melbournebudgies

Wire mesh is the best bet as they can hurt themselves on perspex/glass if they don't see it. You could put a short piece of perspex infront of the wire along the bottom edge of each cage though to try and help contain seed It's important that the drawers are made of something that is budgie safe, can you post a picture?

Yep, they LURVE it! Not too much though, don't want any runny tummies

Look at the chicks face in that second shot, bit like "What do you think you are doing?"

Oh what sad news I'm sure you've probably answered this before but are your lovebirds and budgies still living together? I only ask because I would suspect a lovebird before I suspected a bunny...

If you can put it in the sun to dry that is ideal

I use a 50% vinegar solution as a disinfectant, no bleach but that's just me

The cage isn't too bad, if you gave it a good wash down and scrubbed the rust off with a wire brush it should come up nice I would hazard a guess that the males are the ones with the black on their head and wings

If you would care to share some photos of your aviary I'm sure people here would be happy to give you advice to help you set things up better so you don't lose so many chicks. Heck if you are willing to listen and learn I can come and give you some on site advice some time and might even have a few bits and pieces lying around that might be of help.

I agree with Kaz, in the absence of reasons such as mice, etc I would say this is your problem.

The reason I asked about age is because a young budgie hen is much like a 13 year old girl (or younger), she may be physically capable of having children and happy to parade around for the boys in the latest jay jays mini skirt but the reality is she probably wouldn't make the most competent mum. She may have had some success but in amongst that much loss it doesn't seem like success to me. I'm devestated if I loose even one egg but hey that's just me :question:

May I ask how old you are? (It's a serious question and I'm just trying to put things into context for you)

No you can't say that :rofl: I'm planning to move house in the first half of the year so I'm not allowed to set up any more aviaries until after we move

I do have a few sheets here that would probably be that size, I just don't have the space yet for that many chicks so I'm resisting the urge this year The oats are just nice and soft and cosy and not so rough as shavings, the seed encourages them to start eating when they get older, in both cases it also gives the hen something to pick at, I like to tell myself it reduces the chances of them plucking. :rofl:

I wait until eggs are layed and then I use rolled oats until the chicks are a few weeks old and then I use budgie seed.

My boxes are quite low and I've not yet had any laying off the perch, I hang them either off that door or off one of the front door which are slightly lower again.

If you are referring to the divided cages the same as mine and you have your boxes on the side then from recollection that door is almost central so turning panels around probably won't make any difference

Hmmm, might PM you sometime in the future and pick your brain when we move out bush :rofl:

I understand that you love her and I never said you didn't but you need to realise that if she is the sort of hen who will clean out a box of eggs then she may well clean out a box of chicks at some stage too. We all have hens who are bossy, etc but the thing is to be able to set up a breeding arrangement that suits all your birds and clearly this isn't the case if you are loosing eggs because of a hen cleaning out boxes.

I have a license so you ain't raining on any parade of mine Oh and he's not an Eastern he's a Yellow Rosella :rofl:

Did you fix the problem with the slanting boxes? That would possibly put them off

Do you use them for rabbiting Pie?

Yep

That's a funny idea Pie although maybe encourage one bad behaviour while solving another... Personally I spend almost as much time teaching my oldest to be polite and that farts aren't a joke so maybe not the method for me

If they were polecats they would have darker fur

They're cute in an ugly kinda way, look a bit like naked mole rats to me with a bit more fur (seriously google them)