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Budgie Parakeet Breeder in Colorado

Family Raised, Hand Fed, Socialized Budgie Parakeets!

We are a small hobby budgerigar (budgie parakeet) breeder located in Fort Collins, Colorado. We raise three types of budgies: the small, agile American; the large, mellow English; and the moderate American x English cross (my personal favorite). Our small aviary is run by our family of three and the birds are raised in our home. Our budgies are our beloved family pets and treated with the utmost respect and love. Our family is attached to each and every budgie as most of them have been with us since birth and have been handled from day one. We know and appreciate the personalities of all of our feathered friends. Our birds’ lives are filled with play, exercise, flight, nutritious food and companionship.

PLEASE NOTE: Our specialized breeding program is on hold until further notice. When we moved to a new home, we retired our breeding pairs. I will need to replace them – and I’m extremely picky about pair selection. In the meantime, my family and I are taking a break from the round-the-clock care that raising baby budgies require. To keep an eye out for future updates to our flock status:
* Bookmark this webpage and check back periodically
* Like my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Puppies-Are-Prozac-Chicks-Are-Chocolate-274291365916519/
* Or send me an email so I can contact you once we’re raising baby budgies again.
Thanks for your patience.

Even though our budgie parakeets are first and foremost our fun pets, we never breed them without a serious mind. Our selective breeding program focuses on health and temperament. Their beautiful color varieties and mutations are icing on the cake!

We select birds with curious, confident and playful personalities to use in our breeding program because temperament and disposition has a genetic component. Then we either pull the chicks from the nest box when they are three weeks of age and lovingly hand-feed them around the clock, or, if both of the parent birds are tame and enjoy human interaction, we co-raise the chicks with them. Each chick gets fed, held and cuddled a minimum of 112 times before they go home with you! It’s one heck of a time commitment but the results are totally worth it.

Take a look at the babies we’ve placed with new families — see for yourself how stinkin’ cute they are and how we raise ’em!

Why we hand-feed the chicks

Hand-feeding budgie parakeet babies is a HUGE time commitment. By the time they’ve weaned, we’ve fed, cuddled and smooched them at least 112 times!

While a small percentage of commercial production “bird mill” parakeets (the kind found at most pet stores) can be tamed given plenty of time and patience, you are much more likely to enjoy your budgie if:

  1. she is selectively bred with personality and temperament in mind, and …
  2. she is positively imprinted to humans at a very early age.

Our primary goal as hobby breeders is to create the most lovable, well-rounded feathered friends. Therefore, we combine both nature AND nurture into our selective breeding program!

And we do much more than hand-feed them…

When our babies are fledging (weaning, flying), we start training them to hop onto our hand, even fly to it when called. Their reward? Organic hulled millet, head rubs, and smooches! The babies are raised in our busy home office and homeschooling room where they receive hours a day of care, play and companionship. Our flight cages are huge and on rollers, allowing them to be rolled into adjacent rooms for a quick change of scenery.

Exposing young animals to novel, positive experiences helps them learn how to handle stress better and grow to become more confident as adults. The more time the chicks spend in the company of humans, the more likely they are to include YOU as one of their flock!

While the babies are learning to eat a variety of wholesome foods on their own, we continue to handle and socialize them several times every day. They eat dinner with our family, ride on our shoulder while we push the vacuum, and cuddle with us while we work on the computer or watch movies. We encourage them to come to our hand and step up on our finger. They are introduced to a variety of novel toys, places, people and situations and encouraged to explore. They are allowed the space and opportunity to learn to fly and safely navigate our home. Our baby flight enclosures and play gyms are located in our busy home office and homeschooling room where they receive many hours each day of companionship and care.

No seed junkies! We wean our babies onto a wide variety of nutritious foods.

We are committed to their health

We feed our budgies a wide variety of natural, organic and nutritious foods including organic sprouted seeds, legumes and grains; organic vegetables and fruit; mashed hard-boiled eggs; organic whole grain bread; organic baby food (made for humans); millet sprays; a wide variety of herbs and spices; and finally (and very sparingly) a seed mix. A fresh cuttlebone and a mineral block is always within their reach. This early exposure to foods (other than the seed-only diet typically fed to pet-store birds) creates birds who readily accept a varied diet that will increase health and longevity. Please read our Budgie Parakeet feeding recommendations and sprouting directions for details.

We “abundance wean” our babies which means that rather than arbitrarily pick a convenient date and rush it, we allow them to tell us when they’re done with our supplemental formula feedings and ready to eat 100% on their own. Typically our babies are ready to go to their new homes when they are 6-8 weeks of age.

How long does the laying, hatching, hand-feeding and weaning process take?

American Parakeet Babies and Eggs

Tiny, pink babies hatch from tiny eggs. We let momma bird feed them in the nest for the first 3 weeks, then we take over with around-the-clock handfeeding so they grow up tame, tame, tame!

Once a breeding pair is placed together in a separate flight cage with an attached nest box, they typically spend 2-3 weeks bonding, then mating, before the first egg is laid. The hen (momma parakeet) lays one egg every other day until she has 2-8 eggs in her clutch (4-6 is typical). She incubates the eggs (lays on them to keep them warm) for 18-21 days until they hatch.

We let the hen feed her tiny hatchlings for the first 3 weeks so they get a good dose of the immunities found in the hen’s crop milk. Then we remove the babies from the nest box, place them in a temperature controlled brooder, and give them round-the-clock hand-feedings, care and affection for another 3 to 5 weeks. Therefore, assuming all goes well, we have tame babies weaned and ready for new homes 12-15 weeks after the breeding pair is put together (9-10 weeks after eggs are laid).

One, Two, Or More?

Budgie parakeets are highly social animals and crave companionship.

A solo budgie is a depressed budgie. So unless you can spend hours every day keeping one bird company then I HIGHLY RECOMMEND MORE THAN ONE. Some people worry that if they keep more than one budgie, the birds won’t bond with them. But consider this: wild budgies are social flock animals who live in large communities — they have lots of friends! As long as you spend ample time with them, they will consider you a part of their flock family and bond with you as well. Two or more budgies can come out of their cage and play with you, then keep each other company when they have to go back ‘home’ to their cage. And watching budgies interact with one another is VERY entertaining — it’s one of the highlights of budgie keeping! Without exception (that I can recall), everyone who has adopted one budgie has soon come to the conclusion that two would have been better.

Prices:

American Parakeet (left) compared to an English Budgie (right). Same species, just different types. And yes, the two types can live together in the same cage — these two are best buddies in our aviary.

Baby AMERICAN PARAKEET (hand fed/raised, socialized, selectively bred for temperament):
Green or Gray (normal or opaline) = $95
Blue (normal or opaline) = $110
Spangle, Yellowfaced Blue or Gray, Pied, Greywing, Cinnamon-wing, Albino, Lutino = $125
Rare (Violet, Clearwing, Rainbow Clearwing, Rainbow Spangle, Texas Clearbody) = $130 and up

Baby ENGLISH BUDGIE x AMERICAN PARAKEET CROSS (hand fed/raised, socialized, selectively bred for temperament):
Green or Gray (normal or opaline) = $125
Blue (normal or opaline) = $145
Spangle, Yellowfaced Blue or Gray, Pied, Greywing, Cinnamon-wing, Albino, Lutino = $165
Rare (Violet, Clearwing, Rainbow Clearwing, Rainbow Spangle, Texas Clearbody) = $170 and up

Baby ENGLISH BUDGIE (hand fed/raised, socialized, selectively bred for temperament):
Green or Gray (normal or opaline) = $160
Blue (normal or opaline) = $180
Spangle, Yellowfaced Blue or Gray, Pied, Greywing, Cinnamon-wing, Albino, Lutino = $200
Rare (Violet, Clearwing, Rainbow Clearwing, Rainbow Spangle, Texas Clearbody) = $205 and up

Available Budgie Parakeets for Sale:

PLEASE NOTE: Our specialized breeding program is on hold until further notice. When we moved to a new home, we retired our breeding pairs. I will need to replace them – and I’m extremely picky about pair selection. In the meantime, my family and I are taking a break from the round-the-clock care that raising baby budgies require. To keep an eye out for future updates to our flock status:
* Bookmark this webpage and check back periodically
* Like my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Puppies-Are-Prozac-Chicks-Are-Chocolate-274291365916519/
* Or send me an email so I can contact you once we’re raising baby budgies again.
Thanks for your patience.

Our sweet baby budgies are selectively bred for temperament and handled daily. You aren’t likely to find birds like ours at a pet store (where they obtain their birds from large commercial production “bird mills”). This puts our babies in high demand — they are typically reserved well before they are born. Please visit our Adoption Waiting List for timely updates. (If you can’t wait for a baby, please consider the adult birds currently available.)

Our Adoption Procedure (Baby Budgies):

  1. Respond to our pre-adoption questionnaire.
  2. Upon approval of your questionnaire responses, I will add your name to the waiting list.
  3. Once your name is up on our waiting list and we have 3 to 4 week old chicks, I will notify you to request a non-refundable deposit ($15 per budgie baby) that will apply towards your final purchase. I will also post photos and descriptions for your online viewing of each chick’s type, color, mutations, and gender. Chick selections will be honored in the order of the date each person was initially added to our waiting list. (If we don’t have what you want in that specific round, you can “skip” and make your selection from the next round of chicks instead.)
  4. While waiting for your “Budgie Stork” to arrive, please read our care instruction page. Also take a look at the cages, foods and supplies we offer just for our adopters!
  5. Most budgie parakeets are weaned and ready to move to new homes when they are 6-8 weeks of age. Sorry, no shipping. Pick up is in Fort Collins, Colorado.

More Budgie Parakeet Pages:

Nutrition and Food Recommendations: Birds fed seed-only diets have a much shorter life span. We provide lists of healthy foods and show you how to grow your own sprouts.

Colors, Varieties, Mutations, Genetics: Budgie Parakeets come in a rainbow of colors. This page has beautiful photos with variety and mutation descriptions.

How To Care For Your Budgie Parakeet: What is the best cage and how should I set it up? How do I keep my budgie healthy and safe? What are the best toys and playtime activities? How do I trim their wing feathers?

FAQ (frequently asked questions): What is a budgie parakeet’s personality like? What are the differences between American parakeets and English budgies? How do you tell a male from a female? Should you keep one, two or more? How long do they live? Where did the species originate?

Training, Tricks, Talking: A step-by-step guide for finger-training, trust-building, and bonding. Watch informative and entertaining video demonstrations. Find out how many words they can learn to say.

Play gyms, Stands and Perches: How to make your own (or order a custom one from us).

Homemade Aviaries and Flight Cages: How to converted used furniture into large flight cages and beautiful indoor aviaries.

Parakeet Food and Supplies Market: We offer organic, homemade bird food plus other essential bird supplies.

Budgie Parakeet Breeder in Colorado: Our family raises, hand-feeds, trains and adores budgie parakeets! Learn more about our selective breeding program and view our gorgeous, tame birds.

Inside Our Aviary: See where our birds live — flight enclosures, breeding room, play gyms.

Our Flock of Budgie Parakeets: Take a peek at our gorgeous feathered friends. Lots of photos with color mutations listed!

Adorable Pictures of Our Hand-fed Babies: Come ooh and aahh over all the cuteness and watch them grow up!

Pre-Adoption Questionnaire: If you are interested in adopting one (or more) of our parakeets, please respond to these questions.

Budgie Baby Waiting List: I know how hard it is to wait when you’re excited but I promise you, the wait is worth it!

45 comments… add one

  • Carla Buretz

    Please let me know when you may have a hand fed baby male parakeet (tame) to purchase for my husband. Our last beloved parakeet died a couple months a go and we would like very much to have another one.

    Thanks,

    Carla Buretz
    chburetz@aol.com

  • I keep the adoption page on our website updated — you can view it here and bookmark it to keep tabs on what we have available: https://puppiesareprozac.com/budgie-parakeet/colorado-breeder/

    We’ll put 3 pairs together later this week. Babies are ready for homes about 9 weeks after eggs are laid. Be patient — the handfed babies are worth the wait! So sweet and loving; you’ll have a great pet for up to 15 years!

    ~Jen

  • barbara broderick

    I want a handfed baby parakeet, preferrably a blue or white … not the yellow or green. It needs to be tame and well handled. I am so glad to find a breeder close enough to home. I have been looking for a month or more and all seem to be Florida, Ohio, etc. Fort Collins is driveable for me and I could come the first to middle of the week. I want a constant companion, so only one. Have had a white one years ago that followed me all over the house like a dog might do and would literally climb up your pant leg to your shoulder, etc. I recenty retired and think it is time to have one again. Do you have very young ones ready or when would you? Please call me, I am in western Nebraska. the number is 308 xxx.. E-mail is: xxx. Looking forward to hearing from you

  • Sandi

    Good day to you!
    I live just north of Fort Collins and came across your website last evening and your birds are just beautiful! I loved the one right after their shower!! How colorful they are…almost like a painting! I live alone, no other animals in the home. I have had dogs, cats, birds, rabbits,etc. most of my life. Unfortunately, last week I had to put my cat that I had for seven years, to sleep. I love animals!
    I have decided now that I want a bird again. I have had a parakeet in the past.
    I would like to know if you have any available now, even a rescued would be great.
    Thanks you much for your time! Awaiting your reply.
    Sandi

  • Barbara and Sandi, I will send you an adoption questionnaire via private email.

  • Erica

    You have a wonderful website! I’m wondering if you could refer me to a breeder with similar philosophies as you in the state of CT? I have been looking through classifieds & websites & I’ve yet to find someone who hand feeds, allows full flight & feeds a varied diet to their weaned babies, let alone one of those things! Please tell me you know of someone near me!!!

  • @Erica, thanks! Like you, I couldn’t find anyone in my area who raised budgies like I thought they should be raised — so when my daughter and I wanted a few, we had to breed our own. And the rest, they say, is history :>)

    I don’t know any breeders in CT, sorry! Have you tried finding a local bird club? Ask them for a reference. Best wishes!

  • Erica

    Well I’ve been looking & there seems to be slim pickings in my area! Where did you get your first birds to breed?

  • barbara

    Sorry to hear about “Cloudy Too”!! Hope she makes it her next chance. Wasn’t there other Mommies & Daddies to be??

    Sincerely,
    Barbara

  • barbara B

    I keep checking in but Don’t see an update on the Parakeet breeding progress….any news?

    Thanks, Barbara

  • Marie Winter

    Hi Jen,
    I have sent an email to your jen@puppies email addresss. Interested in a parakeet!!! yay!
    Please send me more info and adoption pages.
    Thanks,
    Marie

  • How do you get a Spangled Opaline? What are the parents to it.
    (Its in the first photo it’s the right one.)

  • Linda-ann

    Hi, i got a baby budgie yesterday from someone who just didnt want him.

    From what i have read on the net he looks to be around 23-25 days of age.

    The problem is, i cant get him to eat… ANYTHING! Can you help me?

    He is very quiet, very still and is in a cage with 3 sides covered.

    Is force feeding them bad? he has not eaten now for over 15 hours

    • Eek! 23-25 days of age is too young to be weaned! Are you sure it’s that young? If it is, yes, you will need to hand-feed it with bird handfeeding formula. If you haven’t done it before, please get a local avian vet or bird breeder to help you and show you how. If you live in Fort Collins, I can help. Let me know ASAP.

  • Deb Neuroth

    Hi, I couldn’t get the regular email to go through. I am a social worker and am looking for 2 English Budgies for therapy birds. Do you ever make exceptions and ship? (Seattle)
    Thanks,
    Deb

  • Hailey

    Hello, I am a 13 year old girl turning 14 on the 9th of December. For my birthday I want one or two hand fed parakeets. The only problem is that I have two parakeets I bought with my own money from Petsmart, so as you can imagine they were rather ferell. I got them over the summer so they aren’t that old, I tried many different ways to hand train them and I know it takes time but after a while I became frustrated and just threw my hands up. I really want to be able to hold and snuggle my parakeets, but it seems like no matter what I do they won’t take a liking to me. Anyway, I was going to ask for one or two parakeets from your aviary, and it seemed almost perfect since I live in Fort Collins, but I’m worried about what to do with my other parakeets. Should I put them in different cages? different rooms? If I put them in the same cage would it affect them and/or my parakeets positively or negatively? And if this isn’t possible would you please give me tips on hand training them? Thank you very much

  • Anya

    I’m very interested in one of your tame hand fed parakeets for my 8 year old. She is buying it with her own money. How much are you asking and when will some be availible.

  • Samantha

    Im trying to find a parakeet for my daughter’s 4th birthday. A few weeks ago our neighbor found a white and blue parakeet in their yard. My daughter fell in love with it and named it Angel. Unfortunatly it died overnight (it was very small and could barely fly) and she was devistated. Im trying to find 2 new parakeets for her. Will there be any available still in/by June?

  • I am 13 and desperately want a Parakeet! As soon as I found this website I knew that these birds would be way better than the ones from petsmart! The only thing is that I am about four hours away and my Mom has been driven crazy by my non-stop babble about parakeets and will most likely not drive me there. I am also worried about the travel home (if I were to go). I just don’t know if they are going to be very happy spending four hours in the car. I am not sure how the shipping works but if you make any exceptions please notify me!

  • Paige

    Hi! I’m Paige and I’m 8 years old and fell in love with birds (mainly parakeets) around October in 2011.I would also like to ask you what age you think is good for owning a parakeet? Thanks so much! Please reply!
    Sincereley paige

  • Paige

    Hi I’m Paige and I fell in love with birds (mainly budgies) around October in 2011. I would also like to ask a couple questions 1. How hard is it to care for a budgie? 2. What age should you be to own a parakeet? Thanks so much please reply!!!
    Sincerely
    Paige

  • Barbara Yglesia

    I raise my parakeets the same way you do, but I have one English Budgie that is going light. He eats the food and it settles on the right side of his lower abdomen and then he vomits it up before he eats again. He is wafer thin and I don’t know what to do. The avian vets cannot find out what’s wrong. I was told it could be an iodine deficiency and to give him liquid kelp in his water. I have all my birds on a good probiotic from Avitec. They get the best care and foods. Have you had any experience with your birds going light. It’s heartbreaking to watch. I’m going to try some herbal supplements from Avitek and the Liquid Kelp but I would appreciate any advice you could give me. Thanks.

  • Alexis Skinner

    Hello,
    My boyfriend and I are looking for a baby parakeet to be our companion. I am on a device that is difficult to use. So, if you could email me, with a questionnaire, as well as information on prices, that would be great.
    Thank you.

  • Russ and Judy Wallace

    Will you e-mail us the prices on you parakeet feeds and toys. thanks

  • pham

    Hello
    I would like to get one – Yellowface type 2 American parakeet….which shows on your web. Please let me know if this bird available for sale.
    Thanks

  • dianne allen

    Do you ship? Your birds look so lovely. Dianne

  • Nancy Cunninghyam

    Hello!

    I currently have a beautiful young blue parakeet and am looking for a friend for him. Have had keets all my life and serve non- seed food ie sprout and pellets, and veggies and sometimes a little fruit. If you have a bird for adoption please consider me.
    Nancy in Loveland

  • Steve Strichart

    Do you still have the two parakeets available?

  • Lance Lorio

    Hi. I was totally excited after reading your website and was ready to order a pair of budgies. You guys sound like perfect breeders for the 2 lovable babies we are looking for. However I was crushed when we read that you do not ship. Do you know anyone within a 100 mile radius of New Orkeans that has the same philosophy as you with regards to breedings? Thanks & continued success.

    Lance

  • Animesh

    Please let me know if u have dark yellow budgie
    Thanks

  • Eddie and Ashlyn Torres

    are you still breeding?

    • We hope to resume our specialized breeding program in 2016, after we build a fabulous free-flight aviary :>)

  • Brandy Boyles

    Hello I’m checking to see if you have any male English budgies the color doesn’t matter

  • jodi soltysiak

    hi my name is Jodi and was wondering if you have any baby budgies or will anytime soon? I just lost my little Violet and her mate is very very sad. I am devasted. they are my rays of sunshine and violet will be so missed. Victor her best friend doesn’t know what to do. Please help me or guide us in a good direction.She was at the vet yesterday and we tried all night but believe she had something wrong w her liver. I loved her, thank you Jodi

  • jodi soltysiak

    please let me know if you hv any baby budgies or will soon? I just lost my Violet and her best friend Victor is devastated as we both are. please help me. we are both so very very sad.He needs a friend.

  • Spencer

    Hi, I’m 12, and I really want a small, blue, hand fed, tame, playful, and quiet parakeet. Please let me know when you have a fledgling that fits the bill. Also, I am kind of short on time, so I think it would be less work having one parakeet, but I don’t want him to be lonely. Help?

    • Our specialized budgie breeding program is currently on hold. We plan to resume after we move to a new home, hopefully during 2016. I will update my website and Facebook page accordingly once we’re up and running again. Thanks for your interest and patience.

  • Bea

    Hi, I have American Parakeets, I have had them about 5 years ,boy and girl birds. She has laid about 20 – 30 eggs over the last few years, none ever resulted in babies. Recently she layed 4 eggs, one she broke open, the rest for the first time ever she is sitting on them, something she has never done before. I was just wondering why the mail bird has started laying with her ? He gets real close and is actually laying with his head on her back . Is it because he misses her, she does spend most of her time on the eggs. I have watched lots of videos , but never saw that in any of them.

    • Typically the hen will incubate the eggs and the male will feed the hen. Once the chicks hatch, the male will often enter the nest box to help feed the babies. Breeding pairs differ in their levels of cooperation. A couple words of caution: At 5 years old, laying eggs and raising babies is especially hard on the parent birds. Make sure you are offering plenty of nutritious, fresh foods and calcium. I would do everything in my power to discourage the hen from laying again — remove the nest box, rearrange the cage, shorten the daylight hours in the room, etc. Best wishes!

  • Cathy

    Well, I live in Baltimore MD. Am I out of luck not being able to obtain 2 of your babies? I love your website! It is packed with valuable information. Thank You. I spent a long time looking and reading through your info and was wondering if you could possibly email me a picture of a cinnamon spangle & clearwing. Also, I have 2 babies with short wing feathers still that I just got and I want to say they are both males looking at their ceres but how long should I need to wait before being able to tell for sure? This is just so I can name them. I have seen 1 feed the other and since I’m thinking they are both males, is it typical for 2 males to feed each other or is this an indication that 1 is male & 1 is female. Thank You for your website & availability. 🎄 Cathy

  • Stacey Calhoun

    I have an avairy in my backyard with budgies. I’m a retired teacher living is So.Calif so I just add a heater during the winter and my birds are fine. They are all spoiled with daily herbs, fresh grass, fruit, veggies, dried eggs, shells, seeds, grit, cuttlebones, mineral blocks, toys and what ever else I think of for them.
    You have the most information on genetics I ever have come across. I am just learning and trying very hard to understand all the varieties and names for color mutations. It’s confusing to me. I usually give my birds to my students. I let the colors co-mingle and I get what I get as a surprise.
    Now that I am retired I want to restructure some to breed for color. Specifically violet/purple. I heard it is the hardest color mutation to get. I currently have 3 very dark blue males with a lavender cast. I have never had any dark blue females. What color mutation female do I want to try to mate to them to try for violet/purple? I have turquoise’s, light blue, teal, all with white heads plus other colors. I still don’t understand all the boxes and mutation types. But I’m working on it. Thanks for any advice you can send my way. Sorry for the long chat. Just wanted to give you a little background on me.
    Sincerely,
    Stacey
    iyecats@gmail.com

  • Wafa Elejmi

    I will definitely look into getting two traimed budgees. I really loved my 3 babies they flew away 3 days ago.
    Are you an expert on if they can survive out there? They fly atound the house and literally live with us and at night they know yo go to their cage to sleep.

    I’m just worried and have no clue on if they’re ok or will be ok?

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