By Jennifer JonesFor many people the 2000 breeding season did not get off to a very good start due to poor weather conditions we experienced in spring and early summer. I
was more fortunate. My breeding pairs of cockatiels produced five to six eggs each during the first round, all of which were fertile and there were no dead in shell. I believe this early success was due to good forward
planning and, of course, a little bit of luck!
I have been breeding cockatiels for about ten years and initially, I experienced quite a few disasters because of my inexperience. Whole nests of healthy chicks
died for which I had no explanation. Infertile eggs and dead in shell were common. One spring, after finding five babies dead in one nest and chicks in another nest dying a day or two after hatching, I rang the Birdcare
Company and I was surprised at how much help and advice they were willing to give over the phone. These days, I am never afraid to ask for advice from others and I read every book and article on breeding cockatiels that
I can. Ten years on, I am still learning!
The main reason for failure is often due to poor nutrition and a lack of fresh clean water. Dirty water is one of the main causes of illness and death in aviary birds as
harmful bacteria multiply very rapidly in water, particularly during warmer weather. Adult birds are often able to cope but young chicks in the nest are very vulnerable. Fresh water should be supplied daily in clean
containers and I use Birdcare 'Aviclens' in the water to keep it clean and hygienic.
Cockatiels are ground feeders and if you observe them in the aviary you will see how much time they spend on the ground –
throw in a bunch of watercress and they will descend like locusts! In the wild, they have access to a wide range of food and the amount and quality determines the success of their breeding season. I compare them to our
free-range bantams, which forage in our garden eating a wide variety of food from insects and grubs to some of our prized plants! In comparison to eggs produced commercially, the yolk of their egg is very rich and the
white is probably higher in protein. As a chick develops from the white of the egg and the yolk feeds the chick whilst it is developing in the shell, it makes sense that this well nourished chick will have a much better
start in life. Although cockatiel eggs vary in size and shape, a mature and proven hen will lay eggs similar in shape to a chicken egg, approximately 25mm long, and this large, well-shaped, egg should produce a large
chick. The density of the shell is very important as it protects the developing chick and insufficient calcium will result in a thin shell that will easily chip or crack. To maintain optimum calcium levels in my
cockatiels I use Birdcare 'Calcivet' which is added to the drinking water. Many people believe that it is enough to offer dry seed all year round without any additional foods or supplements – this will keep our birds
alive but it is not adequate for long-term health or good breeding performance.
I take a middle course regarding nutrition, feeding my cockatiels a varied a diet as possible, relying on supplements to make up
any shortfall in nutrients. Most of us lead very busy lives and birdkeeping is a time-consuming hobby and the more time we spend gathering and preparing food for the birds, the less time we have to enjoy them.
My birds are fed a good quality cockatiel seed mix. A highly recommended company, Manor Farm Granaries, supplies seed that is very clean, of high quality and good value. Delivery to your door can be arranged. You
can add other types of seed to the basic seed mix, according to the time of the year. Extra hemp with its high oil content during very cold weather; groats when chicks are being reared; and linseed – high in protein and
essential fatty acids – important for good egg production and subsequent feeding when rearing a brood of youngsters. I prefer to add golden linseed (sold for human consumption) to my egg food mix along with the groats
that have been soaked overnight and wheat that has been sprouted. This egg food is fed to my cockatiels two or three times per week increasing to two or three times per day during the breeding season. I make it fresh
each morning as follows:
Boil a 200g mixture of frozen peas, sweet corn and a little carrot until soft, drain and mash. Mix with approximately 50g soaked groats, 150g – 200g 'Feast' egg food and 15g of golden linseed.
This should form a crumbly mixture.
Extra protein fed to breeding pairs will help to stimulate them into breeding condition and rapidly growing young birds require a lot of protein for good growth. For this
reason I add 10g of Birdcare 'Pro-Boost Super-Max', a protein supplement, to every 100g 'Feast' and I add to the egg food mixture Birdcare 'Daily Essentials 3' for extra vitamins, minerals and amino acids. If you add
enough limiting amino acids to the diet of your cockatiels, they will use most of the protein in the seed, egg food and vegetables. 'Pro-Boost Super-Max' also contains an ingredient called 'Flourish' that has been
developed by the Birdcare Company. This natural plant based ingredient is said to stimulate rapid early growth in chicks as well as giving them natural protection against disease. I start to feed the fortified egg food
mix during March to bring the birds into condition. During the non-breeding season, when my cockatiels consume less egg food, I use 'Daily Essentials 1' in their drinking water.
My feeding methods may seem
fussy, and I will agree that the use of supplements makes it more expensive, but I do get results – I started showing my birds this year and won first and second place in CYOB section at both the Cockatiel Society Show
in Ashby and the National Exhibition in Birmingham. I have used 'Feast' for many years with excellent results and the supplements from the Birdcare Company are natural products and good value. As a result, my birds are
now much healthier and I have fewer problems, which means that I spend less money on veterinary advice and treatment. I am now looking forward to the coming breeding and showing season – the pinnacle of which will be
the Members' show in Ashby and the National in Birmingham
