Kate

Well we'll see! The mom is in her own cage now and dad is handling them all in the flight cage, so I'm watching to see who he's cozy with. You can see in Colbert's picture with dad that Horton positions himself between Xena and Colbert and shoos Colbert away (dolphin noises only, Horton's got a generally good temperment). Dad spoils his baby girl ROTTEN though, she still gets yummies every time she asks!! And poor Colbert, only 2 days older, was cut loose a week ago, lol.

Thanks Liv as their personalities emerge your assessment makes sense. OT, I caught up on the thread about your featherdusters and I have to give you a pat on the back for stepping up to the plate, as we say over here, for those babies who were sent down the rough road. I come down on the side of, if we bring these creatures into our homes or feed them or expect them to perform for us, they become our responsibility, in sickness and in health, etc. etc. Adorable or not, they are in our hands. They were lucky to be born under your roof.

Okay I'm trying this again, hopefully better pics this time. They are in age order; the eldest two, are 5-1/2 weeks old today. Can you see Stewart's eyelashes? lol

Thanks nubbly5, she is a sweetie as is her "twin" Nibbler hatched the same day.... both spent first full day/night outside the box yesterday! I discovered the best for me is to use macro setting and continuous-shooting, better chance of getting at least one in focus.

Okay, everyone seems to agree that Nibbler is a hen, here's another try at Simone/Simon, at one month and two days:

How lovely, she looks to be wearing a fine fur, just needs her Dr. Shivago! Will try, it's my goal to get decent pics of them at fledgling age anyway.

Aren't they all though!

Thanks for all the responses, nothing to do but keep trying for a better picture! lol I guess like most first-timers I'm a little anxious :-D FYI, no flash used, just macro setting— which may be more sensitive to the slightest baby budgie head movement.

lol!

Really? So it's back from Simon to Simone, then! hehee Thank you!

Hi, took advantage of their first attempt at perching, to get macros of the two eldest. There were guesses in another thread, hopefully these pics are a little more clear. Their one-month birthday is tomorrow, 8/12! Nibbler = green Simon = blue

Thanks nubbly5, I think I'M the one who had confused "DF" with "DF"... Hopefully I won't need to dig deeper into color combos, as I don't want more breeding from my now extended budgie family. I know, you're saying GOOD LUCK with that!! haha

So ... nobody is normal? lol Thanks Neville and nubbly5, this is an education. I had wondered about the "DF" talk elsewhere and what it meant. Of the two yellow/green, Nibbler is indeed lighter green than Colbert. Those linked sites are very easy to understand, thank you!

Thanks Elly I'll give it another shot ... haven't been too successful so far, holding them still and taking a macro at the same time! lol

Thanks Jodie, Simone was originally named for Simon Pegg but she/he was so sweet and "feminine" we changed it to Simone. So we can go back to Simon! lol I've been googling dominant pied/opaline dominant pied and I see now what you mean. We were marvelling at the different blues though; Stewart and Simon are the same dark sky blue, but Xena is an aqua, seen best on the back of her leg in the last picture.

Hi, we're obviously NOT breeders or show folks, but we're fascinated that we have different blues from our budgie mom and dad. My son only had basic genetics, but if you can outline it to him, he might be able to explain it to me. :sad: Any guessing on the sexes, also? My son, based on examples he's seen here, thinks Xena our little warrior princess, can remain a Xena, and not be changed to Xenu. I hope you can read the names in the pics... Lucy and Horton = mom and dad Babies: Nibbler, Simone, Stewart, Colbert, Xena

Interesting reading this... The clutch from my 2 pets hatched recently, and the third baby (of 5) is showing signs of being like this. The first 2 babies hatched after 2 weeks, 5 days. But this third baby took only 2 weeks, 2 days to hatch. It seems like she's been early with everything! She was also the first one to start grabbing onto the nestbox opening, to sneak a peek at the world. She noses everybody else out of the way to get a look. During nestbox cleanout we hold each of them, and she's the biter, from start to finish. I ignore her but this energizer bunny bites anything bitable and reachable. Kaz had a great idea and I popped her into my bra while I held the others... she seemed happy and quiet even with my hand right there ... until I took her out! ouch! Each of the other chickees are nothing like this, Stewart is unique! short video of her here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzG1SuOJq4U

Great pictures, love the eyes half closed in bliss and concentration. Andre the Giant! LOL

Congratulations, great capture!

My goodness one is more beautiful than the next, congratulations!

Hi, he looks very sweet and love your playgym

Hi and happy birthday!

How utterly sweet! In a way Lucy has brought back those "first time mom" wonder feelings in me all over again, lol.

Thanks KAZ, thanks also Elly, I'm very tempted to do this, as every other day or so we bring them out and get them used to being held while I clean out the nestbox. I thought "sharing a meal" might make them feel much more brave about being out of the box. My only concern is tilting mom Lucy and dad Horton away from the babies. They've both been steady parents throughout—but they are first-timers and now that mom is spending more time outside of the cage I wouldn't want her to think she can wash her hands of her little ones just yet!

Woops! Sorry about the big photo, I thought I had gotten it small enough... Thanks KAZ, I think I will give it another week or so, after I've found some budgie starter around here. By then all the chicks will be over 3 weeks or closer to 4.