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Hi everyone, new here and am thrilled to get some advice on mating cockatiels and what to do.

Joy222

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Joy
So my birds are about a year old and started mating> I got them a nest box and the female laid a clutch of 4 eggs. Both parents sit on the eggs, sometimes together. The male will get very nasty and attack her once in awhile and I have about 15 bites from him. I don't think these new parents know what they're doing (me either!) The eggs have been in the box about 24 days and I know that's a long time. I tried to candle 2 of them yesterday, didn't see any veins or embryos, but once again I don't know what I'm doing! They are still mating and she is on top of him constantly, I'm assuming masturbating( (sorry if that word isn't allowed). Should i discard of the eggs and take the nesting box out? I don't think they're fertile after this long and it just looked like yolk on the bottom of egg from candling it> i don't want to encourage mating so once I figure out what to do with the eggs the nesting box will be taken away! Any advice will be much appreciated! Thank you! ~Joy
 

Zara

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Welcome to the Avenue :)

I don't think these new parents know what they're doing (me either!)
If you do not know what you are doing, then you should really stop. It is not fair to you or the birds to try something without researching thoroughly - especially with lives on the line.

The eggs have been in the box about 24 days and I know that's a long time.
You count the days from when the hen started sitting. Sometimes this can be 3 or days after the first egg was laid.
Give them a week, and then I would think they will not hatch.

I tried to candle 2 of them yesterday, didn't see any veins or embryos
It is too late to see an embryo. If the chick was growing correctly, it would be a small bird inside now, not an embryo. The egg will be dark inside, sometimes you can see the beak point. It takes a little more skill to look in the egg and know what is going on in there at this stage.

They are still mating and she is on top of him constantly, I'm assuming masturbating
She is on top of him?
Do you have some pictures of your birds? Is it possible you have two females?

Should i discard of the eggs and take the nesting box out?
Give it another week. Then remove the box and the eggs. Rearrange the cage - perches, toys, food bowls, everything.

and it just looked like yolk on the bottom of egg from candling it>
Sounds like they were never fertile. If you see a yolk in there, remove the eggs and nest now as they will not hatch.

i don't want to encourage mating so once I figure out what to do with the eggs the nesting box will be taken away!
Mating is fine, breeding is the problem. Let them enjoy a sex life together if they are happy. But don´t add a box, and no dark nooks or ¨beds¨ etc.
If you are noticing many clutches per year, you will have to reassess things.

Please do post if you have more questions etc :)
 

Joy222

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Joy
Thanks everyone, not sure how to reply to one response. The birds are not dna tested for sex > The male (Bear) constantly sings songs we taught him and is trying to talk. The female (Sweet) only peeps. So I'm ASSUMING I have a male and female. I only got them a nest box for the purpose of laying eggs and I have a breeder that would have taken them after the babies were weened. I have experience feeding baby birds so if my birds didn't feed the babies I would have taken over. I'm just wondering about what to do with the eggs if they don't hatch. The eggs were laid within 3 days of each other, the first egg was laid on August 26, the last was the 28. I don't want to traumatize the birds and take the eggs away but not sure how long to leave them in there. Thought I was doing the right thing getting a nest box for them
 

Zara

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Given your birds ages, depending on mutation, there are some members of the board here who may be able to concrete your birds sexes for you :)

I don't want to traumatize the birds and take the eggs away but not sure how long to leave them in there.
Give them a week. Sometimes the adults will abandon the nest of their own accord. If not, by removing the nest and rearranging the cage like I said above, it will help them.
 

Joy222

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Joy
Welcome to the Avenue :)


If you do not know what you are doing, then you should really stop. It is not fair to you or the birds to try something without researching thoroughly - especially with lives on the line.


You count the days from when the hen started sitting. Sometimes this can be 3 or days after the first egg was laid.
Give them a week, and then I would think they will not hatch.


It is too late to see an embryo. If the chick was growing correctly, it would be a small bird inside now, not an embryo. The egg will be dark inside, sometimes you can see the beak point. It takes a little more skill to look in the egg and know what is going on in there at this stage.


She is on top of him?
Do you have some pictures of your birds? Is it possible you have two females?


Give it another week. Then remove the box and the eggs. Rearrange the cage - perches, toys, food bowls, everything.


Sounds like they were never fertile. If you see a yolk in there, remove the eggs and nest now as they will not hatch.


Mating is fine, breeding is the problem. Let them enjoy a sex life together if they are happy. But don´t add a box, and no dark nooks or ¨beds¨ etc.
If you are noticing many clutches per year, you will have to reassess things.

Please do post if you have more questions etc :)
Given your birds ages, depending on mutation, there are some members of the board here who may be able to concrete your birds sexes for you :)


Give them a week. Sometimes the adults will abandon the nest of their own accord. If not, by removing the nest and rearranging the cage like I said above, it will help them.
Thank you. I have 2 large cages that I have connected and the box is in one cage. I will try to post pics later. I I think I figured out how to reply to one thread on my phone!
 

Joy222

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Thank you. I have 2 large cages that I have connected and the box is in one cage. I will try to post pics later. I I think I figured out how to reply to one thread on my phone!
Posted photos, will get tail pics soon
 

finchly

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It's the underside of the tail (with bird facing us) we need to see. Based on behavior it sounds like a male and female.

Personally I do not breed my cockatiels, in fact I only have 4 girls :D but I'll tell you wh y I intentionally do not breed them. In my area, you just go to the local rescue or anyone's house who calls themselves a "rescue" and you will see tons of cockatiels. Some with feathers all plucked out by another bird, some with physical deformities that were never corrected. Many with toes bitten off. Most un-tame and therefore less adoptable.

So If I were to breed them I would be adding to the over-population. Now, you do what you want to, that is just me and my household. I do breed finches and will be glad to help you with your questions. Zara has written a lovely post answering most of what you asked.

I have one tiel female that's a chronic egg layer. You really DONT want this to happen. Anyway last time she laid a clutch, sat on them, added another sat some more -- we were up to about 40 or more days. She was still sitting and pretending to be evil. Finally I just took them. She actually seemed relieved; I think sitting is a huge responsibility for them. In the future, well I hope we've gotten over this now but if it happens again I'll pull them earlier.
 

Joy222

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Nj
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Joy
It's the underside of the tail (with bird facing us) we need to see. Based on behavior it sounds like a male and female.

Personally I do not breed my cockatiels, in fact I only have 4 girls :D but I'll tell you wh y I intentionally do not breed them. In my area, you just go to the local rescue or anyone's house who calls themselves a "rescue" and you will see tons of cockatiels. Some with feathers all plucked out by another bird, some with physical deformities that were never corrected. Many with toes bitten off. Most un-tame and therefore less adoptable.

So If I were to breed them I would be adding to the over-population. Now, you do what you want to, that is just me and my household. I do breed finches and will be glad to help you with your questions. Zara has written a lovely post answering most of what you asked.

I have one tiel female that's a chronic egg layer. You really DONT want this to happen. Anyway last time she laid a clutch, sat on them, added another sat some more -- we were up to about 40 or more days. She was still sitting and pretending to be evil. Finally I just took them. She actually seemed relieved; I think sitting is a huge responsibility for them. In the future, well I hope we've gotten over this now but if it happens again I'll pull them earlier.
Thank you your response, I have to laugh at myself for trying to get pictures of their tails! Have to work on the other side! I have no intentions of breeding them but the pet store I got them at will take them. Family owned pet store, not a chain, and I trust them with the babies. I’ve had birds all my life, just not two at a time so this is a huge learning experience. So glad I found this forum because I’ve been driving myself crazy’s trying to research on the web. So thank you for your help, you have no idea how much I appreciate it. I just want the best for my birds.
 

Monica

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If they are only about a year old, I would certainly recommend to discourage egg laying. They may not be physically or mentally mature enough to raise a family.

It does appear that you do most likely have a male and female. Bear appears to be either a pearl or split pearl. The hen appears to be a cinnamon pearl pied. My first cockatiel is the same mutation and she's 19 years old now. She's never bred before as she doesn't get how the "birds and the bees" work, even if witnessing it first hand..... which is perfectly fine by me! If one of her eggs *DID* hatch, which would be a miracle in itself (she can't seem to comprehend how to sit on them either... and gives up!), she'd probably be freaked out by the little alien wriggling at her! :rofl: Due to her "shenanigans", she has been "teaching" a male tiel how to be gender confused... :roflmao:


Case in point.... not all birds would make good parents, or pairs.


Although it's "normal" for birds to be hormonal, they don't *need* to raise a family.
 

Joy222

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Nj
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Joy
If they are only about a year old, I would certainly recommend to discourage egg laying. They may not be physically or mentally mature enough to raise a family.

It does appear that you do most likely have a male and female. Bear appears to be either a pearl or split pearl. The hen appears to be a cinnamon pearl pied. My first cockatiel is the same mutation and she's 19 years old now. She's never bred before as she doesn't get how the "birds and the bees" work, even if witnessing it first hand..... which is perfectly fine by me! If one of her eggs *DID* hatch, which would be a miracle in itself (she can't seem to comprehend how to sit on them either... and gives up!), she'd probably be freaked out by the little alien wriggling at her! :rofl: Due to her "shenanigans", she has been "teaching" a male tiel how to be gender confused... :roflmao:


Case in point.... not all birds would make good parents, or pairs.


Although it's "normal" for birds to be hormonal, they don't *need* to raise a family.
Haha! I get it! We always joke that all of my females brains went to her feet because her feet are huge! She’s not the smartest bird but she’s super cute and friendly so it makes up for being a ‘silly head’thanks for the help!
 

Lady Jane

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This was written by a respected member here who breeds budgies but you can apply what she writes to any bird species. Please read:

Breeding Budgies
Here is a list of things you need to think of before you even CONSIDER breeding.

1). Are your birds proper breeding age? (Older than 1 year, but younger than 4 years old.)
- Breeding birds that are not the appropriate age will lead to issues/death of your birds and/or chicks.

2). Has each bird been vet checked and given a FULL bill of clean health?
- It is extremely important to only breed strong and healthy birds with no health issues that can be passed down to the chicks.

3). Are your birds on a good healthy diet? One that consists of pellets, seeds, fresh veggies, fruit, fresh sprouts, high calcium and protein?
- It’s important to have your birds eating a good diet BEFORE breeding. This will help keep their weight and energy up during the breeding process, and these good eating habits will be passed down to their chicks.

4). Do you have a proper breeding cage?
- A breeding cage needs to have enough space, natural perches, and a side door to attach a nest box on the OUTSIDE of the cage.

5). Do you have a proper nest box?
- A nest box needs to be mounted on the outside of the cage, it needs a concave bottom, and it needs to have easy access to be cleaned out DAILY.

6). Do you have proper nesting material?
- Pine or aspen wood shavings are proper nesting materials and they help keep the nest dry and clean. Wood shavings need to be replaced every day to help keep the nest sanitary for the chicks.

7). Do you recognize the signs of egg binding?
- Egg binding is a serious concern for a hen. It is an emergency situation and needs vet care immediately. It is a terrible and painful way for a hen to die.

8). Do you have an avian vet nearby in case of egg binding or complications with the chicks?
- Knowing where your avian vet is located is very important before breeding. You don’t want to be frantically searching for one if you are in the middle of an emergency with your birds.

9). If the hen rejects her chicks, do you have the ability to take time off work/school/extracurricular activities/social events?
- Chicks will need to be fed every 2-3 hours until they are weaned. This can take 4-6 WEEKS! You can not skip feedings, you can not delay feedings, you can not forget feedings. Your chicks lives are entirely depending on you, so you must be willing to put your own life on hold until they are grown.

10). Do you have someone (preferably a vet) to teach you how to hand feed if the parents reject the chicks?
-This is very delicate work and a chick can easily aspirate and die if you don’t know what you are doing.

11). Do you have a place to set up a brood box or an incubator if you have to take the young from the parents?

12). Do you have emergency hand feeding supplies?
- Incubator, high quality formula, syringes, spoons, thermometer, digital scale, ect.

13). Do you have the expendable income to afford supplies?
- If you can’t afford to purchase these items BEFORE breeding, then don’t breed!

14). If you’re a minor, do you have a support system behind you that is willing to pay for the cost of breeding supplies, vet visits, emergency supplies?
- Parents must be willing to help pay for anything that your breeding birds may need. If you’re parents are not willing to pay, then don’t breed!

15). If the hen starts to attack her chicks (this happens more often than you think) do you have a separate cage for her?
- If a hen wants to start a new clutch while she still has chicks in the nest, she will start to attack them and will need to be removed from the breeding cage before she kills them.

16). Do you have a large weaning cage for the chicks when they start exploring outside the nest box?
- Chicks will need to have a large cage with lots of natural perches, toys, foraging toys, and a wide variety of foods to try. This is an important time in a chick’s life where they learn how to be a budgie. They learn how to perch, fly, forage, acrobatics, ect.

17). Do you have homes lined up for your chicks?
- Depending on your location, it may be difficult to find homes for all your chicks.

18). Do you have space to keep all the chicks in your home?
- If you can’t find homes for your chicks, are you willing to keep them in your own home, in appropriate size cages?

19). If a chick doesn’t work out in its new home, are you willing and able to accept it back into your home?
- Sometimes new owners decide that having a budgie just isn’t for them and may want to return the bird back to the breeder. If you can’t accept the bird back, it will likely end up in a rescue, the SPCA, or even worse.

20). Are you prepared for potential heartbreak?
-Because “sh*t happens”, even to the best breeders. You can easily loose the chicks and the parents if you are not prepared for the worst.

If you cannot firmly answer YES to all of these questions... DO NOT BREED YOUR BIRDS!
 

Tazlima

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Thank you your response, I have to laugh at myself for trying to get pictures of their tails! Have to work on the other side! I have no intentions of breeding them but the pet store I got them at will take them. Family owned pet store, not a chain, and I trust them with the babies.
Bolding mine. If they're the same age, and you got them from the same place, I'd guess you bought them at the same time? In that case, especially with a mom and pop store that may have a limited number of suppliers, there's a very good chance your birds are brother and sister, yet another reason not to breed them.
 

Joy222

Meeting neighbors
Joined
9/19/20
Messages
33
Location
Nj
Real Name
Joy
This was written by a respected member here who breeds budgies but you can apply what she writes to any bird species. Please read:

Breeding Budgies
Here is a list of things you need to think of before you even CONSIDER breeding.

1). Are your birds proper breeding age? (Older than 1 year, but younger than 4 years old.)
- Breeding birds that are not the appropriate age will lead to issues/death of your birds and/or chicks.

2). Has each bird been vet checked and given a FULL bill of clean health?
- It is extremely important to only breed strong and healthy birds with no health issues that can be passed down to the chicks.

3). Are your birds on a good healthy diet? One that consists of pellets, seeds, fresh veggies, fruit, fresh sprouts, high calcium and protein?
- It’s important to have your birds eating a good diet BEFORE breeding. This will help keep their weight and energy up during the breeding process, and these good eating habits will be passed down to their chicks.

4). Do you have a proper breeding cage?
- A breeding cage needs to have enough space, natural perches, and a side door to attach a nest box on the OUTSIDE of the cage.

5). Do you have a proper nest box?
- A nest box needs to be mounted on the outside of the cage, it needs a concave bottom, and it needs to have easy access to be cleaned out DAILY.

6). Do you have proper nesting material?
- Pine or aspen wood shavings are proper nesting materials and they help keep the nest dry and clean. Wood shavings need to be replaced every day to help keep the nest sanitary for the chicks.

7). Do you recognize the signs of egg binding?
- Egg binding is a serious concern for a hen. It is an emergency situation and needs vet care immediately. It is a terrible and painful way for a hen to die.

8). Do you have an avian vet nearby in case of egg binding or complications with the chicks?
- Knowing where your avian vet is located is very important before breeding. You don’t want to be frantically searching for one if you are in the middle of an emergency with your birds.

9). If the hen rejects her chicks, do you have the ability to take time off work/school/extracurricular activities/social events?
- Chicks will need to be fed every 2-3 hours until they are weaned. This can take 4-6 WEEKS! You can not skip feedings, you can not delay feedings, you can not forget feedings. Your chicks lives are entirely depending on you, so you must be willing to put your own life on hold until they are grown.

10). Do you have someone (preferably a vet) to teach you how to hand feed if the parents reject the chicks?
-This is very delicate work and a chick can easily aspirate and die if you don’t know what you are doing.

11). Do you have a place to set up a brood box or an incubator if you have to take the young from the parents?

12). Do you have emergency hand feeding supplies?
- Incubator, high quality formula, syringes, spoons, thermometer, digital scale, ect.

13). Do you have the expendable income to afford supplies?
- If you can’t afford to purchase these items BEFORE breeding, then don’t breed!

14). If you’re a minor, do you have a support system behind you that is willing to pay for the cost of breeding supplies, vet visits, emergency supplies?
- Parents must be willing to help pay for anything that your breeding birds may need. If you’re parents are not willing to pay, then don’t breed!

15). If the hen starts to attack her chicks (this happens more often than you think) do you have a separate cage for her?
- If a hen wants to start a new clutch while she still has chicks in the nest, she will start to attack them and will need to be removed from the breeding cage before she kills them.

16). Do you have a large weaning cage for the chicks when they start exploring outside the nest box?
- Chicks will need to have a large cage with lots of natural perches, toys, foraging toys, and a wide variety of foods to try. This is an important time in a chick’s life where they learn how to be a budgie. They learn how to perch, fly, forage, acrobatics, ect.

17). Do you have homes lined up for your chicks?
- Depending on your location, it may be difficult to find homes for all your chicks.

18). Do you have space to keep all the chicks in your home?
- If you can’t find homes for your chicks, are you willing to keep them in your own home, in appropriate size cages?

19). If a chick doesn’t work out in its new home, are you willing and able to accept it back into your home?
- Sometimes new owners decide that having a budgie just isn’t for them and may want to return the bird back to the breeder. If you can’t accept the bird back, it will likely end up in a rescue, the SPCA, or even worse.

20). Are you prepared for potential heartbreak?
-Because “sh*t happens”, even to the best breeders. You can easily loose the chicks and the parents if you are not prepared for the worst.

If you cannot firmly answer YES to all of these questions... DO NOT BREED YOUR BIRDS!
Thanks for the great info, I have no intentions on breeding them but thought a nest box was the right thing to do. Guess not! Can I ask you why the nest box should be attached to the outside of the cage and not placed inside? Pretty sure these eggs are infertile, giving it until the weekend and removing box/eggs, switching up the toys/ cages/ food etc like I was informed to do. This weekend will be close to 30 days of the eggs being laid. What do I do when she lays another egg because they keep mating. Just take the eggs out? Also read about dummy eggs? Any help would be appreciated because I’ve never had 2 birds before, only one at a time! And like I said, I have no plans to breed them, thought it was nice to get them a box ha! Guess I was wrong!
 

Joy222

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33
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Nj
Real Name
Joy
Bolding mine. If they're the same age, and you got them from the same place, I'd guess you bought them at the same time? In that case, especially with a mom and pop store that may have a limited number of suppliers, there's a very good chance your birds are brother and sister, yet another reason not to breed them.
Oh geez that’s a horrible thought! I have no intentions of breeding them just thought a nest box would be nice for them. Eggs are most likely infertile anyway, this weekend will be close to 30 day’s and then I will remove nest box/eggs, rearrange cage/ toys etc. still learning here but they will never see that nest box again! Can you tell me what to do when my girl lays another egg because they keep mating. Dummy eggs?
 

Lady Jane

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I am not a breeder, thank goodness.
 
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