Dean_NZ

Now to think about all the grewying/diltue greywing/clearwing FBC greywing combo breeding expectations lol. Just kidding! You will easily tell with these chicks if he is greywing/greywing or greywing/dilute. Either you'll have all greywing chicks split dilute or 50% greywing/dilute 50%dilutes. Looking forward to seeing them feather up!

I would go with GF, definately too bright to be YF2 and too pale to be a green series

Thats a very nice greywing cock kaz. Is he greywing/greywing or greywing/dilute? For a first time mum, 8 fertile eggs is a champion effort. Very nice reflection on your breeding set up i say

Totally agree on every point! Looks very nice!

LBB has it right

Being removed from her eggs and placed in a new environment may actually be just the job to get her out of breeding mode. In this case a little distress is a helpful thing because single hens lay when they get comfortable. Shaking things up a bit by changing the environment should unsettle her just enough without 'distressing' her. It has also been close to enough time for her to sit on the infertile eggs to be near the point where she may have gotten tired of them anyway. Perhaps you could wait to hear what others think, but my vote is that this is a good thing.

Sorry, forgot to mention that i had already quarantined her as a precaution

Hi guys, Was having a look through my birds and noted that the same hen that had a cyst of some sort a while back seems to be having another bad run of health. Last couple of days I have seen her sleeping a lot more than usual, and when i looked at her left eye, something didnt look quite right. It didnt look 'wrong', it just wasnt quite like the other eye. Yesterday it appeared even more different so i had a look and took some photos. This is her left eye (normal): This is her problem right eye: I haven't really read or heard about any specific eye problems that budgies get. I dont think it is an injury, but on inspection it does look like she is moulting around that eye, or at least something feather related is happening. Her eye is quite watery, looks a bit inflammed and i noted 2-3 feathers or feather shafts that were resting on or near her eyeball/eyelid. I carefully trimmed the worst of them, hoping that if it is directional feather growing toward her eye that it should alleviate any irritation. Any thoughts or similar experiences? Any advice?

Last two look like a yellow face opaline greywing sky blue and a recessive pied sky blue.

Yeah hard to decide really. If i think about it, i am probably better off waiting 7 weeks or so for the hens to cycle over again. That'll be late august / early september and chances are it will pay off. Patience hmm...

Excellent thread nubbly. Especially greatful to have seen some comparison shots from a few years back. Im sticking with some rather lesser quality birds right now as i am 99% certain to be moving to canada after i graduate in 2011. Should really start building bridges and getting to know the breeders there as i cant wait to get some quality birds and start out small and surely in canada. Hoping to learn a lot by pairing up carefully this year. I will probably hold back on my excitement and take time to further nourish the hens before putting them down. I think i'd be best off taking photos of individuals and showing you guys what pairings i have picked so i can get some feedback. Your birds are excellent nubbly, you should be very proud and im excited to see what you get from them this year

I think what i will do is because the hens have been mating willy nilly, i will seperate them and put them into the breeding cabinets for 2 weeks (let any sperm stores pass their used by dates!). During this time i will give liquid calcium + vitamin D in preparation for laying - they shouldnt need it, but i know one hen will likely benefit from it at least. I'll probably start them on small amounts of soft food and sprouted seed and hopefully when i introduce the males i HOPE they will accept then its all on...

Hi everyone, after watching my budgies all go through their winter moult and finally noting the weather get warmer (wetter by far - but much warmer, no more frosts) all my budgies have gone crazy! They are all mating and playing and preening eachother all the day long. I paired up one couple a while back (like last week) who were looking in every nook and cranny and were very obviously seeking to lay, so i put them in a breeding cabinet attached to the aviary and sure enough she laid today. Last month in preparation for this upcoming breeding season i have slowly started to increase their protein and ensured other nutrients are available, and i paired up 5 pairs on paper, all with alternate mates should things not go well with their initial pairing (I only have five breeding cabinets, one of which now has eggs. On paper each male has a female i most hope to breed them with, and then two alternate females i would be happy for them to breed with if things dont work out with the initial female). All breeding cabinets have been cleaned with anti-mould and anti-mite products recently and are positively ready to go. My real problem is that i had planned to put everyone down in august as it is generally warmer and august/september is when most of the breeders i know start to put their birds down. However, seeing all my birds in definate breeding mode is making me wonder if i should strike while the iron is hot? The average temperatures in hamilton are the same for july and august - about 15 degrees average high, 5 degrees average low. What are everyones thoughts?? Should i hold off and wait 6-7 weeks for the hens to restart their cycle? Should i put a few test pairs down? Should i go all in? Aaargh, once the breeding fever starts its hard to hold off lol. I am very eager to see the outcome of this years pair planning!

I voted for this one Thought it was a classic BOTM shot! Congrats

Second one is a gorgeous colour. Looks like a normal violet cobalt, possibly double factor violet. The spangle hen is kinda tricky. First picture looks cobalt, second picture looks violet sky blue lol.

Gee I wonder who said that? Excellent :yes: Appreciate that comparitive info! Thanks nubbly

In just short of a year i have learned what feels like a life-time of knowledge. And yet i know there is so much more to learn with time and experience! I have gained a firm grasp on genetics and breeding outcomes, and now have a good handle on nutrition. I would love to learn more about illnesses and how to treat birds myself if possible (only where appropriate, still relying on vets and diagnostic tests to prevent major illnesses taking out my flock!). I've learned so much and im very greatful to everyone for their assistance, patience and support! I think i love budgies even more now than when i started and i never though is possible!

Recessive pied cinnamon green hen Charming wee thing!

Slate is more of a blue-black isnt it? Whereas this chick is predominantly grey with a tinge of violet, slates are more blue with a black/charcoal tinge to the colour (well, the cobalt slates anyway since they are regarded the best mutation and colour that demonstrates the colour alteration produced by the slate mutation). Slate greys are quite dark im told, but not as dark as anthracites.

okay here are some pics from today, you can see he is moulting into quite a nice colour. I think after looking at these that he is in fact violet grey... I'd love to hear what y'all think Please note he is halfway through his moult, so he may look a bit patchy colour-wise. His colour and feathering is actually quite fine... very nice For reference, i tried to grab a picture of him with my big grey male, showing both their body colour and cheek patches as clearly as i could (they were afraid of the big silver shiny camera ) PICS WERE TAKEN ONLY IN DAYLIGHT - NO FLASH I'll post a link beneath each picture that will take you to a larger high def version. (please note the link takes you to a larger picture, but you can zoom in further on those pics by clicking on them to make them 'full size') Before moult - Click here for larger picture Today (about half moulted) - Click here for larger picture Pictured next to big grey today - Click here for larger picture Pictured here with a sky blue just for reference - Click here for larger picture EDIT: Here he is with dad today for further reference - Click here for larger picture

Splayed legs typically result from lack of nesting material or an un-suitable bottom surface that doesnt provide adequate grip or footing. If the chicks cannot grip or 'get their feet' the legs slide out. If the legs stay that way as the chicks grow, they 'grow into' the splay and will stay that way forever unless it is caught and remedied very early on. It is likely that this breeder, being a beginner, has not provided nesting material. Or has provided improper amount/quality of nesting material or surfaces. Secondly, the splay could result from a heavy sitting hen or a nutritional deficiency, but these causes are less common. Heavy sitting hens can be remedied by placing a large marble in the nest just prior to or after the last chick (egg) hatching. Nutrition is obviously an ongoing concern and priority for all breeders who want the best for their breeding birds and chicks.

Parents - YF1 SF violet cobalt split opaline cock X YF2 dominant pied grey hen (unkown dark factor, i had assumed zero dark factor eg light grey). Here is a picture (yes the cock is very large, my tallest male technically, but there is a 'stockier' cock almost as tall as him) Now, in regards to nubbly's comment i am in agreement. All the mauves i have ever seen are quite patchy in colour, its one of the reasons i was told they arent popular show birds. Colour is too uneven and doesnt look very 'striking'. This bird has beautiful even colour that looked grey... but not quite typical grey. It is difficult to say really, I had always thought violet grey because his father is violet and his mother is grey. He has a grey sister, and a cobalt sister - neither of whom have any violet in them. I will try and get photos of the lot today... off i go right now to find my camera (or try to!)

If i can find my camera I will take pictures showing him currently, he's changing in colour as his adult moult comes on.

Thanks for the prompt reply kaz I think you may be right. The chick patches were never grey-blue, and that should be a clue. I just dont have any mauve's and i didnt know the hens dark factor. I guess i do now if this chick is mauve. He's certainly moulting into a deeper colour, that looks more bluey/purpley. I keep meaning to find my camera and get some new batteries cos i wanna start pairing up birds for breeding in september by getting pictures of pairs now. Anyone else agree/disagree? The more the merrier!

Hi guys, had always assumed this one was a grey, but now its moulting more im not so sure. Parents are a cobalt SF violet YF split opaline cock, dom pied YF2 grey hen (assumed zero dark factor, not sure). This chick has always had deep blue cheek patches and a black tail, and i always suspected violet grey. I just want to make sure its not mauve by asking for opinions. Here's him over time: