Hi my name is Tina I have always loved budgies I had my first one when I was about 6 he was a green one. One day my mother cleaned the caged and he flew out (his name was Greeny) so I went to the pet shop and got another green bird and called him 'Greeny' again and he also got out. I was upset and did not have another bird until I was 15. I found a lovely pale blue budgie sitting on our front fence when I was water the garden so I wet him and caught him. I called him Bernie. He was great he was really tame would sit on my shoulder and never stayed in his cage, he slept in my room, he followed me everywhere.
Bernie lived for a long time (6 years), he was also my drive to start my own avery. In my first one I had about 12 birds and I did not know alot about breeding then and just let the go for it. I loved the suprise when the babies came out. However one cold and storming night our next door neighbour's dog got into the cage and killed the birds (luckly Bernie was a house pet and was alseep in my room).
After I married I again had the drive to breed and I brought a second hand avery full of budgies there was so many different colours I was in heaven. At this time I did not know I was pregnant and then we had to move so I sent the avery to my mums. So my budgie breeding days ended.
18 years later (second marrage and by this time 3 children) my husband sugested one morning that we should go budgie shopping and I could start the hobby of my dreams. I did not need to think about it. Went to the local bird shop and got a small avery and 4 birds 2 breeding boxs. Ahhh heaven that fantastic sound. I enjoyed just sitting and watching them I have them on our deck and I can see them out of the dinning room window.
I brought 2 texan clear bodies(I think) one male and one hen, a blue hen with black wings (not sure what it is called) and a violet male. Nothing happened for ages - Called the texan male Tex, the hen Winks, Bluey, and then the Violet, Indy. I thought that my budgie family was set. Tex and Bluey hit it of and started mating but Indy was not interested in Winks. Tex and Bluey had eggs but they did not hatch. I removed the eggs 5 weeks later. They again had eggs and I checked the box late one night. Next morning I noticed that one of the little doors was open and Indy had flown away.
Cut a long story short I went and got two more birds and as I put them in the cage one flew away so I went back to the shop and got two more. A green male, Mo, a pale blue male I call Commander Tucker(star trek) and a hen who is white and blue called Sky (not sure what the formal names for these colours are). I also got 2 more breeding boxes. It took a while for them all to settle down so I had 3 pairs. Then there was fighting and more issues so I removed the boxs (by this time Bluey had layed another 2 lots of eggs and none had hatched) to give all a break.
4 weeks ago I put the boxes back. Again Bluey and Tex were mating, but now Winks and Commander Tucker were mating also. Both hens had layed 4 eggs. Mo and Sky have matched up but not mated and sky was harassing Winks so I put Sky and Mo in another smaller cage. I thought that this breeding thing would be easy but not at all.
Well yesterday I checked Wink's box and I had a baby. I was so happy I picked it up and show it to my 2 1/2 year old. It felt cold but was moving, I put it back but I was worried about it. It looked like it had only hatched that day. When I checked today it had died I was so upset I wish I had found your site before this. (I have just read the information on baby budgies and it has really helped thank you). Anyway after this I burried the little one, so sad. Then I went and checked Bluey's box and I was so shocked she has hatched a baby wow it feels so good.
So hopefully we are of to a good start. I will take pictures of my budgie family and post them soon.
My question is about how much should I handle the babies and did Winks reject the baby because I handled the baby (I know you call them chicks but to me they are my babies). What should I do if she rejects the other babies. I have put silverbeet and sweet corn in the avery as well, is there anything anything esle I should do. My avery is on our back deck and and I have a cover over the top and down the back, they are well protected from rain and wind.
Tina