Our Breeders

Our breeders are fed a healthy, balanced diet. Typical foods we feed our breeders include corn, sweet peas, green beans, carrots, fresh spinach, kale, and lettuce, hot peppers, broccoli, cooked sweet potato, coconut, oranges, apples, pineapple, papaya, mango, honeydew, cantaloupe, all types of berries and grapes, just to name some. We cook for the birds too! We steam rice, cook pasta noodles and bean mixes, and bake our own birdie bread. We feed Higgins and Wing Nuts seed mixes. Whole nuts are given to larger birds, shelled and chopped nuts are offered occasionally to smaller birds as treats.

During the breeding season, when our breeders need extra nutrients for laying eggs and feeding babies, we feed them special breeder pellets that contain extra protein, fat, and calcium. While the hens are laying eggs, they will be fed an extra calcium supplement each day until they have finished laying their clutch. When the breeding season ends, the breeders are fed regular Zupreem pellets along with the fresh and cooked foods, nuts and quality seed mixes. During the off-season, the birds go through their yearly molt and rest and recuperate their bodies. When the next breeding season starts, they will be fed the special breeder diet again.

Various toys are given to all of our breeder birds; they are rotated and replaced regularly. Cages, perches, and toys are cleaned frequently, and the birds are given new, natural wooden perches when needed. Nest boxes are cleaned and their bedding is replaced in-between clutches.

Here is a list of species we are currently breeding. Click on a picture to view an extended profile for that species.