When is a parakeet sexually mature?

Parakeets are sexually mature around 6 months of age, but at that point the females are about as prepared to raise young as a thirteen-year-old human girl is of raising a child. The females need to be at least 12 months old to safely rear young because at this age they are finished growing and are better equipped to handle the stresses of raising chicks. Males, however, can be between the ages of 6-8 months and breed without stunting growth, although fertility may not be as good as with a fully grown male.