The Ideal Year For A Breeding Pair- A Month By Month Schedule For The Best Breeding Outcome And Health
In the wild each year budgies naturally go through a specific cycle of conditioning, breeding, molting and resting. When we mimic these natural cycles in our homes rather than randomly letting our birds breed we have much better results.
Here you will find a breakdown of the ideal 12-month breeding year for your budgies. I have included the ideal diet and supplements I have found effective to offer during each period for the best breeding results as well.
Feel free to alter this schedule to fit your yearly routine as it is just a general guide that goes from January-December. I hope your birds will benefit from following this schedule as much as mine have!
Conditioning Period Before The Breeding Season Month 1 (e.g January)
This is the time to get our pairs physically ready and motivated to raise chicks. The conditioning period will increase the testosterone levels in your cock for peak fertility. For the hen, the conditioning period will allow her time to build up extra calcium reserves within in her bones to prevent egg binding and uterine prolapse. In addition, it will prepare her body with the extra nutrients she will need to form yolks that are as nutritionally packed as possible for healthy chicks.
I condition most of my pairs for 3-4 weeks as I have them on a well-balanced diet all year around, but you can always condition for a bit longer if needed.
The Ideal Diet To Offer Your Pair During This Period-
Daily Offer: Seed mix. Pellets. Fresh Vegetables. Egg Food. Sprouted Seed. Once Or Twice A Week Offer: A conditioning supplement in soft food. I use ProBoost SuperMax by The Bird Care Company. It is designed to help bring our birds into peak breeding condition with high protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Lighting during this period: Increase lighting to 12-16 hours of daylight each day
Active Breeding Period Of Raising 1-2 Clutches Months 2-5 (e.g February- May)
With eggs and chicks now actively on the way, you want to keep your pair in top shape. I continue with a high protein high-fat diet that is similar to the conditioning period, but with a few different supplements more tailored to the chicks needs in addition to the parents.
1-2 clutches will give you the best breeding results from your pair. Any more than this will leave them physically exhausted and because of this, a third clutch often fairs poorly in a number of ways including fertility, survival rate and growth when compared to the previous clutch/s. For the best outcome never allow more than two clutches in a row.
The Ideal Diet To Offer During This Period- Daily Offer Your Pair: Seed mix. Pellets. Fresh Vegetables. Egg Food. Sprouted Seed. Once Or Twice A Week Offer: A breeding supplement in soft food. During this period, I use EasyBird SuperBreeder by The Bird Care Company. It contains protein, vitamins and minerals, calcium and probiotics that chicks need as they develop, and it also helps support the parents during this exhausting breeding time.
Lighting during this period: 12-16 hours of daylight each day
First Molting Period Month 6 (e.g June)
After a hard breeding season, it is time to let your pair rest and prepare for the first molt of the year.
During this time you want to offer some extras to help them recover from the breeding period, and also to help them cope with the stress that molting can cause, especially with show/english budgies given the increased feathering they were bred for.
The Ideal Diet To Offer During This Period-
Daily Offer Your Pair: Seed mix. Pellets. Fresh Vegetables. Every Other Day Offer: Egg Food. Sprouted Seed Once Or Twice A Week Offer: A molting supplement in soft food. I use EasyBird Easy Rest, Moult & Show from The Bird Care Company during this period. It combines a number of supplements in one to give molting birds needed vitamins and minerals, probiotics and a small amount of protein, all of which help with feather growth.
Lighting during this period: 8-10 hours daily
Complete Rest Period Months 7-11 (e.g July-November)
This is the time for your budgies to simply enjoy being birds. During this period, we keep our pairs in the flights with plenty of extra toys and fresh branches to chew on. They have earned a much-deserved rest and I try to make it as enjoyable as possible!
No supplements should be necessary beyond cuttlebone and mineral block unless you have a specific reason to do so. A complete and varied diet should give them what they need during this time of low stress.
The Ideal Diet To Offer During This Period- Daily Diet To Offer: Seed mix. Pellets. Fresh Vegetables. Once Or Twice A Week Offer: Egg Food. Sprouted Seed
Lighting during this period: 8-10 hours daily
Second Molting Period Month 12 (e.g December)
After 5 months of rest and fun, your budgies should be ready for another molt. As this time comes you will want to increase a few things in their diet as well as begin offering a supplement to help with the stress of molting again. As the breeding season will be happening again after this molt you want them to be in good physical condition so the actual conditioning period will build them up beyond normal, rather than just make up for deficiencies during a molt.
The Ideal Diet To Offer During This Period- Daily: Seed mix. Pellets. Fresh Vegetables. Every Other Day: Egg Food. Sprouted Seed Once Or Twice A Week Offer: A molting supplement in soft food. During the second molt of the year, I again use EasyBird Easy Rest, Moult & Show from The Bird Care Company. It combines a number of supplements in one to give molting birds needed vitamins, minerals, probiotics and a small amount of protein, all of which help with feather growth.
