Diet and nutrition are so important for your pet birds and parrots. You should take the same approach to preparing healthy meals for your pet birds as you do for the family and yourself. Always check to see if a food is safe for your Bird before feeding it to them.

My daughter fixes her African Grey parrot this mixture and he loves it, Her recipe, which she received from a friend is made with,Quick Cooking Barley and Couscous pastina.

Cook up the couscous, pastina,the barley, let cool and she sometimes puts vegetables that she had leftover, with no salt and mixes the vegetables with the barley mixture and puts some fruit on top.

The parrots enjoy this meal. You must remember that your pet birds are part of your family, and must be treated as so.

In the Winter months, my Daughter has to be careful that the parrots don’t drink any of the Children’s hot Cocoa, or her Coffee.

The Veterinarian told her the cocoa and coffee, can cause heart problems and even death for your Birds. My daughter limits the Birds treats and very little salt.

She also gives her Parrots well cooked chicken for a treat,and she sprouts grains for herself to eat and the birds love it too.

She also checks the seed she feeds her parrots,by sprouting it,if it doesn’t sprout it is not fresh. Check with friends and your veterinarian, to find the best seed for your Birds.

If you want to feed your pet birds fruit, try to get the organic fruit.

As with any food don’t leave cooked food in the cage for more than an hour.

The vegetables my daughters Birds enjoy are, zucchini, string beans and their favorite broccoli.

Never feed your Birds food from your mouth, it may seem cute,but not sanitary for you or your bird. and never give your Birds alcohol it can harm their livers and make them very ill.

The seed you feed your Bird must be fresh for good nutrition.

Find out from friends and colleagues who own birds and parrots and exchange information on your pet birds health and nutrition.

Our feathered friends can live a long time and are part of our family and are important too, just remember to check first before you feed your Pet bird any People food it could harm them.

With proper care and nutrition, and Love your pet Bird will enjoy a full, happy and healthy life, with you and your family.

Source:ezinearticles.com

Choosing between the varieties of chicken breeds to raise can be quite bewildering. There are so many kinds to choose from, and all of them have different traits. Some may look really healthy but do not have enough egg laying capacity. Other chicken breeds give lots of eggs. If you could not distinguish between the types of chicken breeds, you may end up regretting raising chickens because you did not get what you expected.

There are really many factors to consider if you want to engage in raising chickens. First of all, you must have a big enough yard and a chicken coop for your poultry to live in. This factor is really important, as different breeds have different needs. Some breeds are quite small while others are large in size and so they have different size requirements.

The environment where you live is also a determining factor in choosing a chicken breed. If you live in a hot area, choosing chickens that are suited for colder regions would not be a good idea. Same is true with the chickens made for the warmer places. Putting these breeds in cold areas will not be good for their health.

The most weather resistant breeds are usually the crossbreeds. A good example of this is the Production Reds. This breed is resistant to cold weather, and they can also be tamed. If your area experiences cold weather frequently, then this breed is probably the right one for you.

Bantams are some of the feistier breeds. They like to fly around a lot, so putting them inside chicken coops is probably useless. They have really fluffy feathers, but they are not good in egg production. If they do produce eggs, these are usually small and not worth selling. If you want to venture into egg production, the Pekin and Silkie breeds are your best choices.

If you want to go for an all around breed, then try getting a Barred Plymouth Rocks. During summer, they frequently lay their eggs. They also have a pretty appearance, and they are not vicious, unlike other breeds. They are also really healthy and have good weight for their size.

Americaunas on the other hand, are very beautiful breeds. They have very radiant feathers having colors that resemble a falcon. It has dark and golden feathers that really mimic the beauty of the great bird of prey. Some individuals of this breed even have really curved beaks. These ones are prized more for their looks. If you want to get them to lay eggs, then you are out of luck. These breeds do not lay eggs very well, so you are better off choosing other breeds that are good in laying eggs. But one good feature with Americaunas is that it can withstand cold nights and even winters.

Choosing the right chicken breed can be a hard decision. You would have to consider not only your needs, but also the needs of your chickens. Choosing one carefully can make you enjoy your new venture of raising poultry.

Source:ezinearticles.com

You got your parrots settled at home and they are just beautiful. They bring you a lot of fun time. Now you get to the time when your lady parrot decides to lay an egg. You are very excited and worried at the same time. You as a caring guardian have to make sure that new member of your parrot family comes to life. So the question is always what to do. Here are some guidelines for you.

First of all, the best way is nature’s way. It means that the best is if their parents sit on their eggs for themselves. Will it happen all the time? Probably most of the time it won’t happen. I’ve watched chicken at my parents’ house – they would lay eggs every day and very rarely one or to hens would decide to sit on eggs. And even if they sit on eggs they wouldn’t be good sitters most of the time. My grandma said that best egg sitters are ducks. Unfortunately you can’t use that with parrots and therefore if you decide to support your parrot’s family you have to make a plan. Make for them a nest that will be warm enough and have good ventilation – rest is up to you loved birds.

Second make a backup plan. Remember that parrots as most of birds hatch in about 3 weeks. Therefore if you see that little mommy starts abandoning eggs too early be prepared to incubate them by yourself. Some breeders even suggest taking those eggs into incubator after 2 weeks of their mom sitting on them.

Third and almost forgotten – if you have only one female parrot and no male partner then your egg is not fertile and there will be no chicken. You bird can sit on it for a while and then realize that nothing happens.

Forth – mysterious and simple incubation. If you decide to incubate eggs artificially then you have to get a good incubator. When we are talking about good one we are talking about the one that can make conditions close to natural. So far I know that incubated chicks have far more mortality rates than naturally hatched. And that is true even for professionals. Most of mortality happens first two weeks after hatching. It just means that we are far away from parents’ care. But don’t be discouraged because it is doable and there is high chance of good chick coming out of the egg. So what to look for in incubator:

1. Good thermostat that can hold temperature in the range 98.7F to 100F

2. Good ventilation without vibration

3. Autorotation of eggs every ½ to 2 hours

4. Humidification from 38% to 50%. It is better to keep it around 45% and close to 50% when chicks are hatching.

So you got eggs and incubator – what to do next. First of all check incubator that it works – supports all the life supporting factors described above. After that put eggs into it as soon as you decide to take charge of the process. Turn on incubator and watch that temperature doesn’t go too high – remember after 104F protein gets broken, therefore don’t exceed 100F. The best try to keep it around 99.3F. Turn off incubator and open the lid to cool down eggs for about 10 minutes couple times a day. It is natural that they parents go to eat sometimes. At the same time turn eggs 180 degree by hand to make sure that egg isn’t always sitting on the same side down. Of course your incubator already has this function but usually they don’t do full turn – so it won’t hurt to do additional turn. Check level of water regularly so that eggs don’t get dehydrated. It won’t be a problem at the beginning but closer to hatching it could be detrimental. So good luck and see your newborns soon.

Source:ezinearticles.com

Crowned Pigeons are all native to New Guinea. They are large birds with a most remarkable dark greyish-blue and purple colour and lacy crest feathers – something which always makes them a main attraction to visitors at zoos. They are all more or less 680-740mm long, weigh 2,5-3,2kg and sexes are identical.

The Blue-crowned Pigeon (Goura cristata) from N.W. New Guinea, the Sclater’s Crowned Pigeon (Goura scheepmakeri) from S.E. New Guinea and the G.s. sclateri from S. New Guinea do not have white tips on their crest feathers. They all differ slightly in their sizes, shades of grey and blue and the amount and areas of chestnut, white and grey. The pigeon pictured here is most likely the Goura scheepmakeri with pure white wing patches and no white on its crest. The Victoria Crowned Pigeon (Goura victoria victoria ) is found in the Japen/Jobi islands and is slightly smaller and darker in colour than G.v. beccarii, which is the larger, stronger subspecies with a wider crest.

Their crests are particularly striking because of the white tips.

The Indian Mahajaras are believed to have been the first to keep Crowned Pigeons in captivity, and, apparently, these birds were successfully kept together with the common poultry. Hunting and shooting for sport has unfortunately led to a decrease in their numbers so that they are protected, although not in all areas.

These pigeons are not difficult to keep and maintain in aviaries. Their habitat is forested areas where they feed on seeds, fruits and insects. In captivity they are opportunistic feeders, quite happy with a selection of the following: insectivore and pheasant pellets, peanuts, whole corn, softbill mixes, mixed diced fruit, greens, diced carrot, figs (eg Ficus macro-phylla) and mealworms. Place their feed dishes on the ground.

Pigeons like to nest in baskets or wire trays that are hung high up in the aviary. As nesting material pine needles, palms, twigs and leaves can be offered. They build their nest inside the basket or wire tray. Their breeding season is from January to September. The courtship and nest building ceremonies are a delight to behold. Their deep, melodious call sounds like a beautiful jungle drum. One white egg is laid and incubated by the hen at night and the cock during the day for 30 days. The chick weighs 40g at hatching and grows at an amazing rate, reaching a mass of 600-700g in 40 days. After 13 weeks they can feed themselves. Those who have handreared pigeons can get them to eat by themselves at 8 weeks old.

One breeder keeps one pair of Crowned Pigeons per large aviary, as they are less distracted, healthier and breed better for him. He has found them to be aggressive towards medium sized pigeons, but other breeders keep more than one pair in a single enclosure. As long as the accommodation is spacious enough for them not to interact negatively, it seems to work well enough. Another source claims them to be compatible with many other bird species like pheasants, softbills, parrots and other dove and pigeon species. As long as there is sufficient plant cover, other ground dwelling species need not be in any danger, as these birds are generally not classed as aggressive. They spend most of their days on the ground and then roost high up in trees at night. Their wings should not be clipped, but keepers are asked to be aware of their inclination to strike with their wings – a rather unpleasant experience. Coming from a mild climate, these pigeons must not be exposed to cold, especially not frost.

References: Morris, Chris Ph.D, Those Magnificent Crowned Pigeons of New Guinea, “Game Bird and Conservationists’ Gazette”, Utah, USA, June 1998, p.4
Delacour, Dr. Jean, Wild Pigeons and Doves, t.f.h., 1980
Brown, Danny, A guide to Pigeons, Doves and Quail, Australina Birdkeeper, 1995

Avizandum is South Africa’s premier birdkeeping magazine, it deals with ornithology, birdkeeping and health care. All the articles are researched and written by professionals and enthusiasts of the birdkeeping community and are reproduced with their express permission.

Source:ezinearticles.com

Having a pet bird is rewarding. Pet birds are also somewhat demanding for those familiar with a “normal” pet, such as the house cat. So, if you are in the market to become a bird owner you will need to select a species that matches your way of life. You must be able to commit to the responsibilities, allotment of your time and resources that will ensure your bird stays healthy, happy and gives you the entertainment and enjoyment you were searching for when you decided to be a bird owner.

The following variety of birds are common selections as pets. Some general traits, life span, and more are provided for you to be able to pick the right bird for your situation.

1. Canaries and finches. They are small birds that need less space and therefore small to medium cages. They are normally about 5 inches in height and can be smaller. They are commonly knows as waxbills or softbills and thrive in small flocks. For this reason you probably don’t want to have just one. Three or more will make for much happier birds because they enjoy company and congregation. The canary and finch also require much less attention than larger birds require. This makes them an ideal compliment for the family or individual who does not have a lot of time to spend socializing and engaging in birds activities. If handled and cared for properly, these birds can live up to 10 years.

2. Parakeets. The parakeet is ideal for the family with kids. The most common type would be the Budgerigar or Bungee. A parakeet is a great “first time” pet for kids. They come in various colors, are petite, and are extremely intelligent for a smaller bird species. The parakeet has the ability for a limited vocabulary and can whistle and sing. They need a bit more attention than the canary and finch but usually are not excessively demanding of your time. A healthy and happy parakeet can live as long as 14 years.

3. Cockatiels. Cockatiels are popular stemming from there medium size and friendly disposition. They originated in Australia and are known for their singing and whistling capabilities. They have the ability to talk but often choose to whistle. They are excellent mimickers of sound. They can effortlessly emulate the sounds of barking dogs and the telephone ringing. Cockatiels are available in many color combinations and can live as much as 20 years within a healthy environment.

4. Lovebirds. Lovebirds are among the smallest species of parrot, normally reaching lengths of about 6 inches. They are clever and generally have wonderful personalities. They make great pets and are ideal for those who live in apartments and condos since they are typically quieter than other parrot species. They are not time demanding but you will want to spend time with them on account of their fun-loving personalities. Lovebirds are multicolored, attractive birds and, with proper care, can attain and exceed a life expectancy of 20 years.

5. African Greys. If you are not ready to live with a bird for probably the rest of your life, you should not have an African Grey. They can survive up to 70 years and they are ideal if you are looking to buy a companion for life. They’re generally considered the most intelligent species of parrot. They can be taught a vocabulary of approximately 2,000 words if trained well. They are very smart but also demanding. They do get bored and lonely. Be prepared to spend time with them, interact with them and participate in stimulating activities. They are very affectionate and your efforts are going to be rewarded with all of the attention you will be given.

If you’re looking for a pet bird for you or your family, these shown are some excellent possibilities. Always ask questions to the sales person or breeder before purchasing on how to specifically care for your pet. As often as you will benefit from their presence, you will need to be able to give them the time and quality interaction they want from you.

Source:petandfish.com