New to breeding birds... Questions!

[birdsnreps]

you only need a permit for these birds if you are to cross state lines with them.

[Monica]

I wouldn't mind seeing several breeders get together and making two lists...

One... Cons of breeding... things that CAN or WILL go wrong... the cost... the commitment... the lack of sleep... emergency bills... the experience needed... problems raising chicks... problems weaning chicks... when to clip chicks (if indeed you do clip, and not to clip too soon).... selling... etc

Two.... Pros of breeding! Seeing those happy little faces... the noises they make... the enjoyment... the love... finding the perfect family... etc

And most importantly! To put it bluntly with the cons. No buttering it up, with sugar on the side and a cherry on top. No, I'm looking more for facts and information type of stuff.

The thing is, is that there are SO many things that could go wrong, that can go wrong, and that WILL go wrong, in that if you are not prepared for these things you could end up with a dead bird, or even dead chicks.


Breeding I also think should depend on what country you live in.... if your country isn't overpopulated with pets and there IS a demand for them, then breeding should not be an issue.... however, here in the United States we have TOO MANY breeders, not a high enough demand by bird people (as previously mentioned), thus we end up with a bunch of ignorant owners who are abusing or neglecting their pets cause it was cheap to buy.... and there's hardly any rules on pet care so who really DOES care? Besides true pet owners!



My advice... if your going to breed, why not volunteer at a breeders place? Find a breeder who's willing to allow you to clean their cages, aviaries, feed the birds, get experience handraising, etc. This way you'll have someone experienced watching over you in case of problems and can direct you. Many breeders have started out without any help, but it's much better to get the experience first, before the reality, so to speak..



And as far as Goldens... well breeders may sell to other breeders... so it may help to get lineage of the birds, or see if one can do a blood/DNA test to determine if two birds (bought from a separate place or same place) are closely related... if they aren't, then go for it! Get that experience, get a good paying job, get a good place to live, with acreage, aviaries built, etc. If you have a stable job that would allow for breeding birds, and handfeeding, should the need or desire arise, then you will be better off than having a bad paying job and not being able to afford anything.

[bubbalori]

i agree handraising all the differnt lories do they are all different some saty loyal some dont for instance ihandraised a scaly jade 2 yrs ago and she is stillloyal to me but is with a partner. i handraised a lori last year and it is still my baby she bites soometimes not often its a line of the pecking order thing i reckon lol

Originally Posted by birdsnreps

i dont think you should breed anything that you are not absolutly passionate about. if you really wanna breed queens, then wait until you can afford to buy and breed queens. dont just breed budgies to "gain experience", unless of course you are very much in love with them. If not, then you might just end up selling the pair later on when you do get your queens. Breeders have a tough time adjusting just like pets do when they are rehomed, but they have the added pressure to breed for the new owners in their new environments.

Im sure you dont mean anything like this if you do breed budgies (or something else to gain experience), but to me, when people say this, it kinda sounds like they are more like an "experiment" to learn how to raise baby birds and to see if you have what it takes to be a good, ethical breeder. Every species of bird has different requirements to breed, and then each baby is different when you start handfeeding and socializing them. even if you do start out with budgies, i can guarantee you that breeding queens is very different from breeding the small birds.

[MicahEspudo]

Thanks Monica I really appreciate your answer :)
I will remember that when I (if I ever) breed queens!