Breeding and Rearing African Greys

The first thing one learns when breeding African Greys is that they are all so different. Each pair will act, react and do things differently. There is not a common denominator such as is commonly found in Amazons , macaws, etc. We have several pairs of greys. Some exhibit the sterotype behavior of greys, of being shy and retiring. Another stereotype is that they will shake from fright when approached, tJy to hide, and ce1tainly growl. Fo1tunately we have none that exhibit fear but this may be because of the physical situation of the birds and their cages. The birds are kept in the same cage, with the nest box attached, year round. The cages are suspended off the ground, and are made of 12 gauge, half by three inch wire. The cages are eight feet long, four feet high and 30 inches wide. They are high enough so that the perches are at least six feet from the gound. This allows the birds to look down on me. The metal nest box is boot or L-shaped. Box dimensions are 18 inches high and long by II inches wide. The access hole is four inches square near the top of the L. The boxes are hung on the outside of the cage. There is an inspection door with wire screen so that when the door is opened the birds cannot escape. I feel this is important because several of the pairs will not exit the box when I inspect. The inspection door on the boot (leg) should also be higher than normal because of the greys' tendency to scratch and pile the nesting material up against the door. I use one inch thick pine boards for flooring and pine shavings above tl1at. The entire inside of the nest box is painted with a flat black paint. The birds seem to feel more secure in the darkness. The perches are tree branches, usually eucalyptus, located at each end of the cage. At the opposite end from tl1e nest box is the feeding area. A 12 inch square attachment, the width of the cage, holds the water and food dishes . This area is covered. There is a six foot solid divider between cages. At the food end of the cage, two feet are open to adjoining cages. Four feet of the cage is covered on top, including the nest box. At the nest box end, I have hinged plywood that is raised in the summer for ventilation and put down in the winter to protect from the cold winter winds. The cages are located in an Emu pasture under deciduous oaks. In the winter, the birds get tl1e benefit of the sun, in the summer they are shaded. The Emus do not disturb the greys. Our birds generally sit out in the open during the most inclement weather. They love bathing in the rain and will play in the snow when it is fresh on their cage.