**Liv**

I'm not an expert, but if I remember correctly, when an egg is due to hatch it needs less heat. Hatch date also depends on when the egg was properly incubated rather than when it was laid. I think eggs can remain viable for a number of days after laying without proper incubation, therefore extending the hatch date. I'm sure your chicks will come soon

Here is a picture of the babies. They are looking very hot - it's 34 here today. I think they are all better :fear .

Thanks for your info I will separate my pair. The chicks are between 1-2 weeks. Do you think another week with the hen will be okay? The cock already does about 70% of the work. He collects all the food, then feeds it to the hen, who feeds it to the chicks. Two times recycled food :fear moments like these I am happy I'm not a bird (Laughing out loud) :(Laughing out loud): It's really interesting about spinach. My birds love it and its good to know that giving it to them as a treat only, is the right thing to do. My birds love broccoli and corn on the cob. Are these two foods okay? I didn't realise I could give them carrots, I'll pop a juicy carrot in there in a moment. My birds are in a colony, is it okay for the others to have the cordial water too??

Wow! What a photo!!! Congrats!!! liv

What about regular bird seed as bedding?? If they dont like it, they can eat it (Laughing out loud) :(Laughing out loud):

OMG!! I hope there is nothing wrong with my little ones!! is "wet nest" caused by anything contagious? should I quarantine?? I have been putting shredded paper in the box each day, and any that is left the following day (most gets removed by the hen) gets cleaned out and replaced. It's looking a lot better today than yesterday. liv

Thanks Guys, It's comforting to know she will be okay on her own. She is a very good mum I have noticed that her chicks poops are different this time. Her previous chicks had poops that turned into dry whiteish pellets and never stuck to the bubs feet etc. This time the poop is dark brown/black and takes a long time to dry. The only thing that is new in the diet is the mineral block that contains calcium and vit A etc... could this cause the yucky poops??? She wont keep any bedding in the nest. Since her clutch died in late winter I have tryed to encorrage bedding but everything I put in gets chucked out. Any sergestions for fussy hens?? I want her to rest after this clutch. What do I do about any further eggs she may lay this season? Thanks for your help Liv

Hi There, The hen from one of my breeding pairs is on her second living clutch of 5 chicks for the season. I hadn't planned to let her have another clutch this year as she also had a clutch of 3 chicks in late winter that died within the first week from a -4 degree night. She laid the eggs for her current clutch before her other chicks had fledged. Her last 5 chicks were kept immaculately clean. She worked constantly at taking out any waste from the nest and preening her chicks. This new clutch (aged 1-2 weeks) however, is filthy! They are covered in poop. She hates having bedding so I have to go and clean poop off the chicks ever day or so. It gets caked on their feet, on their beaks and around their legs and tummy. Today I had to catch her as it was caked on her beak too. The chicks are thriving and are fed well. They are just dirty and she is looking tired. She is loosing her condition and her brown beak is getting white. Her partner is wonderful and works hard at feeding her and the chicks. Should I intervene and possibly hand rear the babies (something I haven't done before) or should I let nature take its course and hope all goes well. Should I continue to take the poop off the babies as I don't want to cause unnecessary stress to a tired family if it's the wrong thing to do… Oh, and I have also added a mineral block to their diet as I wanted to help maintain the hens condition. I hadnt added a block before now because they have vitiman inriched seed already - could the block cause runny poop and be the cause of the problem??? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Liv

He's gorgeous!! What an interesting colour. Sorry cant help with the yellow face type All the best Liv

Thanks guys I will quaratine them right away - I've always been an "it'll be fine" type, I really should be more careful, before something bad happens that I will regret. Thanks again, Liv :feedbirds:

Thanks for your reply =D Am I bad to pop them straight in my aviary? So far I have not had any dramas. When I buy a budgie I take my time and look very carefully at: - its eyes, they have to be bright and sparkly. - The beak has to be smooth and clean, - and the feathers have to be lush and preened. If these 3 criteria don’t pass then I don't buy because there could be disease. I also worm a few weeks after my new birds have settled in. What else should I keep in mind? Thanks, Liv

Hi Denise, I am hopeless when it comes to budgie mutations etc, but I love to experiment with different coloured birds when breeding. I didn't know there was a code to breed by? Is there any types that shouldn't be mixed? - gulp! I normally pick the two most different birds I can find, and pair them up. I try and breed for colour, and I have to say, the lady in my local pet shop loves it when I take my highly coloured babies into her to sell. All the best with your new clutch. Liv

Hi There, I am guilty of going to the pet shop again and adding to my flock (again). Today I brought home a latino hen love at first sight :fear she is a big bird and possibly show quality?? (she has a leg band) The next one is a yellow baby, but i dont know the type, or its gender. the next picture shows better markings. I have another of this yellow type who is a cock. I dont know the sex of the ablino either (from my last spening spree (Laughing out loud)) . (my new bird in background and the cock in foreground) Thanks for looking Liv

(Laughing out loud)! Thanks for that. I had always thought that budgies were life breeders with eyes only for each other. :fear I was wrong and my colony must be having more fun than I first anticipated (Laughing out loud). I don't mind because I actually purchased the green pied cock hopeing he would mate with my olive opaline - I knew they would make pretty babies. She produces cinnamons with the other cock. Looks like I got the best of both worlds Liv

Thank you. I am only new and still finding my way around

Hi There, I have a question about the faithfulness of breeding pairs. I have 2 very successful breeding pairs, that produce some fantastic, colourful chicks. However 3 out 5 of the chicks from one pair look identical to the cock from pair 2. Is there some extramarital mating going on? Or is it just lucky genetics. Pair 1 ( sky blue pied cock - olive opaline hen) Pair 2 (white hen - not albino - has a small amount of black on head & pied cock) very flattering picture i know =D http://netsavvymums.com/personalpics/pair1a.jpg Pair 1 produced 3 of these little cuties.... ?????? but it looks just like the cock from pair 2.... Thanks Liv

Hi There, I am a new member who has always loved budgies. I got my first budgie when I was 8 (Snowy) and I started breeding them when I was 12. I have had a huge break from breeding when I was busy with high school and my other life aspects, but I still had my birds close by. In my flock of about 20, I have one original bird left (Whitie) who was the first baby I breed when I was 12. She is 13 years old and quite decrepit. She can't feed herself and she spends most of her time in a nest box (aka: the elderly home) She has a very sexy (latino), 18month old, toy boy taking care of her. He feeds her all her meals and takes wonderful care of her – Just shows love has no boundaries. Now that I am a married mother of 2 toddlers and things are nice and calm, I have decided to put the boxes back in my aviary again. I really enjoy breeding budgies. I am not technical and have trouble sexing chicks. All my birds are in one large flight aviary and are free to mate with their own choice of partner. I have had some lovely colours pop out of the nest boxes this season, and I love seeing them go to new homes. I am hoping to learn lots about colour mutations and how to sex young chicks Thanks for looking. Liv

What a lovely bird. It's always wishful thinking to breed a rare bird like that. Maybe one day

Thanks. Its really interesting to know that about pieds. Thanks for letting me know its a boy! I always have trouble sexing them at this age. liv

Hi There, I am new here and I thought I would ask a question that has been bugging me for some days now. I have been breeding budgies since I was 12 years old and I have never had one like this before. Is my baby budgie a mild halfsider? Please visit the following site for photos. "website gone - sorry:( " She is a yellow faced, dominant banded pied with clear flights. The colours on her chest range from aquamarine though to a yellow band, then to sky blue down by the tail. She is very pretty and I have 3 of these babies, but this one is the only one with the different face markings. Thanks for looking Liv