Breeding
To breed or not to breed, this has always been a big debate among aviculturists and hobbyists. Backyard breeding is a large problem across the world. It fosters a barrage of health problems and poor genetics. Often this is teamed up with poor treatment of breeder animals and the concern of money as the primary goal over the breeding pair's wellfare. However when done correctly, breeding a pair of birds or two is very rewarding, educating, and natural for your animals.
Are you a backyard breeder or a breeding aviculturist/hobbyist?
You may be a backyard breeder if you fail more than 3 out of the Dont list below.
You may be a backyard breeder if you can barely afford the animals you have but are taking out loans, selling your property, or working double shifts at work to get another pair or two to produce more babies in a year.
You may be a backyard breeder if you would rather charge market prices than find proper homes for your produced offspring
IF you are, don't panic. Just follow the do's and dont's below and remember why you adopted birds in the first place. These are beautiful and intelligent creatures that we have to work for the right to own.
We must focus on the future and not just the Now. In this very moment you may see a decision as beneficial, but think of the big picture. How will your choice affect the pet market, the animals you own and are making, and the potential of the species you are working with.
Are you a backyard breeder or a breeding aviculturist/hobbyist?
You may be a backyard breeder if you fail more than 3 out of the Dont list below.
You may be a backyard breeder if you can barely afford the animals you have but are taking out loans, selling your property, or working double shifts at work to get another pair or two to produce more babies in a year.
You may be a backyard breeder if you would rather charge market prices than find proper homes for your produced offspring
IF you are, don't panic. Just follow the do's and dont's below and remember why you adopted birds in the first place. These are beautiful and intelligent creatures that we have to work for the right to own.
We must focus on the future and not just the Now. In this very moment you may see a decision as beneficial, but think of the big picture. How will your choice affect the pet market, the animals you own and are making, and the potential of the species you are working with.
Breeding Do's And Dont's
Get a medical history on the proposed parents and their parents to ensure good genetics
Buy 4 animals instead of just 2 so if 2 don't get along, you can switch them partners. they will also help eachother through the process
Make sure you are willing to lose your relationship with your animal
Plan on not conceiving at the very least for 2 years if the pair has just been introduced to eachother, 1 year if they came together unproven, or 6 months if proven to adjust to a new habitat
Breed for the love of the species, not for your wallet, this is not a get rich quick lifestyle
Breed in moderation to maintain the tameness, health, and happiness of your breeder birds. so don't over work them.
Buy 4 animals instead of just 2 so if 2 don't get along, you can switch them partners. they will also help eachother through the process
Make sure you are willing to lose your relationship with your animal
Plan on not conceiving at the very least for 2 years if the pair has just been introduced to eachother, 1 year if they came together unproven, or 6 months if proven to adjust to a new habitat
Breed for the love of the species, not for your wallet, this is not a get rich quick lifestyle
Breed in moderation to maintain the tameness, health, and happiness of your breeder birds. so don't over work them.
Never breed 2 birds of the same age purchased in the same state, the chance of relation is too high
Never breed hybrids with the intent on producing more breeders, in the long run it reduces genetic diversity, this is only for potential pets.
Never breed small birds under a year old, medium sized birds under 2 years, and larger birds under 3 if you don't want complications
Never breed willy nilly. Breeding should be a reflection of planning since it takes patience, dedication, and large finances if something goes wrong
Never breed if you couldn't feasibly provide for all the offspring if no home could be found
Never hand feed babies if you haven't shadowed someone experienced through the process.
Never breed hybrids with the intent on producing more breeders, in the long run it reduces genetic diversity, this is only for potential pets.
Never breed small birds under a year old, medium sized birds under 2 years, and larger birds under 3 if you don't want complications
Never breed willy nilly. Breeding should be a reflection of planning since it takes patience, dedication, and large finances if something goes wrong
Never breed if you couldn't feasibly provide for all the offspring if no home could be found
Never hand feed babies if you haven't shadowed someone experienced through the process.
Getting Started
If you have decided to proceed to breeding your pets, please keep in mind the following steps
* Get a clean health report on the parents from your vet
** Medicate your parents if needed and give lots of calcium to your female
*** Don't force mating, it has to happen naturally or there will be complications
1) Pick one species and 1-3 pairs of them to start your breeding project (1 if you're a hobbyist breeding your pets every once in a while, and 2-3 if you are looking to establish a regular business out of this)
2) Pick your mating pairs wisely. You should have a photo and contact info of the parents from both inviduals of each pair or kept in touch with others who bought the ciblings, or owned them for 4-5 years yourself with not one health issue.
3) When picking a mating pair, determine the potential phenotypes (mutation of appearance such as color) of the offspring, and find out if there is a market for them and where or which website/publication they are least available.
4) Create a name and website for your business to show your potential customers you are serious and also love the animals you are breeding. and then File for legal documents licenses you may need
5) Decide where your breeders will be kept at your place, and where they can be moved in your place if there is an issue, and also to where you can relocate them to completely if there is an emergency (such as friend's house)
6) Build breeding cages that are double to triple the normal cage requirements per pair, and line up pairs of the same species near, but far enough apart to walk between and put a visual barrier if need be.
7) Determine if tyou need to setup counter measures for weather and environmental conditions. Roof for rain or light snow. Heater or misters for temperature changes, UV lights if indoors, tray at bottom of suspended cage if there are ants, etc.
8) Set feeding routine, nestbox checking routine, and make sure you adhere to it. Sudden changes will affect their mating and laying. IT helps to have a written calendar and a partner to assist on days you can't do something.
9) Shadow an experienced breeder with handfeeding whether you choose to do this or let the parents raise the offspring, just in case there is an emergency and you have to
.
10) Be prepared for the worse and hope for the best. Accidents happen, nature happens, and things can go wrong with the greatest of care and precautions taken. Learn all you can during this season and try again in the next.
* Get a clean health report on the parents from your vet
** Medicate your parents if needed and give lots of calcium to your female
*** Don't force mating, it has to happen naturally or there will be complications
1) Pick one species and 1-3 pairs of them to start your breeding project (1 if you're a hobbyist breeding your pets every once in a while, and 2-3 if you are looking to establish a regular business out of this)
2) Pick your mating pairs wisely. You should have a photo and contact info of the parents from both inviduals of each pair or kept in touch with others who bought the ciblings, or owned them for 4-5 years yourself with not one health issue.
3) When picking a mating pair, determine the potential phenotypes (mutation of appearance such as color) of the offspring, and find out if there is a market for them and where or which website/publication they are least available.
4) Create a name and website for your business to show your potential customers you are serious and also love the animals you are breeding. and then File for legal documents licenses you may need
5) Decide where your breeders will be kept at your place, and where they can be moved in your place if there is an issue, and also to where you can relocate them to completely if there is an emergency (such as friend's house)
6) Build breeding cages that are double to triple the normal cage requirements per pair, and line up pairs of the same species near, but far enough apart to walk between and put a visual barrier if need be.
7) Determine if tyou need to setup counter measures for weather and environmental conditions. Roof for rain or light snow. Heater or misters for temperature changes, UV lights if indoors, tray at bottom of suspended cage if there are ants, etc.
8) Set feeding routine, nestbox checking routine, and make sure you adhere to it. Sudden changes will affect their mating and laying. IT helps to have a written calendar and a partner to assist on days you can't do something.
9) Shadow an experienced breeder with handfeeding whether you choose to do this or let the parents raise the offspring, just in case there is an emergency and you have to
.
10) Be prepared for the worse and hope for the best. Accidents happen, nature happens, and things can go wrong with the greatest of care and precautions taken. Learn all you can during this season and try again in the next.
