**KAZ**

I have NEVER seen a petshop quarantine birds brought in. I am not saying it doesnt happen, BUT I see each lot of new birds put straight in with the others. I was instrumental in making changes to one petshop who wanted to buy my budgies once and i didnt like the way they did things. I made them make changes for the welfare of the birds before I would sell to them and I made sure I would do spot checks to keep them on their toes. Many a time I would call in and make the staff change water and seed and redistribute birds amongst cages to make numbers better and life easier for the birds. It is always a person who has worked for petshops that defends them but what the MINORITY do should not be taken for granted that they all do the same.

I see these FD babies as the human counterpart of the downs syndrome child. I would never advocate euthenasia in either case. As long as there is some enjoyment of life it should go on and the choice to be made is Livs. I would do exactly what Liv is doing up to the point they were suffering and then I would end it, as Liv has also stated she would too if she had to. Noone else can force their methodology onto another person with regard to the great debate...........EUTHENASIA.

Great photos Lib

I disagree with the phrase IN ALL CASES..............I emphatically do not believe anyone can say with all conscience ........in all cases and speak for the practices of ALL PETSHOPS.

Nice birds. A suggestion...remove any underaged birds from the aviary or they will breed younger than they should by the mere presence of nestboxes. Underaged is any younger than 12 months. Do you have a cage for your youngsters ?

I am real sorry you lost him in and in such a distressing way. Big hugs

This is less about a mother neglecting her chicks or losing her nestbox and more about others stopping her getting back into her nestbox. A lot of budgies in aviaries breeding get on top of the nestboxes and stop the parents flying to or getting back into the nestbox hole to feed their babies. If it is prolonged over, say an afternoon, then the mother quits.

Great pictures Shannon :thumbs_up:

Well ordered neat people do not belong in birdrooms there will be anarchy and they will start to line up eggs and cause major problems :thumbs_up:

Great set up and lovely birds...you are about to get really excited

Agree with everyone........... just a quick question. 6 months to already breeding ? You have seperated your under 12 month olds from the aviary where nestboxes are havent you ?

8 legs..........SPIDER :thankyou:

Heaps of space, well organised and the babies look a decent size too :thankyou: Great job :angel:

If you are breeding "colony style" you are going to have a whole load of headaches as well and not from the birds noise. Factor into it TWICE the amount of boxes, some bloodshed, broken and destroyed eggs and nests and damaged budgies and maimed or killed chicks. The hardest way to breed. :thankyou:

:thankyou: :angel: they are very addictive

Around 80 plus depending on perching arrangements and feeding stations. With NO BREEDING in there of course :thankyou:

Have you got another cage you can put her in with nothing on the floor of it ( the sawdust is enticing her to nest )........and lots of toys to distract the nesting behaviour ? Was the nestbox in the large cage with all of them at any time at all ?

Good to have you here Ross :thankyou: Take a look around. if you need any help just ask a Moderator or Admin member :angel:

addictive, isnt it John

Sue, would this line of thinking also work with lacewings ? because I have a dark green/lacewing cock down to a lacewing hen. Unfortunately I also have a lacewing hen with a cinnamon grey green/lacewing cock

I really think he needs a better vet and a test for beak and feather disease. He didnt pluck himself............and should be seperated from your other bird.

I am real sorry I cant be of help. Its beyond my area of expertise. BUT I would send Chrysocome a PM if I was you .....for advice.

Hens YES............. cocks you can try for longer. My six year old skyblue cock won best Blue in Show recently

Maesie is so right. PBFD is hugely contagious and your other bird is at risk. method of transmission is feather dander..........same airspace, same room, and contact from you will transmit it to a healthy bird. You may have to take both birds to the vet.

Males can be bred older than hens I have a 6 yr old cockbird breeding right now.