i'll have to agree with that one raven... he's not looking too well :S

Do you think he was in his fluffy settle down stage? He does have 1 foot up like they do when they get settled? Usually if they are not feeling well they don't stand on 1 foot right? Just wondering if that was why he was like that? But you have a better eye then I do on these things Kaz.

I had the same thought about him with that first picture the other day, but didn't say anything...but Elly is right I always think that if they are standing on one foot it's a good sign. Of course we have to realise it's winter over there & it could be pretty cold.

actually it's very cold here, below freezing temps and we just had 11 inches of snow on the ground this week. The avairy is in the basement so it's not icey cold, but it is definatly winter temps even downstairs. And when the photo was taken he was fluffing to settle down for the night. The photo taken before that he'd been stretching his wings. He was settling for sleep time :hap:

 

But I'll still keep an eye on him just in case. He's his usual happy self though so far but I know they can hide things easily.

Edited March 7, 200817 yr by Ravengypsy

">

 

I have a green normal with blue that runs mid-way from his chest to his tail. It doesn't make him a new variety, just a poorly coloured one. I have seen halfsiders which are green down one side of the bird and blue down the other. Now that's cool!! That's what makes budgies so exciting you never know what's going to emerge! It is hard to photograph the colour in the birds to get it's true representation so hay ya never know. You may have something new!?

Edited March 7, 200817 yr by throwback

Throwback, I have always though that birds like that are probably Greens carrying the YF2 Blue mutation...but that's just my thoughts [not a proven fact].

I feel the same about thoses greens as you do, i find they come from my parents with YF...

Throwback, I have always though that birds like that are probably Greens carrying the YF2 Blue mutation...but that's just my thoughts [not a proven fact].

 

Your probably right Norm about YF2, but there is no yellow face in this birds history , at least in the three generations that are on his pedigree card. He is carrying the violet factor. This is a bird from Joe Elise and that's what's written on his card. Joe would know more than most about violets.

a quick interjection on the side... how many generations can a particular 'factor' ( I think thats the right term) lay dormant?

a quick interjection on the side... how many generations can a particular 'factor' ( I think thats the right term) lay dormant?

 

It can stay hidden for many many generations. I have read stories of breeders in England who specialize in normal greens. Some have been breeding for a couple of decades and have something different pop up. They used to call this a 'throw-back'

( Hay that's me !!)

This is when a recessive gene which no one knew existed in the budgie has paired up with the corresponding recessive gene in a particular zygote.

Bring in an out cross into a pure stud of green normals can bring in a undesired different variety.

A violet show show up with a teal colour in the flights where they are normally black.

 

 

Feathers.

wow. so those breeders must hate colony breeders huh (Laughing out loud). All kinds of birds getting all kinds of gene's... And whamo you have a completely black budgie with red eyes... now wouldn't that rock... :hap:

I would think it would happen in a more controled enviroment where they know the parents and then the surprising gene comes up with colony breeding you don't know who's daddy is who so it is always a surprise.

Tonight I received a reply from Ghalib Al-Nasser, who said that this bird looks to be a cobalt slate. Although he is not of good quality (he's a pet type), which I already knew of course. I'm very happy to hear this, as it explains the 'oddness' of the coloring. I'm looking forward to breeding this bird, he suggested that I test breed him to a sky hen. Unfortunatly my sky hens are yellowface and my white faces are all male! so it will have to wait until I have one to breed him with.

Tonight I received a reply from Ghalib Al-Nasser, who said that this bird looks to be a cobalt slate. Although he is not of good quality (he's a pet type), which I already knew of course. I'm very happy to hear this, as it explains the 'oddness' of the coloring. I'm looking forward to breeding this bird, he suggested that I test breed him to a sky hen. Unfortunatly my sky hens are yellowface and my white faces are all male! so it will have to wait until I have one to breed him with.

 

I am glad that's sorted!

Great that Ghalid Al-Nasser took the time to reply. He was big in Recessive Pieds, I don't know what variety he has these days.

That was very nice for him to reply back :budgiedance: and now you have a more definete answer.