Things you just cannot find in books


If you are like me, you have read practically every available book on the market, searched the Internet at length, asked everyone you thought would be bound to know and still not been given the answers to some of your questions.

After acquiring my first pairs of breeding birds, African Greys, I tried in vain to find anywhere or anyone that could tell me what ‘breeding behaviour’ I could expect. Here are some of the things that came from my searches:


1. Males may become more noisy

2. Females may become more noisy

3. Males feeding females


Not really enough that is it? I meant ‘how do I tell when my birds are exhibiting breeding behaviour?’ Quite simply, nobody knew, sources tell us that African Greys are private birds so mating is seldom seen, ok, but what leads up to the mating is what I was looking for.

Also the books etc tell us that the hen sits alone during the incubation period .

What I have found out by witnessing first hand is that the hen does not actually sit alone, she is, true to say, sitting in the box setting the eggs whilst her male feeds her, but she definitely has company for part of the day and the male does take over the ‘egg duties’ when she pops out to relieve herself. I have actually seen males sit almost as soon as the hen stands to leave the box, cocks also roll the eggs under themselves, as does the hen. Sorry, back to the mating behaviour……………now I truly understand why information sources are so vague, the little feathered angles are secretive! My findings are:


1. Males become more noisy

2. Females become more noisy

3. Males feed females

4. You can hear lots of lovely squeaky noises from inside the box

5. The water intake increases

6. Food intake decreases

7. Birds display ‘shy behaviour’ (applies to those that aren’t normally)

Not a lot of help I know, best I can do.


Nest Box Cameras

These really are a revelation. The things you see that go on in the nest box are incredible. The birds display SUCH affection for each other, they cuddle, yes cuddle, mutually preen, mutually feed, play and sleep almost holding hands, if only they could. Splitting up bonded pairs seems to be almost criminal and is nothing short of cruel in my opinion. Having seen their love for each other, I would never split up a pair that are truly bonded. Bonded pairs of breeding birds actually have relationships with each other.


I have read that if you don’t have mating success after 2 years with a particular pair, then try changing the male, with the hen already established in her quarters, success is usually quite rapid. Oh, well I’d have to really consider this now I have seen them together…………..I know being soft won’t turn me into a successful breeder, but it will hopefully make my birds happy. Surely, they and their happiness should be more important than capital gain.


To candle or not to candle the eggs

Umm, I would say to you now, yes, candle the eggs after two weeks if your pairs are newly formed. It is not unusual to have ‘clear’ eggs from pairs that are newly formed or perhaps you don’t know their exact age and they are young adults. Candling I would say should be a personal choice, after all, we are most likely having to get the hen to leave the eggs and we are distressing her whilst we perform the act of candling, but it saves a whole heap of time and can save on the disappointment felt when after 4 weeks plus, the eggs simply don’t hatch. I actually believed that I had bought ever pair of baron birds that where on the market, I had 6, yes 6, clutches of eggs that were clear and from 4 different pairs of birds.


Birds with clear eggs

You may have asked this question: ‘is it better to buy proven pairs or single birds and let them pair up naturally?’ I know I have asked and pondered at length on the subject. Allow me to quote on some instances.


Pair one, bought singly, placed into an aviary with free flying birds, making up a total of 3 cocks & 3 hens. They self selected each other, they were then placed into a breeding cage 3ft x 3ft x 3ft with an external nest box. Shortly after they produced


4 eggs after 40 days I removed these eggs, they were clear. 4 weeks later, the hen laid again, 3 eggs, again none hatched.


Pair two, bought as a proven pair, placed into an aviary with full access to the outside elements, sun, rain and so on. They laid 4 eggs, after 40 days I removed these eggs, they were clear. 8 weeks later, the hen laid again, 3 eggs, again none hatched.


That is 4 of my clear clutches. Should I now be thinking of changing the males, breaking up these adoring pairs? Should I not be thinking of perhaps selling them on as others might do? No, I say, thinking about the circumstances of the pairings and the fact that they are housed so differently makes me conclude it must be diet or the birds are simply young and not getting ‘things quite right’.


I am willing to hold on and let them try again, I do give them all the supplements that they need, Zoovite, Proboost, fresh fruit, veg and as many EFA;s as I can get them to take. Soaked pulses and sprouted sunflower seeds. So diet hopefully is not the problem. If the birds are simply young yet, well what can I do except wait a time longer?.


Perhaps, whilst reading this you have found some experiences similar to your own, if so, please do email me, I may have found a solution by now to pass on to you, or you may have a solution to offer me.


Supplementary Diet Foods for Breeding African Greys

Here is a description of foods that I started to feed my breeding birds in order to try and ensure that they get all the protein and vitamins needed.

Ingredients:

(QUANTITIES NEEDED WILL DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF BIRDS TO FEED – TWO HANDFULS OF PULSES BECOME LOADS ONCE SOAKED)

Soak the pulses overnight, then rinse in plenty of cold running water, boil then for 20 minutes.

Allow pulses to cool. Put the pulses into a large bowl.

Smash the Cuttle bone into very small pieces keeping the powder it will leave.

Chop a large apple or a couple of small ones and leave out the core

Chop an orange into small segments including the skin

Chop up the Kiwi fruit If grapes are small wash and add whole or dice larger ones (20)

Chop up the pear and leave out the core

Stir all the ingredients; add a heaped teaspoon of Zoovite and same of Featherup

Stir again adding a handful of Cuttle bone, powder and all.

Add some SA37 (available in pet shops)

Leave to stand for about 30mins and stir once more before serving to your breeding birds.

Tip: Put this mixture on top of the seed in the feeding bowl and just watch it disappear.

Don't be alarmed if your parrot does not eat the it all, Greys will pick out the bits they like most and will disguard some others, however, after they have been offered this mix a few times, it is usual to find less and less being ‘thrown out’ by the birds.

Two months after starting to feed this diet along with the usual seed mix, I had 5 separate pairs go to nest and lay eggs with astonishing results.

I continue to feed it although in larger daily quantities once the eggs hatched adding Quiko Parrot Egg Food to it (leave out the oranges at this time) and had no problems with parents feeding the chicks. Can also be used as a weaning mix. Baby birds love this mix too!