Denise

They are really beautiful birds Kaz.

Could someone please tell me if there is an actual breeding season for budgies? (in Australia). I have heard many conflicting stories on this subject: All year round September to January March onwards I would love it if someone could clear this up for me? I have several hens in condition but as it's getting very hot here at the minute I am unsure as to whether or not to put them in breeding cages?

We have the breeding boxes in the brick garage with a water type cooler going in there on the hot days, I will try the cut out fronts on the nest boxes too. It was out in the aviary that we lost 2 hens (older ones) we have put up a false roof with 6 inches between roofs and shade sails over the aviary and put in a sprinkler system so hopefully all will be okay now. At least we have a bit of a heat rest today only expecting 23 degrees. Thanks for all your advice, greatly appreciated.

Looks promising for an egg in a couple of days - but I'm no expert, just going on what mine do

We have had 42 and 41 degrees here the last 2 days (lost a few birds from it) anyway one of my hens had been sitting on 4 fertile eggs for 10 days and the last 2 days hasn't been sitting with the heat, my questions is will these eggs now be no good?

This is the parents: Dad - Yellowface Blue Spangle Mum - Albino This is the eldest chick - Yellow face, purple cheek patches, yellow and looks grey wings and looks mauve/violet on belly and tail feathers - not to sure what it would be classed as? Wing photo not very good. Chick 2 is a Mini-Me of Dad Chick 3 is a Cobalt Normal??? Also in the last few days the hen keeps throwing out the wood shavings from the nest box, does this mean she is getting ready to lay a second clutch? There is only 1 chick left in the nest box and should be out in the next couple of days.

Some updated pictures of our chicks. Would someone care to guess the sexes?? Chick 1. 27 days - Opaline Violet? Chick 2. 26 days - Opaline Violet also? Seems have a dark beak? Chick 3. 23 days - Cinnamon wing blue? Very pretty Chick 4. 22 days - Cobalt normal like Dad? Another dark beak and cere? Chick 5. 18 days - Another opaline? Some have really dark beaks and dark ceres, I tried to clean it off but it doesn't come off?

Thank you to all those who replied

The cheek patches are the same slate grey color that her body is.

Those crested canaries are so cute, they look like they are wearing toupee's....(Laughing out loud)

This is Dad - cobalt normal This is Mum - Violet Cinnamon Opaline This is chick 1 and 2 in the box (maybe blue or hopefully violet opaline) Chick 1 Chick 3 (I thought was going to be grey but I see blue tail feathers in this photo) Chick 4 is the same as chick 3 and chick 5 is yet to feather up. What do you think?

I have a pair that had 5 chicks. I had to take the cock out because he wouldn't leave any nesting material in the box and the hen was getting nippy with him. Took him out and everything was fine for a day and now the hen is pulling everything out of the nest box? The poor chicks have rubbed all the belly feathers and are getting covered in poop. I have tried wood shavings, rolled oats and shredded newspaper but she won't leave anything in there? I had thought of a soft material but thought the chicks would get caught up in it. Does anybody have any other ideas? The chicks are between 2-3 weeks old.

Took splints off chick 1 and 2 this morning, the mother wouldn't let me get chick 3 out (I'll try later) Chick 1 has have the splint on for 1 week and looks good, is jumping around everywhere. Last week it's legs were out sideways like the photo Kaz put up. Chick 2 I am concerned about. It seems to flop around on it's side most of the time with it's head down on the floor a lot. After 4-5 days splinting one leg looks okay but the other is still stretch out straight and the toes look funny?

The photo isn't very clear, she is a pale grey color with some green feathers on her front and rump.

Tomorrow I will take the splints off the others and take photos of them, their legs were straight out each side of their bodies. Can't do it tonight as I have to take the hen out as she won't let me get the babies out without biting me very hard This is how the first three were, very red joints too.

I have just taken this photo of the 4th chick which is 10 days old, this one doesn't look as bad as the first 3 they had their legs straight out each side. Is there anything I can do for rickets?

Try cutting all excess sponge away so its less noticeable. Put a small block of wood in the nestbox for Mum to chew on, and also a spray of millet. Have you also been giving the babies a drop of calcivet each day ? and calcivet to the parents drinking water ? Yes I have been giving the Mum a millet spray in the box each day and putting calcivet in her drinking water and a drop in each of the chicks mouths each day for the last week. I have splinted the 3rd ones legs today and the last 2 don't look promising either. What would be the reason for them all having splayed legs? Was there something I could have done to prevent this? I have taken the cock out this afternoon and things have settled down well, but they are calling to one another.

Here are a few photos of the young budgies we bought on the weekend. First one is a very pale yellow, a lot of white and a yellow face with red/plum eyes. Second one is I think a Yellowface Type 2 grey green spangle? Third one I'm not sure, couldn't get a front shot but belly is blue and white.

I have found today that it is the cock that is chewing the splints off not the hen. So if I take him out will she be able to cope with 5 chicks in the nest? She has been getting very nippy with him interferring, so taking him out might be the solution?

It was the bottom beak was longer than the top, but it hadn't always been like that, it just the day before she died it came out like that? Very strange.

I am having so much trouble with the mother of this baby and the 2nd baby (I have had to splint it also). The mother keeps chewing the sponge off the babies, yesterday I had to replace them 5 times each and today wasn't much better? Does anybody have any ideas? Between the hen doing that and the cock throwing everything I put in the nest box out into the cage I'll be insane shortly I think

Yes she always quarantines the birds and they both came from different places. Their bottoms didn't show any signs of ill health, they had normal poops. The cock has been in with other hens last year and earlier this year and they are fine? Yes I am a stickler for hand washing with anti bacterial wash and soap too. Thanks for the tip about clothes and shoes, hadn't thought of that, but I did change as soon as I got home this afternoon anyway.

I have just been finding out more about this bird and the other one she had that died in the same cage. They were both in a breeding cage with the same cock but he is fine, showing no symptoms at all, the first one that died didn't have the funny beak, just got skinny and died overnight, that was about 4-5 weeks ago. The cage was apparently cleaned and disenfected, so why isn't the cock sick too?

Oldest 3 look to have dark colored wings like the Dad so far. It is the Dad that is throwing the shavings out of the box not the Mum - is that normal?

My girlfriend has just rang me to say that the bird has died I have offered to go around and care for her other 5 birds until she gets back on her feet, but I will leave them at her house, I won't bring them here just in case of disease.