**KAZ**

Its actually 18-21 days depending on when the hen began to incubate.

Does that mean this budgie is GAY ?

Sorry Taylor.........its just that she was and still is real special and in my heart you know

Omelette was my hen not Dave's and she was special enough to me that I would prefer you didnt use her name. She was named because she laid 12-13 eggs per clutch and what I called enough eggs for an Omelette. Sorry but I would prefer you didnt use her name here for another bird other than her.

please explain

I once used marker and it too came off overnight

If a bird goes down real sick I use triple C in a crop feed. I also use triple C in the drinkers if any birds arent well too. I like Triple C.

Blue spangle ( not clearwing ) dominant pied is the other ( not recessive )

Put some white paper under him and check his poops. Also feel his keel bone for signs of losing weight.

any budgie clubs near you mate ?

Cause is NOT only deficiences. Sometimes mothers get off the eggs due to a disturbance in the night, other causes can be spinning the eggs by getting off them too quickly at nestchecks, dads can addle them by getting in the nestbox and being clumsy. Chicks can die in shell due to polyoma virus ( french moult ), psittacosis going through and a multitude of other reasons. The saying..........DONT COUNT YOUR CHICKEN BEFORE THEY HATCH...........always rings in my ears. Its the very reason I do not mark eggs with dates and hold my breath waiting for hatchings or getting upset when they dont. I only count a breeding as successful once a chick fledges. But I am a NO NONSENSE practical kinda gal.......thats just me

Here's an interesting article for you to read http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index.php?showtopic=22377 funnily enough, easily found on our bbc forum in the health section

Iris rings are the white ring section around the pupil of his eye. If you want to breed show budgies and legring your chicks you will need to join a budgie club near you. Have you looked into that yet ?

You dont need to get him a ring now...either he has one or he hasnt and he hasnt. Age ? He's an adult. No other way of telling his age other than a ring once he's an adult. Show us a clear photo of his iris rings though, and that may help

Nope not recessive pied....... and the spangle looks like a spangle too.......but better and more photos of the spangle is needed......whack it into a show cage for better closeups.

I reckon the bird photo posted above is a hen

okay.......sorry .... For a baby to dom pied one of the parents has to be one. Is the spangle mother a dom pied spangle ?

Male......very well spoken over the phone.

With any amount of eggs over 3 you should be able to tell fertility at this stage Dave

One of the albinos is the Dad as he can mask any variety Think of him as a dom pied wearing a white sheet

LOL :D :D and you didnt even check our pockets LOL And I'm sorry I just WASN'T going to check down either yours OR Kens pants!!!! I could've easily got sucked into one of those gorgeous pups making their way into your world on the day

Take a look through the aviary forum http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index.php?showforum=42 Here's my set up before we moved to Collie http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index.php?showtopic=14142

Clear CERE shot...front on, with macro setting, no flash used, natural light conditions

Anyone wanting a more apt title just send me a message.........I will change within reason

LOL :D :D and you didnt even check our pockets LOL More excellent advice passed along to me by an anonymous member Take this with a grain of salt but I have many years experience in this field. This is a guide to how I would field an enquiry. 1. Use your instincts, when I get up and running I don't want to miss out on sales. Little old ladies and men, mums and dads looking for a pet etc aren't going to be your suspects. But if something isn't sitting right with you then listen to the little voice in your head and adopt the following. 2. Before you answer yes to having birds for sale ask them who they are. Ask for their full name name, where they are from and if they are a member of a club. Tell them straight out that you are very careful about who you sell to and that you are aware of recent burglaries in your area. 3. Ask for their number and tell them that you will check the flights for what they want. (The phone number may or may not be able to identify a crook down the track.) Then use this time to research them. If they are involved in a club, call the club and check their bonafides. 4. Phone them back, take note of how they answer the phone. Before you ask for them by name ask who it is. If there is something dodgy and they have given you a false name you might get some hesitation and discomfort at this point.. Do not give an address until you are satisfied that you are happy that you know who this person is and that you are happy for them to be at your home. 5. If it gets to the point where someone shows up and the little voice starts to go off ask for a drivers licence and record the identity details including the date of birth. At the very least record the registration details of the car that they arrive in. 6. If you end up a victim don't expect the police to be a able to solve it for you. They do not have the resources or the ability to investigate these offences properly and they don't understand the significance of the loss. Get on the front foot, let all local club and bird people know. request information. If you are offered bird that you think may be stolen, if someone has a number of quality birds that are unrung or something doesn't make sense then let someone know, you can contact me here if you like, even if you are from another state. Again take a car rego. If you suspect something then the ability to identify that person down the track will be the most important thing. The most important thing to remember is to use your instincts, identify your buyer and don't give an address until you are satisfied with the buyer.