Breeding Boxes but I don't want breeding?

[Naava]

I was thinking about making/buying a breeding box for my parakeets to hide in/chew on/whatever, but will they breed if I gave it to them? I have 5 parakeets & only one is a male and he has never showed any signs on intrest of breeding in the females. I won't give them nesting material either. It's just that my parakeets, no matter how hars I try, won't be tame, and I don't want to have them raise a clutch and I won't be able to handfeed them. Parakeet Mania! I mean, I have a huge cage, but still!

So, is it okay to put a breeding box in? If they did lay I would replace the eggs with fake ones but I don't want to have to resort to that.

Thanks!

[maxollie]

Personally, I would not put a nest box in a big cage with 5 parakeets. The box may encourage the male or females to become hormonal. If that were to occur, you could have some behavior changes in all of the birds, because if the male would choose "one" of the females to be his partner, that may cause the other females to be aggressive. Have you ever had your birds DNA sexed. Perhaps you don't have 4 females and 1 male. That would be a question I would consider. I have only bred keets one time in the past, and it was not a planned event. I had 5 parakeets in one cage and thought they all were males. One Xmas, I had to be away from home for awhile, and when I returned the males all had gotten into a fight with each other over the one female I didn't know I had. One of my males ended up with a broken toe. There were feathers all over the cage, and it was evident they all were "competing" for the female. The next day I found the "pair" mating, so I immediately took them out of that big cage and put them in a cage by themselves. I then purchased a bird box and attached it to the cage. The female immediately began laying eggs and I ended up with 4 precious little chicks. Breeding birds takes lots of research as well as special care of the pair, because many things can go wrong with the process. The pair have to have a special diet, lots of calcium, as well as vitamins, and the hen must be watched carefully for egg binding.

I'm hopeful others will stop by and give you their opinions too! Good luck with your flock!

[Naava]

Thanks! Yah, I'm not positive they are all females except fro Cobalt, but he is the only one with a bright blue cere while the others have brownish ceres. Two of my females do hack at each other a bit, but overall they are fine

[Marrie]

Even if it doesn't encourage your male to mate, it would encourage females to lay eggs with or without a mate. If not breeding, don't give boxes.

[Naava]

Yup, I decided against it(: And since I have bumped up my efforts to try and tame them I don't want them to be distracted by the urge to breed! They are already distracted by each other!

[Kerry C]

Your thought process makes NO since!

You want to proved a stimulant to get their hormones in gear TO breed, BUT you don't want them to breed. ?????

You want to provide 1 box for 4 hens. You want to cause WWIII, a blood bath and death as your hens fighting over the rights for this one box????

Birds are NOT dogs. They do NOT live in "houses" unless they are going to reproduce. IF you want to breed. PLEASE, PLEASE read up on the subject. There is way too much information in book form to make your birds be your first learning curve. From what you have written here a few books on budgie care and breeding is in order to widen your safe enjoyment of these jewels. If books on budgies is in short supply in your area. I can HIGHLY recommend http://www.abebooks.com Even with shipping they cost less than most books found at the local pet shops.

Give your birds toys TO chew up. The drug store or art center sells tong depression sticks that are inexpensive. Be creative in how you string them. You can even dye them with unsweetened Cool Aid in a concentrated form.

Pet stores also sell shredable type toys.