# Pros and Cons of Colony Breeding??



## kfelton0002

I am just curious for future reference. Sometime in the not so distant future, I want a huge aviary full of cockatiels and I was wondering if letting "nature take it's course" will end up being a disaster. I think it would be lovely to watch the birds breed and raise their young in a more natural setting, but will the birds fight over nest boxes or can that be solved by just putting up a variety of different ones for them to choose from? I can't find much literature on the net about colony breeding and I would love to hear from actual breeders, so please feel free to just throw in your two cents! Thanks!!


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## Renae

I'd never colony breed because 1) there'd be too much fighting and 2) you won't know who the parents are.


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## Shadow10

I agree with solace the birds will fight for anything! You willl need to have sevearl feeding stations. They will fight with their neighbors and sometimes your birds will completely change their minds on which nestboxes they want. The babies can even be harrased when they come out of the nestboxes by the older birds. Colony breeding is just unnecessary stress for your birds. 

I have learned from experience that individual breeding cages are better. You will be sure the pair is eating enough. For sure know who the parents are, easier acsess to the babies, and the cages don't take up as much space.


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## kfelton0002

Well then, maybe I'll just stick to breeding cages then. I still want an aviary though. At least one that I can put my birds in when they are not breeding. Like a vacation!!


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## Cheryl

I plan on doing the same thing later on. I plan on having an outdoor aviary for about half the year to allow the currently non breeding birds to enjoy the suns natural rays. 
I can't wait to build my own aviary for my babies.


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## Ezzie

Ill just chime in here with this, Disease can also be a major problem, A simple outbreak can spread to all your birds without your knowledge until its too late.
Stick to single cage breeding


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## srtiels

I breed both ways. First I will cage breed a pair to see how they are as parents, what splits the pairs have, etc. Then I have a large 6'H x 9'L x 3' wide walk in flight which I then put all the bonded pairs in. This can be up to 10 pairs. I have plenty of boxes attached to the flight. Once pairs have been cage bred and bonded RARELY is there fighting. Each pair tends to it's own nest. 

My pairs are also used to me checking into the nestboxes several times a day from the time they are hung. This way I can also monitor each pair to see how they they sitting or caring for babies once they hatch out. I will pull babies to handfeed and I will also let each pair fledge and wean out a baby. When the baby fledges ALL the adult birds in the flight look out for it and will help feed it if needed.

There is NOT fighting over food or water. I just use larger bowls.

The only thing I strongly recomend is to have nightlights on at night. When cage or colony breeding I have lights on 24/7. This way when something spooks the bird off the nest at night ALL the birds don't get off the nest, and the bird can see that everything is OK and go back to nest. The lighting greratly reduces losses of eggs or chilled chicks.

In regards to disease if all birds are healthy intiially there should be no problems.


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## kfelton0002

That sounds really cool! How did you build and set up your flight cage?


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