Breeding
Lovebirds require a healthy diet consisting of a lot of greens as well their
regular diet. A bird on a seed-only diet will not be in top condition for
breeding. The area that the breeding birds live in should be about 60F with the
humidity at 60%.
Nest Box
A nest box is also required, and the standard parakeet size
boxes sold in stores are fine for Lovebirds as well. Provide the Lovebirds with
newspaper, branches fruit trees specially coconut and dry grasses for
nesting materials. Usually a combination of these are best. Determined Lovebirds
can build their nest in 4 or 5 days.
Eggs
The first egg is laid about 10 days after
mating, and another egg is laid every other day until the clutch is 4 to 6 eggs.
After 6 or 7 days, you should be able to tell if the eggs are fertile by
"candling" them. Hold the eggs gently near a bright light. If you can clearly
see a dark spot surrounded by blood vessels, the egg is fertile. The incubation
period for Lovebirds is 21 to 26 days.
Chicks Feeding
Once the chicks hatch, make sure to
provide a lot of good foods for the parents. They will be feeding the chicks,
and should have corn, egg, greens, fruit and other foods available at all times.
Fresh water is very important also, so be sure to replace their water often. Be
sure to check that all the babies are being fed.
Hand Feeding
Occasionally, you may have to handfeed a baby immediately. If the parents are feeding the babies properly,
should continue to check them periodically anyway. If you plan on hand-feeding
the babies, the best time to pull them is from 10 - 14 days old.
If you don't
pull them, the parents will kick the babies out of the nest at 5 to 6 weeks, and
they should be eating on their own by then. The male Lovebird helps teach his
chicks to eat regular foods. Baby Lovebirds that are being hand-fed should be
placed in a "hospital box". A small aquarium works well. Cover the bottom with
soft towels, and place a heating pad under half the aquarium. Be sure to keep
the birds warm.
Hand-feeding can be done with a syringe or a spoon, although a
syringe is the most popular choice. Hand-feeding formulas must be kept at the
proper temperature, or the babies will either not eat, or develop crop problems.
I won't go into too much detail here about hand-feeding, because it requires a
great deal of care and knowledge. Please ask your local breeder to
teach you how to do this. Lovebirds usually wean around 8
weeks old. Provide your babies with a lot of different foods, including soft green
diets , small pieces of fruit and vegetables,sunflower seeds on regularly basis, pellets and millet.
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