robyn

Hi, welcome, glad to see our little friends are spread world wide !! I only have pets types but I also love the process of "seeing what you get this time". As long as I have healthy colourful little birds I don"t mind the genetics of them. (not that I can get my head around it yet anyway). We love to see pics as well if you want to add some.

Even we pet type breeders have the same limits Dave, I'd put down as many pairs as I had cages, then you see another pair and wonder "what would those two produce" . When I have to keep max number I can keep in mind, I have to let my head rule my heart , sigh !! and wait for next time. Talk about addictive !! Could your d.f. hen be fertile and not Quiche? or would she still lay if that was the case? Just wondering.

Sounds promising now Splat, another case of airing problems on here !! Someone is bound to have had the same prob. and can shed some light on things. Every little clue helps.

They look like they have hit it off, cute pics. BUT don't overdo the lettuce, it can give them diarrhoea.

It takes a while for birds to try new things, you will have to keep trying a bit of greens etc each day until they start to pick at it . Once one tries it the others usually do as well. Mine love corn on the cob, I started with about a 2cm slice ( so it's not wasted ), give a new piece each day until they try it, then you can add other vegies etc.

Those bubs look nice Kaz, to a non show breeders eye, even if you only have a few. If you and the birds are all in a new environment it takes a while to get organised, good luck with chicks and new eggs look foreward to next season.

Hi Dave, sounds like your off to a great start. Any further news on Quiche's feather problem?

Great pics, my camera doesn't pick up true colours either.

I think I answered you other post Charly, If anyone who breeds birds, or has any knowledge of them, walked into a shop like that, they would just walk away. Personally if I saw animals being kept like that I would report it to e.g r.s.p.c.a or relevent authorities so they can take action. No animal or bird should be breed / sold just for the love of money, not the animal /bird.

Hi Charly, I SELL my excess birds to my local pet shop, which I vetted pretty well beforehand. I would hate to think my birds are considered unhealthy etc. it's a case of buyer beware. Not just from pet shops either !! If your talking, small birds, poor posture, etc if paired with better quality type bird you can improve their offspring somewhat. BUT if you start with a sickly bird, unless you improve its health problems to begin with through quarantine and treatment for it's problems FORGET BREEDING with that bird until it's in A1. condition. I may add, I'm talking pet types here not show birds.

Any update on your chicks Happychappy? Hope all is going well.

Beautiful chicks Splat, glad you have some bouquet's after all your brick bats.!!

Hi Happychappy , well done, glad to see you have saved the chicks, they will starve very quickly when tiny. I'm not sure of how often to feed, if you feed until their crops are pretty full you can wait until the crops nearly empty then try again. I have never hand fed any chicks yet, I presume they would call for food if they are hungry. If you go to f.a.q you would probably find an article on hand rearing that may help if no-one else answers. Keep us posted as to how you go. Or if you need more advice.

I have a slide out metal tray in my cages. I line this with a couple sheets newspaper, change this every couple days or so. DON'T USE PLASTIC INSERTS IN NEST BOX'S. (SPLAYED LEGS IF YOU DO) In nest box I use wood shavings. Hen may throw this out at first, if so, I wait until chicks start to hatch, she usually accepts the shavings then.

H,i noticed you had no replies to date. If chicks are that young you will have to get food into them pronto. If by chance you have baby rice cereal or similar, you could try them with that mixed with a bit of boiled warm water, they may take it off a spoon or tip of toothpick if they're really small, even mixed to put into a syringe may help. Can't help with much other advice but sure someone else will but the sooner they get some food the better their chances. Good luck and see how you go.

Looks like some nice birds there. I see your following Kaz tip of seed in nest box, I really think it helps chicks.

I remember in the nineties when i first started breeding birds i went to Geoff Wood's place & Garry Hyslop was there also,Geoff bred two awsome grey pied cocks from a pair,the father was this pip squeak of a grey budgerigar and was as blind as a bat,so it is possible but probably as Kaz said not recommended. Thanks PJI, she said you can't tell by looking at her that she's blind. Only pet type but lovely. Darn shame.

Well done great pics.

Hi and welcome, glad to see someone else has trouble with the "technical stuff". Looks like a very pretty bird on your Avatar ? When you learn " how to " give us a picture of him.

Hi Watty, it's seems a bit odd but who knows? Do you have quails etc in aviary as well? Are you sure it's budgie eggs, if you only have budgies it's strange they would pick the floor if there are nest box's available. Have they made a nest or just on the ground? If the eggs have been rolled around a bit they could be addled and no good anyway, a lot of things come into it age, breeding condition, etc. How conversant with budgie breeding are you, e.g. first time or have you been breeding before this? A bit more info could help other experienced breeders give you advice. hi robyn, just for some more information, the log that they are nesting in is actually on a shelf about a metre from the ground. and there are no other birds living in there except them. also before they laid these eggs they had laid more before, but another pair destroyed them. Hi Watty, could you possibly take the log out and put a nest box there instead, if it's on a shelf maybe they would use the box if the log is removed. Are they the only pair in there now or still others budgies as well? If there are still other hens on the loose they could again destroy the eggs( or worse chicks.) Hope this helps.

Thanks Kaz, told her I didn't think it would work but said I would ask.

Hi Watty, it's seems a bit odd but who knows? Do you have quails etc in aviary as well? Are you sure it's budgie eggs, if you only have budgies it's strange they would pick the floor if there are nest box's available. Have they made a nest or just on the ground? If the eggs have been rolled around a bit they could be addled and no good anyway, a lot of things come into it age, breeding condition, etc. How conversant with budgie breeding are you, e.g. first time or have you been breeding before this? A bit more info could help other experienced breeders give you advice.

Hi All, a friend has been given a blind budgerigar, she was wondering if it was possible it to breed with it as it's a beautiful bird. I've never read any advice on this and wondered if anyone could enlighten us. Thanks in advance.

Yippe !! :P Thanks Kaz, when it started showing colour I didn't think it would "qualify" . I have some pretty pieds coming on as well.

Fingers crossed it's only a one off Splat. I suppose you learn to roll with the punches after a while.