Bird breeding can be a rewarding hobby or even a profitable business if done right. With thousands of bird species in the world, there are many options when it comes to selecting the types of birds you want to breed. Some of the most popular pet bird species like parrots, finches, canaries and parakeets can sell for anywhere from $20 to over $1000 depending on factors like species, color mutations, temperament and rarity. Breeding birds takes time, effort and expertise but the financial returns can make it a worthwhile endeavor.
What are the costs involved in breeding birds?
There are a number of expenses that need to be accounted for when breeding birds. These include:
- Purchase cost of breeding stock – Buying high quality, healthy birds from reputed breeders as your initial breeding pair or flock.
- Housing – Aviaries, cages, nest boxes to house the birds.
- Feeding – Good quality feed and supplements.
- Healthcare – Veterinary costs for checkups, treatments.
- Breeding supplies – Nesting materials, egg incubators.
- Record keeping – Pedigree tracking software, breeding records.
- Labor – Time spent caring for the birds daily.
- Marketing – Advertising to sell the offspring.
The upfront investment for cages, aviaries, breeder birds can range from a few hundred dollars for smaller species like budgies up to thousands of dollars for larger parrots and softbill aviary setups. The recurring costs of feed, healthcare and supplements can cost between $5-20 monthly per bird depending on the species and colony size.
What factors influence the earning potential?
The major factors that impact how much profit can be made by breeding birds include:
- Bird species – Larger parrot species and rare bird breeds have higher sale values. Smaller birds like finches may be cheaper but can have larger clutch sizes.
- Breeding goals – Common pet birds versus selectively bred show quality birds.
- Quality of birds – Purchase cost and health of your breeding stock.
- Colony size – Number of breeding pairs. More pairs can lead to higher outputs but also higher costs.
- Incubation success rate – Percentage of fertile eggs that hatch successfully.
- Breeding productivity – Number of clutch cycles per year.
- Mortality rates – Chick survival rates post-hatching.
- Bird housing – Cost of cages, aviaries, nest boxes, etc.
- Feeding and healthcare – Nutrition and veterinary costs.
What are the average sale prices for hand-raised baby birds?
| Bird Species | Average Sale Price |
|---|---|
| Budgies | $20 – $50 |
| Cockatiels | $80 – $150 |
| Conures | $200 – $400 |
| Macaws | $800 – $2000 |
| African Grey Parrots | $1000 – $1500 |
| Cockatoos | $1000 – $2000 |
| Finches | $20 – $50 |
| Canaries | $50 – $100 |
The prices above are general estimates for hand-fed, weaned baby birds of common color mutations. Rare species, color morphs or champion show quality lineage birds can fetch much higher prices depending on demand and availability.
What is the profit potential for breeding different bird species?
The profitability of breeding different bird species can vary widely. Some key points:
Budgies
- Moderate startup costs for basic breeding setup – $500 to $2000.
- Average clutch size is 4-6 eggs, 4-5 clutches per year.
- Each pair can produce 20+ offspring if managed well.
- Average sale price of $30 per bird, so $600 revenue per pair.
- Profit potential ranges from $200 to $400 per pair annually.
Cockatiels
- Startup costs around $1000 to $3000 for breeding stock and aviaries.
- Average clutch of 4-6 eggs, 3-4 clutches per year.
- Each pair can produce 12-24 offspring annually.
- Average sale price of $100 per bird, so $1200 to $2400 revenue per pair.
- Profit potential of $500 to $1500 per breeding pair annually.
African Grey Parrots
- High startup costs of $5000+ for birds, cages and equipment.
- Average clutch of 3 eggs, 2-3 clutches per year.
- Each pair can produce 6-9 offspring annually.
- Average sale price around $1300, so $7800 to $11,700 revenue per pair.
- Profit potential of $2000 to $5000 per breeding pair annually.
The table below provides estimates for annual profit potential per breeding pair for some popular pet bird species:
| Bird Species | Annual Offspring Produced | Average Sale Price | Annual Revenue Potential | Annual Profit Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budgies | 20+ chicks | $30 each | $600 | $200 – $400 |
| Cockatiels | 12-24 chicks | $100 each | $1200 – $2400 | $500 – $1500 |
| Conures | 10-15 chicks | $300 each | $3000 – $4500 | $1000 – $2500 |
| Macaws | 4-6 chicks | $1500 each | $6000 – $9000 | $2000 – $4000 |
| African Grey Parrots | 6-9 chicks | $1300 each | $7800 – $11,700 | $2000 – $5000 |
What are some tips to maximize bird breeding profits?
Here are some useful tips to increase your earnings from bird breeding:
- Invest in quality, healthy breeding stock – their offspring will be more valuable.
- Focus on popular, high demand bird species and mutations.
- Maintain optimal housing, nutrition and healthcare for maximum productivity.
- Keep detailed records to track lineage and family history.
- Cull unproductive breeders from your stock.
- Incubate eggs artificially for better hatch rates.
- Minimize chick mortality rates with proper hand-feeding techniques.
- Consider niche markets like rare breeds, show birds, etc.
- Market and advertise effectively to reach more buyers.
- Establish relationships with bird dealers, pet stores or avian vets to sell offspring.
- Consider joining breeder networks and clubs to learn best practices.
- Expand your stock gradually. Start small and reinvest profits.
What are the major challenges in bird breeding?
Some key challenges faced by bird breeders include:
- High breeding stock costs for quality, purebred birds.
- Offering specialized nutrition and healthcare.
- Achieving high fertility, hatch and survival rates.
- Putting in long hours for egg incubation, hand-feeding.
- Preventing and controlling avian diseases and infections.
- Predators in outdoor aviaries.
- Finding reliable outlets and customers to sell birds.
- Competing with large commercial bird breeding operations.
- Record-keeping and genetic tracking.
Breeding birds can be quite demanding. Creating a controlled aviary environment, hand-feeding chicks, managing genetics, and biosecurity protocols require expertise and diligent effort. Working with a skilled avian vet, implementing preventive health measures and focusing on bird welfare are key to success.
Conclusion
While breeding birds for profit does require upfront and ongoing investments, the financial returns can be lucrative for certain high-value bird species. With the right avian husbandry skills and sound business practices, experienced bird breeders can earn annual profits in the thousands of dollars per breeding pair for parrots and softbills. Even smaller species like budgies and cockatiels can bring couple hundred dollars in profit per pair each year. For those with the passion, breeding birds like parakeets, cockatiels, conures or parrots can be a rewarding way to turn your love for birds into a profitable side business or full-time enterprise.
