colinc

Hi Rachel, welcome and enjoy all aspects of the hobby. Just from my personal experience I want to add that you mustn't get negative or despondent. I'm busy with my 1st round of breeding and have made a ton of mistakes. I unfortunately only found this forum after I had started breeding and the birds had already laid fertile eggs. I have had 4 hatch in my 1st nest of which 2 died so I only have 2 left there. My second nest had its 1st hatching this morning actually. What I'm sharing with you is that I was quite negative about my loss of the 2 babies and thought to myself why am I doing this. So my advice to you is to gain as much knowledge as possible from this forum and all the lovely and friendly people here so that you don't have the same heart ache that I have had to endure. At the end of the day though, I'd do it all again, just with more thought and planning is all. You said that with your move you have 2 aviaries set up. You're going to use the one as a flight and the other one to breed in, did I understand that correctly? Are you going to colony breed or do you have breeding cages that you're going to use? So best of luck and as I said, put thought and planning into what you want to achieve.

Agree with all Dave's advice I also agree with what Dave has said. I have 4 chicks, the eldest is 7 days old. Kaz posted once about adding seed to the nest boxes when babies were 2 weeks old so that they can learn to feed themselves and in doing that it aids them in when they are weaned and it takes some of the feeding strain off the parents. I will be doing this in my nest boxes as soon as the babies are 2 weeks old. Maybe you can add seed now and remember this in future and try it yourself. Kaz, am I correct in all that I have said here? Best of luck Zuzel and keep us updated

Just something to keep in mind. I'd rather ask a stupid question, than make a stupid mistake. Just my pennies worth.

Hi Ratzy, I have put the single female in a cage on her own. I have 2 pairs in breeding cages (hopefully have pics up tomorrow) and then the 3rd pair are in the aviary on their own with nesting boxes in there. I have read up a lot here and learnt so much, just wish I found this place before I bought my 1st birds. Oh well, so you learn. Now it's like I've thrown myself in the deep end so now I need to learn to swim. I hope to build another breeding box in the next month or so, then I can get a fourth male and house all 4 breeding pairs in there. You guys can give me advice and guidance on what you think of the breeding boxes that I built. I'd also like to know more about diets and all that. I tried putting carrots in the cages, but the birds weren't interested at all. One of the pairs aren't even interested in millet that I put in their cages, whats up with that? I thought that they loved that stuff, oh well. I do add cod liver oil to their seed that I read was good for them, is this correct? I'd like to get them onto veg also. What do you suggest I try? Thanks once again for taking the time to read this and give your answers. Take care and have a lovely day.

Hi Houman, yes I have and I have been able to learn so much there. It's just that there is so much info there that it's almost impossible to take it all in. I have already made some mistakes that I have corrected and hope to carry on learning. Thank you for all the friendliness and advice given. From my readings I have seen that there is a world of knowledge here and look forward to many debates.

Hi Ratzy, amazing to think that you're starting your 2nd clutch and I'm only starting my 1st. My 1st egg was laid on Sunday and I'm expecting the 2nd one today, exciting. I've just read this whole post of yours and learned so much from it, do you or anyone else here have any pointers for me please?

Thank you all for your welcoming messages and introducing. I only have 2 pairs breeding at this moment and the rest are in the flight/aviary at this time. I will in time get another male to get me up to 4 breeding pairs. I only have space for 2 pairs to breed at the same time at the moment. I will be building another breeding box in the near future so that I can accommodate all 4 my breeding pairs and then I might only breed in 4's there after. Maybe at a later stage make more as my flight/aviary expands and I can hold more birds and have a bigger flock.

Hi all, I'm a new member to this forum and would like to introduce myself and my flock. My name is Colin and I have invested in bugies about 6 weeks ago. I wish that I had come across this forum before that as I have learnt so much here since I have found it. So yes, I am very new at this and would really appreciate everyone and all the help that all of you out there have to offer. I have 7 budgies now, had 8 (sad story) and have also started breeding with my birds (which might be a mistake after I've done some reading here) and the 1st egg was laid easter sunday. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best and weather or not I've done the right thing.