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I wouldn't worry about supplements because the owners probably won't keep it up, as for calcivet, all you need is a calcium block which is easy for the owners, and as for moulting aide, I think a waste of money ( this is my opinion only) but I do use vitamins in my birds water. I would keep it simpler for the owners sake. Dark green leaf vegies have a source of vitamins, like silverbeet/milk thistle etc.

I have seen cocks with ceres like that when they are totally out of condition. So he still could be a cock but he does look like a hen. Time will tell when he or she comes out of the moult. You could give him a few sunflower seeds in his diet which has all in them too, the grey one striped ones, don't give him to many because to much oil is not good for them either. But Stace you have his/her cage looking good.

Does he get any natural sunlight at all as that could also help purk him up. Make sure he has calcium/iodine block and he would probably enjoy some silverbeet and if you have none a bit of milk thistle but make sure it has not been sprayed with poison. I give greens to my birds everyday.

I agree most breeders are willing to help, but you must relise that they will not sell there best birds BUT if buy from a breeder that works on a blood line his lesser birds will have the gentics to through some good. Like here I do not sell any thing visually good except for the bird Kaz got but then at the time I didn't relise what I had. I do NOW. But I am happy Kaz for you to have him. just hope you are getting good offspring from him.

Boy I am livid, My first pay was meant to be in my account this morning and I was going to Shepp to buy the materials for my wire door. BUT the stupid National Bank is having a glitch. NO PAY. How bad is that. No wire door this weekend. Who else has not been paid?

This is the wrong time of year to be after culls, most breeders wait until they put their birds down and then cull what they don't use, which mostly would be July. Like now my birds have gone into their annual moult and I guess I will have to wait until late June or July to put them down now because I really don't want to breed over winter. So just be patient.

I find the bird sale here in Shepparton is much the same, I went to it a few years ago and there was only one breeder selling quality birds and a few other tables selling tiny crappy but pretty colour budgies but guess what what the small pretty colours sold and the better quality types didn't, I did buy 2 from the breeder because he was only selling them for $20.00 but you see the other tables were selling there midgets for $10.00 and I think that is the difference. Since then I have never seen a breeder there waisting there time, I would never sell there because by the time you pay for your store it is a waste of time and money. Maybe that is what the breeders in Geelong think too. I know that most people go to those bird sales to buy a variety of birds more than budgies. As for clubs and breeders, believe me there are plenty of us around. There is a Geelong club, Mountain District, Dandenong. Here is a link for you to have a look, maybe you can find a club near you and give them a ring, they are only to happy to put you on to a breeder near you. http://www.bcv.asn.au/Clubs.html

When you tip the mice in the bucket of water put some dish washing liquid in with the water, the mice die very quickly then, with out the dish washing liquid they can swim for hours.

Take care GB, will miss you.

Thanks Kochy, I will see what I can do for a photo on Monday, Have to work both days over the weekend.

Thanks Amy, yep some help would be great. Today I got the jimmy thing and managed to pull those 100mm nails out of the wood. What a hard job that was. I then nailed one side on the wall and I am pretty sure it's straight, I used the level thing, tomorrow I will do the other side after I buy some more nails. But it is coming together. I am having trouble putting the nest on, turning out to be a pain in the behind. the hooks won't hook around the wire frames. need to look at new type hooks tomorrow.

I use grit, my birds go crazy over but I have heard negatives about it too. Is your cage in a room or out side. if in a room it would be okay as long as cats can't get to it but if out side , I would say NO. You need to be careful of drafts also.

sounds like areal adventure Amy,I am glad no one was behind you though, would of being just awful if the roof landed on another car. Same thing happened to me years ago, My ex bought me a new ladies bush bike, my very first ever new bike, he tied it on the roof rack of the car but he left it in the plastic covering it came in and when a semi trailer passed us going in the opposite direction, OFF flew my lovely new bike, bounced and tumbled on the high way. We retrieved it, Lee had to replace both wheels, seat, handle bars and the gears were wonky, he fixed it the best he could but it was never the same. I would ride up the street and would have to wheel it backwards all the way home as it would seize up for some reason and only go backwards. so much more a lovely new bike.

Really, really nice birds Matt.

You have to do what you have do, and Kaz,wow what a large house, Ken probably wouldn't even miss that room.

Yes I know but I don't know how to. So now I am thinking on screwing the wood front part of the lining, at least it is square, I think. Kochy I really am not sure how to pack it as the bottom is at least an inch out from the top. I have nailed 100mm nails in the wood and now I can't get them out so now I have to go buy more wood next week to do it. I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Even having trouble putting the nest boxes on because some of my wire fronts are weird. Everything is getting me down now, birds are going into a moult, I really think I have missed my opportunity this round, will probably have to wait until they moult now.

No Kaz it is not standard, wish it was because I would by a security door. The door is 198 high x 75 wide. But that's not my problem, I have to make a frame inside the shed to hang the door. Nothing is working. As for the door I am using 25mm alum and connectors with mouse proof wire. The 1st 3 feet will be tin so mice can't climb in and the rest will be wire. But when I made the frame for the shed, the timber each side of the door is on a lean silly me. So it is making it hard to frame it.

Thanks Kaz, it will be great once up and going, having trouble doing the frame for the wire door. Every bit of this birdroom has been done solely by me except for putting the walls up, I told Greg I was having trouble but I guess it is up to me to work it out so hard. I still need to redo the nest box, haven't time to make new ones, so I am just going to cover the side hole and make new ones in the front for this year and make new ones next year.

Some photos of the bird room just for you Dave. my $4.00 pantry. Still want to put in another couple of shelves. My old wooden breeding cages, they are painted cream and they are staying like that because I can't be bothered painting them white, not this year anyway. There are 12 and I am debating on putting 4 more on top. Above the breeding cages are the old show boxes for training. the wire cages , there are 7 need 2 more yet. The ceiling, there will be a fluo light there in time My other cupboard that needs painting, with the large baby cage on top. The wire on the window I did today, and I also put wire on the bottom of the door so mice can't get in. There is room for 6 more breeding cages on the other wall. More photos when completed. I hope you all liked.

Good luck with Kaz, those little rodents are driving me nuts.. I am dieing to put my birds down but still need the wire door.

They are very nice Kochy, you should breed some nice birds with them , good luck, yes the little grey yellow face looks nice.

Sorry no pics yet, ran into problems today,the old cabinet for the wire cages wouldn't go back together the way it was in the old birdroom so I spent heaps of time on it, drove me nuts. BUT saying that the wire cages are in and ready to go and most of the perches are in the wooden cages. We moved the mitre saw into the old birdroom and of course I had to clean all the mice poop in there first what a mess. I brought the feed storage bins to the front end of the old birdroom (the first half) so it is up the end where my new shed is, easy to get to. I put more shelves in the $4. cupboard and Greg helped me bring in the large baby cage. Doing all this I also had to drive to Mooroopna to do Geoffs (clearwing) birds. That took around 3 hours with travel. Yes very busy Finnie, I am actually washed out, really over it all, had enough. Dave will try and take photos tomorrow. I can put the birds in now but I have to wait until next week to get the materials for the wire door. I really don't feel comfortable putting them in with out it. But I will see how I go tomorrow. It is looking really good though, really happy with it.

Great news , Birdroom is almost done, Photos tomorrow hopefully, So far I have made 2 stands for cages, Greg and i decided to have them open with legs so if the mice get in I should be able to see them and cut back their nesting places. I made it out of wood but at the end of teh breeding season I am going to remake them in alluminum with those connectors. I also am going to repaint the ceiling and walls, make new breeding cages and put lino on the floor BUT all that has to wait until the end of the year, at this stage I just want to put the birds down. So yep made to stands, on one stand there are 12 wooden cages my old ones painted cream, can't be bothered painting them again, so they stay that colour. lol. there is room for 4 more wooded ones also which will make 16. BUT 12 for the time being. On the other stand there will be nine wire cages, pulled down the cabinet stand I made last year out of the old bird room and reconstructing it in the new one, saves money plus I have decided I do not want the old one anymore because of the mice and I am going to make it into my work shop for my tools etc. I have put the strip of wood up on the ceiling. There will be a flurecent light there soon. I have put a light up just inside the door which is plenty for the time being, not to bright for the birds etc. I have also put extra shelves in my $4.00 cabinet , I just love the cupboard, it is super. I also put all the wire fronts on the breeding cages and all the trays are in, but need to put the perches in and make some new ones also. I also took the old chest which is long with 3 doors, mice can't get in it but the little rats can breed under it because when I moved it one ran out , frighten he **** out me and there was a nest under it. Tomorrow I have to finish putting the wire cage cabinet back together, shouldn't take long, make the new perches and put all perches in. Put wire on window, Put one more shelf in my cupboard, paint the old chest. Cut a bit of tin to put in the door way so I can leave the door open because I haven't made my wire door yet, can't afford it until next week. why I am doing this is because I do not want any unwanted mice running in their when I am not looking. I think the door will be closed always anyway because the birds might get out, depends on hour dark it is with the door closed. Anyway I hope to have the birds in there by the end of the day tomorrow. I will try and post some photos tomorrow. Oh yes forgot to mention, I GOT A JOB FRIDAY, it is only every second weekend but i can get extra hours, better than nothing. It will make things easier.

It looks great Kochy. I do agree with Kaz on the trees near by because I am having a bad time with mice, I have worked out that they are getting on the roof of the old bird room from the tree next door, A beautiful bottle brush with the most gorgeous red flowers. The owner of the property or Greg wants to cut it back for me, so I am stuck with it.annoying. My out side aviaries which is on the opposite side of the yard well they are coming under the fence next door, they have a huge mess over there, real messy people, hoarders, he has tin on the ground etc. Anyway the are coming from there going around to the back of the aviary and climbing up the grape vine incloser on to my aviary roof, I told Greg it has to go but he said NO!, it is is place so i can't do much about it but it is frustrating. They say we have a plague on the way but I thought it was already here.

I use a cotton bud to apply mine to the back birds head, dunk it in and dab it on.