pippi

Yeah they are going well thanks Kaz! How did I go with the genetic stuff though?

lol thanks Kaz, i should have taken a photo of the bite mark on my finger when I tried to get them out to go in the kindy cage, she even made me bleed!!!!!! She wasnt to bad today though when she came out for the morning with me, she is going to a lady that works for me, who has asked me to spend some pet time with her, she steps up, snuggles and I figured that the flying to the cage when she has had enough needs to be rewarded to keep it up. Baby 1 (boy) comes out as well but is more than happy to just sit on my shoulder while I am on the computer and cuddles up under my shirt collar when he wants to sleep.

Thanks guys! Okay Kaz and others I now you will probably disagree with this one in regards to sexing the babies BUT!!!! Baby 1 is a bigger bird than 2, much more quiet and also doesn't bite! Baby 2 is the same size as mum, bites hard, cracks a darky when you open the nest box. Now also correct me if i am totally off track here with Genetics/colouring but Baby 2 is the same colour as dad, and I mean identical, baby 1 is the Grey green cinnomon or as I am told by a breeder a cobolt green hence the darker colour, now would that not mean that the babies that look like dad are girls and the ones with the varient of colour which is influenced via the violet in the mum would be the boys, or am I just over analyising it???

Hey guys, Okay so I am now trying to work out weather my babies are Boy's or Girl's Baby 1 below I think is a Boy And baby 2 below I would say is a little girl Baby 1 is a grey green cinnomon colour and larger than baby 2. Baby 2 is a light green cinnomon colour. So what do you guys think?

OH AV I took the ones that I wanted or shouyld I say the ones that I could sneek into the house without it being to obvious, You know what the OH is like!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Babies have also now been moved to nursery and will be watched closely today, I am back to work tomorrow so today it was, I just hope they are okay!!!!

Yeah I was setting up the kindy cage but just thought that I would get away with it till the weekend but parents are at it like rabbits and when mum is in the box dad hits on the babies. No violence at all from either parents but I think its kind of disconcerting for the babies! Oh PS MB there is a breeder in Mulgrave who has an add on the Trading Post, I went yesterday and ppicked up another pair for $30 total!!!!! He also had a few spangels in the cage that he was getting rid of! PM if you want his details, The cock bird that I got is from the Flannagan line, nice bird just no shoulder the hen is from a line from another top breeder here in Melbourne, its worth a look he has done well in shows both this year and last! He had a stunning Violet Yellow face spangel in his avairy (not for sale) But it will be interesting to see what he culls next year! He sells problem birds to the pet stores and he keeps his quality stock for private sale!!

Have just reread this and think that maybe it is time for me to pull my babies from the parents, I know that they are eating there greens and seeds and drinking there water, Is it normal though for the father to try mating with the chicks? My only concern is that the parents are still sort of feeding the babies, Is this just the babies being lazy?

Hey guys well my first two babies are out of the nest box and starting to feed themselves and drinking water, here are some pics of the two of them not the best shots best but I will get some more later. This is baby number Two at the front and this is baby One

Oh my golly golly gosh Kaz, they are some spectacular babies, I can only hope that one day soon I will be able to breed birds to the same standards as yours.

Hey just thought that I would let everyone know of the shows in the Melbourne and surrounding areas that I know of. They are - Ballarat & District Annual U.B.C Show at the Brown Hill Community Hall, Humffray street North, Ballarat on Saturday October 4th 2008. - Colac Budgerigar Society inc Spring UBC Show on Saturday Ocyober 11th 2008 at the Colac Youth club centre, Hearn street, Colac. and My Clubs Easter District Budgerigar societies 42nd Annual Diploma Show on Sunday October 19th 2008 at the Northland Secondary College, 62 Murray Road, East Preston. (melway map ref: Map 19, B12)

Thank you one and all, I have learned alot in here, I just thought the mother of my babies was being gross when she picks through the poops. I also noticed today when doing the box check that mum is also doing a few poo's in the box that that the babies seem to pick a themselves, they pick at that and the millet spray that goes in daily. Kaz I ordered some of the F - Vite today as well as a few other products that the girl on the phone said were also very good! I have found that when I pull what I call the budgie plants out and place them in the avairy my birds have a tendancy to roll in the dirt more than eat it!

Hey guys just thought that I would pop in some more pics of the babies, baby 1 now 24 days old and baby 2 at 22 days old. In the nest, baby 2 at the front Baby 1 in my hand, he moves alot. And finally baby 2 coming out to say hello

Good call Elly!

Thanks Kaz, Just found it! I will read up on it.

WOW, thanks Neat I must say that is impressive, very well put! Kaz, can I ask where you get your F Vite from?

Hey Sunnie, I have heard of both of those before as well, so I to will find it interesting as to what other show breeders have to say on this topic.

Hey guys, okay so I have just finished reading and re-reading the Practical feeding chapters in the Gerald S Binks book " The Challenge" Now there is two well respected Contributors in this section from Australia, they are Henry George from Brisbane and Kelwyn Kakoschke from Adelaide. Now these two breeders both offer up grit to there budgies as does Gerald Binks himself. Mr Binks goes into great depth in Practical Feeding - 1, Page 86, explaining reasoning behind the giving of grit to our birds, and to quote Mr Binks "Grit is essential. No Grit = no teeth = poor digestion" Now I have already made my mind up inregards to weather I was going to give my birds grit, and I will continue to do so, it is not uncommon for me to see my birds ferriting around in their grit tray every now and again, the parents of one nest do so on a regular basis! The question Im asking is (if not to personal) do you give your birds Grits, and if not, can I please ask why? ALSO: From my recollection Budgerigars are Lactose intolerant, BUT....... In the book Henry George and Gerald Binks both feed their Breeding Birds a cube of bread soaked in Milk!!!!!! and Now to quote Mr Binks again: "Milk, we are both familiar with, as a nutritious food. As every housewife knows, it is graded in degrees of richness and fat content. Use the richest source available to you when making up your soft food mixture. Propriety baby foods are an alternative". Question : Does anyone here feed their birds the milk soaked bread, and if so are there any side effects? Thanks for reading

I have recently purchased this book and have read it several times over now and am still reading it, there is alot of great information to take in. There are several things in the feeding thing that I find quiet interesting, like the feeding of milk soaked bread! The other one is one that seems to be of great debate in many clubs and between many different breeders, and that is the availability of GRIT. How many people here suppy grit for their birds? And considering that the Australian feeding management part was contributed by Henry George, I am thinking that it has to be a great formula!!

Congrats on the eggs Liv, Ill cross everything that I can for you. Good luck! As for the moulting boy, I was just reading that they also go through an unfertile stage when they are moulting so it just means that when he comes out of it, if she is in season wait the 11 to 14 day period then pop him back in as he should be ready and raring to go.

ooo ooo ooo its the weekend, I hope that you found some eggs in your boxs today, fingers crossed for you! Good Luck.

Hey AV I dont know how I missed this, they are looking soooooooooo cute!!!! I am glad to see that head case is doing well!

Thanks Liv, that means that mum and dad are both cinnamon!

hey guys thanks here is a photo taken with the flash off! Its not the best but will see what you think!

Hey Pearce, congrats on the eggs mate! I cant wait to see the babies will look like!! One of my hens would lay on day one sleep outside for the next couple of nights and pop in to lay the second and then would confine herself to the box after she laid the third, so sont worry to mush about it, just think of the opportunity it provides the male to throw the leg over first thing in the morning!

Congrats on the arrival of egg 2 and the first for your other pair. Ill cross my fingers and toes for fertility.