Breeding Lovebirds. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Last Updated: March 28, 2019 Checking the pelvic bones may help. They have a long, hooked beak and a short, blunt tail. Most lovebirds need to be hand-fed until they are between six and eight weeks old when you can begin to wean them onto millet, soft pellets, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Even the chicks are mainly fed by the male. Check each egg by holding an egg up to a light source, such as a flashlight and looking for a membrane, which is a sign the egg is fertile. The chicks will likely die if you do this, so please don't. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Research source Lovebirds are a small type of parrot that are green in the wild but have many color mutations in varieties that are bred as pets. Each clutch usually contains between three and seven eggs. After a couple of days, move the birds into the same cage so they can mate. Put separate water and food dishes in the cage away from the bottom. They must be supplied a … This can vary by a couple of days in either direction. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. This article has been viewed 236,245 times. No. ", "Basically everything here was very useful information. Remove any birds that are exhibiting signs of aggression or rejection of a potential partner. Put some nesting material in the cage to encourage the birds to make a nest. No, you need not remove the male because they help in the feeding of chicks. Place different sized perches in the cage along with toys to keep the lovebirds happy and stimulated. "I purchased 2 love birds over a year ago. He is also the one who will feed the babies the most after the eggs hatch. Your information will help me decide. BEFORE YOU BEGIN. For help setting up the perfect lovebird cage, keep reading! Pelvic bones are a set of two bones located near the vent area of bird. They have a long, hooked beak and a short, blunt tail. Trying to decide whether to let them, "It is really fantastic. [2] Be aware that two female lovebirds, if placed together. Most lovebirds need to be hand-fed until they are between 6 and 8 weeks old, when you can begin to wean them onto millet, soft pellets and fresh fruits and vegetables. In most cases, the male will feed the female during brooding. However, for a juvenile this might be confusing. After that, the breeders take the babies out of the nest and place them in a brooder for hand-feeding. Be aware the female will only leave to excrete waste, drink, and have a bite of food. Be aware that if a mate dies, its companion can exhibit erratic behavior that is like a form of depression. The proper size nest for a lovebird is about 12 inches on each side, with an entrance hole about three inches in diameter. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Love Birds Colony Breeding - easy way to breeding ===================================================== Lovebirds are a small type of parrot that are green in the wild but have many color mutations in varieties that are bred as pets. After five seconds, check if you can see a membrane. Breeding birds need to be in top condition; they cannot be on seed-only diets or be forced to live in dirty cages. Even, deep and clear plumage, or feathers, Clean, large, and strong feet with straight toes and no scars. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. The proper size for a lovebird is about 12 by 12 by 12 inches, with an entrance hole about 3 inches in diameter. Like all hookbills, lovebirds should be fed a varied diet consisting of seeds, pellets, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. They have to be at least one year old to breed but it is best to breed them when they are a bit older, to reduce the chances of getting dead baby lovebirds in the eggs. It is possible but not recommended. Check that the lovebirds you want to mate are not related. Make sure the birds have not mated for more than 2 clutches, which can cause them serious illness. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. X Enjoy the fact that lovebirds are romantic with one another and may feed each other to re-establish their bonds after stress or separation. After it's been at least 10 days, start checking the cage for eggs to see if your lovebirds mated! Also, give them plenty of nutritious food to eat, like frozen vegetables, brown rice, and apples. X For help setting up the perfect lovebird cage, keep reading! Get your lovebirds a cage of no less than 18x18x12 inches with the bars spaced no more than 3/4" inch apart. hatch or not. When attempting to calculate future hatch dates, always count forward from the day that you notice the hen begin to sit on the eggs. Breeding-age hens should be placed on a calcium supplement to counteract the nutrients that they lose during egg-laying. If you have lovebirds or want to own lovebirds and breed them, it requires a lot of consideration and commitment, especially because they are monogamous for life. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. To breed successfully, each breeding lovebird should be healthy and between one and five years old. Learn how to create a happy, healthy home for your pet. Illustration: Theresa Chiechi. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your pet, know the pet's health history, and can make the best recommendations for your pet. Avoid mixing breeds, which results in hybrid birds that don’t belong to any species of lovebirds. Put nesting materials in the cage to encourage the couple to start building a nest. Clean the cage and dishes daily to keep your lovebirds healthy. Proper nesting material, such as shredded paper, should fill the nest box. This article has been viewed 236,245 times. What month should I start breeding Lovebirds? Is it possible to have two females and one male to impregnate them both? Breeding Lovebirds BEFORE YOU BEGIN The most important thing to consider when deciding to breed lovebirds is how much time and energy you have. X Research source Informing yourself about love birds and their mating process can help you figure out if this right decision for your animals and for you. To breed lovebirds, start by placing a male and female lovebird in separate cages next to each other. In this case, 88% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. While they are affectionate to their mates, they are territorial and aggressive to others they view as intruders, like othe… Alyson is a freelance writer with more than 10 years of experience working professionally with birds, and over 3 years as a veterinary technician. There are 40 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Most breeders allow the hen to feed the babies from hatching to the age of two or three weeks. Do lovebirds need a body of water to breed? According to proponents of this method, males have very little space between the pelvic bones whereas females have widely spaced bones. In her first clutch she laid eight and five were born live, three were not viable. Research source The more you study pelvic structures, the closer you'll come to 90% accuracy by this method. ", "All of it as I am a fairly new owner of lovebirds! The most important thing to consider when deciding to breed lovebirds is how much time and energy you have. Males and females look alike. For them, close observation shows that the male has pointed bones while female has comparatively blunt bones. The female will generally lay eggs at night. References Place the birds in cages next to one another before putting them in the same cage. Try and purchase a square or rectangular cage so they have places to hide. She may produce one egg every other day, up to 5 or 6 eggs. Notes are given for new breeders who want to breed African lovebirds. Many lay an egg every other day until they have all been laid. ", "This article is very much helpful for me.". ====================================================== facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/747751848678843/?ref=group_browse_new======================================================facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Bird-Lover-1726353014354980/?ref=bookmarks====================================================== While they are affectionate to their mates, they are territorial and aggressive to others they view as intruders, like other birds in the household. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/06\/Breed-Lovebirds-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Breed-Lovebirds-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/06\/Breed-Lovebirds-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid5710358-v4-728px-Breed-Lovebirds-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"