What age to stop breeding ?

[Lilbird]

I recently acquired a proven pair of Pacific Parrotlets. I am told that they are both approx. 3 years old. For those of you that breed these wonderful little birds, at what age do you retire them from breeding? Is there a specific age that they eggs become infertile?

[abird4u]

OK this one is gonna be touchy (go easy on me):rolleyes:
Personally I would stop breeding P'lets at about 8yrs.-10 yrs. of age.
If you only allow your p'lets 2-3 clutches a year and given plenty of rest in between, excellent diet and vet checked.
at 3 years they are not too old to breed,actually they can breed their entire life, but of course this can be hard on them.

[Tony Bucci]

"abird4u"
I am curious how many years you have bred parrotlets?
Have you bred a pair of parrotlets for 8 years and they produced babies every year for 8 years?
I have been breeding Parrtlets only a little over a year.
Tony

[abird4u]

Yes...I have a female that is 9..she is retired, pair is still together . she will stay w/ us the rest of her life.As for the male I may put him w/ a new female later down the road..We have been breeding birds for 8 years...had over 100 when we lived in Cali...but we moved and sold everything..then started over (ughhh) So most of our birds now (w/ the exception of our GC) are all 3 yrs and up.

[Phoenix-cry]

Wow! 100 p'let! Giggle. Over the years have you ever ended up with some strange colour mutations other than the average ones? I had a friend who bred cornsnakes for many years and then one day this odd looking day glow orange 'reverse' cornsnake was born all by accident. It was a spontaneous mutation and never bred true so it's a one of a kind snake.

[abird4u]

oo let me rephrase that..we had over 100 breeders only 12 pairs of p'lets..( I think sometimes I need to slow down when typing/thinking at the same time...sheesh arent you all mind readers hehehe)
I have not got anything out of the ordinary other than breeding greens,always having green babies and after a few years a blue baby come from them :D. same w/ tiels and keets, lovebirds etc...every once in a blue moon an out of the ordinary color from a pair..but nothing that hasnt happend to anyone else.