After selecting a pair of birds your next step will be preparing them for breeding. The quarantine period of 30-45 days will give your new additions time to acclimate to their new surroundings, diet and caging. During this time you can prepare the needed items for breeding. For every pair you set-up for breeding you will need a breeding cage, nest box, food and water bowls, mineral or cuttle bone, a supply of daily food items, ACS leg bands, a record book to record your babies for future reference. The breeding cage should be as large as you can possibly supply.
Many breeders use cages that are two foot by two foot by three foot long.
These cages are a good size for a beginner's first purchase. After you have purchased or made your breeding cage your next step will be purchasing a nest box. The most readily available nest box will be wooden and will measure about 12 inches tall by 10 inches deep with a 3-inch round hole at the front of the box. The nest box should also have an inspection door either on the top of the box or on the backside of the box. The inspection door serves as a way to check on the pair as well as for removing baby birds for handfeeding.