Im a new budgie breeder can you help???

[Bluebirds]

Being 11 im new to breeding budgies but I love them so much my mum said I might be able to breed them on the summer school holidays. So how long will the whole prosess take because my holidays are about 6 weeks long so the rest of the time im a school for 6 hours and I would not be able to check on them 24\7 and my other school holidays are only 2 weeks long.

PLEASE ANSWER!

[Budgiebonkers]

Every bird is different.
For me i take two birds and that same day they mate a week later they start laying it takes 18-21 days for a egg to hatch and 6- 8 weeks for chicks to wean. Others people birds can take months for a susessful clutch. If they are bonded it takes a little less time.

[Sarah]

Unfortunately it is exceedingly difficult to "schedule" breeding like this in such a small window.

My advice to you would be to use your break to set up the breeding situation to your complete satisfaction and pair your birds. It is likely that you will have eggs or tiny babies by the time you are back in school. However, the mother and father will care for the babies completely. You should handle the babies each and every day to insure that they are tame, but you should not do it for too long or too many times in a day. Checking on each baby in the morning before class and when you return in the afternoon is ample.

[Bluebirds]

Thanks you two my budgies are bonded because the male (grapes) always feeds the female (mango) and mango loves to get a head scrach from grapes CUTE!!!!!
PS: do you have any more advice for me and also do you think it would be good to put the nestbox in 2 weeks early?
and again thanks

[Budgiebonkers]

Thanks you two my budgies are bonded because the male (grapes) always feeds the female (mango) and mango loves to get a head scrach from grapes CUTE!!!!!
PS: do you have any more advice for me and also do you think it would be good to put the nestbox in 2 weeks early?
and again thanks

How old are your birds? And just because they preen and feed eachother does mean they are male female i have females do that to other females and males to males.

[Sarah]

A simple photograph could confirm their gender, unless you are already sure.

You should only give them the nest box when they are ready to mate. being in and around nests actually causes the females hormone balance to change, causing her body to be ready to produce young. If she herself is too young for this process it could do her harm. Wait until everything is ready.

[Bluebirds]

Im sure that they are male and female because mango is already in breeding conditon (brown flaked cere) and grapes has a purpleish colored cere in the middle and a blue outside. Grapes is about 6-7 months and mango about 9-10 months.
PS: any more advice or do you need to know more about my budgies?

[Sarah]

You aren't going to like this, but you can't breed your birds yet.

The female will be biologically, if not emotionally ready by 12 months. However, the male will not me emotionally ready to assist and care for them until he is also 12 months. You run the risk of abandoned chicks by breeding so young a male. A female who's male does not pay attention to her has three options. Risk the babies becoming sick and developing more slowly by leaving them alone in the nest in order to feed herself and return to feed them. Abandon the chicks altogether and try again at a later time. Or, starve to death in her steadfast refusal to give up.

You would be shocked how often the latter two things happen.

I can do this for you. It is possible to tell the maturity level (that is young, teenage, or adult) of a budgie by their eye color. Please send me a close up photograph of their eyes and I will tell you if they MIGHT be older than you think. If not, you should put this off until next summer, for the health and safety of both your current birds as well as the health and safety of their potential offspring.

[Bluebirds]

Sarah, budgiebonkers you guys are so sweet im learning a new thing every day
mango is a ressi pied you cant tell by eyes on her
PS: I dont know how to send photos
and also school holidays are about 145 days away
THANKS 

[Sarah]

You can attach a photo by clicking the "Attachments and Other Options" button below the text box whilst typing your post, and then hit "Choose file" and find the photograph on your computer.

Or, you can attach larger and higher quality photographs by signing up for a photobucket account and using the "IMG" function above the smiley faces when composing a message.

[Bluebirds]

I can't find the cable to plug the camera into the computer
but I can try to describe them would that help?

[Sarah]

Unfortunately, not really. Without a photo i have to guess at what your descriptions mean. Don't worry. We aren't going anywhere. Get me a photograph whenever you can.

[Bluebirds]

It didnt work 
but is there any thing else I can do?
I will try to describe them anyway

grapes
one violet factor
male
cere is purple in the middle and blue on the outside
7-8 months

mango
resessive pied blue belly
female
crusty brown cere
9-10 months

PS: school holidays are 5 months away.
and again THANKS

[Sarah]

That is not what I need. I need a photograph of their eyes.

[Bluebirds]

hey sarah I worked out a way to put pictures on!
YAY!