Feathers

The babies are looking really good. Love the double factor spangle. Feathers.

I should read things properly. I completely missed that the other pair also had eggs. Feathers.

Here are two absolutely beautiful budgies that a country breeder bought over for me today, along with another 7 budgies. One is the most stunning light violet (lilac coloured) clearwing and the other a lovely cobalt opaline normal, also a really lovely bird. Just don't look too close... As she has been between houses for a while, organising a new house in the metropolitan area, these birds have been looked after for her by a friend (relative?). She was quite embarrassed about their condition, which wasn't her fault. You wonder how this would go unnoticed by the sitter though. This one is not in very good shape at all: But this one is much, much worse: Same budgie as the picture above, front view: Unfortunately these mites don't just affect the face. These are the feet of the worst budgie: The breeder wanted to put the cobalt bird down as she thought he was too badly affected (I think it is a he... can't see the cere really well ). I told her to bring them over anyway and we'd give it a go. The best treatment for such a severe case is definitely a drop on ivermectin. One drop between the shoulder blades, which they got today. As the condition can be very uncomfortable I am going to try to speed up some of the healing process by also rubbing baby oil over the legs and top of feet and over the crusty areas on their faces. In mild cases treatment just with baby oil can clear the condition as it suffocates the mites. I will keep up the oil and also treat them again with ivermectin every two weeks. The other 7 budgies that came from the same breeder will also be treated with ivermectin at the same rate as the two badly infected birds. All wooden perches and swings that are in their holding cage will also be regularly sprayed with Avian Insect Liquidator as they can also burrow into the perches. I will update this post as the treatment progresses. The cobalt bird will probably need to have his beak trimmed after the mites are cleared. At this stage he is still able to hull his seed okay. For further reading we have two FAQ's that you can look at: http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/faqs/i...d=36&artlang=en http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/faqs/i...=128&artlang=en Feathers.

I personally believe any breeder who breeds a 'feather duster' needs to make their own decision on whether or not they should be put to sleep. The example that Kaz has shown you is of a bird that is still able to feed and does not appear to be in any distress. They do not get this way through over feeding and it is not the same as a downs syndrome child, in my opinion. It is a rare bird that lives past 3 months and for some it is not a life worth living. Many are unable to feed or fend for themselves. Either way, I don't believe that it is cruelty for a breeder to decide to put these guys down, it is potentially preventing a bird who does have a very reduced life span from future distress. By the same token, if a breeder feels that they have the time to properly care for such a bird, then that should be fine too. Feathers.

Poor "Annie" is going to get a complex if you keep calling her ornery, she looks perfectly sweet to me She is very expressive, I love her little head tilt. Feathers.

Hi there Rob, welcome to the BBC forum, it's great to have you here. A lot of people here chat on MSN I believe. Feathers.

Congrats on your first little jelly bean, looking well fed too. Feathers.

I agree with Kaz. I have had a budgie who ate two eggs, the first was damaged and the second one was infertile. All the other eggs were fetile and hatched. This sounds like a possibly young inexperienced budgie who is seeing the eggs as a food source. Feathers.

Hi there Allen, great to have a new BBC forum member. Welcome aboard. I'd love to see a photo or two of your feathered friends. Feathers.

It looks like a lovely boy baby budgie to me too. Congrats. Feathers.

I agree, she is stunning. Nice pics. Feathers.

Hi Paul, lovely chicks. I loved the greys in the nest and they are looking even better now. The blue/violets in the nest also look absolutely fantastic. Feathers.

Good decision There is plenty of space in that cage to have perches and toys on each side. Then you can have the food dishes down low with nothing over the top of them so they don't get soiled. That will encourage them to use the whole cage. As Cheeta said they love zooming down and up and it's great exercise for them to use all the space. Feathers.

Ains, I personally would not colony breed, but many have without problems. Just keep an eye on them. If you think problems may arise you would be better off leaving the hen and her nest and taking out the other budgies. Feathers.

Hi guys, this is my entry for BOM: Aly

Rose, welcome to the BBC forum. I don't think there is any such thing as too big. Either of those cages would be perfectly suitable for two budgies. It comes down to whether you have room for the taller one or not. Feathers

Young male budgies at about that age are like young adolescent human males... they go through a very hormonal stage Feathers.

Leanne, due to their young ages, hers especially I would keep them separate. Young and inexperienced hens can have problems like becoming egg bound. Feathers.

I never have either, but I don't know the histories of the aviaries that all of my birds have come from. I like to treat them all for it when I first get them. Because of the location of my aviary I wouldn't get a problem with a wet floor, being on a raised patio on concrete. I know a lot of the WA Breeders will give their birds a course of coccivet when they get back from Nationals and some also do a shortened course for their birds after shows, just to be safe. Feathers.

Ariane is a stunning young bird and it will be interesting to watch the journey when she starts to breed. Feathers.

I have been very good and only ever used stainless pot rivets, washers etc.. I just closed my eyes and ears and handed over the card to pay I can't see a problem with using gal stuff either, Bea. The main part you would need to be worried about is the washer as that is the most accessible part. Feathers.

Oh, poor, beautiful Pastelle. That is very sad news. Lacey is getting prettier and prettier. It will be interesting to see if the colouring stays the same when they go through their first moult. Feathers.

Hi Julie, putting a hen with a dark chocolate cere in to breed isn't a problem, but when they are at the stage that they have a very crusty dark chocolate cere it is too late in many cases. There is no golden rule, but the 'optimum' time to put them in is before it gets to a very crusty stage. This is my belief. A few of my original pairs that I put into breeding cages with crusty ceres I ended up putting back into the flight. Within a few days a couple of them had dropped half or all of the crusty cere and gone back to whiteblue. One cock in particular, as I said before, ended up being bashed and was left bloody. I found him trying to squeeze through a small gap in an effort to get into the other side of the cage to get away from her Only you know where your hens are at. If they have just gone dark brown or just started to get crusty you will know they are ready. Whereas if I walked in to your avairy I would have no idea how long they had been in that condition. Feathers.

In saying this, and I must say I totally agree with Feathers here.... Geez, I am glad I qualified that statement by saying "unless they find a place where they feel it is safe to nest" "it is very unlikely" covered my backside on that one. In a cage situation it would be usnusual, but there are more nice safe looking spots in some aviaries. It is still unusual. But then, I guess if you have 200+ budgies the chances increase Feathers.

And this one by Norm very recently. http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....showtopic=15010 mine like eucalyptus, but go absolutely totally crazy over peppermint. Feathers.