robyn

Are her eyes red L_J ? Don't know what her mutation is but not lutino, Can you have an Albino with suffusion? Pure quess work on my part. If she's over 6 mths she would have moulted out by now. Hope others can answer what she is.

Great news on your first chick, if these are first time parents don't be too eager to handle chick until other eggs are hatched or they may not sit etc. also don't decide to remove any suspect eggs early as they may be just a couple of days late hatching, if you remove them and chick is still alive when you open it chick will die, even if it's a day or so away from hatching until all yolk is absorbed they can even bleed to death from the last of egg yolk. Looks like your chick has been fed so Mum is on the job. Good luck with other eggs.

Lucky you!!! enjoy.

Hi Nadene, mine love the rain also. L_J if you added roof to it the birds would still be shaded from sun and rain, which is the main purpose. They need vitamin D from the sun and really enjoy the rain, mine sit out in pouring rain, sitting like little tawny frog mouths head up letting rain pour over them.

That's great, have a great holiday. Just be sure your little family are in a safe spot while camping. e.g. not in a hot car.

It's great you have some space to enjoy the buds. Even with a big yard we still have to be careful of council regs, neighbours etc. It's hard to have as many as we'd like!!! Well we must all make the best of what we have and be grateful for that. Good luck with your project, add some pics when your done.

Hi Ross, Are they still in the breeding cage? fledged but still within the breeding cage, they would be able to be caught easily. Some parents are "wet" feeders so chicks tend to be walking around is messy box's. I check mine every day or so in nest box, to see they are not getting any build up or food around beak/cere etc also check feet and vent for "gunk" if it's cleaned off on a regular basis it doesn't get the chance to harden up. Let us know how you went cleaning them up.

Hi, I agree with Pebble lower shelf would be easy access to rats/cats and any other predators that may be around. If they are outside an Aviary that is. I think I'd use lower shelf to store "stuff" like shellgrit seed in containers etc. even a mouse trap or two l.o.l

Hi Hanna, glad your little one is improving. Did you give him any medication etc or what did you do for him? You'll have to post picture of him when he's better. Good luck and fingers crossed he keeps improving.

They look really good. If youngest is 7days old your other eggs may be duds, if they were laid within the 2 days apart egg laying cycle. I'd leave them a while longer just in case. Lovely clean chicks, keep us updated with pics.

Hi again Emily, just checking your pics again, the last one showing the seed. That mix looks like more a bigger parrot mix, can you get a specific budgerigar mix over there? They eat more millet, canary seed type mixture that is smaller seed that they de-husk themselves. That mix pictured may be okay if he's eating plenty of it or he may just try to pick out certain seed I'd keep an eye on him to see he is actally eating the mix as he may not be getting enough nutrition out of it.

Hi Ross I think you would have to persevere with soaking it off. Try warm water with a bit of det or shampoo in it. If you don't remove it, it will cripple their feet on lose a toenail or something. How old are the birds? It would be fiddly but maybe use a strip of material e.g wet with the warm water and leave it around their feet for a little while to see if it will loosen it enough to remove it.

Well today, cage 1 has 7 eggs, cage 2 has 5 eggs, cages 3-4 both have 2 eggs. Should start hatching from 1st April onwards. Some looking fertile.

Hi, when egg is close to hatching it will be a full darkish mass in shell, no veins at that stage. If eggs were infertile they would still have a pinky see through look about them. I also have one due from 1st april, My 4 hen's all laid on the same day, 23rd and again today. It will be busy around the 10-4-'13 or so. l.o.l.

Looks like a young cock bird to me. Still looks to have baby bars.maybe under 3 mths old. He looks to be a very pretty bird. Others can tell mutations better than I, my guess would be sky greywing spangle.

Hi Hanna, I think you could have some underlying issue as well 1 bird may starve but 3 at once sounds a bit much. Sometimes it looks like there is heaps of seed but it could be more husk. Depends on your set up. If you are feeding vegs as well as seed etc I think your birds could survive even if it not the best quality seed. They would also compete with each other for food, may the fittest survive type of thing but with all 3 sickly I'd check for disease or parasites/ worms before just blaming the seed. If possible could you put last bird in cage with food water etc and keep a close eye on it. I'd give it a dose of Ivamectin first off. Warmth, check it's droppings to see if they are normal, don't just let it sit in cage and assume it's going to die, you may be able to save it if you take action now.

Things are looking great for you Nadene. It doesn't take a lot once you make the decision to add on. I'm sure your birds will benefit from it. Hope my new round does okay.

Hi Emily, I have successfully fixed splayed legs using pipe cleaners, I wrap one end around leg 1, through and around leg 2 in a figure 8. Gently shorten loop every couple of days. I don't know how you will go with a bird as old as Charlie. I You could try whichever he seems most comfortable with. I wrap around ankles in little birds and others say above knee, I found it keeps slipping down above knee.You could try whichever he seems most comfortable with. If you've worked with chickens it's just a smaller version really. I find it takes about 2 weeks with little chicks, his bones may already be set in that position but I'd give it a try. I have heard of vet's removing a leg and birds manage. I think as long as he can perch and fly he would be okay. He may not be able to mate successfully but hey! who know's? Great you rescued him and good luck with it post pics as you go to see if he improves. Hi again, Just to add, Charlie looks male, possibly greywing or dilute? I'm not good on mutations but he's very nice. Also food, give his best quality seed, veg's, cuttle fish or shellgrit or calcium bell for calcium (even liquid calcium in his water while he's legs are mending). Veg's safe foods etc are listed under the f.a.q. section at top of page. Check this list before trying new things as some are toxic, eg. avocado, chocolate, some ferns etc.

Maybe she needs some calcium, do you have cuttle fish/shellgrit or calcium bells for her? Even calcium in the drinking water while breeding may help also the chicks will benefit when hatched. Although she may have just eaten egg as she's a new mum and didn't know what to do with it, it happens. Just keep an eye on new eggs to make sure you haven't got an egg eater either the Mum or Dad could be guilty.

Wow that's dedication, Well done, if he had a broken hip has it knitted out of alignment or hasn't knitted at all? Will the leg improve or will it still worry him. Don't know about the metal poisoning, will he recover with treatment? Poor fellow he's due for a break. Lucky he had you to persevere with him.

Great job Nadene, you can see already how much the birds love the open air flights. Great for their vit D. Mine also love it out in the rain, doesn't matter how heavy.

Hi , sorry Nadene I didn't scroll back to check post. Mum already looks more at home with the oats. Looking very good so far., good luck with other eggs.

Hi, sorry your Ronnie didn't make it. At least you know what the problem was. It doesn't sound like it was something that could be passed on to your other birds which is good.

HI, the wood shavings I get are from the nearby sawmill. Do not use any treated wood shavings though. I suppose the shavings from pet shops for Gerbil's? Guinea pigs here I think, would be okay but expensive over a breeding season. Some use clay based kitty litter. I think Finnie's oatmeal would work out the best if you can't get shaving's, some don't add anything but I wouldn't like to lie on hard board all day l.o.l

Hi L_J, I have my 2 cage breeding cages sitting on Bessimer blocks,( cement blocks about 6" high.) if you don't have them in Tassie. Mine have never had a problem breeding in them, as long as your actual nest box is high in cage I don't think it really matters how high off the floor it is. Except when you have to get down to clean them l.o.l., now that can be a pain.