# Where to start with the breeding thing.



## Nicci_ (Aug 28, 2012)

Please keep in mind I'm not ready (nor are my boys) to start breeding cockatiels. It is however something I'm interested in doing in the future. Once I have my mind set on doing something, I like to do as much research as possible.

So a few questions.
If I was going to breed Storm & Chase, what sort of females would I pick for them?
Chase is grey split pied
Storm is a White Face pied (I think I got that right haha)
(Pics are here)

Next up, what is the best thing for me to start google-ing to get information.

I've bred budgies before, but it has been years since I did that and I didn't hand raise them.

Are cockatiels the type of birds to reject their young if you handle them?
If they are inside, can I let the parents raise them but handle them to make them more 'human friendly'?

Like I said, I'm not planning on doing it at the moment. Just want to research it and have some food for thought so to speak.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Do you know what their parents were? That would give us a better idea on what they should be paired with (idea of splits etc). With the info right now, you could pair Chase with a visual pied and Storm with a hen split to wf and pied.

No, the parents wont abandon the babies. You can start handling them as young as two weeks old.


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

I would start by reading the Breeding and Genetics section of the sticky Library  http://talkcockatiels.com/forumdisplay.php?f=33 There you will find threads on FSL lighting and the importance of calcium, problems you may have with chicks, nestboxes and proper bedding, etc lots of helpful info!

Its usually best to avoid pairing the same mutations together (excluding normal greys).
For chase you can find a female pied or split to pied or any other mutation.
For storm you can find a female split to whiteface and pied.

No cockatiels will not reject their young if you handle them and yes many breeders let their birds raise their young and then just handle the babies to get them used to humans.


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## Nicci_ (Aug 28, 2012)

Nope no idea about their parents. I could probably find out for Chase though.

Could I use a lutino hen with either of them? 

Thanks guys, I find it all very interesting and looking forward to hopefully doing this one day in the future.


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Yes you could use a lutino hen if you want one


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Storm would do best paired to a Lutino hen, as he's a pied and that would strengthen the babies crests.


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## Nicci_ (Aug 28, 2012)

Oh awesome. I was thinking he'd be the best for it anyway. They'd have cute babies! Haha


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## sonic123 (Nov 2, 2012)

well i would choose any kind'


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> well i would choose any kind'


This isn't a good idea if you're going to breed properly. The whole goal of breeding is to advance and improve the next generation. If you just pick any old hen to pair with your male, that's not helping the next generation at all.


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

Looks like Chase is also split to WF.  How old are they?


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## sonic123 (Nov 2, 2012)

for chase get him a female pied and for storm get him a whiteface female


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## Nicci_ (Aug 28, 2012)

Chase is about 6 months? We've had him for about 4 or 5 months now, and was newly weened when we got him. Storm is 14 weeks.
I'll probably get a lutino hen at some point now I'm getting another grey male.

Why do you think Chase is split to WF?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> for chase get him a female pied and for storm get him a whiteface female


This is bad advice. Since Storm is a visual WF, getting a WF hen for him would be like to like breeding and bad advice. It would be best to get a split to WF hen for Storm.



> Why do you think Chase is split to WF?


Are Chase's cheekpatches irregular shaped or rounded? Is there yellow streaking going through them? This would be indicators of being split to WF.


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## Nicci_ (Aug 28, 2012)

Well, in that case Chase is split to WF.


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