Water and humidity

Provide lots of fresh water for bathing when your pair is on eggs. The hen will bathe frequently so that her wet feathers and body heat can provide the humidity needed to insure healthy egg shells for the developing chicks.

Candling the eggs

You can tell if your bird´s eggs are fertile by holding them up to a strong light source. This is called ‘candling´. After a few days in the nest, candle the eggs. If the eggs are clear, they are infertile. If you can see a dark mass inside, the egg contains a developing chick!

Keep strangers away

Keep strangers and heavy activity away from your birds when they are on eggs. Too much stress can cause some birds to destroy their eggs or kill their newly hatched chicks. It´s a good idea to put the nesting birds in a quiet room where they feel safe.

the breeding hen´s droppings

The amount of droppings from a hen about to start laying or one that is sitting on eggs will be huge compared to those of a hen not in breeding mode.

My pet isn´t a pet any more!

Some formerly friendly birds will become aggressive or ‘mean´ when breeding. After breeding season is over and the chicks have fledged, most birds will regain their pet behavior. Continue to show them attention when they are nesting but don´t crowd in on their activities. The birds will let you know when they´re ready for your company.

How many eggs?

Cockatiels and finches lay between five and seven eggs per clutch.

Infertile first clutches

Quite often the first clutch laid by a young inexperienced pair will be infertile. Don´t give up--the birds will figure it out!

The Clutch

A nest of eggs is referred to as a ‘clutch´.

Have enough nest baskets!

If you keep finches or parakeets in an aviary, make sure there are more than enough nest baskets or boxes to go around. If too few nesting sites are available, the birds will fight over them.

Community breeding/parakeets

Parakeets need the company of other parakeets to breed. It´s unusual for a single pair with no other parakeets around to produce young.