Dave_McMinn

Here are some of mine. All my birds at that time Two basic photos and of course my current sig.

I think the first one is a dominant pied, and the second one, I was leaning towards cinnamon wing due to the absence of the grey tail, but Kaz make s agood point about the brightness of the body, so maybe greywing

There might be a roman link, with atlas and optimus, but I am thinking that her boyfriend is a fan of the Transformers. Optimus prime is the name of the autobot (good guys) leader in the Transformers, what started as a cartoon, became a comic, and was a big budget Hollywood blockbuster last year. In my opinion, one of, if not the best movie of 2007. Anyway, Optimus can transform from Robot mode, where he is this 30 foot tall big strong robot who fights to protect innocents, to a Truck. Originally a no-nose mack Truck but now a red and Blue Kenworth Optimus Prime as a truck http://www.bioxd.com/imagenes/optimus_prime.jpg and as a robot http://tn3-2.deviantart.com/fs18/300W/f/20..._by_adonihs.jpg

okay , here are Mac and Tess, my beloved Cairn Terriers. Together Mac when he was younger - look how golden he was Mac on duty at the aviary door, making sure there are no escapees - note how he is much darker now, under 5 years later Little Tess as a puppy - always looking to steal food, but oh so cute Poor little injured tess, using her pleasing look to get me to take the collar off.

New day, new fledgling, same old poor weather. My little yellow face type 2 sky blue cinnamon wing spangle has emerged, and she is gorgeous. I think she is a cinnamon wing, her colour is diluted throughout and her wing marking are not clear. Dad might carry the cinnamon gene and Mum is a cinnamon wing, so there is every chance she is a cinnamon wing. The dilute colouring leads me to believe this. Opinions? Thor is doing well, so now we need to name this one. Lady Sif was an Asgardian, as were the Valkyrie. The Echantress and karnilla were evil women, so I need a norse name that suits one such as her. Sif was meant to be he wife of Thor in mythology (but you know all the gods interbred, so she may well have been his siter - ha ha ha) and she was meant to have golden hair. I think Sif seems like a good name for her. The little one popping his head out I think I will call Heimdall. Heimdall was the warrior who stood on the rainbow bridge called BiFrost looking out for invaders to Asgard, the home of the Gods. This little one spends a lot of time looking out from the nestbox, the home of the chicks. Heimdall it is. Last one looks similar to Thor, and I think it is a little boy, so I will call him Balder. Balder was a son of Odin, and a brother of Thor. He was not the biggest, but the hardest to kill. He was immune to everything, except Mistletoe. In comics, he has been drawn with white hair, so this also fits this little one. Angel and Hugo have two violet pieds and Gabrielle, their grey pied. The two violets venture out more and more, but they are very timid and scurry away. Angel teaches all her young to be very timid of people. Not sure why. Anyway, I have to be quick to get snaps of them.

Hard to say, as I like so many. I love spangles over normal wing patterns. If I am truly honest, I love birds with big personalities. I like the troublemakers, the mischief makers, the affectionate. that is the my favourite bit.

Deb, They look great. Like I said, it was great to meet you and your family. Feel like your younger daughter really wanted me to play dominoes. LOL. There is a slight difference inthe depth or darkness of the blues on Laurel and Hardy's stomachs. The light blue with the least black patches is the oldest. The opaline girl is younger than the non-opaline as well. Not sure if i told you that. I am very pleased they have settled in well and have found a loving home.

There have been some big changes in the breeding cages over the last few days. It has been moving, or travel, days it seems. First, I delivered 4 young birds to Deb, up near Newcastle yesterday. Let me say, Deb, her husband and her children are absolutely wonderful people. I was able to see her two indoor birds who she hand raised, her aviary setup, we talked about future expansion plans, plus we talked about genetics of birds. It was great to meet her and her family. I was able to catch up with my folks who were up that way on holidays, so we had a nice lunch. Had dinner with friends back here, but all up, the only food I had eaten at home was a bowl of cereal and I had clocked up over 500kms. Exhausting, I slept well last night. Anyway, enough about me. Since 4 of his young had been removed, that just left Cheese and his youngest in his cage. I was quite happy with this, until I looked up and saw Hugo chasing Geo around their cage. Everywhere she landed, he would pounce. He was never going to catch her, she is too fast. It did look kind of funny, as he would jump with his wings out from a higher perch to a lower perch, very Batman-esque. So I thought I would move her. Since she is a young bird, I thought she should go with another young bird, so she would end up going in with her bother, the youngest of Sebby and Cheese, however I was not going to be home to ensure that Cheese was on his best behaviour, so I made a call. Cheese was returned to the aviary and Geo joins her brother in the cage below. They seem to be getting on well, and this morning have even started preening each other. Of course, they are young, so they are going to have fun too. Young one remaining from Sebby and Cheese's cage - looks like a boy to me, smooth pink cere, no signs of white rings. Being a recessive pied, might need to wait a little longer. Geo joining him in the cage. She looks like an absolute sweety, definitely female. Them together in the cage Playing - "Hmmmmm, tastes like chicken..." Hugo and Angel Angel is still in her own seperate little cage. She does not like it - lol. She has layed abother egg from a perch so I will ensure she goes a few more days to build her strength back up before she returns to the aviary. Hugo is constantly joined outside by the violet pied with the most markings for a large amount of time. The other violet pied and Gabrielle are yet to venture out for an extended period of time. I think all 3 young are females. Funny if this is true, as that means of 2 clutches, Angel only ever hatches 3 eggs, and they are always girls. Tralia and Nibbler Tralia returned this morning to the aviary. She is looking healthier and it will be good for her to stretch her wings. The little YF2 Spangle came out yesterday and got stuck, not able to get back in. I popped him back in this morning. Thor has fledged this morning. He is a cutie. Dad is very protective of his son. Thor is definitely male. I looked at the others as well, and I think of the 4 young, 3 are male, one is female. So I think Deb I gave deb 2 males and 2 females (the 2 recessive pieds are diffcult to sex, definitely one male, maybe 2), Geo is female and the youngest is male, Hugo had 3 girls and Nibbler has 3 boys and 1 girl, so the final total stands at 13 chicks, 6 males, 7 females. We should see more young emerge from the remaning 2 nestboxes over the next couple of days.

Thanks for the comments. You should see when I clean the floor of the aviary. Feathers everywhere. Thrwoback, it has been raining. It wasn't at the time. I put some clear plastic on 2 sides of my aviary (all 4 sides were previously wire) to prevent draft, so once it rains, the water stays on the plastic, so it gives the appearance of rain. The funniest thing is when it is raining, the birds see it through the plastic, they fly up to the sire, hang them, see the rain through the clear plastic, flap their wings and wonder why they are not getting wet. Funniest thing. Jimmy, Slate is definitely a spangle, no chance of a lacewing. I think you are confusing him with Sebby, who is the sitting int he picture above Wilde. She is a fallow, not a lacewing. More of a purple body colour, but diluted due to the fact that she has the cinnamon wings of a fallow. Liv, Romeo and Juliet were a couple when they were younger but Romeo, liek the old dude on 60 minutes the other day, prefers the company of his daughter these days. NickNack - my dogs constantly shed hair, which i have to vacuum, and they spend at least 20 hours a week inside, so I do understand that vacuum problems - lol

What if the egg was removed and replaced with a plastic egg? You can buy them for a couple of dollars for a pack of 8 or so

Very good Jimmy. Of course, he might have the size of the Persian King. Wasn't that a great movie? I loved it, came out all pumped. Had trouble not accelerating fast as I drove home from the movies - LOL. So nominations are Goliath, Colossus, Thor and Leonidis. Hmmm.............

Jimmy's right, he is not helpful. Now, i am not here to teach Biology, but unless your bird is special, it takes 2 to tango. I would remove the eggs. they are just going to go off. Where did she lay them? Can you remove anything that might look like a nest to her?

depends on the size of the cage. String shredder? I am not sure that is a good idea. I ahve removed all strong from my aviary as i know that budgies can get caught in it and some actually hang themselves. Do you have a picture of the cage?

I think any bird that is used to a larger cage can act like this in a smaller cage, especially if they are not used to people. Even in my breeding cages, I have birds that often look for a way out. Nibbler has worked out that if he hangs onto the perch with his feet really tight and flaps his wings really hard, he can simulate flight. Heaven help him if he ever lets go with those feet of his. Nibbler and Hugo also went through a stage where they would get down on the floor of the cage and run from side to side, trying to find a way out. I think it is natural for birds to do things to seek a way out. I agree about giving them time to settle.

Budgies actually have recreational sex. Not every coupling will result in eggs. the hen will not look to lay an egg unless she has found somewhere which she believes is suitable. As long as you ensure there are not prospective nests, then you should not have eggs. Ocassionally you may find one on a cage or aviary floor, but that is more an accident then a planned pregnancy - LOL.

I doubt he is eating it. He is shredding it, birds do these things when they are bored. Mix his cage up, give him some new toys, vary his routine. Help him break the habit. Help him say no to shredding.

None of those pics work for me

Thor is possible. If I go for thor, then the theme has to be the same for all the siblings, so if there is a Thor, there might also be a Balder, a Heimdall, Odin, Sif, Enchantress, karnilla, Hogun, Fandrall, Volstagg, Loki, or any of the other gods of Asgard i have failed to mention

Goliath is a possibility, however I am sure that there are other Goliath's around. I think Kaz has one. Maybe Colossus. That sounds like a big powerful name.

There is a massive moult going on in the avairy, however i thought i would take some pics anyway. Note that Romeo has got into a fight and that, mixed with the moult, has resulted in the anti-crested budgie. He will be fine, in time. There are some birds in here that are part of my plans for breeding in november. can you guess which ones? Mixed Mixed with Oscar in the middle and Aphrodite sitting over the back looking on (the YF2 Blue) Norm Ozzie in front of Slate and Boof Slate's wing pattern Princess Romeo with Mel - note his rough head Sunshine Venus athe back at the top Wilde with Sebby then on his own If you guessed most of them, then you are right - (Laughing out loud)

He is a big guy. I was thinking as I looked at the pics that he had best come out soon or he is not going to fit out - (Laughing out loud). He is too cute to be called Meatloaf - I know why the name, but the mental image i have is of the singer, and he is not the most attractive man. this guy is a cutie. What is a name for a big, rolly, polly, cutie? (You cannot save Dave_McMinn as that would be unfair). Might go for something like Dakila, whihc is a filipino name meaning great or large. I spend far too long standing there with the camera, waiting for him to take that leap of faith. i think even his dad is willing him on Galateah for Hugo's young girl with very little markings. It is a Greek name meaning Milk-white, or possibly Garima, which is a Sanskrit name which means grace and divinity. Others to come.

I bought some of that soup mix and some more split peas. So i am going to soak them, then I will give them all some mixed with bok choy and pak choy, and some new corn on the cob as well. damn, my birds eat well.

beautiful vibrantly coloured budgie

New photos taken today. Sebby and Cheese's cage. All the young are out, feeding themselves, having a great time, destroying what they can. This is their last day together as tomorrow they are getting delivered to their new home, at Deb's. I hope they enjoy the car travel - (Laughing out loud). Tralia and Nibbler's cage. The little yellow faced blue has been out, got stuck and was not sure how to get back until I helped him. He is good now. Eldest cobalt blue spangle is looking to come out. Look at his big boofy head, reminds me of his grandfather, Zeus (RIP). Angel and Hugo's cage. Geo is still going well, she is pretty independent now. 1st of Hugo's clutch has left the nestbox. Actually, they all have come out, but this one has decided to stay out. Let me know if you can spot a family resemblance for this little one. I have included some pics next to her Dad to help out. okay, so far I have named Geo and Gabrielle. I still need to name some of the others. Any thoughts. This is what we have to name. It is hard at the moment as i do not know if they are male or female. If they are double factor pieds, it might take a while to work out as well. Angel and Hugo coincidentally both have daughters from their box started with G. Might continue that trend. Gwynevieve might make a cool name, what else? What are Tralia and Nibblers? And the little one from Sebby and Cheese still needs a name. Any thoughts? Scroll back trhough this thread to see some pics, it might help.

good point you raise there - showing has the potential to wipe out top birds