PSITIACULA SIGHTINGS: Aviaries and Cages for Breeding Psittacula Parakeets

Abstract

I am often asked what size and type enclosure is ideal for Asian parakeets. There is, unfortunately, no simple answer to that question.

I can tell you my favorite breeding enclosure is an aviary. The minimum dimensions preferred being four feet wide, eight feet tall, and either eight or 12 feet long. We have had our best success using this size and type of enclosure. It is easy to get in and out of for catching birds or cleaning. There is plenty of room for parent raised birds to fledge and learn the dynamics of flight.

This size aviary also makes sense in terms of construction because it uses standard cuts of plywood, 2 x 4s and wire widths. However, not everyone will be able to fit many of these in their back yard or perhaps in their budget. We are on five acres, so space is not a problem. But, what about everyone else?

If space were at a premium, what constitutes an adequate breeding enclosure for Alexandrines, Derbyans, Ring-necked Parakeets and the rest of the smaller members of the Psittacula

 

genus?

Obviously there is no maximum from the birds' standpoint. So what are the minimum requirements to maintain health, vigor and fertility?

I asked a number of other breeders around the country just what size cages or flights they had been successful with, and I was quite surprised at some of the answers.

Aviaries

In California, most of the breeders are successful in outdoor aviaries similar to the size mentioned above. The width varied from a narrow 18 inches to 25 feet on some colony flights. The least successful production was for the flights that were two feet or less in width. Three feet wide seemed to be the minimum on the width.

The length of the flights that were successful ranged from six feet long to 20 feet.

Height requirements were not recognized so much by the human caretakers. Many flights were six feet high. However, those flights where the birds perches were hung higher than the

 

heads of the caretakers, at least seven feet high, were more successful and had calmer birds.

Cages

Many of the indoor breeders have no choice and are doing quite well with their birds in suspended cages. Cages can be mounted on the wall directly. If the birds can reach the wall to chew it, it makes better sense to mount brackets on the wall and place the cages on the brackets just far enough away so the birds cannot reach the wallboard. Balance the cage by running chain from the front comers of the cage back to the wall above it. Cages can also be suspended with heavy chain from the ceiling. Some breeders use pipe or PVC frames standing on the floor with cages secured on top. These frames can be free standing or mounted to the floor for stability.

Fortunately it made no difference to the birds how the cages were suspended, so make the decision on how to suspend your cages based on what will work the best for you.

The sizes of the cages varied the most, and most were successful in terms of production. We used to think that small cages were one of the major factors in infertility because the birds were not getting adequate exercise. However, many of the indoor breeding operations on the east coast have proven otherwise. Problems with infertility may be more closely tied to content of the diet and the amount of food consumed by the birds rather than cage size.

Since there are no scientific studies on this, it may be a good idea to give your birds flight space during the nonbreeding season just to be sure. Several successful breeders routinely put their Asian parakeets in large group flights during the summer months and then return them to the small breeding cages in the fall when the birds are naturally pairing for the spring breeding season.

The smallest successful breeding cage was 3 feet L x 3 feet W x 2 feet H for Ring-necked Parakeet sized birds. While the smallest cage for the Derbyans and Alexandrines was 6 feet L x 3 feet W x 6 feet H.

In California the breeding cages

 

tended to be longer; at least 6-8 feet, and were usually 3 feet high and 3 feet wide.

Asian parakeets can become fiercely territorial during the entire breeding season, so all cages should have a space allowance or a solid divider between them to prevent chewed toes from neighbors.

 

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