Nick123

Nice bird Jimmy. Does he have good back skull and length? Looks young. Good luck with him.

Thanks Nadene, your feed back is very helpful. I dont have alot in show budgies to compare to. I will post photos following first moult for another opinion. The first moult is 4 months? Is this correct? Nick

Thank you Robyn, I will post pictures when they have fledged. Cheers Nick

Could anyone offer an opinion on the show budgie qualities (if any) of this budgie. Is it of good quality? If not, what is it missing? The budgie is 4 weeks old and still in nest. All opinions are appreciated. Nick

Picture of chicks. One pied! ]

I will follow your advice Robyn. I bred this pair a year ago and they produced two beautiful dom pied clearbody hens. I was very excited. I planned to breed them this year. However, had some misfortune with them. Found them dead in avairy 3 weeks apart in the same spot. They died or (committed suicide) by attemping to burrow in a very small gap between perches holders on side of avairy and got stuck. I guess they attempted to find nesting space, there can be no other reason/explanation. I have had 12+ budgies in this avairy for three years now, no nest boxes, and this has never happened before or since. Very bizarre, both hens had no sign of injury. So hopefully there are some pieds in this batch. Thanks Nick

Thank you for the reply Robyn There are now five chicks in the nest. All doing well, mum seems to be coping. I add seed in nest box every day, vegies provided every second day and egg and biscuit also every second day. Chicks not feathered as yet, I am hoping for some Dom Pieds. The cock was a Dom Pied Opaline Clearbody. He was the only Dom Pied I had. Nick

I currently have a hen in nest with two chicks and 4 eggs and no partner. This morning I found the cock bird (partner) dead in breeding cage. Reasons for death unknown. My question is; Should i introduce another cock in with hen to help with raising the chicks or should I leave hen on her own? Would introducing new cock create a problem with hen and chicks? Can hen cope on her own? The hen had previously bonded with proposed new cock before being paired to the now deceased cock. I currentlty have two other pairs down for breeding. Pair 1, 8 chicks and one egg to go. Pair 2, 4 chicks and three eggs to go. Fostering not possible. All advice would be much appreciated. Thanks Nick

Shazza is a Normal Grey Green. Cant help you with the YF 2 mututation. Sorry.

Welcome to the forum Fee Wee Aussie is a dominant pied, Grey Green. Shazza is Nomal Grey Green. Will need a picture of the back to confirm. You should get 50% dominant pied chicks.

There are no visual clues for DF. My guess was based on the very dark grey color showing in pictures, and my confusion with DD & DF!!. Could be a Double Dark Factor (DD) due to dark grey coloring of body and cheek patches. In particular the second picture of rump, very dark grey. You will need to breed to determine type. I have read its best to breed to sky blue. I am no expert! The experts seem to have abandoned this forum? Cheers Nick

I am no expert. In my opinion he may be a double factor grey (DF). You will only know for sure if you breed. If you breed to a non-grey hen and get all greys then definetly DF grey.

Thanks Budgie Mad I have put an experienced male in with her. She attacks him as well. She is a good sized hen, head, shoulders and length. I might have to give up breeding with her and give her away as a pet to someone before she traumatises all my cock birds!

Thanks Jimmy. I will try an experienced hen with him when one is available. Most of my birds are young, I will need to wait to end of year. I was hoping to breed him as he is a good size normal dark green cock, 25% Gazzard, purchased in October last year at auction.

What does the following behaviour indicate? I have a pair of budgies in a breeding cage. They have been together for 5 months. First attempt at breeding for both. They are 18 months old. They have bonded and are both showing interest in the nest box. I witnessed the female mounting the male. The male took up the position for mating as if a female. Has anyone witnessed this type of behaviour before? What does it mean? Is it a fault with the male or female, or both. I have since seperated and changed the male with another that I have successfully bred before. Thanks in advance Nick