Norm

That's a bargain price as you say Denise, the only thing I would say is, what size is the mesh on it, from the photo it looks like it might be too large for Budgies.

As Kaz said it’s not a Blaceface, but a heavily marked Opaline, they seem to be more prone to get, what’s called miss marked birds, it would loose points if you were showing it. It’s a bird that might be used by selection to breed a birds something like a Blaceface. But as they say a Blackface is a rare Recessive mutation & as far as I know there are only a few in The Netherlands [Holland].

Karen, if you mated her to a Lutino, you would get TCB/Lutino cocks & Lutino hens…if a Normal cock, you get Normal/TCB cocks & Normal hens. The best out of the two would be the best type cock you could get out of the two. The best mating to feel like you were getting somewhere would be a TCB if you could get one, at least you would get both sexes. The only mating that will give you more than 25% TCB hens is pure TCB to TCB or pure TCB cock to INO hen.

I think the solid breeding cabinets are the best; they give the birds more security & less chance of draughts. With your wire ones it would be better for the birds if you had a perch at each end of the cage so that the birds can get maximum exercise flying to & fro. They seem to put out those perches that run from end to end on most of the cages these days, maybe because they think you can see the birds better, but in fact aren’t as good for the birds.

Your right Nerwen Sorry I looked at that picture a few days ago, but didn't notice today...looks fine.

Loren no one has asked you if you have plenty of nesting material in your nest box? Like sawdust, wood shavings or even sand, something that will stop the legs from slipping sideways. I have had some start off with legs that were splayed, but as soon as I noticed it, I added more material & within a few days it was okay. I think also that most things have a genetic component, so I would suggest that birds “repaired” with the sponge method would be best just kept as pets & not used in breeding.

Welcome Mick, looking forward to your photos.

Don't some other types of budgies have red eyes at the beginning too? That's why I asked how they knew for sure it was lutino. It’s true that when you get a chick with Red Eyes it can be one of a few colours, but in this case The Pie Knows from the parents that they are mostly going to be Lutinos. Like with the first pair the Cock is a Lutino, so all hens are going to be Lutinos, so when one hatches with Red Eyes it’s a pretty safe bet. Of course if both parents were split for Blue it could also be Albion. She is just making a pretty safe guess.

Thanks Kaz, yeah he looks a nice one, nice big head. Re Saddle Back Nerwen, I have only seen some pictures, I have been told by some others they aren’t that spectacular, it’s just that I’m real interested in breeding & rare mutations are interesting to me & also someone has to breed them otherwise they will die out. I’m trying to find something about the genetics of Dark Wings, but so far haven’t been able to find any, because I guess they are so rare, I don’t know if they’re Sex linked, Recessive or something else. I like birds with Cinnamon or Dark markings & the Yellow factor, similar to the TCB. The rest of the eggs were just infertile Pie. Thanks for all you good wishes guys.

In some cases colour wise there seems no difference, so I guess the iris & cere are the only guide, except that they are two completely different mutations.

He’s really settling in well…great pictures.

It will be interesting to see later pictures, maybe you have a new mutation.

My pleasure.

Because of the unusual relation ship between TCB & Ino, they are dominant to them, Ino’s are often used in breeding TCB’s, all three cocks that I was able to buy are split for Lutino. As the breeder I bought them from seems to mostly breed them to Lutinos. I am now finding that a frustration, as now that I have began to understand the variety better I find that a problem. My first pairing was a TCB/Lutino cock to an Opaline Light Green. Because I caused some confusion with removing her first mate because it was infertile, she first laid 5 eggs, but didn’t sit so I fostered them to another pair, only one hatched an Opaline Light Green Cock…he has just left the nest & it’s amazing how big he is, even though his father isn’t that big & my hen isn’t very large also. Must be the TCB’s line, as I guess I didn’t get the best of them. Will get a picture of him for you. Then the next batch she laid six eggs & she is usually very fertile, but this time only two hatched one is a Lutino hen [looks big] & another Opaline Light Green cock. This is what I expected along with some TCB hens, which haven’t appeared as yet. I’m hoping the fertility will be greater on the next batch. Now I realise that to my way of thinking it’s not a good mating [to Lutino I mean] as now these two Opaline cocks have the possibility of being split for Lutino or TCB & there is no way of knowing without mating them. I’m thinking it’s better to mate them to Normals mostly & just use the Lutino mating to improve colour as needed. That way the offspring will always be known, they will either be TCB’s or Normals split for TCB’s. Then the Normal Cock split for TCB can be mated to TCB Hens & will be as below. Normal/Clearbody cock × Clearbody hen 25% Normal/Clearbody cocks 25% Clearbody cocks 25% Clearbody hens 25% Normal hens So then the Cock will either be Normals/TCB or TCB’s & the 25% of Normal Hens can be used in any other breeding if they are good enough. So, so far I have three birds from this mating & maybe none are of use to breed TCB’s, I might be lucky & get one or both split to TCB. I have mated the only hen I was able to buy, with a TCB/Lutino cock. Clearbody/Ino cock × Clearbody hen 25% Clearbody cocks 25% Clearbody/Ino cocks 25% Clearbody hens 25% Ino hens I will only be able to tell which TCB cocks are pure & which are split Lutino, by mating, but at least if I mate to TCB hens most birds produced will be TCB’s. I guess we have to have patience in sorting things out after buying birds. I have lined up some more new rarer mutations that I hope to get in a few weeks…Saddle Backs, Dark Wings & Black Eyed Self’s [Yellows].

opps, sorry! yes spangle, but white, not yellow. The same as above, but seeing he is Blue series, if the Lutinos is split for Blue more chance of Blue series birds & all young will be split for Blue if they are Green.

I like her she is a very nice bird also. On which bird it would be best to breed her with depends on what you would like in the babies, as I think both would be good mates. If you breed her with your Green Spangle cock, you could get Grey, Green & even Blue birds if the Green cock is split to Blue. Because it is Spangle to Spangle you will get all Spangles & you could also get some Double Factor Spangles which could be either completely Yellow or White birds. If you breed her with the Violet Cock you will get half Spangle & half Normals, Grey, Blue & maybe Violets. And also in both cases any Recessive colours they may both have. You could breed her with one cock & then the other at a later time & get more varity.

I agree with Kaz, the DF Spangles is also a Yellow Face that's why its colour varies instead of being the one colour all over.

Sorry to hear about your losses, is that one of the cats from the Uncles place, in your Avatar, better get it after the mice, as it doesn’t seem like its got much constructive to do. Some of those b***** toilet rolls can do that without the help of a cat…(Laughing out loud)…

Looks nice Aly, what’s wrong with Cinnamons they are beautiful…I hope life is getting more calm for you of late.

Some of the others that show birds will give you more advice, but I think your Light Green Spangle cock looks quite good, he has a nice head. Your other birds look nice also, but I think he has more of the show type bird look.

When you breed YF birds with Green series birds, I think the young [Green] that are showing lots of Blue around the vent, legs & under wings, are masking the YF & if later mated with Blue series birds are capable of producing YF Blue birds. YF is Dominant to Blue, but is masked by Green.

I thought she doesn't look like Cinnamon to me either, but some things about her look Cinnamon, her spots & her tail & the effect on her body colour. The wing pattern is different...is she maybe a Cinnamon Spangle?

Beautiful birds Pie, I especially like that Grey Green Hen [nice head] will be nice to see the chicks...good luck.

Glad at last you have had some luck, even if it's only one...will be nice to see it's picture later.

You better tell him then, as then you will be able to show him, as they like "big heads" on show birds. (Laughing out loud)...just joking, yeah he looks real nice.