Seperating budgies for breeding + Choosing pair

[HilsonMD]

Two hours ago I got my first breeding cages in the mail (Yes, I've studied breeding for over a year, I know what to do during emergencies) and I just got finished puttiing it together and putting all the toys in the cages, etc (It took so long to put it together because it didn't come with instructions)

I had 4 budgies in 1 cage (2 Male, 2 Female) and I just got the 2nd male two days ago. The females have been doing a homosexual relationship for the past week (Haven't mated yet) and honestly I have nothing against homosexuality, but when you breed budgies, two females cannot produce fertilized eggs (YOU DON'T SAAAY) so i have to separate them.

The thing is, I don't know how they'll react to having their mates taken away. Should I / How should I separate them?


Also, if I do separate them, How should I do it by (Read details to understand)?

Like.. 1 Male is obviously more ready for breeding than the other (His cere is darker blue than the others) but he's the new one, and one female isn't even ready for breeding yet but she's close.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHGyV...f2AUAAAAAAAAAA

That's a video of them. So, the green female's ready for breeding, and the blue one is close. So how should I put them?

[Kerry C]

Any time you bring a new bird into your home AND you plan on breeding you MUST wait 30 days IF the birds are caged together. 40 if they are only in the same room. This is IF you wish to prevent French Molt, which is a common virus. This give all the birds to form new anti bodies to this virus. French Molt is a baby disease. It attack in the warmest parts of the chicks - that would be tail and flight feather forming. ALL budges have it. Every aviary has a different form of it. It does NOT affect adults. BUT if you don't want your chicks scared from it you MUST wait the time period for the adults to form new anti bodies.

While your birds are waiting, get all your new birds converted over to a healthy diet. Seed is NOT a health diet. All your birds should be well established on eating fresh veggies and fruits. If your birds are seed junkies as 99.999% of all pet store birds are - spend the time to teach your birds how to eat these fresh foods. Birds on a healthy diet do NOT need additives to junk up their water source.

Individual cage breed your birds. Leave the black cage as a "vacation" spot. This way when you put your birds up to breed in a stock cage they KNOW they are to go to work.

Also colony breeding is always less successful then individual cage breeding. Colony breeding is HIGHLY stressful and you need to provide at least 2 to 3 more nest boxes than you have prs.

As to how to pr up your birds. You should always pr up any 2 animals with offsetting faults. What are your goals? What colors are you breeding for?

Green is always dominant. Putting green with blue will give you green chicks that will be split for blue. IF you end up with any blue chicks you KNOW the green bird is already split for blue.