How can I tell the age of a Keet?
A young Budgerigar has a smooth cere, black stripes (except for the light colored types) on the forehead (giving the term “bar-head” for a immature Keet), and a completely black eye. Within six months, the forehead is white or yellow and the eye has a white iris. The male’s cere remains smooth. The hen’s darkens in color and becomes crusty and flakey in appearance, not to be confused with a mite infestation. This is a normal sign of sexual maturity and can be used to differentiate the genders in Albinos and Lutinos, where cere color is no help.Keets are ready to breed by nine months. I’ve seen hens as young as five months old produce healthy nests.
A young Budgerigar has a smooth cere, black stripes (except for the light colored types) on the forehead (giving the term “bar-head” for a immature Keet), and a completely black eye. Within six months, the forehead is white or yellow and the eye has a white iris. The male’s cere remains smooth. The hen’s darkens in color and becomes crusty and flakey in appearance, not to be confused with a mite infestation. This is a normal sign of sexual maturity and can be used to differentiate the genders in Albinos and Lutinos, where cere color is no help. Keets are ready to breed by nine months. I’ve seen hens as young as five months old produce healthy nests. 26.
