New to Breeding, advice please!!

[diviesh]

Hi all

I have two black headed caiques, one male and one female, they have grown up together but are not related.

They are amlomst 2 years old and seem to be getting frisky, the male a little aggressive, we have had to seperate for a couple of hours each day this week and when we put them back together they cuddle up, groom each other and seem inseperable.

I'm not sure, but i have read that these are all signs that they are getting ready to mate.

I would like to know more about how to breed them, and have some questions i would really appreciate some answers for

Are they too young to breed???
Should I be looking at buying a nest box for them, if so what size should i be looking at
is their anything else i need to help them breed

Any further advice would be much appreciated

Thank you in advance

[Holly-Noelle]

Hi and welcome to the forum!
I have two WB Caiques around the same age as your BHCs and grew up together too, and from what I've read they are reaching maturity but are still too young to breed. Usually the youngest they might breed is around four but don't expect any sucess until five years old. Even thought they seem to be well matched, your pair and mine may never breed...it's not a given and they are not one of the easiest species to have product young. Good luck with your pair.

[Emily]

A couple questions for you.
Do you want to breed birds?
How long have you had birds?
Did you get the caiques with breeding as a future, in particular?
Do you have prior breeding experience?
Do you know how to handle chicks?
Do you have handfeeding experience?
Do you have a mentor in the area?
Do you have a reputable avian vet on call?

[diviesh]

Do you want to breed birds?
Yes i would like to
How long have you had birds?
I have had birds of different species for about 20 years, but at present these are the only ones i have
Did you get the caiques with breeding as a future, in particular?
I bought them as a pair, with the possibility of breeding if it happens
Do you have prior breeding experience?
I have no breeding experience, but am very willing to learn
Do you know how to handle chicks?
Not really but i will learn
Do you have handfeeding experience?
we spoon fed ours when they were young,but thats about as close to hand feeding as it gets, again very willing to learn
Do you have a mentor in the area?
No, though it would be good to find one
Do you have a reputable avian vet on call?
We have a very good avian vet in loughborough, leics, uk, who we go to i am yet to ask him for advice but will be taking to him when the caiques are getting close to a good breeding age

hope this answers all your questions

[BareFootAviary]

Males Caiques are actually known to kill females. They can become extremely aggressive during maturity, so keep that in mind. You may have to separate them at some point if he gets too aggressive.

When my male gets ready to mate (though only with his perch!), he gets very aggressive, but in the nest box they are very sweet to each other. Just wish they would actually mate (they would both rather mate with me). I'm ok if they never do though. They are my sweet little birds!

[diviesh]

Hi Thanks for your reply, i have heard that before and am trying to keep an eye on them, when they play up i seperate them for 3/4 hours and put them back together and they just become all lovey dovey again :-), I'm just not sure if they are old enough to mate yet they are only 20 months or so, if any one can reply with some advice would be much appreciated, also can anyone recommend what type of nest box to put them in.

[Sillypup5]

20 months is WAY too young for caiques to breed. They need to be 4 or 5 years old before they are of breeding age.

[Emily]

If you've never bred birds before, I do not suggest starting with caiques. I wouldn't even encourage them because if you do and end up with babies, what then? You need to know how to handfeed, how to handle babies, what to do if the parents reject them, etc. Are your birds on a high protein breeding appropriate diet? Do you have the money to invest in a brooder, nestbox, extra cage, handfeeding forumula, syringes, and everything else you will need to successfully rear chicks? We are talking about $500 + here, for costs. I appreciate you wanting to learn to breed, but please do not experiment with caiques, or any other bird, for that matter. Go to a breeder and shadow them for awhile so you can gain experience and confidence in what you would be doing. Wanna be breeders with no experience and little knowledge are the downfall to the breeding industry.

I also have to add, your birds are much too young. Its ideal to wait until they are 3, or even older, to begin breeding.

[diviesh]

Hi thank you for all your advice, to be honest I was thinking that they were way to young, it seemed very strange the way they were acting got me thinking hence why i started asking the questions.

I would love to observe a breeder, but unfortunately i do not have a caique breeder anywhere near me.

If they want to breed, then i dont really want to stop them. although if they do i don't want to make mistakes, thats why i have been asking all these questions.

i dont mind spending the money if i need to, to make sure things are done correctly.

[ddbuddy]

Male caiques can breed and fertize eggs at 1 1/2 yrs, females at 3 yrs. Most times when birds are 4 years old. Sounds like your male is ready but the female is too young. I would wait and put up a nestbox the winter before her 3rd summer. For now take out tents or sleeping huts any place thats dark for nesting. I use grandfather type nestboxes that are 9" x 18' inside measurements, with 4" hole in top of nestbox and a wire ladder inside attached just under the hole and about 4" from bottom of nestbox. Rick Jordan has 2 books that are a must, Handfeeding and nursery management and Parrot incubation procedures. Caiques do not make good parents, so you have alot to learn in the next year and a half. Good luck and go study, Debbie