robyn

Hi, if you look closely at the chicks eyes (before they are open) they can appear as red, plum or black e'g through the lids, this can give you a clue that you may have an Albino etc.

Looks like a d.f. spangle Cock bird to me, although I'm no expert. The black eyes say he's not Albino. I have one the same but he ended up with "suffusion" down his chest after first moult, very pretty just a light mauve chest. Do you know what your birds parents are?

Sounds like you are picking things up well. Mum is doing great by the look of it, parents will look after chicks with no need for outside help, apart from their daily food/water /veg. needs. Only thing is your nesting material, is it a wooly type material? chicks may get their feet etc caught up in it and could "strangle" their toes etc. I would remove it and just add wood shavings or even rolled oats, no cotton waste or fluffy material. Some breeders don't add any nest material. Good luck with them both and keep adding pics as you go.

In the photo of the chick, I thought it looked like it could have red eyes. Can you tell if they are or do they look dark. I remove shells also I have had a half shell cover another egg, (hard to remove them without damaging unhatched egg) so yes remove them. Hi again, about posting pics. If you go to BUDGIE PICTURES there is a pinned article about how to post them, using photobucket. I think it has changed a bit (photbucket) since it was pinned but you should be able to follow it. Post again if you can't work it out.

Hi, I would get him a new friend, as he has been used to the company of another bird. I can understand the seller only showing you the birds she was prepared to sell, rather than show you her aviary and set up. A lot of people see the aviary and decide they want a particular bird that is not for sale and it becomes a bit of a pain trying to get them to see this, hence a lot of breeders don't show their aviary. This does not mean their birds aren't well cared for and healthy. Go by the bird your buying if it's fit and healthy and full of energy it should be okay. Don't forget to quarantine any new bird, even if it seems 100%. It could still carry some disease to your other bird.

I have never heard of the pigeon fly thing. Can maybe Hilly or someone tell us how they affect the bird? Do they suck blood e'g. maybe it has infected bird with something or else made it a bit anemic. Maybe some soluble vitamins in water may help.? p.s. Just found an article on this pigeon fly. It is mainly a dove/pigeon pest but can effect many other birds, it does suck blood. It said it can give a malaria type infection to adult birds but can be fatal in chicks. A budgerigar being a lot smaller than a dove/pigeon I suppose it could have a bigger affect. Only thing it didn't say what treatment to give. Hope this is of some help Coffeegirl.

Hi Finnie, looks like budgie_mad is busy, I thought the picture he posted of chick could have had redish eyes but he didn't say when I asked. If his creamino has red eyes maybe it has red eyes.

Hi, just to add as Finnie said, in aus. gum leaves are great in smaller dose's so to speak. They are said to have an anti-biotic effect so not given daily only once in a while. I use gum tree branch's as perches in aviary. Scrubbed down first, the birds love to chew on them, even chew through them eventually so I have to replace them.

Thanks all, now have 5 eggs, nest 1- 3 nest 2-2 Other 2 nests hens both looking "egg bummy" looking good so far. Touch wood, don't count chicks etc.

Be very cautious with ferns, my sister had a pair of birds and all their chicks die from eating/feeding young on bracken fern that had flicked into their aviary while they were mowing. We found out off the safe plant list that all parts off it are toxic.Even if it is a safe plant putting pots of safe plants into aviary won't last long, they will shred them to pieces in no time flat. l.o.l you can hang small branches of safe native bush's eg bottle brush, gum etc or veges like silver beet for them to eat and play on. Mine love silver beet freshly washed and water left on them to "bath" on. PLEASE CHECK the safe food list before giving them new things.

Hi, there is a list of safe and unsafe foods/plants in the f.a.q. section. (Right at the top left of page). That will give you many choices. As to a sand floor as long as it remains dry it should be okay. gum leaves and branches are a great treat for your birds, not every day but occasionally, they love to chew off the bark etc and the leaves, young washed branches are best. Foraging is similar to fowls, scratching around finding little bits of grit, greens etc. as long as you remove old food scraps e.g wilted spinach, carrots etc they should be fine. Mine seem to spend certain times of the day on the floor foraging or eating the green/veg etc early morn around noon then about late afternoon. They are all different little characters so may not all be the same.

Hi Welcome to B.B.C , with 85 birds you must already be pretty knowledgable about our little birds, although there is always something new that pops up to learn.

Wow, just goes to show what a little bit of love and help can achieve. She's going to be one great bird when she's completely cured, again well done!!!

Hi all, I have wanted to put some birds down for a while, due to a surplus of birds could not, until I on sold some birds. Well I have finally paired up 4 pair 13 days ago, to date I already have 4 eggs. Hope the rest of the birds follow suit quickly so they are weaned before the coldest part of winter. I bred some chicks this time last year with good results, weather didn't seem to effect them at all so hope this year is the same. More later.

Just had a re-read of this as well, it's still good to be able to refresh our memory about this sort of thing. Any newbies can benefit from reading through the older pinned posts, some great advice to be found.

Hi and Welcome to BBC. you will have to add some pictures of your chicks for us, we love to see other peoples birds.

Glad Dollar survived, (also the dog). Beautiful animals by the way. Great looking yard and aviary spot, a lot of work ahead but will be worth it in the end. Will have to keep posting on your progress.

I suppose it's up to the buyer which way they go. I personally think at 7 weeks it's a bit young to go straight into a strange aviary, especially if it has no nestmates in with it. I have put birds that I have bred out into my aviary about that age, usually with other siblings or 1 parent, after I know they are feeding themselves etc., Maybe they could keep it in a separate cage for a while close to aviary to get it used to the new birds . I must say though I have never had any problem in my own aviary with introducing new birds young or old, they seem to readily accept newcomers. Hope this helps.

Great news, she looks like she could be an opaline Cobalt, (don't take my word for it though l.o.l). and could turn out to be a lovely bird. Have you decided to keep her as a pet yourself? Well done whichever way you go.

I'd also be looking at the Cock bird, as hen has laid so she sounds okay. Can you try them both with different partners and see what happens. Preferably try Cock with a hen that has bred before as a "test run ".

They are ugly but lovable and look how they turn out in 3 weeks!! They do grow o.night are your parents being "good" with feeding etc? No 2 shortly I suppose.

Did your Grey Cock survive the attack okay? Good luck with the aviary, if you or/partner friends etc. are handy with tools you can do wonders with a bit of thought. The first step is the hardest.

Hi, can't tell from your picture but can you see what colour it's eyes are, thought they looked a bit pinky? Now the first is here, you can relax and watch them develop.

Well done, it's always exciting to get the first pinkie.

Hi Babychat, Is she paired up in cage or just in aviary? If she's paired up the new eggs should show signs of being fertile within a week. Could you mark old eggs so you can tell which are new ones? If she laid 6 in first clutch she may lay about the same this round. Old eggs could be going a dirty dark look if they aren't fertile they would be "off" by now.