Finnie

Well! I got so caught up in reading today's new posts, that I forgot about the pictures I was uploading to Photobucket!! Here is Colleen's nest with the newly hatched 5th chick: And here are some photos I was able to take of Finnie's 3rd chick hatching. First, the shell is cracked. This is before I picked off the loose piece. After I picked off the piece, you can see the chick inside: When I checked on the chick about 20 minutes or so later, it was half out of the shell. I was going to leave it alone until morning, but I couldn't resist one last peek, but, didn't use the camera at that time, since I didn't want to disturb them too much. At that time, the chick was fully hatched. It is now time to do the morning feed, and to check on them, so I'm sure I will have more photos in a moment!

This is curiously very much like the advice we give when someones budgie is biting their hands!

am I wrong ? Reading this, it is obvious that this person is ranting and irrational. I would guess that they are all bark and no bite. I think you are best off ignoring them, and not letting them get your heart rate up. If they are truly threatening you, I don't think there is much they can do. Anyone they complain to would probably write them off as a lunatic. And PETA only cares about high profile cases where they can draw in a lot of donations if they publicize it. And besides, PETA has no authority. They are just loud and obnoxious. You would not be on their agenda. Another thing, their opinion of what is tolerated here in the U.S. .... They are off in La-La Land!! And for their calling you a sociopath. What kind of sociopath would think up the word sociopath to threaten someone with...? How dare they threaten our KAZ?! You go, Macka, sic'em!!

This is interesting information. My hen, Sorcha, is believed to have fatty liver disease, an underlying condition that causes her beak to grow too long, among other problems. Her cere shows this type of hypertophy as well. Darn, I was hoping that as she went in and out of breeding condition, this brown stuff would flake off! Although, I don't really expect her to go in and out of normal cycles, in her state. Good luck with your hen. Please keep us posted on what the vet says.

I think that's awesome that he figured out to do this!

Oh, I'm speechless!! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :bliss: :bliss:

It's nice to have lots of ideas to try. But I had to laugh at the rock garden suggestion! My driveway is made of rough stones, and my "tender pawed" cats love nothing more than to chase the stones if you throw them down the drive! But I'm sure that if one of those ideas doesn't help, there are plenty to try, and hopefully something will work. I'm sorry. Rocks keeping cats away! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Thanks, I'll learn to be a techie, yet! (And maybe grow a sense of humor in the process- my kids will be so impressed!

I'm no expert, but no one else has answered, so here's what I think. It sounds like yes, he could be beginning his moult. So maybe when he's less hormonal, he will be nice again. In the meantime, you could wear gloves on your hands so he can't hurt you, and just not let him on your shoulder until he learns manners. With the gloves on, you can ignore his bites, and not give him the satisfaction of getting a reaction out of you. After a while, he will give up biting you, cause there is no point to it. Then you can try him near your ear again and see if he is nicer. Don't know if this will work, but it's what I have read on the forum before. I guess birds learn bad habits because they learn they can get you to do their bidding, like "feed me or I'll bite you" Or "let me out of my cage or I'll squawk really loud".

GB, I like your opinion. Speaking as a dog person, not a bird person, I think it is important for the breeders who love their breed (or species) to stick to their guns and keep their animals moderate. Not to allow current trends to sway them into breeding oddities. We humans can exagerate any detail of an animal through selective breeding, and without some breeders maintaining healthy, moderate stock, the people with grossly exagerated ones, will find they have bred themselves into a corner someday, and will need YOUR stock to help them get out of it.

Thank you, Amy. Looks exciting at your place, too! The funny thing is, I was telling my son that very day, I wish budgie eggs all just hatched on the same day, and get it over with. And his wise answer was that then the mom wouldn't be able to feed them all very well. Then last night I dreamt that all 21 eggs were hatched, and were all in one box together, and all with blue feathers at birth! I couldn't count them, or tell them apart!

I like this guy: He is kind of like my Kevin, only on streroids

I have my regular pm check to report, now. Colleen now has a 5th chick, and it has been fed. Finnie's 3rd chick had about 25% shell loose, but slightly attached, so I picked it off- wasn't attached to baby, just shell hanging by a thread. I got a picture, you could see that the back of the chick's head was uncovered. So I left her alone while I checked the rest. Went back a short while later to re-check the hatching chick, and found that it was half out of shell, with lower half of body still in, as if it were sitting. Left it as is, and closed box. At this point each night, I remove soiled newspapers and sweep up seeds and feathers. Then I turn out the lights and cover the main cage with a sheet. Well, I decided to check Finnie's chick one last time before lights out, and, Yay! It was completely free of the shell! Minor concern is that it had a tiny thread-like umbilical, which I was told means premature. It's abdomen was also very red and swollen. I'm hoping this is okay, and just new to me, since I've never seen one quite so newly hatched. Otherwise, it looks fine, and I'm sure Finnie will feed it, since she has fed todays other hatchling already. Having two hatch in one day has me thinking that they will be very close in size, and I will likely get them mixed up before time to ring them. Well, it's not like their inheritance hinges on being born first, I'm sure it won't matter Tonight photos will have to wait until morning, because they are playing X Box Live in the other room, and apparently if I upload to Photobucket, I will "mess up their connection"! Pulleeze! Do the rest of you get this line?!?

Do you call them every day and bug them? Might give them incentive to, in turn, bug the lab.

I know what you mean. I have about 11 young birds that I'm looking forward to breeding in September, and seeing what they produce. One is a yellow DEC, and one is a yellow DF spangle, and almost every day I look at them and wonder "what are you really?"

11 Jan, a.m. check: Finnie's chick is fine, it's fed. One of her other eggs looks grey and maybe cracked. Not sure if it is hatching, or just dead, or what. I guess I'll know tonight. 11 Jan, 5p.m. : Finnie was out of the box, so I cheated and peeked in to see about that grey egg. 2 Chicks in there!! Oh Boy! But wait, there's more. I figured the chick must have come from the grey shell, but NO. That one is still there, it's even more cracked, and...I could see a little bit of pink skin pulsing under the cracked place! I would have loved to stay and watch it hatch, but I didn't want to upset Finnie, so I will be patient and wait until tonight. Isn't that weird to get 3 hatchlings within 24 hours?

That's what I thought, but then I noticed the cere looks like it could be brown, instead of blue.

Just out of curiosity, did you purchase them from the same breeder? Because they could be full brother and sister, in which case you wouldn't want to breed them together.

Here is a link to a topic where you can learn about newborn chicks eye color click here

Well, DF, I for one am excited for you! There have been others who have successfully raised clutches on the cage floor. Yours could turn out fine. At least they have you looking out and trying to help them. For instance, I think putting the concave down made a big difference for Elly. You said you didn't write down when the eggs were laid, but do you have an idea of when she started sitting? I reccomend this: say "I'm sure I still have a couple of days before any hatch." So far it has worked for me, and both times there was a chick almost immediately after I uttered this phrase! I am expecting good things for you, and will be eagerly following this topic!

I like your slideshows, Kaz, they're cool!

Results from tonight's check: Finnie's first chick has arrived !! All four of Colleen's chicks are well fed, now. That is a relief! The oldest one is getting tiny white down pins, and It's eye is starting to open: (It still has it's leg ring, too)

I like your birds! Your Bert is like my Emmet, and your Pip is like my Finnie!

Yes, Yes! Encourage your hubbie!! But make him feel like it's HIS idea!!

My opinion is that they are both girls, because you have said white in your descriptions of both of their ceres. Also, if you can take a laptop picture from further away, it might not have so much glare. Who knows, might give a better view, even if it's smaller.