*Nerwen*

Yes I would agree with Karen, in that last lot of pictures the flight feathers look grey as do the throat spots.

Ahh okay then.

The wings do look spangle and I would almost say that she is but the tail is a pale blue not white as a spangles should be. okay had a closer look and what I thought where spangle like markings on the wings are in fact new feathers growing in.

I can't see why it would be, as long as they love the spray down. It's the same idea which leads to some people clipping their wings.

Well have a good look at the books in the shop before buying :dbb1: Or have you been already?

It's always a surprise :dbb1:

Agree with Norm :dbb1:

Sorry I need to see what your talking about too :dbb1:

they both look like hens to me.

Well that's helpful

That just depends if they get the YF gene or not.

looking good

The small 'pet budgie' 'how to tame parakeets' books I found helpful when I was with my first budgie. Although I simply got mine out from the library and re-read them over and over. So if your not sure I would suggest check your library first.

Yes that comes into it. Seems Mars got the gene past on from his dad. The ino's will be hens in this case.

Update: Cage 1 3 eggs 2nd one is fertile. She is due today for another egg. Cage 2 7 eggs all up I still only know of 5 fertile it is too early to tell for the last ones. She seem to have stopped at 7 (egg was due yesterday) Cage 3 She is sitting on one of Thistles eggs. I have recalled finding a couple of left over egg shells in the box so I was wondering if it was becuase both where in there. So far this one isn't broken but I believe it is clear. If she doesn't lay some more of her own in the next few days I'll break up the pair. I think I might try him with another. Cage 4 Removed all the eggs since she wasn't sitting on them and it was over a week. If she doesn't start a new round I will break up the pair.

I hope we get some pictures of these babies. I actually had to write out the violet outcomes to work out witch colours would appear with sky blue and a violet :ausb:

Violet Spangle cock X YF2 Opaline Sky Blue hen Spangles Normals YF Spangles YF Normals All males will be split Opaline.Now it depends on what factor the Violet gene is on. If he has it on the dark factor then you will get sky blues and visual violets. If it is on the light factor then you will get Violet sky blues and cobalts.There could be something else in play to get the grey toned babies. Normally a grey-blue young one is either mauve or violet. If this is close to his normal colouring then this may help. Top line is sky blue, middle cobalt and bottom violet. These are just a guide and the closest match is what he would be. I myself don't see any violet signs from that pictures but I do see signs of opaline (or at least opalescence) With the blue around the head and some blue on the wings.

Welcome to the site Denise. A Ino hen's cere will be the same crusty brown as any other coloured hen. A male will keep the baby pink colour. I know it's not an Ino but a recessive pied but the cere colour is the same. A female Albino

100% single factor spangles either yellow faces or blues. Then any hidden genes. No dilutes unless Papaya is split for it.

Good luck Caught early like that it should be easy to treat.

I agree with Libby with the male. Then hen is hard to see but I'm not sure she is opaline. She might be another yellowface with the patchy colour on the body. Either a mauve or a grey. The bub on the left looks to be a double factor spangle.

I've got one like that same size but with two doors instead of the one. It's a great cage. So was mine I got some $$ removed for taking the display cage. (and it was already on sale)

If you have a another hen (or two) I would foster some of the eggs to them to lighten the load. A hen if a good parent can take over the care of the babies themselves. To make it easier on her a small dish of food right at the entrance to the box so she doesn't have to travel far for food and even adding some millet spray in the box. As libby states some do not carry on raising them and so I would suggest reading up on hand feeding ( or finding a breeder that could show you) and getting some mixture from a pet store ready.

Some still do breed this way. I can't read the future and tell you 100% that yes you will be successful. No matter what type of breeding (colony or closed) it depends on the work that you put into make it work.

Males fighting over hens Hens fighting over nest boxes Hens attacking young in boxes to take over that box. Closely related bird pairing up Young birds trying to breed