Feathers

Hi Dave, as Ains said, it takes 18 days from when the hen starts to sit on the eggs, so your first egg should be hatching about now. Leave the eggs until it is at least 25 days past the last one being laid. If they do have an infertile clutch I would probably do as norm has suggested. Trim around the vent of both birds and let them try for a second clutch. Feathers.

Hiya Norm, pleased to 'see' you! Feathers.

Pair number 4 have decided to join in on the egg laying act. Their first egg appeared this afternoon. Jade stopped at 5, Jewel stopped at 5 (1 damaged) and so far Tealah has four also. The first jelly bean is due to arrive tomorrow or Monday. It's funny, but I am so excited for the budgies. When I saw the new egg today I congratulated the hen - "Well done, Keely, good girl". Keely, Tealah and Beau, Jewels other half, are 3 of my first 8 "special" budgies, so it's great to see them doing so well. Gee's I'm a softy... Feathers.

Kaz, dear Kaz I was very sorry when you told me of Kamikaze's passing, but having seen him a week ago, when you said he was looking a bit better than he had been, it didn't surprise me. The poor little thing battled a long time before he lost his fight. He will be the one I will remember most from this awful event, he represents those that fought back to good health and those that died. Be at peace all you precious birds. *hugz* for my friend, Kaz.

Hi Norm, I can't speak from past experience as far as breeding goes as I have only just put some pet birds and exhibition birds into breeding cages, but that is not going to stop me jumping in here I don't know where you got your exhibition birds from, but my exhibition birds are as active as my pet type birds, the main difference being that the exhibition birds are more tolerant of being handled. I would be very worried if I had birds that "can't fly more than a metre". My birds all get the same treatment, the same food and nutrition, the same toys. You wouldn't be able to tell my birds apart from watching them play if it were not for the size (and I have pet types almost as big) and the ring around their leg. From the limited time that I have been involved in budgerigar clubs I can tell you that a good part of the discussion and newsletter space is taken up by addressing health and fertility issues. Of course most breeders are trying to breed the champion bird, but there is no point if you haven't bred for good health and fertility as you'll be a one win wonder, as you have no way to back it up. So, as in nature, it comes back to survival of the fittest. I can't speak for other breeders, and of course there are rogue breeders, but personally, my aim is to breed happy, healthy budgies first and foremost. I think you would find, if you read through books like "The Challenge" that this has been the aim of budgerigar societies since the beginning of the 20th century. Feathers.

Poor Sara, that is quite some lump she has under there. I can offer no useful information about it though, sorry. Feathers.

I got 4/5. Hath mentioned the seed sponsor in a FAQ, I read budgerigar World, I guessed November because I knew it was late in the year and I knew when the budgerigar society was formed because I recently read about it in "The Challenge". Feathers.

I'll play, nice to see you, Neat. This is me last week when my niece turned 3.

YES number nine is the one from that nest doing fine too. Good to hear he's doing so well.

They sure are, Vonn. They originated from Australia with early explorers taking some back along with other 'samples' of the flora and fauna of Australia. These little birds quickly became popular by fanciers in the UK and to a lesser extent, Europe. By selectively breeding the budgerigars they became a larger framed and healthier bird generally. Different 'mutations' were also bred from time to time. These mutations occur in the wild, but they are outcast or picked on, so they don't survive. This is why the larger exhibition type budgies are also known as "English" budgies. Up until quite recently the "English" budgies were imported by Australia to improve the quality of our exhibition budgies and many breeders would like to see that happen again. The main reason that it does not happen now is because of the strict quarantine laws. Feathers

Hi Kath, welcome to the BBC forum. I have noticed that one of my male budgies makes a wierd nose when he head bobs. If he wasn't in a breeding cage I would probably have been worried about it, as it is a bit like a sharp sounding cough. Now I love hearing it and it makes me smile as I know that he is doing it to chat up his girl and regugitating to feed her. Feathers.

It sounds like you have a good vet. Liquid calcium is fantastic. You can use it in their water or in soft food, like soaked oats and eggfood. Feathers.

Hi Vonn, I don't think that you would need to outsource from another country to get a decent seed mix. Not when the UK are leaders in exhibition budgerigars. The following text I have taken from our Show Budgie FAQ "What is the diet of a show bird?" You wont generally see the word "organic" when talking about seed. That is an issue that you usually have with pellets. With so many champion breeders, the seed quality available must be good. Feathers.

And the moral of the story? Don't believe everything you read. Feathers.

Yeah, all three showed on my monitor as 319x 213, the same size as the photo which is now a link. [shrugs] Feathers.

Your green and blue budgies 'just hanging around' are beautiful, as they all are, but those two really caught my eye. Feathers.

yes, it is 18 days from the time the hens starts to sit, which was from egg 1 in this case. Feathers.

Hi Bea, if it is stress related it may have been Ozzie after being clipped. Just a thought. Feathers.

In the second photo of Lacey it looks like she has a spiky blue necklace on. Pastelle looks like she is going to be very pretty. Feathers.

I listed their cere colours on Sunday when this topic first came up. Obviously no one read through the descriptions properly. Feathers.

HI, I all the suppliments I currently use are in a liquid form. I give them in their water, in soaked soft food and they can also be given as a crop dose. The main ones I use are a multi vitamin and a calcium suppliment. Feathers.

Hi Stacey, I am no good at working out what little bubs are going to turn out to be. I have absolutely no experience whatsoever in that area Feathers.

Very pretty bird. I'm with Nathan, I much prefer scaled pictures than links. Feathers.

My hen who has had previous clutches did the same. While the other 2 who are currently laying waited until egg no 2. Just like human mummies, they are all different. Feathers.

you can also tell by the cere colour in males. Feathers.