Here are some things every breeding pair of budgies will need in their diet well before the nest box is put up and they are encouraged to breed.
It can take months to get your pair eating what they need to if they are not used to some of these things. While they are in the process of raising a clutch is not when you want to be switching their diet if you can help it. By getting them on the perfect breeding diet before you allow them to breed, you are setting them up for a healthy successful clutch and a much more enjoyable breeding experience!
[[breedingdiet1.jpeg]]
Why Your Pair Needs A Good Breeding Diet
While budgies need a good varied diet all year, when they are breeding they need an especially varied and complete one. You want parents with lots of energy and stamina since raising a clutch of babies is very exhausting for them.
When the parents have good eating habits they will also teach these good eating habits to their chick. This will benefit them at the time and in the future. Without a good diet before and during breeding you will have a much higher chance of many breeding problems that are directly diet related such as:
Egg binding. Infertile eggs. Not feeding and or abandoning their chicks. Having weak and disease prone chicks. Physically exhausted parents that lose weight and are at a much higher risk of getting sick themselves.
The above-named things are just a few of the problems encountered from a poor diet. With so many other problems that are possible inbreeding that are not diet related it is extremely important to do as much as we can to ensure that their breeding is as safe and successful as possible.. Their diet plays a huge role in that.
Why The Chicks Need Their Parents To Have A Good Diet
When you have well fed and strong parents that is passed right on to the babies! You will have babies that grow properly, have strong immune systems and are a healthy weight. This is especially important at weaning since that is a stressful time when they naturally lose some weight.
They will also develop good eating habits since babies will copy and do exactly what their parents do. This will make it much easier for them to wean as they will not be picky and will be happy to try different things. It will benefit them the rest of their life and make it much easier on their new families. They will already be eating fruits and veggies and it won't take weeks or months to convince them to try them once they get older and stubborn!
The Basics Of A Good Breeding Diet
Freshly Chopped Vegetables: Each pair and weaning babies get fresh fruits and veggies every day. This is extremely important, as they have essential vitamins and nutrients that seeds and pellets don't have. They have enzymes that aid in digestion and good bacteria that helps to prevent illness in both the parents and chicks.
I like to use a food processor to blend them all together in little bits. In the picture to the left, I have blended carrots, celery, romaine lettuce and red pepper.
[[breedingdiet2.jpeg]]
breedingdiet2
Ideally, veggies should make up about 40-50% of your breeding pairs diet. The more fresh variety of produce you can get them to eat the better! Below are some safe vegetable examples:
Egg Food: At least twice a day each breeding pair with eggs and chicks should get an egg food mixture. All non-breeding pairs get this mixture 2 times a week or so.
Mashed hard boiled eggs offer needed protein and fats for the growth of the chicks. The difference in chicks with and without a good egg food can be seen simply by looking at them. I like to mix it with pellets for the birds that I have that are stubborn and love seeds. Once they are hooked on egg food you can put anything you want in it and they will gobble it down and not even notice the difference!
You can also buy premixed and made egg food if you prefer. I like making my own since then I know it is always fresh and has what I want in it.
Here is my favorite egg food recipe:
3 Whole hard boiled eggs, mashed. 1 Cup of whole grains, such as cooked brown rice, whole grain pasta, couscous, or quinoa. 1/4 Cup flax seed 1/2 Cup pellets 1 1/2 Cups fresh diced veggies
[[breedingdiet3.jpg]]
breedingdiet3
Pellets: The great thing about pellets is that my birds are unable to pick and choose only a few of favorites and refuse to eat other options. Since each pellet has what is considered a more balanced amount of nutrients in each piece they can help avoid some of the problems often found in a seed only diet.
There are many different brands made especially for budgies so it really is a matter of what you like best.
Ideally, pellets should make up no more than 20% of your breeding pairs diet.
[[breedingdiet4.jpeg]]
breedingdiet4
Fresh Seed Mix: Any seed needs to be fresh, clean and have a variety in the mix. I like to buy all of my seeds individually and make my own mixes. Some of the things in it include:
White millet Red millet Canary seed Thistle Cracked corn Cracked sunflower seeds Oat groats Flax Seed
Ideally, dried seed should make up no more than 20% of your breeding pairs diet. Sprouted seed, on the other hand, is completely different as it is essentially a vegetable rather than a starch/fat. Please see the article below for additional information regarding soaked/sprouted seed and its benefits.
[[breedingdiet5.jpeg]]
A Calcium Source
Calcium is essential for the hen to make fully formed egg shells which helps prevent egg binding. She needs to have access to a form of calcium at all times to build up a good calcium reserve before she is encouraged to breed. The chicks also need an adequate amount of calcium to build strong bones and prevent splayed legs.
Be sure keep a cuttlebone and mineral block in each breeding cage as well as in your budgies cage all year round to help ensure they have the needed calcium reserves before breeding.
