Trish

Another egg found on the floor today, the upside being that the shell was considerably harder than the other one which means that the Calcivet must be getting in? I placed the empty shell in the nestbox to show the hen that this is where it is supposed to go. I hope this works

Poor little sweetie, sorry to hear it Kaz. Fortunately you have some beautiful offspring though. I look forward to watching them thrive!

This was my favorite photo too, so cute! You really know your way around the camera! Well done jwancia!

I wish I didn't read this, very upsetting. I could not watch this happen, it is hard enough to read about it. I think I shall avoid this topic from now on.

BEAUTIFUL CHICKYS!!! :28: Sorry couldnt help myself!

Gosh it looks so helpless....poor widdle baby! :angel1:

Will do, it's very "eggciting" :28:

I went to see the breeder tonight and got enough Vitacal to do me until I can get some online. He also sold me some of the Iodine Calcium bells that he bought in bulk. I had priced these at 1.75 each and 1.95 each from the pet shops in Mt Gambier but got them from him at 1.00 each. Hopefully these, which are now in all my cages, not just breeders, and the calcium supplement will help my problem as well as build up the systems of the ones that I am conditioning for breeding after summer. I feel better now knowing I am doing all the right things thanks to my friends here :laughter:

Thankyou Kaz

Well we are nearing a month now which I thought was time for an update. The pair have bonded well and as my first time breeding it has been a lovely process but also one of trial and error. They have done everything right but its their silly owner that needs to learn a thing or two! For this entire week the hen has been visiting the nest box and today I found an egg accidentally laid on the floor and a little bit of poop on top which would suggest that maybe it was accidental. She is still spending a lot of time in nest box playing with the shavings and possible has another egg coming? I am now administering calcivet as the first egg was soft shelled and I am hoping she improves. Ill keep in touch, Trish.

Me too :28:

Gorgeous!!

Thanks Kaz, I feel like such a pain but I just wnat to do the right thing, thanks for helping.

I will go and get the calcivet from the breeder tonight and apply to the beak as I have read in a previous topic. Is there a topic on how to apply medicines to the beak? I checked her again and she seems to be just pecking at the wood shavings and not stressed at all?

She isnt panting and holding a leg up. She was still in there on last look but she just looks to be looking around? I bought her in breeding condition from the breeder and thought that it would be fine. I give her a vitamin supplement every second day and vegies every second day also. She has sprouted seeds and a mix of canary and budgie seed and millet. I boil eggs for 20 minutes and crush them whole and give them to the birds but have only just started doing this in the last couple of weeks. She is an Albino if this makes any difference to dietary needs? I have just got back from the breeder and he said he can give me some Calcivet when he finishes work. Kaz do you know where on the forum is the supplement list for breeding birds? I typed in supplements in the search topics but couldnt find it. They are the only pair with a nestbox on so I would like to do the correct thing with the rest. Thankyou everyone for your help.

I am just waiting to hear back from the secretary. The hen in question is constantly in the nest box, every time I check now she is in there, is this a worry?

Totally agree. Its very easy to get eggbound when there is a soft shelled egg, so you were lucky this time. Definitely needs calcivet. The closest place to buy it is an hour away or I could buy it online. I have also contacted Nigel Tonkin, my clubs secretary in case he knows of anywhere closer? Will get it A.S.A.P. I was lucky, thank god she passed it, I might have to go the hours drive when the kids get home from school.

Fingers crossed it will be a hard one and laid in the nest!

I thought that they were usually a few days apart?

Will do. Thanks.I am trying to find the thread on suppliments to give a breeding pair without success. Does anyone know where it is? Thanks.The hen is still going in and out of the nest box, I wonder why, does she not know she has laid it already?

I think she may have been having trouble laying it as she has been in the nestbox most of the time when I check sometimes 5 times a day (I only look to see where she is in the day from accross the room, I dont go up and open the nestbox as I dont want to upset her). I have cuttlebone in there, is the iodine bell better? What special foods will give her calcium? I have started to give them whole 20 min hard boiled eggs also. Thanks Jimmy and MB.

I have a T.C.B. and an Albino her together and have been waiting on their first egg as she has been popping in and out of the nestbox all week. After the usual courtship rituals! I found it today on the floor of the cage, it was soft (more calcium?) and broken and had some poop that looks like it followed through with it. I am wondering why it was outside and not in the nestbox, I though as she has spent so much time in there she would want to lay in there? Thanks for any advice, Trish.

Poor little Gemma, I'm sorry I dont know enough to help you but hopefully someone else will. All the best working it out, Trish.

I noticed a grandmother today buying her grandkids some budgies in a pet shop today in one of those dome topped canary cages (seen on here http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....showtopic=17858 ) and just had to say something. Just before she left the store I mentioned about the budgies feet could get trapped, I felt rude interrupting but like I also pointed out to her, how upsetting it would be to find one R.I.P. hanging from the top. She mentioned that she would have to get a new cage and looking around there were a lot of very expensive cages in the shop so I told her of where I got mine from. I am glad for all that I have learned here and that I was able to help toward the safety of the little fellas!

They are little darlings! They were bathing today and then hopping up to their mirror and preening in front of it! It is the first I have seen them have and gosh did they enjoy it! The other name for Bengalese is "Society Finches" and its not wrong, they are very social little things who greatly rely on the companionship of others! The way they cram into one place when they sleep is amazing! I will take more pics but they are very scared little things so baby steps, I KNOW we are all photo junkies but I have to think of the little guys and whenever I open their little door they freak out so I'll have to just take pics "every other day" until they settle! I also saw them and the older budgies that hadn't had them before eating the sprouted seeds which is a wonderful thing. I would NEVER had thought how much happiness, satisfaction and companionship these little things could bring..... To see them enjoying the sprouts so much was excellent! I have them all in a dissused laundry attached to my house so rain hail and shine I can enjoy them, it is nice and I can hear them from the lounge (budgies, finches and cockatiel).