How to create and organize a parakeet nest box

To breed parakeets, you will need a parakeet nest box. What would be very good is to offer more than one nest box to the birds because they can be very picky.

Parakeet nesting box can be made in different shapes and sizes, with various measures. However, there are some rules that need to be followed when it comes to making (or buying) a perfect parakeet nest box.

The first rule is to make enough space for the bird. Having enough space is extremely important for laying eggs and even more for proper development of baby parakeets once they hatch.

Second important rule is that the room in which we are keeping parakeet nesting box has to have optimal conditions. It will need proper temperature, humidity and lighting as a foundation for birds to mate and lay eggs.

In the winter you will need to keep the room warm (always keep a thermometer in the room). In the summer, avoid to put the parakeet nest box in direct sunlight. And in both seasons, you need to maintain a certain level of humidity in the room, basically don't let the air to get too dry.

Making a parakeet nest box

You can make a parakeet nesting box yourself. It can be done with thin wooden panels, hardboard or even wire. Avoid using any paper or cardboard material because the female bird will destroy it very fast. They have the urge to dig in and she will chew threw paper materials.

The bottom of the nest box is important to pay attention to. Find a board that is about 1,5 to 2 cm (0.6 to 0.8 inches) thick. It can be thicker of course. You will need to make a dent on its surface. The dent should be wide and shallow.

Why the dent? Because the female budgie parakeet will turn around and move eggs and you don't want them flying out of the nest box.

Birds in the wild put feathers or grass on the bottom of the nest. It would be good to imitate that. You can put wood shavings on the bottom. Use the wood shavings that are used for guinea pig cages. These wood shaving pieces are larger and that kind is better than fine dust-like wood shavings. The fine one can get into birds nostrils.

To make it easier on you, if you are making a parakeet nest box all by yourself, build one with a removable top. It will make the nest box easier to clean and you will be able to reach the eggs or little birds easier.

Important things for a parakeet nesting box:

• bottom with a dent and some wood shavings
• a round hole in one of the sides for the bird to get in the nesting box
• a perch on the outside, just bellow the hole
• removable top

Where to put the nest box?

Now that you know how to build it, where do you put a parakeet nest box? It should have a lot of light but try not to put it in direct sunlight. It would be great if you could find a nice spot opposite to the window.

Nest used by a breeder Photo courtesy of Roy Drage, crdrage82003/Flickr

Make the nest box easily accessible to the bird because they will want to check it out. They will fly into it more and more until they are ready to mate.

There you are. Your basic guidelines on how to create and organize a parakeet nesting box. You are all set to breed parakeets. If you want, you can learn more about breeding parakeets, and if you believe you know that already, skip right to parakeet egg laying.