budgie_addict

Beautiful babies!!!

They are gorgeous! Ebony & Ivory Holly & Ivy Wilma & Betty Thelma & Louise Suki & Sheba Sugar & Spice Petunia & Rose And just in case they are boys! Milo & Otis Bert & Ernie

I have a friend that has budgies and zebra finches in together with no problems. But after reading the above posts, maybe she has just been lucky!?????

Thanks for those links Karen, but no it's not a Butcherbird. I know those. Well, it's been about 56 hours since I have seen this bird, so I am starting to relax a little. Hopefully he's gone for good! I hope your stubborn butcher bird moves on very soon Karen.

"I can see what you had for breakfast!"

Just thought I would add - it has been nearly 36 hours since I have seen the enemy! Hopefully that means he has given up and gone elsewhere! My twelve are dancing!!!! :budgiedance: :budgiedance: :budgiedance:

Thanks again! Looking at these photos I am thinking it's between the Brown Falcon and the Brown Goshawk. I have looked at photos of these before but the pics in the post above do look similar. I would try to take a photo but it is probably a bit tricky when you are jumping up and down!!! (Laughing out loud)! At least I haven't seen it tonight....yet!

Now where would I get that rotating disc, a lazy susan perhaps?? That rotten bird was back at about 6pm tonight! It skybombed the front of the aviary twice while I was about 3-4m away, yipeeing and yahooing!!!! Then my dogs started barking at it as well and it flew away! Tomorrow I will attach shade cloth over the aviary wire. This bird scares me! P.S I still haven't got a good look at this bird, I am too busy yelling and screaming at it! All I got is large, reddish brown with a few random flecks of white in the wings.

I have very little understanding when it comes to genetics and showing birds but just wanted to add, she is simply gorgeous!

MegumiA, WOW!!! And thankyou you really did some great research in trying to help me. Some great ideas there! Not sure about the Sonic bird repeller, I am thinking that might worry the budgies. But what I did like was the Motion Activated Scarecrow! A bit like me running for the hose but much more efficent! I wonder if it would work! If others would like a look, here is the direct link: Sensor Scarecrow Thanks again for the great ideas

I am about to leave for work.....and no visits from this bird this morning!!! Yeeeaaaah! And I have been a vigilant budgie bodyguard!!! Hope he got the message yesterday (with the help of a squirt from the hose!) that this place is no place to hang around!

Thanks for the link Bea but, no I dont think its a Goshawk, my neighbour suggested a sparrowhawk but I found a picture and it's not that either! And I know Butcher birds, it's not one of those. I am searching google images to see if I can put a name to this bird. My dogs are great at keeping the yard cat free but with this bird they just look! I will have a think about the shade cloth, as I have two large unused shade sails i could use. My first thought when I saw him was that he was an owl! Stocky body with a few white flecks in otherwise brown wings and the body is the same brown as the wings. If it returns in the morning I will try having a better look, usually I am frantically trying to shoo it away!!! This guy really is worrying me (and my budgies)

I have only just got home from work and the bl*#@y thing was back! Now I am worried it may be interested in my birds for dinner. I am not sure what it is but it is a dappled brown with some flecks of white, and big! It must stand about 35cm tall at least. Not seen anything like around here before. I am wondering how many times it's been back while I have been at work!???!

Curry is just plain hot!! (Laughing out loud)!

This morning I heard my birds going nuts in the aviary, looked out the window to see a big brown bird flying around the aviary and landing on the wire. It was scaring the heck out of my birds! I went outside and there it was sitting on the roof, I did my best lunatic dance, yelling and throwing my hands in the air and the darn thing just looked at me! Then it flew up into the nearest tree and just sat looking at me, so I grabbed the hose, turned it up full bore and squirted the bugger! He left then! It took my birds over an hour to start chirping again! They were just like little budgie statues! Never had a visitor like that before!

Eucalyptus leaves, my lot get so excited when they arrive fresh in the aviary. And then get to work, nibbling the leaves and stripping the branches! Just like catnip for a cat!!!

Outside the supermarket the other day I got talking to an elderly man who turned out to be a breeder for the past 60 years! I told him of a pair I had who seemed reluctant to breed, these are the tips he gave me: Install new perches, one a little thicker than usual. Rearrange cage or put in new toys. (seems to have livened them up!) Ensure a good, varied diet every day. (Mine always get that) The sound of running water. (I have been filling a bucket near them everyday! (Laughing out loud)!) Put oats in the nesting box to interest the hen. The last tip seems to have done it with my pair, the hen has spent days removing the oats. This seems to have really reignited the hen's interest in the nesting box, she is spending a lot time in the box and my male is very excited by this! (Laughing out loud)! I have my fingers crossed for my pair, good luck with yours Dave! (Apologies for repeating some of Kaz's ideas but thought I would repeat what this breeder told me, in full)

Coffee for me too!

Thanks Nerwen, I will keep an eye out!

I have some pot plants across the front of my aviary and I guess some seed has landed in them as I have about 6 plants that are producing lovely big seed heads on them, definetly millet! I was wondering is there any benefit from feeding "fresh" as opposed to the dried stuff that I occasionally buy? I am also thinking of deliberately planting some of the bird seed and see what else comes up! Not a great photo but here is the millet. I always knew there would be advantages to being a lazy gardener!

"he's not much to look at"!! Noooooo! I know nothing about show birds but he is gorgeous, and I love his fluffy head!

Welcome toffee! You have already been given some great advice but I just thought I would share my experience with colony breeding. I started trying to colony breed, and it ended in diasaster. I only had two females, five males and two nesting boxes, one female laid her very first eggs and the other female forced her way into the nest and broke all the eggs. It was heart breaking! I ended up removing the aggresive hen to another cage. So breeding in an avairy can be fraught with danger, I have found separating your bonded pairs into a separate breeding cage much more successful. If you are new to breeding, I would suggest you remove those nesting boxes and then read and learn all you can about budgie breeding. I am sure you don't want any more of your birds getting hurt.

............eat their veges? While scrubbing the toilet..................!

Ava

Kim, budgie gazing is one of my favourite pasttimes too! Welcome!