Part
II: Do I Really Want to Do This?
by Doug Bedwell
 Breeding lovebirds can be a
lot of fun. It can be educational, challenging,
emotionally fulfilling, and addictive. It can
also be expensive, tiring, frustrating and
heartbreaking. There are lots of good and bad
reasons to get into lovebird breeding. Some good
reasons are that you're fascinated by birds and
you want to learn more, you like losing sleep,
and you have lots of extra money that you're
dying to spend on bird food, cages, cleaning
supplies, and vet bills. If you're looking to get
into lovebird breeding to make money, I can't
help you. Few lovebird breeders are able to break
even on their birds, much less turn a profit. And
even fewer than that can make a living at it.
Chances are you can make a lot more money working
nights at Taco Bell.
But if you still
think breeding lovebirds might be for you, try to
plan ahead. How seriously do you want to get into
this? Do you want to have only one or two pairs,
or do you want a larger aviary? If your birds do
start to hatch chicks, what will you do with
them? Do you have the time to hand-feed the
chicks, or will you let the parents raise them?
Are you going to sell the chicks, and if so,
where and how? Almost any experienced breeder
will tell you that it is much more difficult to
sell birds than it is to raise them.
Make a plan for
yourself and your birds. You can always change
the plan if you need to, but it really helps to
know what your goals and limitations are. How
many total birds do you want to have? Are there
specific colors that you want to produce? What
birds will you need to do what you want to do,
and where will you get them? Will you have any
unrelated offspring to breed into a second or
third generation? How much will it cost to feed
the birds you expect to have, and how many chicks
will you have to sell at what price to pay for
that?
I always advise
new breeders to start small. It is MUCH easier to
increase the size of your aviary than it is to
make it smaller. Starting small gives you a
chance to really learn about the birds, learn
what to look for, and learn what you really want.
It is so easy to get overwhelmed very quickly.
Many breeders burn out on the hobby within a few
years because they lost control of the size of
their aviary, and it became too much work and
stopped being fun.
The more thought
and preparation you put into your aviary before
you begin a breeding program, the more manageable
and fun it is likely to be.
TOPICS:
Do
I Really Want To Do This?
The
Rules
Cages
& Cagewire
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