To ensure the good health of breeding cockatiels and their babies, a male and female pair should be unrelated, free of disease and birth defects, and between 2 and 5 years old. A cage for a pair of breeding cockatiels should be a minimum size of 20 x 20 x 50 inches and should contain a nest box that is at least 12 x 12 inches. Proper nesting material, such as shredded paper, pine shavings, and molted feathers, should be provided.
Cockatiels are hookbills and should be fed a varied diet consisting of seed, high-quality pellets, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Breeding pairs should be treated with a calcium supplement to ensure proper egg development and to help the hen recoup nutrients lost in the egg-making process. Female cockatiels lay their eggs within three weeks of mating. Like many other types of birds, it's not uncommon for cockatiels to lay one egg every other day until they have all been laid.
There are usually between four and six eggs in each clutch. On average, cockatiels incubate their eggs for about 20 days. This can vary by a couple of days in either direction and is usually no cause for concern. If cockatiel babies are to be hand-fed, many breeders let the parents raise the chicks until they are about 2 weeks old. The breeders then "pull" the chicks from the nest and place them in a brooder for hand-feeding until they are weaned. Most baby cockatiels can be weaned between the ages of 6 and 8 weeks by offering them millet, small bits of fruit, and vegetable and softened pellets.
Adding a 1 — 2in 2 — 5cm layer of material to the bottom of a nest box helps stabilize the eggs and prevents them from rolling around. It also absorbs droppings and can be taken out and changed as needed, helping to prevent bacteria and disease.
Nesting material must be dry and must not contain chemicals. The following items are suitable for use as nesting material:.
Most pet stores carry a range of different nest boxes in different sizes. You really want to make sure though that the box meets the minimum recommended sizes for a tiel nest box so that you avoid overcrowding problems.
If it helps take a tape measure with you to confirm the size. Many cockatiel breeders will also be willing to sell you some of their excess or old nest boxes if you ask. Being breeders they are more likely to have boxes at the correct size. Do a Google search or check Facebook groups for local breeders and give them a call to see if they can help you. Cleaning your tiels nest box is a breeze. Cleaning the nest box kills mites and insects, removes droppings and gunk and prevents bacteria growth.
The 3 times that nest boxes should be cleaned are before use, between clutches and periodically while the box is in use. To keep the nest box clean and free from harmful bacteria there will come a time when you need to clean it while your cockatiel is sitting on eggs or raising chicks.
You should clean the box at least once a fortnight during use and more frequently if it gets very dirty or poopy which will happen when chicks arrive. Follow this simple process:. If you are selectively breeding cockatiels by pairing a male and female together then the obvious answer is 1 nest box per pair.
If you have several cockatiels in a large aviary and you intend to breed them then the general rule of thumb is 1 nest box per female bird in the cage. This prevents fights and nest raiding by jealous birds.
Will my cockatiels breed without a nest box? Cockatiels can breed without a nest box and will sometimes lay eggs on cage floors, in containers, toys or other spaces, however the chances of raising a clutch of healthy chicks is dramatically reduced if they are not provided with a proper nest box. Can I use a budgie or parakeet nest box for my cockatiels? You should not use a budgie or parakeet nest box for a cockatiel as these nest boxes are too small for a cockatiel to fit and they become too crowded once chicks hatch, leading to health problems or fatalities for parents and babies.
Ever since I was a kid I've owned, raised and bred all sorts of pets and I got immense joy and satisfaction out of seeing them thrive and grow. I still enjoy the companionship of pets today and I share this joy with my own young family. Note that it's not uncommon for some cockatiels to prefer not to use nesting materials, however. Cockatiels in nature typically don't use them. If your cockatiel doesn't want to use substrate, don't worry.
Since cockatiels often push out nesting materials out of their boxes, establishing a hollow on the ground of the box is often a safe and smart idea. If you create a pit on the floor, you might be able to prevent the eggs from making their way out from below the incubating mother's body. Bedding is beneficial for keeping the environment of the eggs consistently controlled and steady.
While nest boxes for cockatiels aren't usually enormous, they can take up a lot of real estate within breeding birds' enclosures. Try to affix the nest box to the exterior of the enclosure.
Not only will this help keep your cockatiels' living environment spacious and comfortable, it will make it easier for you to observe what's going on inside the box.
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