Can i make money breeding birds

They are less likely to want to breed, and even less likely to have the ability to parent their babies. If you must breed, you are better off buying a proven breeding pair and not handling them as pets. Emotionally--are you OK if the parents decide not to feed their young, or end up killing them? That happens. Would you be ok if YOU accidentally killed a baby bird by giving them formula that was a few degrees too warm?

That happens, too. Each baby will need several vet visits. And you run the risk of the hen having life-threatening emergencies from things like egg binding and yolk peritonitis if you don't provide proper nutrition in the weeks before, during and after she lays a clutch. Do you have a sufficient fund set aside for such veterinary emergencies? At minimum you will require a temperature and humidity controlled brooder if you want to hand-feed and tame your baby birds.

And you must be willing to be able to feed a young bird every two hours around the clock for several weeks. JLcribber cockatoojohn Vendor. Celebirdy of the Month. Mayor of the Avenue. Avenue Spotlight Award. Shutterbugs' Best. Avenue Concierge. I love birds and have the time, etc to do it. Heather F Rollerblading along the road. I don't know what an average certified avian vet visit costs in the UK, but here in Toronto, Canada, last weekend I brought in one of my birds for a checkup with "wellness testing" meaning they run some tests on blood and droppings and a manicure and facial nail trim and beak polish.

And that's for a young healthy bird. Actually treating a sick or injured bird can run into the thousands. And while here you can get veterinary insurance plans for dogs and cats, there is no such thing that covers birds.

To be a certified avian vet someone needs a lot of very specialized additional training, since bird physiology is so different from animal physiology, and so there are far fewer of them and they charge more for that additional expertise.

And there are a LOT of things that can go wrong when birds breed. Splayed legs, feeding problems, parents rejecting and attacking their young Just a few weeks ago someone here on AA lost a baby cockatiel from a head injury sustained when the baby crashed into something when it was learning to fly.

It was a tragic accident. And that's the kind of thing that you are risking if you decide to get birds and let them breed. I have known a few hobby breeders and they all admit that it is a hobby that costs more than it brings in by selling the babies. If you are interested in learning about bird husbandry and want to find a way to put your love of animals to use, see if there is a bird rescue or aviary in your area that is looking for volunteers.

You will get some experience in looking after birds, meet some people with experience, and it will give you a better idea of whether it is something that you want to sink your time and heart and money into after all. You may even meet a bird or two who need a loving home. Hi, the financial cost will put you in the hole. I can't think of a single type of bird that youd actually MAKE money breeding. But it's the emotional cost that's worse. I breed Gouldian finches I have other birds, but don't breed them.

There's a demand for them here in FL -- and when that begins to disapate, I won't breed them any more. They might be "just finches," but every life counts. So hubby and I end up handfeeding babies occasionally, and they have to be fed every 2 hours around the clock for 8 days.

Then you can stretch out to 3 or 4 hours. By then I am aching for a night's sleep Zebra finches should have a diet of high-quality seed and pellets and be supplemented with fruits, eggs, vegetables, and sprouts. A Zebra finch will incubate their eggs for about 15 days after laying them. A typical clutch will contain anywhere from three to five eggs.

The best nest for a Zebra finch is made up of some nesting fiber within a contained within a larger cage. As Zebra finches are not handled often by their owners, a larger space is required.

In general, when selecting birds to mate, ensure they are free of disease and congenital disabilities. Also, most birds will not start incubating their eggs until the second one is laid. For any health-related concerns with your birds, contact your local veterinarian. As an overall venture, bird breeding requires minimal setup, as the ambient temperature needed is the same as the typical indoor home space. The additional setup required and the overall cost of food is low. Wholesale changes to import laws have also helped the local exotic bird market.

The federal government has slowly phased out the importation of exotic birds, hence increasing the local demand for birds. It is recommended for an overall successful bird breeding business to provide the largest space you can afford for the number of birds you plan on breeding.

Happy, well-treated birds will grow up to be well-tempered and attractive as pets. There are a variety of ways to sell your birds. The wholesale market is made up of pet stores and brokers, whereas the direct to the consumer market is usually facilitated at bird shows or online. DNA testing requires a small blood sample and is fairly inexpensive to have done. Unless you are breeding just a few pairs or focusing only on small species of parrots, you will likely want to build an aviary outside of your home.

Depending on your climate, this may be an outdoor aviary or a separate building on your property. Temperature control, lighting and ventilation are the most important elements to consider when designing your aviary. Before you begin building an aviary, be sure to determine what species you will breed and what housing requirements must be met for successful breeding. Most breeders prefer to cage each pair of parrots individually.

A nest box is hung on the outside of the cage for the hen to lay eggs and raise the young birds. See Resources for a checklist of items to research for your chosen breed before you begin to construct an aviary. In order for a parrot to be friendly and socialized, it must be taken from its parents and hand fed formula. It should be noted that it is mostly the male who sings. They say dynamite comes in small packages. That could not be more true in any other bird than in the case of canaries.

They can be very loud for something so little. They prefer the company of other birds over a relationship with a human. They are not cuddly, affectionate birds but they make up for that with their great singing voices and their pretty coloring.

Their voices are what draw people to these pretty birds. They lay 2 to 6 eggs at a time. The eggs hatch within roughly 14 days. The female can hatch 3 clutches in a year. The young need to be with their mothers from when they are hatched to roughly 28 days; they can then be safely removed from the parents to sell them. Each canary will need 1 to 2 flat teaspoons of seed per day per bird.

You should provide more than one feed bowl to ensure all the birds in the cage have equal access to food. Optimally, the cage should be 24 by 24 inches. At the very least your cage should be 18 inches wide by 18 inches long by 24 inches deep per bird. They need space to fly for exercise. Parrotlets are primarily one-person birds. They develop deep relationships with their caregivers, but also develop relationships with other people if they trust them.

Because of their social personality, parrotlets do better if they are in a group. They are monogamous, therefore, the larger the group the more likely the birds are to breed. Their lifespan is shorter than larger parrots; they live 15 to 20 years — which is still a significant lifespan in terms of commitment.

These birds are goofy and will do anything to get your attention. They are social and love to interact with humans. Parrotlets usually lay 4 to 8 eggs, but there have been instances where the female laid 10 eggs. They can lay 3 to 4 clutches per year. The best outcome is that the young are sold at 12 weeks, but many are sold at 6 weeks as soon as they are weaned. Additionally, you should set aside a little a month for future vet visits. Parrotlets also require new toys every month.

Parrotlets need a cage that is 18 inches by 18 inches. Parrotlets live off a mixed diet of pellets, seeds, fresh vegetables, legumes, grains, and fruit.

Green-cheeked conures are a delightful small parrot. They are great for beginners. They are intelligent birds who absolutely love their human caregivers. They love learning and doing tricks and playing games with their caregivers. They are not loud and do not like rowdy noises, instead, they prefer trance-like, classical, or quiet music. They can learn a few words, but not as much as any of the other talking birds on this list.

They live for 30 years. They are not just affectionate towards one caregiver; they will happily interact with the whole family and even, to an extent, with visitors. Conures have babies 3 to 4 times a year. A clutch has 4 — 6 eggs.

Incubation lasts for 22 to 25 days. Green-cheeked conures are weaned between 8 to 10 weeks, at which point they can be removed from their parents and sold. Conures can be expensive to maintain. Because they are parrots, many people are tempted into buying a very large cage; however, you do not want a cage in which your birds get lost. The ideal space per bird is 24 inches wide by 24 inches deep by 24 inches tall. Green cheek conures enjoy a diet of pellets, fresh fruit, and vegetables like apples with the seeds removed , beans, broccoli, peas, corn, carrots, bananas, dandelions, pears, kale, celery, lettuce, and spinach.

Birds can take up a lot of time to breed or even to own. But they are so rewarding on a financial and emotional level. It is always important to know your own limits as a breeder and owner of birds. Understanding their lifespan, nutritional needs, personalities, and potential for good and bad behavior can result in fewer grey hairs on your head.

I prefer not to sell to pet shops because often the type of person who purchases birds from a pet shop is not knowledgeable about breeds or the commitment in time and money that are needed to make an informed decision. Follow these guidelines and you will be a successful breeder.

When breeding and training with birds, what you put in is what you get out. I have placed a short video with each bird to help you see what each bird looks like and to get a sense of their intelligence, playfulness, personality, and their need for stimulating toys.

Once you have chosen the bird to breed, you should be knowledgeable about such things and be able to teach your buyers what the bird will need from them. Here is a final little something to motivate you to spend more time interacting with your fine feathered friends.