box is not allowed inside. Instead, a step 3 cm high and 10 cm wide is attached to the side wall from the inside.

The design of a compromise type nest box combines the advantages of the first two, so most breeders use these nest boxes for breeding parrots.

The internal dimensions of the compromise type nest box are as follows: length - 26 cm, width - 17 cm and height - 20 cm. In addition, the nest box must have a removable lid or an opening back wall; holes must be made in its upper half to ensure air circulation.

The most important part of the nest box is the nest tray, about 100 mm in diameter and 20–25 mm deep, in which the female will incubate her eggs. It is advisable to make the tray from hardwood so that the birds do not damage it with their beak.
The notch (exit hole) should be located in the upper third of the nest box, opposite the tray. The diameter of the notch should be at least 4–5 cm. A perch perch can be installed under the exit hole, although this is not necessary. Outside, the perch should protrude 10 cm, and inside - 1.5 cm.

Parrots are social birds, and often lack the sight of other pairs of birds to stimulate reproduction. Therefore, experienced breeders, when oviposition is delayed, place another cage with a pair of parrots next to non-breeding pairs. In this case, pairs of birds must be able to see each other.

A good stimulus for nesting pairs is the chirping of other birds nearby, such as in an aviary or cage. By the way, many breeders record the chirping of parrots on a tape recorder, and then turn on the recording in the room where the nesting pair is located.
However, in most cases, a suspended nesting site serves as an incentive for a pair of parrots to breed.

So, to start the nesting process, it is enough to equip a breeding room, hang a nest box to the cage, form a pair of parrots and provide them with complete food.

After a nest box appears in the nesting room, the male will begin to lek. This process is difficult to confuse with anything: the parrot flies or runs around his girlfriend, making various sounds. In addition, the current male puffs out his cheeks, taps with his beak on the perches and other objects in the cage. During this period, feathers rise on the male's head.

The male takes care of the female all the time, sorts out her feathers, making characteristic sounds, and constantly feeds her from her beak. The female reciprocates: bows her head, sits with half-closed eyes; birds often kiss.

It should be noted that young females behave like males: they dance around the cavalier, peck perches, behave aggressively towards other females. But in old females it is quite difficult to determine the readiness for breeding, as they behave much calmer, sometimes not paying attention to the male.

Usually after 8-10 days (sometimes after 2-3 weeks) the first egg appears in the nest box. The female lays the following eggs at intervals of 1-2 days. In the laying of parrots of small species, there can be up to 12 eggs, but usually no more than 5–6.

The eggs are incubated by the female, while the male performs the duties of a breadwinner (if there are several pairs of parrots in the nesting room, the male guards the nesting area, driving away other birds from it). Periodically, the female turns the eggs over, simultaneously shifting them from place to place, which eliminates the fusion of the shell of the egg and the embryo, and also ensures uniform heating of the clutch (the temperature of the eggs lying on the edge and inside the clutch is very different). The female leaves the nest box only a few times during the day, only to empty her intestines. Interestingly, the weight of the litter of an incubating female is approximately equal to 10% of body weight. Only at the end of the nesting season, the frequency of bowel movements and the weight of excreted feces return to normal.

The time of incubation (incubation) of eggs is on average 18 days. At the same time, it should be taken into account that different external factors can shorten or increase the development time of the embryos. Females begin to incubate eggs immediately after laying the first egg, as a result of which the chicks hatch at intervals of 1–2 days and leave the nest box at the same interval.

If one or more eggs are severely damaged and their contents have leaked out and contaminated the entire clutch, then it is necessary to rinse the nest box and eggs with warm water.

It happens that young females stain their eggs with droppings. In this case, the eggs must be carefully removed from the nest box and washed thoroughly. To do this, they should be put in warm water (35-40 ° C) and left in it until the dirt dissolves. Unfortunately, these manipulations also wash away the thin layer of protein that is present on the shell. After the removal of this protein layer, the permeability of the eggshell increases sharply and in 50% of cases the development of the egg stops. Embryos often die due to a violation of moisture regulation, as well as due to the fact that the shell becomes permeable to various microorganisms.

It happens that the embryos die in the process of egg development. When it comes to isolated cases, then you should not worry. But if the embryos die often enough, then, most likely, there are genetic reasons for this.

Parrot chicks of all kinds are born bare and blind. Hatching chicks, with the help of a special outgrowth (egg tooth), damage the egg shell, and then break out a piece of it. Having stuck its head out, the newborn parrot rests, and then gets out of the egg.

During the first days after the chicks hatch from the eggs, the female feeds them with a yellowish-white liquid, which many breeders call crop milk. However, in the literature, this protein-rich mass is called the milk of the anterior stomach. After 3-4 days, the female begins to give her chicks solid food (the male feeds the female sitting in the nest box, and she passes the food to the chicks) - semi-digested grains. It is best at this time, along with the grain mixture, to feed the parrots with germinated seeds.
By the end of the 1st week, the eyes of the chicks open, and feather stumps begin to grow on the back and head.

By the 11th-13th day, the chicks are completely covered with down feathers, after which the stumps of the flight and tail feathers grow in them. Only on the 16-17th day flight feathers reach a significant size, and the chicks begin to become covered with stumps of covering feathers, becoming like small bristling hedgehogs. Feathers on the back, head and wings appear in young parrots by the end of the 3rd week of life. By the age of one month, the chicks are fully feathered.

By one and a half months, the parrots leave the nesting place and no longer need the care of their parents. For the first 2 weeks, parrot chicks grow and gain weight very quickly, then this process slows down a bit.

The chicks reach the greatest mass by the 24th day, and then their weight gradually decreases. This is due to the fact that from this time on, young parrots begin to move vigorously.

If, during the first 3–4 days, the female chicks are fed grains, and not “milk”, it is necessary to transfer the chicks to another nesting site, where the parrots that have just been born are also located.

It happens that the female does not feed the chick in the first few hours after it hatches from the egg. Because of this, one should not panic: the chick has a certain reserve of nutrients in the yolk bladder and can live for several hours without receiving food. In the event that even after 2–3 hours the female does not feed the chick, this means that the parrot that was born is either too weak to receive food, or the feeding instinct did not work in the female. If you encounter a similar problem, move the chick to another nest where the newly hatched birds are located or put a 4-5 day old chick from another nest to the “careless mother” so that he encourages her to feed with his squeak.

If there is no opportunity to find “foster parents” for the chicks, then you can try to save the birds by artificial feeding.

Experts advise using the following method. Dilute baby food (the mixture should be relatively liquid) and heat it to 35-37 ° C. Then take the chick in your hand, put it on its back, lower a small brush into the prepared mixture and bring a drop hanging from the end of the brush to the side of the parrot's beak. If the chick is not very weak, he will swallow a drop of food. Feed the chicks should be until full, every 2 hours (and at night too).

From 10-12 days of age, chicks can be fed with semi-liquid oatmeal porridge, cooked from the Baby formula. In addition to good nutrition, fledgling chicks left without parental care need to create an optimal temperature regime. The breeder who undertook to feed budgerigar chicks should be aware that the temperature in the nesting place should be about 35 ° C.

Budgerigars that have reached the age of 14 days are already much easier to feed. Millet porridge should be added to the usual food of parrots (millet should be crushed). Starting from the 20-21st day of life, the chicks can be transplanted into a cage or a small cage and begin to be taught to take food from a long spoon inserted through a net or an open door.

Parrot chicks that have just left the nest still fly very clumsily: they do not know how to slow down, so they often fall to the floor of the cage. And although adult birds worry about them, but, unfortunately, they cannot prevent possible accidents. Therefore, the owner should take care of the safety of the grown chicks.

The chicks that have just flown out of the nest are not yet able to estimate distances, deftly turn, slow down and recognize obstacles in time. Therefore, it is better not to let a young parrot out of the cage: in a room, a bird can hit a cabinet or wall, fall into a flower vase or an aquarium, fall into a gap between a wall and furniture, etc.

After the chicks have flown out of the nest, the male feeds them practically alone, because the female, as a rule, is already incubating a new clutch. Parrots begin to feed on their own only after a few days, and sometimes after a week.

It is advisable to leave the chicks with their parents as long as possible. Parrot breeders believe that chicks should be removed from their parents' cage if they feed on their own, sit confidently on the perch and protect their place on it. Usually, on the 30-32nd day of life, the chicks crawl out onto the perch. However, at this time they are not yet able to feed themselves, and their parents feed them.

Chicks are able to fly freely and get their own food on the 35-40th day of life. Just at this time, they are recommended to be separated from their parents.

Budgerigars are very convenient for keeping at home. They are unpretentious, easily tamed, live long enough. In addition, these birds can be taught to speak. All these advantages make parrots desirable pets. For entrepreneurs thinking about a new business, it makes sense to bet on the breeding of parrots. This activity will not bring huge incomes, but it guarantees a stable income.

So how do you start your budgerigar business?

Breeding budgerigars at home as a business: the main pros and cons

Before embarking on commercial parrot breeding, consider the advantages and disadvantages of this type of business.

Among the advantages:

• minimum investment;
• a female parrot can lay eggs 2-3 times a year, bringing 5-7 chicks;
• chicks grow rapidly, after 1.5 months young parrots are ready for sale;
• parrots do not need advertising, they are loved by both adults and children;
• birds are in good health.

After evaluating the benefits, it is worth remembering the complexities of this business:

1. Breeding parrots is an occupation for people who really love and know how to take care of animals.
2. In cramped cages, parrots will not give offspring. The organization of a spacious aviary with nesting places is required.
3. Uncontrolled reproduction leads to the degeneration of offspring. It is important to select pairs from birds that are not related.
4. Males are difficult to distinguish from females.
5. Females give offspring for 5-7 years, after this period the chicks can be born weakened, various deformities and signs of degeneration are possible.
6. Limited number of distribution channels. Demand for ornamental birds is unstable.

Features and conditions for the sale of parrots

The easiest way to sell budgerigars is to take the grown chicks to pet stores. Young birds can be sold on their own, in the market or through ads on thematic Internet forums. The demand for parrots is unstable, it depends on the season, the number of competitors and other factors.

Start a blog or website dedicated to the parrot. Interesting page with first hand information and beautiful photos pets will attract attention potential buyers. You can increase profits and sales when expanding the nursery due to parrots of large breeds.

Birds trained to speak are even more expensive, but the buyer will have to be looked for individually. This can be done on specialized forums.

You can read how to open a pet store from scratch and draw up a competent business plan with calculations..

Budgerigar Breeding Business Plan: Calculating Costs and Income

Investments in the creation of a parrot nursery are relatively low, this is one of the most attractive aspects of the business.

1. The organization of the enclosure, lighting and heating will have to spend 6,000 - 8,000 rubles.
2. Buying birds (20 pairs) - from 10,000 rubles.
3. Monthly expenses for food, enclosure lighting and other trifles - 3,000 rubles.

Calculate the potential profit for the year. 20 pairs of adult birds will produce about 300 chicks.

With a wholesale price per bird of 300 rubles, the profit will be 90,000 rubles.

The business will be self-sustaining in 6 months. With an increase in the number of parrots in the nursery, profitability increases, but there are problems with implementation.

Learn how to make money breeding ostriches at home and see a business plan ostrich farm with calculations, you can

Breeding budgerigars at home as a business is an activity for true enthusiasts that is ideal suitable for people who loves to interact with animals. In this case, the work will be combined with a hobby and will bring not only money, but also positive emotions.

Video instruction for breeding budgerigars

Do not know where to start, breeding budgerigars at home? Watch the video with the recommendations of a professional:

Animal breeding is a rather labor-intensive process, which, nevertheless, with proper organization of the business, can become a source of quite a decent income. And one of the most simple options is the breeding of budgerigars.

Brief business analysis:
Business setup costs:90-100 thousand rubles (with a plant of 30 pairs of parrots)
Relevant for cities with a population: from 150 thousand
Situation in the industry:a wide range of offers on the pet market
The complexity of organizing a business: 2/5
Payback: 6-8 months

The benefits of such a business

Budgerigars are the most the best option for beginner breeders. There are several reasons for this:

1. Ease of care and maintenance of this species of birds. Small and unpretentious, they do not require the creation of special climatic conditions.
2. Small financial investment. Due to the low cost and wide distribution, large costs are not required at all. Moreover, there is always the opportunity to purchase only one pair of birds, for testing, and in the future to expand the scale of poultry farming.
3. The ability to breed these parrots even in a small apartment is again due to the small size of budgerigars.
4. A sufficiently large demand for these birds will not cause problems with the sale of offspring.

But there are also disadvantages

However, such a business as breeding parrots at home has a number of disadvantages:

• the low cost of parrots leads to small profit from one sale;
• a large expenditure of time and effort - after all, birds require constant care and attention;
• high level of noise produced by birds;
• the risk of death of the entire population of birds with improper care and breeding.

Based on all of the above, before you start breeding parrots, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons, as well as study the largest possible amount of specialized literature. This will help you avoid mistakes in the future and save time and money. It will also be useful to talk with breeders and just lovers of this type of parrot. Now you can communicate with such people at numerous forums or bird shows.

It is also necessary to soberly assess your own strengths. Maybe, worth a try with buying one pair of birds to see if this type of business is right for you. It must be remembered that keeping parrots at home requires the constant presence of a person. And this means that you need to either abandon all long trips, or have a person ready to take care of the birds during the absence of the owner.

budgerigars

Among the wide variety of parrot species, it is the budgerigars that have gained the greatest popularity. After all, they are small in size, for their maintenance it is not required to create special conditions temperature and humidity. You can buy such a parrot for very little money, and the cost of the food consumed is quite low.

In addition, budgerigars have a cheerful and sociable disposition. They quickly get used to the person and behave with him quite companionably.

You can often meet larger, show budgerigars. These are larger individuals with an unusual coloring of feathers, which are bred by breeders. Such parrots are valued much higher, but show breeds require more complex care. Also, due to not very successful crosses, individuals are often found who are not able to produce offspring. But healthy full-fledged birds are much less prolific than ordinary budgerigars, and therefore are not suitable for breeding at the initial stage.

Usually those breeders who have accumulated considerable experience and have an established clientele start breeding larger and more expensive breeds of parrots. In this case, more expensive and rare birds become an addition to ordinary budgerigars.

Estimated costs

Breeding budgerigars at home requires certain investments, which consist of:

• the cost of buying birds;
• the cost of buying cages, feeders, nest boxes and other equipment;
• the cost of feed and various vitamin supplements.

The approximate cost of all these purchases per pair of birds, male and female, is presented in the table.

Buying both the birds themselves and everything necessary for their maintenance and breeding in a pet store will cost more than buying from hands or from breeders. What's more, buying in bulk can save you even more money.

One pair at normal breeding is able to bring 2-3 broods per year, each of which can have 4-10 chicks. Usually private breeders can count on 500-600 rubles from each young parrot. Thus, one pair on average can generate an income of 5-20 thousand rubles a year. Obviously, to get more or less serious profit, you need to take several pairs. But this, in turn, increases the effort and time spent on caring for birds.

Breeding parrots requires, as a rule, practically does not require additional costs, because the mineral supplements needed by the female nursing the chicks are inexpensive.

This calculation is very preliminary. Indeed, by purchasing several pairs at once, you can place them in one cage, which will be more expensive due to its large size, but per pair will be cheaper.

Who and where to sell parrots

Also a very important point is to set up a distribution channel for future offspring. This question, as in any other business, must be thought out in advance, otherwise the breeding of parrots will lose all economic sense.

There are several options for selling budgerigars:

1. pet stores. If you agree with an organization that sells animals, you can get a stable sales channel. But the price in this case will be quite low, because the store in this case acts only as an intermediary.
2. Specialized amateur forums exotic birds. There is a lot of competition in the form of other breeders, as well as a limited influx of buyers. But on the other hand, people come here purposefully and, as a rule, they know in advance which parrots they want to buy.
3. Advertisements. There are both paid and free ways to submit ads for sale. A common and low-cost way of selling.
4. Your own website or page social networks. Although the promotion of your site requires investments of either money or your own efforts, but in our time this way of advertising your products can bring serious results.
5. Selling to friends and acquaintances, as well as organizing word of mouth.

It must be understood that the number of people for whom parrot breeding has become a professional business is quite large, and experienced breeders are more reliable sellers for buyers. Therefore, at first, bred birds will have to be sold quite cheaply.

Buying parrots

If, after carrying out all the preliminary calculations, you have decided to start breeding budgerigars, then the first step is to purchase birds.

To obtain healthy and beautiful offspring, it is necessary that the parents also have health. Therefore, it is undesirable to buy from hands, as well as from unverified breeders. It is better to spend a little more money, but get guaranteed healthy birds.

The age of the future parents also matters. The peak of reproduction in parrots is between the ages of 2-8 years. A young pair of parrots will produce offspring for several years, but older budgerigars after several nests will become useless in terms of breeding.

It is very important that the purchased male and female fit each other. In budgerigars, sympathy or, on the contrary, antipathy play a big role in the formation of a pair. If you choose the wrong pair, they may not have offspring at all, or the chicks will appear extremely rarely.

When buying two birds, you should choose an already established pair, in which the male clearly looks after the female, and she accepts these signs of attention. In addition, it is important to make sure that the purchased birds are of the opposite sex. It is not uncommon for the owners of purchased birds to long time they waited for the appearance of offspring and only after some time found out that both of their pets were males.

When buying birds for breeding, the situation is facilitated by the fact that in a flock, pairs form much faster and easier. After all, budgerigars are flocking birds, and the example of relatives enhances the instinct of reproduction.

To obtain healthy offspring, it is necessary that the breeding birds do not have common ancestors. Therefore, it is not recommended to purchase all parrots for breeding at once from one breeder. This increases the chances that some birds will be relatives.

home improvement

The cage for parrots should be equipped with everything necessary for their full life. What needs to be installed in the cage:

• perches, preferably made of wood, not plastic, which is harmful to the health of birds;
• separate feeders for grain and for mineral mixtures;
• preferably, a feeder for various additives in the form of fruits, vegetables and sprouted grains;
• a drinking bowl with water, to which the birds will have constant and easy access;
• mineral stone or chalk that parrots can chew on;
• toys and swings that will serve as entertainment for your pets;
• twigs for grinding the beak.

The most convenient and properly equipped cage will help maintain the health of birds. This will not only save you from calling a veterinarian and additional expenses for treatment, but will also lead to the female's fertility.

In addition to a large cage in which several pairs live, it is also necessary to have a smaller cage where the male and female can be planted in preparation for incubation of eggs and raising offspring.

nesting period

Breeding budgerigars also requires arrangements special place for nesting females. To do this, a special nest box is attached to the cage. It can be either purchased at pet stores or built on your own. There are several types of these boxes, bird owners usually prefer a compromise design that combines the advantages of a horizontal and vertical nest box.

At the time of nesting, additional useful substances and elements should be added to the diet of parrots. Usually, experienced owners recommend a mixture of eggs and carrots with the addition of mineral elements. It is also useful to put in a cage eggshell and chalk containing calcium.

The cage with the nest box should be kept away from any sources of noise. After all, a nervous experience in a female can lead to problems with future offspring.

Time to hatch the chicks

In nature, budgerigars can produce offspring every 2-3 months. But to maintain the health of birds, it is necessary to limit the number of annual broods. A couple of nestings per year will not only increase the life of the female, but also extend the age at which she can continue to bear offspring, but also improve the quality of the emerging chicks.

Since birds, when reproducing offspring, are guided by changing climatic conditions, it is possible to stimulate their reproduction using simple tricks. Among them

• increasing daylight hours, for example, with the help of additional artificial lighting;
• a slight increase in temperature and maintaining it for some time.

On average, the time from mating to the final plumage of the chicks, when they can be separated from their parents, is 2 - 2.5 months. First, 10 days after mating, the female begins to lay eggs, each day a new one. Three weeks later, the chicks begin to hatch. They are fed not only by the female, but also by the male.

Summing up

Although breeding budgerigars is a fairly simple and financially inexpensive process, it will take some effort to get healthy and high-quality offspring. At many stages, unexpected problems may appear. For example, with the wrong choice of birds to buy, they will refuse to mate, or the female will be barren.

When choosing the path of the breeder, two strategies can be chosen:

1. Start small by trying your hand at one pair. In this case, the costs will be minimal, the risks will also be reduced to almost zero. However, the path to organizing the process of breeding parrots will be quite long.
2. Organization of breeding of these birds immediately in large numbers with preliminary work carried out on the organization of distribution channels. This approach will make it possible to get a decent profit in the very near future, but any mistake in the organization can ruin the whole thing.

Watch a video about breeding parrots in cages

Without knowledge and experience, it is quite difficult to breed several types of birds for sale at once. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the category that is characterized by high demand and minimal investment.

What is the initial investment

Not many birds are able to breed in captivity, which means that you must create a comfortable room for parrots. It is desirable if it is separate and soundproof. They keep birds in cages, while you need to have both one common aviary for free movement, and isolated cages for couples with chicks and lively males. A typical average parrot cage starts at $10. You can make a common aviary with your own hands from a metal mesh and improvised materials.

The initial investment includes the purchase of the parrots themselves. It must be several pairs of birds. To save money, you can take two males and several females if the characteristics of the species do not require the formation of permanent pairs. For example, lovebird parrots choose a mate for life.

The cheapest are the Budgerigars. Their prices start at $8. A pair of Lovebirds costs about $20. Birds of the Corella species have a price of $ 15, Rosella and Kakarik from $ 50, and the Kalita breed from 80 conventional units. Rare species of large parrots require large investments. So, the price of Senegalese is from $ 300, and the talking Jaco will cost you at least $ 1,000 for one bird.

Features of the selection and preparation of livestock for breeding

In order for the offspring to be healthy and strong, you need to form pairs from different families. The age of readiness for reproduction in most breeds occurs at 1.5 years, and the maximum productivity occurs from 2 to 4 years. This means that it is better to acquire chicks than old birds. Guessing the sex of a parrot can be difficult even for a breeder, and therefore it is very important to have several pairs.

Before buying expensive species, a mandatory consultation with an ornithologist and a veterinarian is necessary. All parrots must be healthy and, if possible, vaccinated. If there are no vaccinations, you can perform them yourself by calling a doctor at home. This should be done even if you are breeding regular Budgerigars. Vaccinated against the following diseases:

• Bird flu;
• diphtheria;
• Newcastle disease;
• Smallpox skin.

In addition, it should be treated against insect damage (bird fleas, lice). Each newly purchased bird is placed in a two-week quarantine in a separate room. Medical examination and preventive measures will allow you to avoid the sudden fall of all birds.

Arrangement of cages and nests for offspring

When you have decided on the species, before buying pairs for breeding, you need to prepare the cages. The minimum dimensions of the space for keeping parrots should be 0.6 meters in length and 0.4 meters in height. Otherwise, the birds will not breed well.

For example, Budgerigars for active rearing of offspring must live in a flock, which means it is better to choose a common large cage for all pairs.

A common cage will also be required so that the Lovebird parrots can choose a mate. To do this artificially, simply by choosing on your own, will not work.

The interior of the cage should include:

• Wooden perches;
• Several feeders for different types of food;
• Several drinkers, at the rate of one for three or four birds;
• Toys and swings for games and exercise;
• Twigs for sharpening the beak.

The arrangement of nests deserves special attention. They come in three types of designs:

• Horizontal- a box elongated in width, the height of which ensures the movement of the parrot only horizontally. The disadvantage is the possibility of accidental loss of chicks.
• vertical- a box elongated in height, which ensures the movement of the female vertically. The main disadvantage is the likelihood of accidental damage to eggs and brood by the female.
• Combined- a large box that allows birds to move in all directions. The disadvantage of such a nest is that it takes up a lot of space in individual cells.

The nest box is hung outside the cage, having previously completed the inlet, or to its ceiling at a distance of about 20 centimeters. The bottom of the nest box should have a recess, which allows the eggs to be constantly in one place. Sawdust is used as an insulating litter, but only for those species of birds that need them. The number of nests should correspond to the number of childbearing pairs.

This is what a nest for lovebirds in an aviary might look like

Food and care costs

In addition to the initial investment, the parrot business has daily costs for food and vitamins. It is also necessary to ensure suitable and stable climatic conditions.

The diet of parrots includes the following types of food:

• Dry grain mixtures;
• Sprouted grains of wheat and other cereals;
• Cottage cheese or special crayons for birds;
• Vegetables and fruits;
• Vitamin and mineral complex supplements;
• Pure drinking water.

An average temperature of 20-25°C is sufficient for normal keeping of birds. It will be artificially required to maintain it only in the periods before and after the heating season. During the hatching of the chicks, the temperature should be raised to 30 ° C, gradually lowering from the 10th day of the life of the hatched parrots. Considering that, on average, birds can give birth up to three times a year, additional heating equipment with a good thermostat will be required to maintain the desired climate.

When breeding some species, for example, the Corella parrot, the chicks require not only additional heating, but also lighting. Since they predominantly breed in winter, it is necessary to provide at least 14 hours of daylight per day.

Parrots should be fed a variety of nutritious foods containing all the necessary vitamins, micro- and macroelements - only in this case they will be healthy and attractive to buyers

Difficulties of registering a nursery for breeding parrots

Business legalization is a painstaking process, but without it, you will not be able to trade through shops, import and export birds from the country for international trade or participation in exhibitions.

You can register a parrot breeding business as an individual entrepreneur (PE) or LLC. Unfortunately, there is currently no separate legislation regarding ornamental birds, and therefore, when choosing OKVED codes, it would be rational to select the item “Breeding various kinds animals." An important point is the presence in the staff of veterinarians with education, which can combine the position of the head.

The premises for birds must comply with sanitary and veterinary requirements, as well as fire safety(especially if autonomous heating and lighting is installed). It must contain ventilation hoods, a plumbing unit and disinfectant mats (disinfectants). A separate room for the quarantine of birds must be provided without fail.

Breeding parrots at home as a business also requires an agreement with a pet waste disposal company. All documents on birds (certificates, checks), especially species included in CITES (Convention on international trade endangered species of wild fauna and flora) should be preserved for the period of operation of the nursery from the moment of its foundation. If the birds are listed in the Red Book (for example, the Macaw parrot), you must have documentary evidence of its appearance in captivity or importation into the country, otherwise its sale is punishable by law.

Upon completion of the visit to your nursery, all commissions issue an act that allows you to breed and sell parrots. The document needs to be updated annually.

A legal cattery is very often subject to inspections. If an epidemic of psittacosis or avian influenza occurs, it is necessary to immediately prepare evidence of the absence of contact with wild birds. Otherwise, your business will be closed. Monthly laboratory tests are required to confirm the absence of diseases.