Bird Junky

Hi Biggles Sorry I didn't realise its winter where you are Right. It's hot here in the UK Summer time. Budgies are not usually bred till the spring or summer. So you will need some heat if you can afford it day & night. leave seed out of fridge. Don't understand what should be down to 1degree???? please explain......B.J.

Hi Bigges ,okay. Just two questions. Why put soaking seed in fridge & is it so cold so they need extra heat?? You can also try keeping some soaked seed until it sprouts, it takes a couple of days. wash it & feed birds as a change from soaked seed...B.J.

Hello If your parrotlet breeder wants to try it Finnie why not. If it works you'll have the makings of a very interesting post......B.J.

Hello Why does he need a friend??? He's got you... When you ask what MIGHT happen the list keeps growing. If you buy a baby, no guarantee of sex. They might not get on or love each other so you are ignored. Then again, could have two loving birds & live happy ever after...B.J.

Hi Pair 1 Skittish . Cover the top sides & back of cage to simulate privacy. Offer a wide range of fruit & veg cut up small. Try clean grass with seeds on if possible. Offer seed soaked overnight in water every few days. Treat all your birds for scaly face. other's might not be showing symptoms yet....B.J...

Hi can't find anything for uploading attachments.....B.J.

B.J's MITE TRAP This trap is intended to be your first line of defence, after a good clean-out. You set the traps so you know the minute any mite have returned before they have a chance to multiply to any great extent. Under normal circumstances, by the time you spot them they are well & truly hidden all around the shed These days of easy to clean plastic cages, it must be a long tramp for the poor mites back to their hidey-holes. This version of my mite trap was devised to be more unobtrusive but just as effective as my aviary mite trap. As you probably already know, mite don't nip out every night like Dracula for a quick snack. They are quite capable of going a month or more, if not longer after a good feed. So every mite strike is from a different colony of mites. Which is why they are so hard to get rid of & just when you think you've won, another colony wake up hungry in their hidey-holes & your back to square one. They have even been found under the tarpaulin on the shed roof & behind the wall insulation. For their own convenience, mite normally choose the birds nearest the wall ends of the perch. How to make my neat little mite trap. 1. Drill a hole in a plastic jar lid, ( remove the cardboard disc.) The hole should be a tight fit for the perch. or it not won't stay in place, 2. Cut a few mite size nicks around the hole so mites can enter on their return journey. 3. Push the perch through the hole so the inside of the lid faces the back wall of the cage. 4. Refit the perch & slide the lid tight up against the back wall. Now your poor mites will have somewhere dark to hide & not to far from their food source. What more could they ask for? Leave the traps in place for a week . Then carefully remove the lid & perch & blast the little b*****s with mite killer or a cheap bleach will work just as well. Wipe away any spray residue, you don't want to discourage any new mites from using the traps. Check the lids every clean out day so you can forestall an invasion . Happy hunting. Yours B.J. PS Apologies to any entomologist,

Hi Thanks HI. SORRY, slip of the finger obviously mm. NOT cm.Thanks for pointing that out Dillster.

Hi there isn't anything difficult about cutting nails. Look at the nail & you will see the blood vessel running through it. Cut the nail 4 or 5 cm bellow the vessel. To keep them short you can buy a sandpaper covered perch. Fit it by the food vessel so the bird is not on it for long periods. It can cause foot problems if used as a favourite perch......B.J.

Hi A little more info on sex, age, conditions kept in, feed, etc. for a more informed answer...B.J.

Hello The number of times a nest box is opened. Should not be governed by human curiosity... but rather by the tolerance of the hen to the intrusion. Breeders, pairing birds who know & are familiar with them Can inspect boxes more often than say a relative newbie, using bought in unfamiliar birds. A hen leaving her box in a panic can accidentally break eggs....B.J.

Congratulations. Don't forget to get a concave, before you use it....B.J.

Hello. Don't blame yourself for the egg loss. A hen in breeding condition has more than enough calcium in her body She doesn't need a daily top up. Hens don't come with a guarantee to lay perfect eggs every time. Any damaged eggs are normally eaten. Nothing goes to waste in nature, if the birds don't eat it it would attract. insects etc. Unless your birds a very tame, restrict your looking in the nest box to one a day as this can cause damage to eggs by hen scrambling from the box in panic.....B.J.

Hello Got to agree, Nice little flock you have there....B.J.

Hello George. I think you will find it easier to get a Lutino ( red eye yellow) or an Albino (red eye white.) More are being bred than the Dark eyed clears.... B.J.

Hello George. Welcome...I've taken this opportunity to send you a budgie colour chart to help you with your choices ........B.J. http://budgieplace.com/colorsguide

Hi It is allowed but whether it would work or not depends on the compliance of the foster parents.....B.J.

Hi. If you want to pair he to another cock. She will already be carrying eggs fertilised by cock N01. You will have to allow her to lay these, then rest her before pairing to a new partner.....B.J.

Hello Can you rephrase your question, not sure what your asking....B.J.

Hello Take a trip to your local Supermarket. A featherless new born chick looks exactly like an oven ready chicken only smaller. Lol.....B.J. PS Oh yes, & they've got a head & feet, unlike the oven ready chicks who's heads/feet are used in chicken pies.

Hi Remove the nest box until your birds are in condition. Judging by the photo your hen is not yet ready. Love your menu system. Medicating the water is a false economy , The medications become ineffectual after a few hours. & as budgies drink very little. Your medicating a lot of water which you have to throw away to provide fresh. I note you don't provide an iodine block. This not only supplies needed minerals but help in keeping the birds beaks in trim. I would cut out the Safflower seed It contains only slightly less fat than Sunflower. I would also cut out another false economy, the pellets as you are already providing a good healthy mixed more natural diet....B.J.

Hi Budgies like people come in all shapes & sizes. Your feeding he right so no worries there , except you forgot to mention fruit... The swing perhaps when she's older, maybe she thinks it isn't safe..........B.J.

I can edit that in for you. Thanks Finnie. XXX

Hi If your friend is correct in his colour descriptions & he has one then it must be poss. It wasn't that long ago when yellow face was considered impossible on a blue series bird......B.J.

Hi Glad you mentioned that. The last line of (5) OUT TIME. Should have read. .'their favourite toy, YOU.' ...B.J.