Amy S

Oh Karen, congratulations on the arrival of Maggie's beautiful pups. Congratulations to Maggie on a job well done, especially as she is a first time mum. :star: What a champion she is! I have been reading through this journey of Maggie's and everytime I have tried to reply I have been interrupted or had to leave. I am so very sorry for the loss of the youngest little girl, as well as for the two unborn puppies. A shame that not all managed to survive, but at the same time it would be a relief to Maggie - nursing 7 gorgeous beautiful little puppies would be so much easier than trying to nurse 10. It means taking the stress off Maggie AND yourself - as I'm sure you'd have had to be surrogate mother to the last few puppies - just like you have been whilst Maggie has been recovering. It's sooo very exciting and I am so happy these little "cows" are doing so well (if you ask my daughter - she will tell you they are tiny black and white cows HAHAHAHA :kiss: ) I hope you are resting up now - if you need any help, please let me know - I will be glad to

Heya Ratzy, sorry for the late reply. I've had my internet down the last two days. Yes Vetafarm do interstate - they are in Wagga and I've used them (I'm in WA) and I know one of my friends in Victoria used used them too They are very helpful. I see you have said your babies seem better - that's great news. Hopefully they stay on the mend - but you could always do a droppings sample as a precaution It may tell you what was wrong with them. Houman, I think it's called Spark Liquid (a Vetafarm product) - it has electrolytes in it

Ratzy send the dropping samples to Vetafarm for testing - they're brilliant A few members on here have done this http://www.vetafarm.com.au/pages/DROPPING-...OR-TESTING.html

Ohhhh Hannah, I'm so so sorry for the loss of your little Nibbles. He found the bestest friend in you and you gave him everything he could possibly need in a loving companion and owner. I am glad you were able to be with him when he passed. Cuddling up on your shoulder was the best comfort he could have had til his little life passed. I know you will miss him dearly, he was your perfect little friend. At least now he is out of any pain he may have been in. :emoticon112: :hug: Nibbles, you will be dearly and lovingly missed by your wonderful owner.

Oh phew, thank you for verifying RIP! I feel much better now - my genetic/mutation researching is sinking in :emoticon112:

Thanks Kaz, I knew there were a few I missed out :emoticon112:

Isn't that right though? A Clearflight paired to/combined with a Recessive Pied produces a DEC? I thought I read that somewhere, can't for the life of me think where! When I think of I will let you know! EDITED: It was Barrie Shutt's article on Budgerigar Colours and Mutations. If a Rec and a Rec were paired it would create a "DF" which would be actually be called a DEC wouldn't it? Or am I still confusing mutations? I know you can't actually get a DF Rec which is why I thought it was a DEC... someone correct me cos I'm feeling slightly stupid right now :emoticon112:

Budgies can mate without laying eggs - they have recreational sex, so this may be one reason why there are no eggs. Another reason could be because both hens want one particular box and they wont lay in the same box. Even though you have two boxes - hens are VERY hormonal/protective/feisty and will fight over them as you have said your two already have. All four budgies may not be in breeding condition therefore also may not lay and technically shouldn't be breeding until they are in condition I know there could be more reasons but I can't think of them, sorry! But I hope this helps a bit :emoticon112:

Hi, welcome Hope you find this website helpful. Sound like you're colony breeding http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....colony+breeding Here is some information on colony breeding and why we don't think it's a positive way of breeding. Some people have success, but many have heartache :emoticon112: Hope this helps you As Kaz says - separate cages/breeding cabinets per pair of budgies - it will save alot of heartache later for you.

:hap: So unhappy, I am now unable to make it to this show/meeting. *cries* I've been looking forward to it very muchly too which make it that much more disappointing for me. So very frustrating

So sorry to hear of your loss. She was a special bird - very characteristic. I'm sure you didn't cause this at all. Maybe it was her time, maybe she had something wrong that you couldn't possibly have known about. Maybe it was another hen. You aren't to blame, and I hate to see you heartbroken. :rofl: Little wet noodle Bluebell I completely agree with this - I found the Dark Green cock you gave me Kaz, dead on the floor of the aviary this morning. He was fine yesterday evening, but I think he must have gotten a fright during the night and flown into the aviary mesh. We had some strong winds last night that knocked over some sheet metal next door - which may have caused him to spook When I found him I can only assume that it was the budgies that caused a not very attractive sight. Shame too as was coming into breeding condition and was looking fabulous

I shall be there I might even bring my violet cock if he's finished his moulting One thing though - they are required to go in a show cage aren't they?

ohhh the poor girl, that is terrible - the worst i've seen in a long time. I am so glad these birds found a home with you

I told Charlize today that we would call the YF Humpty and she said very seriously " nooo, egg - fall down!!" don't call her humpty? "Noooo" *shakes head* "egg fall down wall" okay so we have discovered that she knows her nursery rhyme and knows that the budgie is not an egg and definitely can't call her humpty haha

AHHHH AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA That is absolutely the most amusing thing I have seen in awhile! Thanks sooo much for giving me a good laugh

Eeks I don't think I did well in this. I may have gotten half right if i'm lucky :bluebudgie: Edited: - I think I got 10/10 but I don't believe it so I am having it confirmed.

HUMPTY?!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA That's a good one and actually would go quite well with one of my cocks who I have been thinking of calling Bonk as he beak taps and humps the perches and the aviary mesh! Bonk and Humpty HAHAHAHA hmm we'll see - maybe they aren't quite appropriate with an almost three year old learning budgie names :bluebudgie: Gem is a nice name - maybe when I breed her I can name her offspring after gemstones Thanks for that! Thanks CB Sorry to hear you've not been feeling well either and for 3 weeks too! That's a bit nasty.

I had help with my two hens I got from the BRASEA auction. I chose them and then they got looked over and I was told I would be happy with the girls - they are very pretty and I am indeed happy with them. okay maybe my little yellow face needed a bit of TLC but that may have been due to a)the breeder (highly unlikely but is possible) :bluebudgie: stress from being at the auction c) the huge amount of travel the poor girl had to endure - Sydney to Perth to Tom Price back to Perth as there was a mix up with her and another YF. d) all of the above. e) something completely different. I am happy with this auction, also with the communication and feed back and help I received throughout the weeks before and after the event. My hens were cheap - one was $80 and the other was $60. I had set aside $150 to only buy one quality bird but instead managed to get two which I think was quite good. okay so I haven't actually BEEN to an Eastern States Auction, but hey I still managed to buy some birds

Hiya Sorry I didn't see this sooner, I haven't really been online. Been suffering a virus/muscular fever/infection - blood test results monday will define what I've had I was worried about my birds, but mum came and looked after them for me, whilst I was cooped up in bed. The hens are going really well, thanks Kaz! My YF is very playful and likes playing with the seed "D" cup - so I have given her a spare one to play with. She tries to sit in it, flicks it around with her beak and tries to bond with it - regurgitate food, hump hump, regurgitate, hump. She is so funny, but each time I try and take a photo she stops and looks at me as if to say "What? I'm not doing anything" The DF is a lovely gentle hen. A bit flighty, but tamer than I thought she would be. She sits on my finger after calming down thinking the devil (my hand) was after her. She doesn't bite which is nice and she has a nice chirp to her - every morning at around 7.30 she starts chirping away quietly. She doesn't have funny antics like the YF does, but she is just as special. I am glad I did a blind bid and bought these two hens at the auction. The YF deserved the TLC I have been lavishing and the DF well she is just special to me. All my birds are. I think I need to name my birds hahaha can't keep calling them DF and YF - but I may wait til later

Hi Sorry I haven't gotten here sooner, just scanning and uploading the picture now :rofl: Here is the article Hopefully you can view it properly

No worries :laughter: I shall organise it tomorrow, one less thing for you to worry about at the moment Kaz :laughter:

I read that!! Oh wow! It says she goes out along the Rabbit Proof Fence for up to three days at a time and is the only licensed Female Dogger in WA. Mum has the article - I can pick it up tomorrow and scan it and place it on here if you like?

I Ivomec'd both of them today after they had settled down to make sure any mites, lice and worms they may have will be gotten rid of. I have given both some vegies, seed, and egg and biscuit and a bit of apple Plus some gum leaves - which they tore to shreds very quickly. The DF dove into all the food, but the YF was a bit more hesitant, but I have noticed her picking out and eating the grey sunflower seeds

Thanks for the compliments lovely ladies :rofl: KAZ, that was only the transport cage - they aren't in that one anymore - they're in the bigger white cage I brought around to your house. No nasty grit perches in there I do have a slight query about my YF - do you possibly think her beak looks a tad long? Oh and my DF has pink skin - so does that mean she would be a cinnamon?

I picked up my two new hens from the airport recently. I ended up winning two at the BRASEA Auction which I was most surprised about. I picked up the DF and what was supposed to be my YF but it ended up being someone elses YF and mine was in Tom Price. So we did the switch and my YF arrived yesterday. I know everyone like pics so I have taken a few, some are not so glamorous sorry My YF Violet Sky Spangle Hen A bit blurry sorry - she decided she would sit in the water container and have a bath Seems quite a cheeky playful hen - was more interested in playing with the seed and water container, rather than using them properly haha This one is taken with a flash - it was taken when I brought her home so she is a bit out of sorts still And this is my DF White Melanistic Spangle The YF in this photo is not mine - it was the one that came with the DF instead of mine.