hello all

a friend of mine has a pair of budgies and last wednesday they became proud first time parents. she laid 4 eggs..only 3 hatched. my friend and i are very inexperienced in budgie breeding and i have been following the "FAQs" on new budgies in the nest very closely. i just had to share this photo with you all as i think it is just the most cutest thing i have seen

 

This photo was taken yesterday.i go over and check on them each morning as i am worried they will freeze over night (we have been having temps of only 2-3degrees at night) the nest box is out of the way of drafts and mum and dad budgie are doing a very good job at looking after them. one of them will eventually be coming home with me . i already have a 4 year old female budgie called matilda who is an inside budgie.she is a very scatty (nervous) budgie so she doesnt come out of her cage. (her cage is large enough to fly from one side to the other so she gets enough excersise hehe!) i will get another cage for my pending arrival as i am hoping to tame him or her. i am open to any advice that anyone has regarding the new babies...as i have said i have been reading through the FAQs about handling and quarentine and am finding them very helpful thanks

That is a very cute photo

 

Do you know what the parents are??

 

Be very careful with the cold. Until they get their thick down feathers they can chill easily. I rapped thick cloth around the outside of my breeding boxes last year and it helped keep the little ones warm.

 

If you are wanting to tame a baby, the best thing is to start holding it for about 10 mins a day, from about 2-3 weeks old. They should be handled everyday anyway while being checked for splayed legs, rickets, caked food, messy feathers etc.

Edited July 22, 200816 yr by **Liv**
added more

That is a very cute photo

 

Do you know what the parents are??

 

Be very careful with the cold. Until they get their thick down feathers they can chill easily. I rapped thick cloth around the outside of my breeding boxes last year and it helped keep the little ones warm.

 

If you are wanting to tame a baby, the best thing is to start holding it for about 10 mins a day, from about 2-3 weeks old. They should be handled everyday anyway while being checked for splayed legs, rickets, caked food, messy feathers etc.

 

this is mum and dad...mum is green dad the blue..i have no idea of the "type" i am so nervous to touch the babies at the moment because they look so delicate i would hate to hurt them..i check thier feet for caked food and poo and make sure they are being fed...what colour do you think the babies will be?????

Edited July 22, 200816 yr by KAZ
please do not use shortcut language as we have to edit it out manually

You have a normal blue and a normal green - see you did know what they were

I am not good with genetics, but green is dominant so i think you will get all green chicks.

 

Dont be nervous to touch the babies, they are quite robust and can be handled from the moment of hatching

Edited July 22, 200816 yr by **Liv**

Agree with everything Liv has said

That's such a cute picture .

thanks for your help liv and everyones replies..

The parents are very nice birds and I'm sure the chicks will be too. As Liv said... don't be afraid to pick up and hold the bubs. Just clean your hands and use warm water so they'll be nice and warm for the bubs. They are eaiser to handle now as they wriggle lots as they get older. If you've been reading the FAQ's, I'm assuming you and your friend know to give the parents plenty of fresh veggies, hard boiled egg (mashed up shell and all) and plenty of seed. They now have three extra mouths to feed and you'd be surprised at how much extra they'll eat. Good luck with them and please keep us updated. Maesie

Unless mum is spilt from blue then there will be at least one Blue on in there .... I think : p

Well done, for researching on Breeding - especially at this important time! - May i suggest a few nesting materials wood shaving ( untreated of course ) this will help with the babies staying alittle warmer and splayed legs ( along with calicum) - Exciting times ahead :D

P.S Don't be scared to pick them up, Also check their beacks for any seeds that may be stuck in their little beaks which can cause alot of issues ... Enjoy and Good luck

They are cuties you should post that picture in our competition of the month called Budgie of the Month for sure.

 

If the green bird is split to blue you have a 25% chance of getting a blue chick and it would most likely be a sky blue or could be a cobalt depending on how many dark factors there are involved. All the babies will be normals but there are always sex-link hidden genes & recesiive genes so maybe there will be a surprise in the nest. As stated if any of the birds have a larger patch on the back of their heads then they would be a domanint pied and not a normal which only change the ratios that you would have 50% dominant pied and 50% normals.

thanks maesie,elly and neat..i am so beside myself with excitement hehe!!! i have never actually seen babies and am so jealous that thay are not mine...my friend has given me the key to her side gate and has welcomed me any time even if she is not home..i have been goin every morning to check on them and taking lots vegies for mum and dad..they have a calcium stick??is this enough???? there originally was wood shavings in there neat but mum budgie chucked it out not long after the eggs came..is this normal???? i will get some on the way over tomorrow and put in there.....as for handling ill try and be braver ( ) and handle them for longer..i have been checking most importantly that they are being fed and keeping thier feet and heads clean as yesturday one had poo in its face and i wiped it gently with warm water on a cloth..is this okay??????? other than that i shall keep you all posted on my progress as im sure ill have lots more questions coming..thanks again for everyones advice..it is very much appreciated

You are doing a GREAT ! job - Yes Hens usually kick the savings out i put them back in once the eggs are hatched ....

Calcium block is great as one member here stated that they then can get it when they need it rather then having to have it all the time ( if liquid cal is added to water )