Dave_McMinn

You know, all this talk of head spots made me rethink one of my old breeding paairs - Ozzy and Angel. He was a grey-green spangle (who unfortuantely got out and flew away) and she was an Albino. they produced a a Yellow Faced Type II mauve with normal wings, a grey green spangle, and a recessive pied with very few markings. I always wondered about the last one, but this topic has made me re-evaluate. I went back and looked at some older pics of Ozzy. The photo is from when he was vey young. If you look, you can see a small spot on the back of his head. Obviously based on this topic, he is split to recessive. So Dad is split to receissive, that explains hwo he can have a daughter that looks like this okay, this genetics thing does make sense after a while.

It doesn't worry me too much, annd i do understand that whole nature thing. The pride of lions is a great example. Let me say this though, if Sebby and Romeo Jr. think i am hooking them up with a nest box, they are kidding themselves - (Laughing out loud)!!!

I am no expert, but I say it is a Yellow face Type2 opaline cobalt. The yellow face is obvious, you can see some of the yellow leaing through anc changing the stomach feathers to green, from blue, opaline is obvious, and it looks more cobalt to me than mauve.

see now to me, he is agood looking bird. I love the combination of a strong primary grey or blue, or espcially violet with the white wings. I suppose in show terms as a spangle he is not dark enough, but to me, that is how i prefer them. keep us update with shots of the little one. I look forward to seeing how he/she turns out.

Great story Kaz. look forward to seeing more photos when they begin to colour up. I love TCB's. I always look forward to Norm's updates because of this.

I paired an Albino girl with a grey/green swpangle cock. Actually they paired themselves, I just provided accomodation. Anyway, they produced : 1 Yellow Faced Type II Mauve with normal wings 1 olive green spangle 1 dilute, yellow based pied, that looks like a creamino, save for a very small grey green patch on her rump, otherwise there are no other marks on her.

Now I know budgies have recreational sex, but what I came across in the aviary this afternoon was a little disturbing. My fallow Sebby was engaging in some recreational sex with a bird named Romeo Jr. He has been flirting with all the girls in the aviary, as his name would suggest. I have seen him "having relations" with a few, but the problem is that Sebby is his MOTHER. I know that sometimes fathers have got confused when a young hen just emerged from the nestbox is looking for her Dad to feed her, and he mixes up the signals, but do budgies remember parents? And if they do, what the *** were these two thinking? Anyone?

hey Pie, great photos. In the 3rd photo there looks to be a grey spangle at the back on the right. Is it? Do you have a photo? Close up?

Norm, Yes, she is a Clearwing. Kaz and I went through it last night discussing it on MSN. Here is a few more pics to show it. I am beginning to understand that whole genetics thing, so what you said about the young not being Clearwings but being split is what I thought. One of my main aims was to get more green birds in my aviary, so having all greens is not too upsetting. As for Sunshine and hugo having hidden genes, that is what you need to find out. When you are starting out, unless you buy show birds with an extensive history, you really do not know what they are split to, so the only way you find out is to breed them, and go from there. Even then, you will never really know. Romeo is split to Cinnamon and opaline. Here are 2 of the little girls from his previous clutch. One is a cinammon wing, and the other is an opaline cinnamon wing. Ultimately, all I am looking for is an educated guess, and I appreciate you providing that.

okay, I have been considering the new breeding pairs for this year. Last year alot of blue was added to the aviary. It is time for some more green. There are a lot of young birds in there, so I think the breeding options are reduced. Also I prefer the bigger birds, so I am not ovely keen on breeding smaller budgies to each other. This is what I am thinking. Humphrey and Sherbert This pair was tried before, but they always seem to be kissing and feeding, so hopefully this time there will be more success. Humphrye is a standard green and sherbert is a Green Clearwing. Does Clearwing kid of work like a spangle, or is it more like a cinnamon wing? Is it recessive? I know everyone should be green, but what are the %'s? Anyone know? Sunshine with whom? I am thinking maybe Hugo or even Romeo. He proved to be a good Dad previously, and he is a blue carrying the cinnamon egen, so we might some suprises. They should all be Green/Yellow based birds right? The Lutino is a yellow based bird, but the Lutino gene removes all the other colouring right? What would I get if I did the following combinations? Sunshine (Lutino) with Hugo (Dominant Cobalt Pied) or Sunshine (Lutino) with Romeo (Sky Blue carrying the cinnamon gene) - romeo is sitting at the top int he picture. Might need to buy in a few males. We will see.

I was just about to ask that very same question Kaz. If you look at the second eldest, you can clearly see that the little one has been plucked. Not a natural growth pattern.

Most native plants are fine. Mine love spinach and corn on the cob. lately i pruned the top of some hedges that are native shrubs like callistemons and grevilleas. i gave them these - they love them.

Honestly no. According to what you are stating, or quoting, that means that every budgie that ever lands on a wet perch would get arthritis? Lucky we are in a 100 year drought, or those bush budgies are all going to need anti-arthritic cream whenever it rains out west. I am no expert, but I think that is utter rubbish!!!

welcome - looking forward to pics

thank you to everyone for the kind words and thoughts

Well, it is now 8:56pm, and Zeus has gone to a better place, where he can fly free and eat Millet all day. Not sure what was wrong. i know the aviary $ not as clean as it cold be due to ll this wet weather we have had recently blowing in and wetting the straw base. tomorrow it is getting a huge clean out. funny how none of the other birds were affected. At least he leaves some progeny to carry his seed.

This is Zeus, my YF2 Boy. He is proud father to many good looking chicks, however he is sick at the moment. he is quite sluggish, has very watery poo's, was isolating himself fromt he rest of the flock in the aviary. I went in and caught him, put him in a small carry cage with a lamp on him. I put some vitmain supplement in his water, but since i am not sure he is going to drink, i put a little under his beak with a syringe. It does not look good. It is now 6pm on a Saturday night, if he makes it through the weekend, and he has not improved, I will take him to the vet on Monday. We will have to see what happens.

Below is a photo or 2 of Hugo. I took these when he was sick - a blood feather - but he is better now and back to full health. He is one of the most active birds in my aviary, always flying around with his best mate Nibbler, making a lot of noise and seeming to have a lot of fun. When he was sick I posted some pics of him up on this forum, and a lot of people told me that he was actually a she. It has been many months now, and his cere has not turned brown like all the other pieds I have, it has remained the netural pink colour. Hugo has proceeded to attempt to feed everyone, bobbing the head, puffing up the feathers on the forehead, eyeballs getting smaller, and today he even attempted to mount another bird. I am pretty sure that he is a male, which is pleasing as I have a lot of hens in the aviary, and if there is ever any doubt, I want the bird to be male to try to balance numbers. We will see what happens when he is paired up with a female in the next year or so. That should confirm it for sure. Thoughts?

they love a mix of different things. Mine have natural eucapyptus branches and they get as many leaves as I can gathe on a regular basis. They also get clippings off grevilleas, callistemons, gum trees(eucalyptus trees), bottlebrushes, and now mulberry trees, as well as regular feeds of corn and spinach. It is important to mix things up. keeps them active and tryign new things as well.

How can you tell double factor? double factor what? spangle?

Sly - Yellow face type 2 Romeo - sky blue spangle Pet - sky blue cinnamon wing Jack - sky blue Henry - green Tweety - hard to tell from that picture but I am guessing Yellow face type 2

I would not worry. Great for the birds, they love the different flavours. Some say the Eucalyptus is like a ntural medicine for them anyway.

most native plants are fine. I give mine eucalyptus branches with as many leaves as I can, bottlebrushes, grevilleas, callistemons, and tomorrow they will try mulberry tree leaves

I am not sure there is one "correct size". You want different sizes, so the birds have to adjustn and contract their feet. That is why natural perches are better, they force the birds to grip and adjust their footing.

Anyone know if there is an Australian site? I mean, that site does not even list gum.eucalypts, caliistemons or grevilllias