How to Mate Cockatiel Birds

Cockatiels are very social birds originating from Australia. They often get attached to their keeper as well as other cockatiels, making them easy to handle and mate. A same-sex pair will get along just as good as a male-female pair. There are some personality differences between males and females. Females are quiet most of the time, while males love to talk and whistle. Females can also be more assertive and may hiss or bite. The males are more involved as parents than females. Cockatiels mate for life.

Things You'll Need

  • Large breeding cage
  • Nest box
  • Duct tape
  • Knife
  • Nesting materials
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Instructions

    • 1

      Ensure that your birds are old enough to breed, the correct sex, and generally healthy and free from disease. 15 to 24 months is the most common age to breed cockatiels. A trip to the vet to have your bird sexed will reveal whether it's a male or female and determine how healthy it is.

    • 2

      Prepare the breeding habitats. Get a breeding cage big enough for a pair of birds. The recommended minimum size is 48"x18"x18". The cage has to be oversized due to the increased activity levels during mating.

      Buy a nest box as well. It should be big enough to hold two parents and about five babies. Approximately 12"x12"x18" high is a good size. Although much smaller than the normal cage, the birds won't move much once the eggs are laid, so the larger size isn't required.

    • 3

      Provide the correct conditions for mating. Twelve hours of sunlight is highly recommended. Make sure the birds have plenty of drinking and bathing water. Give them plenty of soft, fresh food. Foods rich in calcium and vitamins A and E such as carrots, broccoli, squash yams, cuttle bone, mineral blocks and oyster-shell grit keep them healthy during mating.

    • 4

      After the pair has mated a couple times, open the nesting box. Watch as the male checks out the home you have created and brings in his mate.

    • 5

      Wait 1 to 3 weeks and the female will start laying her eggs. She may lay around 4 to 6 eggs every other day or so. Tap the box to let the birds know you are there before you check the eggs. Sneaking up on the birds during this time often results in painful bites.

    • 6

      Hold the eggs up to a light around 7 to 10 days after being laid. You know the chick is growing when you see red or pink streaks on the inside of the egg.

    • 7

      Start feeding the parents soft food such as fruit, cooked rice or beans. The softer foods are easier to regurgitate to feed the chicks as they hatch. The eggs will begin to hatch in 19 to 21 days.