Squeak_Crumble

I think, someone correct me if I am wrong, but it can be due to dehydration? Or is that only in younger chicks? Otherwise, it looks like she may be plucking the wings. This can reatrd feather growth, so watch out. The chicks legs also look to be caked with poop. Try dampening it with a wet cloth and picking it off gently. Around this stage the dad should be taking over most of the feeding, so it would be safe to remove the hen and let the dad do his job. When you remove her, just make sure the chicks are getting fed by dad (full crops).

Thanks Second chick from same nest when I woke up.

Pair 1: ( yellowface blue X sky blue) Nothing hatching there. Looks like the one fertile egg is a dud. Will wait a bit longer, than see. Pair 2: (split fallows) The hen was looking disturbed, and so I transferred one of the eggs to the pair above (so there were 4 left) . She was leaving them cold, and they were strewn around the box. They looked DIS anyway. Walked out to find two on the ground, and the other two gone with dad having yellow around his face. Oh well, removed them from the cage. Pair 3: (cinnamon blues) Hen is on 6 eggs, and after candling them, 4 look fertile Pair 4: scratched... Pair 5: (spangle X normal) FIRST CHICK! I was inspecting the nest this morning, and looked to have some DIS. I was dissapointed, especially as one egg look to be a funny shape and have lines through it. I was about to take a picture of the discoloured eggs.. mum got off, and I heard peeping! Just a tiny hole in the egg. Very quick hatching, chick was out and "dry" within half an hour. Gave them soft mix (all the birds) and chick has been fed numerous times. Pair 6: 4 eggs, showing clear.

I would remove the hen bird if I was you, just to be safe. As Daz mentioned the cock should be the sole feeder now, and the hen may decide she want's to nest now. Her job is done, best to move her to a holding cage to recover before going into the aviary.

I thought the air bubble was only meant to take up about 1/3 of the end bit (the smallest end) Nope, I will be certain not to touch them. I know I would regret it later. I am just being impatient, as normal! haha

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO dont do it i have done it thinking dam dis and chicks were alive just bit cold so were slow hatching i have had hens off eggs for 12 hours and eggs haves still hatched dont intr fere hun let fate do its thing i will cross my fingers for you i lost healthy bubys being impatient okay thanks GB, I think I am to squeemish to do it anyway! . Today has been 21 days since first egg was laid. I candled the eggs again, and can still see veins in most. Should I be concerned no eggs have hatched yet? Also, finally an egg from the cinnamon blues is showing up with veins!

Dont clearbodies come in various colours anyway.... or just allowed SF I meant the colour in the body, not the literal colour ie sky blue. You will be putting suffusion back into the bird.

just be wary with your last pair you will be breeding the colour into the clearbody, which is against the show standard should you ever wish to show.

not sure if the eggs are dead, but the hen with one fertile egg looks like it's DIS. The air bubble takes up half of the egg. I really want to see if the others chicks survived the chill. Would love some feedback please guys. Would it be okay to chip away at one of the eggs? break it open and see?

Fantastic bird splat!! Didnt you change your soft food this year?

Massive setback When I candled the fallow's eggs last night, I used scrunched up newspaper to block the hole, so the hen wouldn't come back in. turns out, I forgot to take it out. When I went out to check on them this morning to see for new chicks, The hen had pushed it out of the way and was incubating the eggs. I don't know how long it was before she pushed/it fell out, but I am going to say long enough for the eggs to chill. I would say she only did it early morning when the light came, or straight after I candled everything as I left the lights on so the hens would go back into the nest. The egg's seem a little grey, but I am guessing it is just my imagination. How long will it be before I know if they died?

I suppose GB, I am glad I will be getting more chicks. Just wishing that I had at least one from each pair. It seems lots of people are having bad seasons. But yes, I am glad that I have some, as you said one chick is better then none. Thanks Pride

Pair 1: ( yellowface blue X sky blue) 1 fertile egg I was hoping for more from them Pair 2: (split fallows) 5 fertile! and one clear. I assume it is the egg from the other nest I fostered, I forgot to mark it though, so I don't know. Pair 3: (cinnamon blues) 4 clears. Not counting yet though, because some of them aren't old. Pair 4: scratched... Pair 5: (spangle X normal) 6 fertile eggs! Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy! Pair 6: way to early to tell, first egg today. I am kind of glad that the others didn't have full eggs, so they can foster, but I would have preferred one or two chicks from each rather then just in the two nests.

Update: 3 of the hens put down have been in and out of the box's, shavings flying everywhere! I am surprised how quickly they took to it. Chicks were meant to start hatching yesterday, nothing as of yet. Will do a quick candle on eggs from pair 3 (cinnamon blues) as she had her fourth egg today. Just wanna see how egg one is developing, they aren't looking fertile.... Also, the violet and sky cock have one egg! I am not to worried about the chicks not hatching on time, as I know some eggs are fertile, and that chicks don't always hatch to plan (as the hen's incubate after egg 2 or 3 sometimes)

Thankyou! I just realised my show cages look absolutely filthy... this was before I cleaned them! sorry guys They have had chicks from last season training in them and playing.

The cere looks very pale and light, which would indicate a female. Without closer pictures we can't be 100% certain though.

The description you just gave indicates male. Females should have an all over whiteness of the cere, with the nostrils being a bit whiter often. Males have the slightly darker baby pink/purple cere , and they also have white circles around the nares (nostrils) sometimes. As mentioned, budgies often form relationships with same sex, especially males. If I went down to my aviary, I would see just as many if not more males feeding/bonding, then hen's and males. Also, Kaz isn't the only member on here who can answer questions. Some people on here have been breeding for very long, and have very much experience and knowledge, some even more then Kaz. We are lucky enough to have this forum, every one's opinion and advice should be valued.

The purple ring means she is a 2011 bred bird. With the new change however, this could mean she was born anytime from September 1 (2010) until the last couple months. DM is the breeder's code. The small "10" on it's side is for the club or state I think... Not to sure. I know my club has X8. 027 is the number ring (eg If I purchase 100 rings in my breeder code it owuld be SP001 - SP100. So I would say she was an earlier bred bird, but it would depend on the amounts of chicks the breeder has a year.I only got 30 chicks last season, so it would be a late bred bird for me, but some breeders pump out 200 chicks + per season. If the breed has their own rings though, then I would say they would be breeding in numbers.

That's the plan Pride! Today I put another 4 pairs down, as well as swapping the hen from Pair 4, as the hen was not nesting or being receptive to the cock birds very....excited actions. Most of these pairs have two photo's, as in most the hen will show her head and blow, and then the cock after.... sigh. Pair 7: Opaline Grey-Green Clearbody Hen (Parents: Violet Opaline TCB Hen X Grey-Green Opaline Clearbody Cock) X Light Green Opaline TCB. Cock This hen is sister the the hen who I removed because she wasn't nesting. She has a sore foot from were she got in a squabble with another hen over an egg in the aviary, but it is just sore. I will be making sure she doesn't damage it mating. As you can see, she is pretty prepared for it already All ready for eggies! Pair 8: Grey-Green Hen X Sky Blue/Violet Cock Just a normal pairing, as I need to get some more normals. Nice solid hen to lengthy cock bird. They are being very romantic, and the cock bird already has got the hen to work making sure he looks his best.. Pair 9: Grey-Green TCB Hen X Lutino Cock This cock bird is pretty old, an orange ringer. I am hoping he will still fill some eggs, he filled them last season but they were DIS, with the hen from the above pair. Weather was funny then. This Hen doesn't have the nicest suffusion, so just trying to get the nice clear colour through her. Pair 10: Lutino Hen X Opaline Grey-Green Cock I had the most horrible time trying to decide between the sky cock or him for pair 8. I ummed and ahhhed for nearly half an hour, swapping and fiddling. Finally decided on this though. Mainly because the lute hen has a nice solid outline, and a bit of body to her. She has width of head as well, which will improve the cock's slightly skinnier frame. This cock bird is superb for photo's and displays like a dream, as you can see. But not the best when I am trying to capture his faults! lol. (funny outline) Pair 11: Sky TCB Cock X Lutino Hen Just to improve on his minor suffusion.

Your camera shouldnt have flash on when taking pictures of cere's for sexing. I am not saying the bird is 100% male, but it sure looks like it has more of a chance of being male then it does female. Some birds will bite hard with pain,and others with no pain. I have a hen bird who doesnt bite me at all, and a cock bird that bites harder then most hens. You can't rely on that to sex them.

Males can bite hard, and will mate and bond with other males, especially young ones. Is your new baby in with your cock bird? You should always quarintine for 4-5 weeks before introducing new birds. He could also be mating with the new bird in a display of dominance. My bet is still on male. Also, the bird has no spots because it looks to be spangle. Was your vet an avian vet?

I agree, She would be no older than 3 months. You will need to wait at least 11 months before you breed her.

HI and WELCOME!! your little girl looks like a sweetie

Update: Pair One: On 6 eggs, 4/5 looking fertile Pair Two: Same as above Pair Three: Hen Laid second egg today, quite a big gap (5 days) . First egg not looking fertile, to early to tell though I guess .I may use her as a foster, as it looks like I will have full nests. The cock bird is still mangling himself. http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd279/Squeak_Crumble/DSCF1058.jpg Pair Four: Zilch. Cock bird goes in box, and they are bonded. Just need to wait I guess. Pair Five: 6 eggs! 4 look fertile, newest two not old enough to tell I guess. (top 3 and one of the bottom ones) Pair Six: Hen is nesting alot, eggs soon I am hoping!

Well, I jumped right into the clearbodies. They are my main variety, and to a lesser extent YF Blue's, most with cinnamon. I never started on the easier varieties, unfortunate. Then my ino's, same with you. But I havent needed them in my clearbodies yet for suffusion. Lacewings, I just don't like. Don't know why... :/ So, I chose fallow's. Them and Clearbodies will be my main line's I think. Here are some more pictures. After seeing them in proper light, I have concluded a few things. - Sky Violet Cock bird, purple ring. He is the better bird for type. He does however have a feather twirl on his wing... I will need to ask the breeder about it. - DF Violet Cock bird, blue ring. Very heavy flights and wings, but my width across head. Bigger bird, but seem's a bit skinny. - Both hen's are nice birds, the Green bird being the better hen. The Blue hen has tighter wings though, so considering her and older cock bird. Some pictures, comments on type would be much appreciated. These birds are slippery, annoying and some of the naughtiest birds I have had in a cage! so pictures are very bad sorry! Purple Ring Cock: Blue Ring Cock: (Difference in colour, DF violet on right) (Older cock and hen) Younger cock and hen