Ratzy

I'll get some new pics today, GB. They aren't old enough to breed yet so I am thinking of changing the feeders. She seems to have stopped anyway now. Thanks, Finnie.

UPDATE: He lost another green tail feather today. His tail, if possible, seems to be more vibrantly green than before. He has been mating with Lexi this morning. Lexi wants to nest in the food dish ( uh uh, sorry Lex ).

Bad luck Finnie. These things happen. I don't have any hand rearing tips though, wish I did.

To me the cock is also spangle and opaline. I may be wrong, but those cheekpatches look spangle.I'm not sure he is greywing, the opaline does fade the markings on the head. Having not seen the full wing up close, don't count on me!

If you didn't remove it and she laid, the chances are that they will not be fertile, she won't sit or she won't raise her babies.

Have you done research about breeding?

I think male BUT it could be my computer lighting. Time will tell. Why people say that you can tell sex just by rings around nostrils I don't know. It is the overall colour I am told.

Sorry, I didn't read all of the post lol.

Does she get sunflower seeds?

Here is my guess based on some of my knowledge-don't count on it, lol. Male Male Female Female in front, male behind. Going from right. Male female female. Male Male. Males have bright pink or purple when they are young or are a certain mutation. Females have brown in breeding condition and blue with a white overcast if out of breeding condition or young.

Does she get sun flower seeds in large quantities?

Welcome!! Firstly, I wouldn't breed again until you have figured out what is wrong with them. Do you practice quarantine? If not you will have probably brought in diseases. As far as I know, there is no such disease called 'dying'. Next chance you get, take them to an avian vet who'll do blood work.

Didn't see that bit on you not quarantining. A big no no. Read some articles in this forum about quarantining and you'll understand why. I've lost 6 birds due to NOT quarantining. The member of this forum corrected me on that.

Budgies are adults at 6 months. You do not know their exact age. They could be 6 months, or 6 years. In the wild, they are able to breed at 3 months. If they have any rings you will be able to work out their ages.

It mean double factored. Dom pied stand for dominant pied, which is a dominant mutation in contrast to the recessive pied, which you need two birds with the same gene to replicate. Double factor is two of the same gene.

She didn't recognise them and was simply clearing out the box in preparation for her 'own' eggs. If that happens again. simply put them in a container until she lays in the box, then put them in with the other egg.

Good news Kaz!! You'll have to name that hen Punk, or Mo.

If that is the green one in the gender section it is female ( don't quote me!!! ). It is only a baby, probably just out of the breeding cage, and baby budgies do that often ( never seen it myself, but in other breeder's pics ).

The photo isn't a very good one, the lutino is blurry. I would say two females, though the lutino ( yellow ) could be male.

Just don't add a nest box.

Spangle?

I personally wouls steer clear of inbreeding unless you have full knowledge of your budgie's backgrounds. The cock was probably plucked by a hen ( don't quote me ).

Looks male to me.

She thinks her birds are 'fine' now because the vet said. She is getting mroe birds and probably won't quarantine because the vet knew better and put her birds together so it must be all right.

UPDATE: The vet found a piece of newpaper down the bird's ( dead ) 'throat'. A vet calls it a throat, not crop?! It was the crop, they had pictutres. Apparently that is what caused it!? My birds chew on newspaper all the time ( non-toxic )! Also, the birds were fluffed up because they were cold? They were inside! I'm not sure, but this vet doesn't sound like she knows exactly what she is talking about.