# Breeding age?



## silverflower (Aug 15, 2009)

Hi,

I was wondering how long cockatiels can/should breed for? I have a few pairs and they are all pretty young, so I am not worried about them now, just later.

Later should I just not let them, or do I wait until they stop laying?

Thank you!


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Are they laying eggs now? I think they should be at least 18 months or older. Here is a link about breeding http://www.avianweb.com/cockatielbreeding.html The easiest way to stop them from mating would be to separate the males from the females. Iam sure someone who breeds will give you some more info


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## silverflower (Aug 15, 2009)

Oh no the question was how old is too old?  My breeders are all 3-6 years right now. But thank you.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Oh ok  We have a few breeders on here. Iam sure someone will come along soon


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

A male can fertilize and be a daddy til the day he dies...and that could be into the 20's. 

As to hens many breeders will retire a hen at 8-10 years old, or when egg count declines. They may still want to be mommies, and can make excellent foster parents into their later years (mid teens).


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## silverflower (Aug 15, 2009)

So you think it would be ok to breed into those years? I know that they would want to, but should I? I don't plan to sell them after they are done, but I don't want to over work them, if you know what I mean. Also you said they could foster, would they do it without eggs or would she have to lay before she would foster? I know I have a few years before I have to worry about it, but I like to be prepared.

Will the birds just let me know when they are ready to quit, or should I just retire them?

Thank you for the reply! And sorry for all the questions.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

They'll let you know. A males fertility will go down and a hens egg quantity drops. If they are a good pair and good parents when the fertility goes down you can foster some good eggs for them to hatch out and raise. If you plan on retireing them you can let them wean out the last baby/babies, and keep them with them in the rest or community flight.


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## silverflower (Aug 15, 2009)

Thank you again, I will keep it all in mind when the time comes. I also wanted to say that I was reading through some other posts, and I saw that the question had come up, so sorry for the repeat of the question! Even though it didn't say anything about keeping the last clutch with the parents, I would not have even thought of that. Do you think it makes them feel complete? you know like they added to the flock or something? I know it sounds silly, but I'm just curious as to the logic, you know?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I learned that parents can get very depressed when we pull/take their babies. I've had Daddy birds get upset enough that they have stopped eating and I've had to force feed them. My vet told me to let these pairs that react badly to the babies being pulled/taken to keep one or a clutch and wean it out and let it stay with the parents and as a family unit in a flight cage with other tiels.


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## silverflower (Aug 15, 2009)

That is so sad that they would get that depressed. Poor daddy. I don't like pulling the babes when it is time to, but I like to handfeed and raise the babes. I haven't had any react like that before, but I certainly will look out for it. My vet never mentioned anything like that. I have wondered about it though. So if this was to happen and I let them keep the little one, what would I do when it was breeding season again? Would I have to seperate the babe or would I have to keep it in the breeding cage? Also how long would I have to keep it for? I wouldn't mind keeping it forever if I had to, but you know.

Sorry for the all the questions, I just haven't really read anything about this before.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

_*, what would I do when it was breeding season again? Would I have to seperate the babe or would I have to keep it in the breeding cage?*_
*------------------------------------------*

The young one would be separate from the parents when breeding. The only exception is if the baby was from the first clutch and I let the pair go a 2nd clutch. Then they also teach that baby as they are weaning it out how to help sit on the eggs and also how to feed the new hatchlings. It looks strange to see a young bird feeding a baby.

As to my pairs the only time they are caged is when they are set-up. When not breeding they go into 7' to 9' flights, which I call rest flights. If they have family members or young held back from other clutches the families tend to get together in the flights. Tiels have great memories and will recognize each others calls.

I remember I had a bird named Goofy escape. He left Sly (mate) and babies when he left. 3 years later a mailperson friend wanted to give me a bunch of tiels that people on her mail route gave her since they knew she liked birds. As she came in the door with the cage Sly started screaming and slamming herself againgst the side of the flight wire. And a bird in the cage that Cindy was carrying was calling back. Goofy was home!!


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## prettybirds (Jul 16, 2009)

Susanne that story made my eyes well up with tears. OMG what an experience that must have been. Did it freak out the mail carrier? LOL


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## silverflower (Aug 15, 2009)

That is so sweet, and sad at the same time.

I too have a small flight for my birds while at rest. I don't have many just yet, but I do like to let them "rest" as you said in the flight, so I know what you mean, and it makes sense, I just wasn't sure. I guess now that I think about it it was an odd question. I just didn't know if it would cause some sort of stress to the birds. They wouldn't be far away so I guess it wouldn't.

Thank you, and lovely (but sad) story.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Thanks!...it was a very happy day  Cindy was so surprised by how the birds acted. I looked at the legband on the bird and showed her it was Goofy. The lady that found Goofy lived 40 miles away, and he flew on her while she was in a parking lot. He was tame but never warmed up to her. Everytime she had friends over, and if any were female, with short dark hair he would get excited and pace in the cage. And Sly was SO HAPPY he was back...and oh the birdie kisses and preening 

I found that tiels do have good memories of their humans. I bought a cockatiel from a lady in Miami. 5 yrs. later she visited me to buy a tiel. As we are walking thru my yard one tiel started calling and hanging on the side of the cage. I walked her over to the cage and told her he wanted to say hi. He remebered her, and was happy to see her.

My first tiels was boogs and Sweet Pea. Boogs would never warm up to me. he only showed an interest in men that were tall with dark hair. Come to find out his first owner was tall dark and handsome....and he must've been hoping he would someday walk thru the door. 

I have found that many times even weaned babies have preferences to the same human sex and looks as the person that weaned them out.


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## silverflower (Aug 15, 2009)

Wow 40 miles, poor guy! That is just AMAZING that he even made it back to you. 

Once again I have to say that that is so heartwarmming, and heartbreaking at the same time. I love the fact that they remember you, but at the same time you think about how happy they are to see you, and I think it would be so hard to leave again. Espeicially what you said about the one that never warmed up to you. You just might make me quit breeding, that's rough to think about.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

_*You just might make me quit breeding, that's rough to think about.*_
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Nah!...it taught me some things to take into consideration when I handfeed and wean out a baby. 

From the time they hatch I look in and pick up the babies a couple times a day. By the time I pull them at 3-4 weeks old they are very mello and used to hands. When I pull them they are in a group of 6-8 and start off in a smaller (12"x18") plastic tub, and when their tails are a couple inches long they go into a bigger plastic tub. When I see them nibbling on millet (even though I am still handfeeding 3X a day) I move them into a very low (long, not tall) ferret type cage. After a few days I'll add perches. Once they know how to get on a perch I move the group into a larger cage (18"x18"x30") It is these moves that get them used to being picked up, hands reaching for them etc. I also encourage anyone that comes over to reach in and give the weaning babies neck rubs. This is so that they are not afraid of strangers and are exposed to different types of people. So by the time they are weaned they are used to being moved around and not afraid of strangers. I beleive it helps them mentalty adjust better to when the time comes and I have to 'cut the apron strings' and let them go to new homes.

And the best home is when a baby will chooses the person interested in purchasing a tiel. When the bird makes the choice it seems there is a happy ending.


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## silverflower (Aug 15, 2009)

Yeah I guess that is true, I usually have a house full of people that I allow to play with the birds, so they do get used to every age and sex, but I do notice that they always squak when they hear my voice, whether I am in the room or not.

Thank you for the advice on the different cages, I hadn't thought of moving them so many times, to get them ready for the transition.


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