Abstract
I would like to begin my presentation with a little history. I am a wife, a mother of two girls, a recently retired music teacher, and an aviculturist. I began innocently breeding birds over 13 years ago when my husband and I got married. We each had a budgie and I did not want to clean two cages! All I have learned over these 13 years about birds has been through reading books, magazines, periodicals, area bird club programs, seminars, attending AFA conventions, and talking to friends. I still am doing all these things because I still do not have all the answers.
When I first began attempting to breed, information about birds was scarce. My love of birds and determination to keep seeking knowledge snowballed into collecting over 30 species of birds and successfully breeding most of them! I went the same road as many of you bird enthusiasts. I was the classic dabbler! Sound familiar? After attending an AFA convention or two, the call to concentrate and not dabble began to sink in. With a gentle, but firm, nudge from my husband, I finally began to think through this "collecting thing'.' The straw that really broke the camel's back came when my husband's company said they wanted him to move 3,000 miles away. After moving 120 birds across the country, concentrating on fewer species sounded even better. My true love has always been cockatoos, and if it had not been for my experience with so many species building my confidence, I may not be here today.
The decision to get out of a variety of species was actually made before the "big" move. In searching for a home and a place to breed my dream birds, I spoke to breeders all over the country, getting ideas and advice. At times, I was so confused I did not know what to do, but finally a careful decision was made. We would give up the garage for the cars and tum it into an aviary for the birds. Our cars come and go as in any family of four; the birds have all adjusted to this activity.
I have a glass door going into the aviary from the laundry room. I put one-way window film on the glass door so that I can see out, but the birds cannot see in. I love observing my birds, I can also do this outside at night from my front walkway. Again, I can see in, but the birds do not know that I am there. I record any behavior that even hints at the possibility of breeding taking place. When I do my usual rounds morning and early evening, I will take a closer look to verify any and all suspicions.
The flights are all 3 x 6 x 7 feet tall.
There are 12 fluorescent lights mounted with Vita-light bulbs. These are all on a timer. There are vents across one side of the garage and windows on the opposite, and a fan in the attic to pull out the hot air. The garage doors are kept shut except for a brief period each week when routine cleaning takes place. The floor is cement with sand on the top. A Teledyne air filter helps keep the air clean. Two plastic dome skylights were also added for extra natural light. We do not heat or cool the garage. The birds seem to find me amusing when I am bundled up for Alaska weather and they in their heavy down. When the outside is in the teens or below, the garage stays at 28 °F. All birds have been in this environment for up to five years. All have been healthy ( except for a few minor bacterial infections), happy and most pairs are producing.
When I recall why I have always been infatuated with cockatoos, I suppose it has to go back to my childhood. I grew up in Sacramento, California with a beautiful Jessie Arms cockatoo print hanging in my parents' home. I never knew that these were real birds. Naturally, when I discovered that these were Citroncrested Cockatoos, I had to have a pair. One pair led to another and now here I am with seven species of cockatoos and multiple pairs of each.
My birds are currently on a pelleted diet by Zeigler Brothers. I switched to pellets because of the seed dust. It took two weeks for most of the birds to make the change. Combine seed dust with cockatoo dust and you get a lot of dust! I also got real tired of blowing out all those empty seed shells so they would eat all the seeds! I have not regretted making the change. The cockatoos are on the starter/breeder diet for eight months of the year and the maintenance for the other four months. Everyone is given fruits and vegetables year round and a second feeding of a mixed vegetable, sprouted seeds, kidney beans, rice, and nestling food during the breeding season. I also vary the diet with nestling food or willow branches several times a week. When it rains outside, I mist the birds inside. They can hear and smell the rain and they do love their baths!
Just prior to and at the end of each breeding season, cultures are taken at random or on birds that did not produce well or at all. If anything shows up in the culture runs, the appropriate treatments are administered. We have noticed a remarkable difference in productivity because of this practice and my avian veterinarian, Bruce Huganair, is quite pleased with himself!