HELP NEEDED - Macaw & Parrot Nesting Boxes...

[texascowboy1979]

Hi... My father has taken a big interest in Parrots ever since I got my pair of Scarlet Macaws and Military Macaws... and now he is toying with the idea of buying a few birds... Im trying to help him get ideas as far as nesting boxes for Macaws and parrots.. Please post pictures of your nesting boxes and what they are made of and if you have them inside or outside there cage... I also need to know what size the box has to be for specific breeds.

Here is a list of birds my father has taken interest in..

Scarlet Macaw
Blue Gold Macaw
Green-Wing Macaw
Double Yellow Head Parrot
Mulucan Cockatoo
African Congo Gray

Please post your nesting boxes and what bird uses it...

I know that metal boxes are stronger... but what is better for the chicks... metal or wood...

 

[WalkingWolf]

When I bred parrots I used wooden boxes but mine were small parrots. I knew of breeders using metal garbage cans for nest boxes for macaws. The plastic ones the macaws would chew apart.

 

[texascowboy1979]

Right now my scarlet has a wooden nesting box outside her cage that has every corrner lined with sheet metal...

 

[markbirds]

All parrots use metal trash cans with a hole cut in the side. After you cut the hole make sure you fold back the metal to get rid of the sharp edges. My Macaws use boxes with two holes on each side and they are about 2' square and 3 or 4' long and placed on there side. None of my parrots, macaws etc raise there own young. I pull mine at 2 days old and have never been able to trust them to raise babies.

 

[sharron]

hi. i raise parrots(amazons, congo greys) along with a whole bunch of small birds, i use wooden boot boxes for all of them, i'm lucky enough to have a husband who can make them for me whenever i need a new one cause the amazons do like to chew, mostly the entrance hole. will ask him the size and let you know
sharrone

 

[Woods_Woman]

I don't breed birds, but I've seen both metal and wood used. I am assuming for the larger birds that metal would work best, unless your like Sharron and can have someone make them often. I myself would probable prefer the wood so my birds could have something to chew on, after all it's part of natural behavior.

 

[sharron]

i have the one metal nest box, got it with a pair of too's i bought and i don't like it, but as far as the wood nest boxes, had them for years, my husband only has to make me one when i buy a new pair of birds and don't have a box for them, he also makes my breeder cages, that way i can have a nice BIG cage and if they want, fly.
sharron

 

[deerman]

I used metal nest boxes for greys and amazon, will sell them, I no longer raise them any more. One is known as a "L" boxs they hang on outside of cage. have door for inspecting eggs and chicks.

Will have to take pics to post

 

[texascowboy1979]

Thanks. We found a lady selling parrots... my dad is the type to always Make friendly conversation and change topics to get the breeder to let there guard down and feel comfortable.. and in doing so, the lady kind of mentioned that she only sells non breeding birds to people as adult pairs and she also sells chicks... So that left us thinking that she will try to sell us non breeding birds as birds that breed just so she can get rid of non producing stock..

Anyone have any experience with that?

 

[sharron]

sometimes what won't go down to nest for that lady, will for someone else, depends on the birds, i've bought pairs from a lady, (passed away) that i know produced babies for her, but wouldn't do a thing for me, i also bought a pair from a man that every one of the eggs the hen laid were clear, brought them home , set them up, a month later i had three chicks, so it depends on if the birds like where they're living. i personally won't sell a pair that are producing for me but the ones that don't, i re-sell, they might for the next person. the birds have to be happy with the home.(and fed good)
sharron