# My first cockatiel breeding experience.



## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Well I have been trying to breed my cockatiels for a very long time (five years). In the mean time I have bred zebra finches, budgie parakeets, and peach-faced love birds. But I haven’t had luck with my cockatiels.......until recently!  Panchito and Sunny (The future parents) decided to pick a budgie box (In the outside aviary) that has been used in the past by a budgie couple. Currently in the aviary their are 2:Zebra finches-both hens, 4:Cockatiels 1-hen and 3-cocks, and 5-Budgies 1-hen 3-cocks and 1-fledgeling. Its around the seventh day since they have started laying. The pair have laid three eggs but they got rid of two. During this laying period the hen Sunny had gotten extremely thin and I was worried about her, because in the past when she was with a different mate she had laid up to 13 eggs (all infertile) :-/ and she was still as healthy as a horse through it all. So yesterday I trimmed her beak, and I had to play with her food to get her to eat. And now the previous budgie couple of the currently occupied budgie box are trying to take back their old nest. Their was constant fighting between all birds in the aviary. This conflict between the two Matriarchs have caused all the budgies to be suspicious towards the nest, and since all the cockatiels are so closely bonded one of the cocks (not the father of the eggs “Panchito”) has also become protective toward the nesting area (but only when the hen is in the box) he would fight any of the budgies that came near the box. Out of seven boxes in the aviary the only two female decide to pick the same nest box. :/ WHY? I have had to separate the budgie hen and her mate in a separate cage inside the aviary to stop the constant fighting between the two groups. I don’t know how to get them to all get along because I still would like to have one big happy breeding aviary.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

you shouldnt breed cockatiels with budgies in the aviary. budgies have been known to kill tiel chicks.... i would separate the tiels into their own aviary if you want to successfully breed. sounds like chaos in there... budgies are aggressive compared to tiels and shouldnt be mixed


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

My Aunt has been breeding cockatiel, Budgie parakeets and Sun conures for over 20 years (sun conures in a separate cage). She has told me that sometimes some budgies and cockatiels would not be able coexist and breed peacefully, and so you would have to separate them. And I did check at the aviary to do more research before breeding them all together, they said that their might be some problems that I might encounter (like in breeding :blush: ), but that it has been done many times before and was possible depending on the individual characteristics of the birds placed in the aviary and that I should always have more nest boxes then pairs in the aviary and that the boxes should be properly spaced out etc. 

But I don’t want any harm to come to any of the birds, do you think if I introduce a less aggressive pair of budgies that they may be able to coexist and breed peacefully? I have read of many people who have been able to breed them together successfully. But It doesn’t look like I am having any luck. :/


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

The budgies might prevent the cockatiels from taking care of the babies, and even abandon the eggs/chicks. They will also prevent them from breeding at all. Cockatiels are a little more flighty than budgies and more sensitive to disturbances. However in my case my cockatiels are breeding like rabbits and my budgies are not at all. I wish I knew what was up with the budgies. :blink:


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

So what do you think I should do? I really would rather breed them together if possible. Is their anything I can do to help them get along? Or just try a more peacefull couple. Maybe place another box at that height around that area? I think that the fighting is becouse it was the budgies nest first and they want it back to breed again.


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

If they are fighting the only thing you can do is separate them or sacrifice one for the other. Allowing them to breed and be killed is irresponsible. I had that problem last year when I had a bird killer in my aviary I ended up having to hand feed 10 babies all at once then remove the culprits and house them inside.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

I already seperated the pair as soon as they started fighting near the nest box. But I don't know wether to introduce another female budgie that is less agresive or should I bring in a pair instead. But the only problem with bringing in a previous pair is that I read somewhere that you should'nt introduce pair to an aviary becouse they will most likely start problems with other birds in the aviary becouse they don't know the place in the flock yet. I do believe that their is enough space for them to all get along and have their own personal area. I'll measure the aviary's size tomorow and get back to you.


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

If you have the space why not breed separately. I am not sure what the big deal is? I have bred cockatiels and budgies but never in the same cage. Budgies can be bullies. Cockatiels are less agressive then budgies. What I do is when there not breeding I keep them together but when breeding I separate.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Your right. I just wanted them to breed in a coexisting colony, but if they cannot get along the only thing to do is breed them seperatly. 

Well im trying to find my camera to show you a visual of my aviary...... The aviary is 8 feet in length, 6 feet wide, and 8 feet in height.

Their is currrently only one egg in the nest. And it has been 4 days since she has laid it. Do you think that she is going to lay any more or is that it? And if she is not going to lay anymore, what should I do next breeding season to try to increase the clutch size? Do you think diet has any affect on clutch size becouse I currently feed her a seed based diet. Should I wean them onto a pellet diet? >I herd it was better.  Thank you.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

This is the couple. Panchito is the grey cock, and Sunny is the Pearl inside the nest box. Panchito is doing an awesome work in taking care of the eggs.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> Their is currrently only one egg in the nest. And it has been 4 days since she has laid it.


The egg laying might have stopped because of the cockatiels-versus-budgies war going on in your aviary. Birds need a safe environment for successful breeding and all this competition over the same nest probably doesn't feel very safe.



> Do you think diet has any affect on clutch size becouse I currently feed her a seed based diet. Should I wean them onto a pellet diet?


Diet will certainly affect the health of your parent birds and also the health of their babies. A seed-only diet doesn't supply enough nutrients and will cause long term health problems. If the birds are eating a variety of other foods that supply the nutrients lacking in seed, there shouldn't be a problem. But it would help provide a little extra peace of mind if you can persuade them to eat some pellets too.

You don't have to remove seed from their diet - cockatiels are primarily seed eaters in the wild and many people think that they need to have some seed in their diet. But seed shouldn't be the only thing in their diet, and if they aren't eating other healthy foods too then you need to teach them to eat a wider variety of foods.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Currently they are on: Higgins Sunburst- Gourmet Food Mix. 
Do you know of a better diet for breeding cockatiels?


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Here is a picture of the hen-Sunny while the cock-Panchito is in the nest box.
Do you think she look proper weight and healthy? If she looks even a little under weight please tell me what diet I can put her on. I know that egg layers are very fragile and can lose weight very easily. A couple of days ago she looked extremlly thin and I don't want any malnutrition to harm her.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

You can check her keelbone shown in this thread http://www.talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=17680
I have been giving mine plenty of veg during the day so get mine healthy again, i agree it takes alot out of them


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

I would put a back on that nest box. It might help the pair to feel more secure. Cockatiels and budgies are cavity breeders, they need the darkness to feel secure.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Thank you lperry82. >Very helpful She is between thin and good weight. The problem with feeding her greens. Is that she won't eat them. Like for example the mango tree near their cage has had many mango's this year and I served them some mango inside the aviary and she didnt even touch it. Sunny has always been picky about her food.

Mentha that box had a back before. But the hen-Sunny chewed the back peice up untill it was unbalanced and fell off. I think she wants it like that. Becouse out of all the boxes in the cage she picked that one.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Is there anything that she does like, mine have started to like peas and bread and they love corn


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

She LOVES cuban bread but thats about it beside her millet seeds and her normal food. I wish she was more like one of my other cocks in the cage (Paco) he eats anything lol. Paco spends a lot of time inside with us since he is not a good breeder. Paco was Sunny's first partner which was the time Sunny laid 13 eggs ALL infertile.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

My cockatiels are really weird..... The hen Sunny has a mate (Panchito), but their is this cock (Blacky) that keeps on following her and fights with Panchito to protect the box when she is in it. Can Sunny be with Blacky and Panchito at the same time? I've herd of a cock having 2 hens (rarely), but I have'nt herd of a hen having 2 cocks! And if this is so, can she produce both Blacky and Panchito's chicks?

-A picture of Blacky and Sunny hanging out. 
-A picture of Blacky next to the nest box.
-A picture of Blacky and Panchito next to each other.
-Extra of Blacky and Panchito.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Its very possible...I had a hen do that this year. Last year she only mated with one cock and then raised her clutch with the help of two cocks (the father and his friend.) This year the males didn't want to work together but she still mated with both of them. So weird.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

And now I can't even tell who the father is becouse both of the fathers are grey. Can you tell who the father of your chicks are roxy culver? And what mutation would I most likely get from my grey and pearl cockatiel pair?


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## luffy3001 (Sep 1, 2010)

normal greys unless the dad is split the one that will go into the nestbox and care for the eggs is most likely the father


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Hopefully he is split, becouse I want diversity in color mutation in my aviary. At least I have double the chance now that their are two father. I now for a fact that Blacky is split from a pied-dad and a pearl-mom (he is from my aunt breeding aviary). But Panchito's background is unkown.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I only knew who the father was because the hen only mated with one of the male's, the other was mating with a different hen but this hen kicked her out of the box (I didn't know she wanted a box of her own) and they just never kicked the male out. They let him stay and help them out. But if you get any pearl girls, they may be Blacky's. Look at the other male's back, does there seem to be any light pearling on his back? This is a sign of being either split to pearl or being a visual that molted out the pearls and may help you tell which baby belongs to which dad.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Sunny has decided to lay another eggs since only one was left from the first three eggs. The oldest egg is around 8 days old and the newly laid egg is around two days old. 

As for knowing who the baby daddy of the chick is  
Im not going to be able to tell visually becouse I dont see light pearling on Panchito or Blacky's back. ( Do you see?)

Here are some pictures of the daddy Panchito storing up some food, and whistling around the nest box checking to see if everything was going ok with Sunny and the eggs. '' He is an awesome dad ''


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Out of all of these nest boxes... Sunny and Panchito picked the budgie box.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I don't see any pearling...but he is split to white face.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

That's good.  How can you tell he's split?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

white rim around the yellow mask. but you wont get whiteface babies unless the hen is whiteface or split whiteface


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

All man!  
Thats why its good to know your genetics inside out.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Hi everyone. Well Sunny has decided not to lay anymore eggs and just take care of the two she already has.

Tonight I added more pine shaving in the nest box to make sure that no accidents would happen to the remaining two eggs.

I haven’t candled any of the eggs because I didn’t want to stress the pair out anymore. I’m just hoping both eggs will hatch healthy and strong.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

I candled both of the eggs today and the oldest egg is not fertile  , but the younger egg is :thumbu: .

The parent were taking a break outside of the nest for a couple of minutes so I took a picture of the eggs today. :clap:


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

I have a little problem..... 
Sunny the hen is taking longer breaks out of the nest box in the morning checking other nest boxes in the aviary, I think she is thinking about double clutching in another nest box. Is their anyway I can stop her from starting another clutch untill she atleast hatches the egg she is currently sitting on? I have already blocked the other entrences to the other nest boxes.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

**

Ok now I have a bigger problem. :wacko: Sunny is spending most of her time outside the nest box im really worried about the egg. I live in Miami so its pritty HOT here durring the summer. Will the egg be ok? She has been going in the box to keep the eggs worm during the night, but the father is not keeping up his part durring the day. 

What can I do?
Im worried about the parents giving up their job on taking care of their babies.
Sunny and Panchito are both new at the parenting thing.

Help please


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Ok help is really needed. Please! 
How long can the parents be outside of the the nest if the temperature outside is around 90F?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

how long has it been now


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Almost two hours and the temp is currently 82F.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

I think you should check to see if there is any movement 2 hours is alot


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

With a little bit of persuation the dad cockatiel has just entered the nest and has been inside for 5 minutes. Thanks god. Hopefully the egg is still ok. I did notice while the parents were out, that the egg has a really small dent in it. Will it be ok? How do you check movement?

-Do you think that this pair of cockatiels will become better breeders over time (Sunny-the hen is around 7 years old).

-Do most breeding pairs have problems on their first try breeding?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

By candling it and see if any movement 
http://s525.photobucket.com/albums/... birds/?action=view&current=20080206_1010.jpg

This is the first time mine have had babies and they have done a great job with them


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Im going to wait untill the the parents come out for another break.

Im hoping that this couple can hatch this one before they decide to try to have another clutch.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Well after all the drama of the parents not going in the nest box to take care of the the eggs the other day they have gotten back to bussiness that night and are taking care of the eggs. I hope that their wasn't any permanent damage caused.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

How long were they out of the box? I have a hen who will leave the box for what seems like a really long time to me, but apparently she knows what she's doing because her babies all hatched around 21 days.


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## vaneupr (Jul 11, 2011)

If after five year you finally get these couple to breed, you should make all you can to make them confortable, that means not more birds in their cages, because that is changes and cockatiels are sensitive of changes and might abandon the eggs. You make a good choice  when you separated the budgies that were bothering them, but i recommend you to not make any more changes so they can be happy and peaceful and everything goes just normal in the breeding process. Good Luck! and Congrats!


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

roxy culver said:


> How long were they out of the box? I have a hen who will leave the box for what seems like a really long time to me, but apparently she knows what she's doing because her babies all hatched around 21 days.


It was a little more than two hours, and the temperature dropped to around 80'F.

What do you think?


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

vaneupr said:


> If after five year you finally get these couple to breed, you should make all you can to make them confortable, that means not more birds in their cages, because that is changes and cockatiels are sensitive of changes and might abandon the eggs. You make a good choice when you separated the budgies that were bothering them, but i recommend you to not make any more changes so they can be happy and peaceful and everything goes just normal in the breeding process. Good Luck! and Congrats!


I havent changed much since seperating the budgies. The budgies are actually breeding in a homemade card bord nest box in a smaller cage in the aviary. The cockatiels don't pay them much attention and the budgie hen spends most of her time inside the nest box anyway.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Hmm, OK, have you been able to candle the eggs at all to see if they're still alive? And how long since they were laid? Because maybe she left them alone to let them cool to promote hatching. They do that right before the baby begins to pip, they'll push it away into a corner or leave the nest to cool the egg. So that coulda been what happened if its close for time for them to hatch.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

roxy culver said:


> Hmm, OK, have you been able to candle the eggs at all to see if they're still alive? And how long since they were laid? Because maybe she left them alone to let them cool to promote hatching. They do that right before the baby begins to pip, they'll push it away into a corner or leave the nest to cool the egg. So that coulda been what happened if its close for time for them to hatch.


Its only around the 10th day.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

I looked at the eggs today and the one that is fertile looks really dark with a light little circle on the top part of the egg. Is this normal?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

If it looks like this then no http://s525.photobucket.com/albums/... birds/?action=view&current=20080206_1003.jpg

but if you look at these as they might help you http://s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc331/Mousebirds-and-more/Other birds/?start=all


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

There's an air cell on the big end of the egg that looks lighter than the rest. Is that what you mean?


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

tielfan said:


> There's an air cell on the big end of the egg that looks lighter than the rest. Is that what you mean?


Yup. And I was just learning from information that lperry82 offered and I think that it might look darker because its next to an infertile egg.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

lperry82 said:


> If it looks like this then no http://s525.photobucket.com/albums/... birds/?action=view&current=20080206_1003.jpg
> 
> but if you look at these as they might help you http://s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc331/Mousebirds-and-more/Other birds/?start=all


Great knowledgeble information! Thank you.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

The first clutch was abandoned. But the pair has decided to start laying another in a near by nest. I don’t understand why the parents start incubating when the first eggs is laid aren’t they suppose to wait for the rest or at least a couple more?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Many pairs won't start incubating until several eggs have been laid, but there are lots of tiels who just can't wait that long and incubate right away. Buster and Shodu do it.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Just an update. Sunny hasn’t laid anymore eggs "weird" only one egg? I don't know why she only has laid one egg. She looks healthier then when she laid her first clutch and she is more relaxed and friendlier. Any ideas why she has only laid one? Or is it normal for them to skip three days between laying eggs?


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Can a cockatiel only lay and hatch one egg successfully? After her first failed clutch Sunny my tiel hen started to lay again and she only laid 1 egg this time.

The pair has been incubating it for 4-5 days already.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

She laid an egg last night!!! So happy! That a big space between eggs though
7/25-8/5 two eggs so far.. Maybe more later on? 

Will their be a problem because the age difference is so big between the eggs?


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Another egg was laid yesterday.

3-eggs in total. 

Egg 1-due to hatch: 8/12/2011
Egg 2-due to hatch: 8/19/2011
Egg 3-due to hatch: 8/21/2011 

Lets see if she lays more?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Maybe the first egg was sort of a "misfire" and now she's seriously starting in on a new clutch.


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

A budgie pair I own laid five eggs. After hatching her first three eggs the hen started spending a lot of time out of the nest box and I was worried about the two remaining eggs, so I fostered them under Sunny and Panchitos clutch. Lets see what happens. I thought it was a good idea since the first egg is due to hatch in a couple of days anyways. 

I hope sunny won't do the same thing and ditch out on her eggs after a couple of them hatch. 
what do you guys think?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

I have no idea but i hope it works


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## Kristian (Jul 5, 2011)

Well I don't number my eggs but one of the three cockatiel eggs left are due to hatch tomorow (don't know which one).

Out of the three eggs one is infertile because it has a see through pinkish color. The other two are unknown??

The budgie egg fosterd under this pair has been hatched and removed for hand feeding.


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