I have 9 or 10 chicks all under a year and most are similar in size but the two most recent ones I bought from a local breeder are absolutely HUGE in comparison to all of the others. They hatched sometime in November so at most they are 12-13 weeks old. They have the gorgeous big baby eyes still and are really pretty birds both violet, one spangle and the other opaline and I had originally thought both were boys (the breeder thought the same but the change in their cere's has been very remarkable. What would account for such a size variation? I'd even go so far as to say they are close to twice the size of two others I have that are about the same age. They don't look like show budgies ...they're just big They are both very gentle birds too and are getting along very well with the other birds since coming out of quarantine.

Likely they were bred from show stock or a pet type to show type pairing. Might just be a grand parent was a show type budgie and it has thrown bigger chicks genetically.

Likely they were bred from show stock or a pet type to show type pairing. Might just be a grand parent was a show type budgie and it has thrown bigger chicks genetically.

Yes, genetics makes a big difference to size and features - BUT so too does nutrition Maybe the breeder had them on a special feeding regime so the chicks in turn benefited .... just a thought :rofl:

Pardon me for a novice question, so it is possible to grow a budgie with good nutrition? Wouldn't that be just a fat budgie than big sized? I love big budgies

Food does play a part... Even what the parents ate while while mating could help. I don't think it is Solely down to nutrition, but it does play a part. Much like what a women eats when pregnant can effect the child.

50% in the Genes and 50% through the beak.... something you hear..

 

I do believe that good nuetrician must start before mating so that all the goodness can be put into the egg by the hen.

This gives a good start to the chick's life.

yes i belive food plays a part as some my chicks from same birds i swaped around to even the few nests i had

and out of all the chicks the ones in the albino clutch came out large

the ones in the opaline clutch came out average sized and the spangles clutch was huge also the greys clutch all chicks were decent sized

all were feed the same stuff but the opaline hen and cock didnt fill chicks half as much as other birds did

so food in my eyes plays big part in nest

genetics is also as important

five chicks all same nest two fostered to two seperate nests

3 massive along with their other two fosters and two average along with their true born chicks average

their other chicks that were fostered to a better feed nest the chicks came out like elephants

i hope this makes sence

so i think food in nest is more important than genetics as even if genetics their you cant grow to your potential with out being feed proply

How big can a budgie gets? What is consider huge? Anybody with photos? I'm curious.

The size that a budgie reaches is genetic. It is inherited from its parents and their ancestors. Good nutrition starting from the point of conception through to fledging serves to ensure the bird reaches its genetic potential for size.

The size that a budgie reaches is genetic. It is inherited from its parents and their ancestors. Good nutrition starting from the point of conception through to fledging serves to ensure the bird reaches its genetic potential for size.

 

 

Yes, agree 100% , its all Genetics

A recent study in cattle production showed that poor nutrition in early age lead to poorer final weights and slower average growth through the life of the animal. So for cattle at least, the right nutrition ALLOWS the animal to reach it's genetic potential.

So, somehow we went from budgies to cattle....does that mean I now have a HERD of budgies???

 

:raincloud:

 

Hmmm...doubt I could milk a budgie.....

I disagree with 100% being Genetics..

 

We did a study on 8 eggs all fertile from the same pair.

 

4 egg were fostered to a different aviary which feed only good seed and clean water.

The original aviary feeds soft food and additives in the water.

 

Result was a remarkable different on both development and size. The chicks from the the fostered aviary where health but smaller with a tighter feather structure than the ones that were feed the additionals supliments.

I disagree with 100% being Genetics..

 

We did a study on 8 eggs all fertile from the same pair.

 

4 egg were fostered to a different aviary which feed only good seed and clean water.

The original aviary feeds soft food and additives in the water.

 

Result was a remarkable different on both development and size. The chicks from the the fostered aviary where health but smaller with a tighter feather structure than the ones that were feed the additionals supliments.

 

well as i said

my last few clutches i moved a few eggs from each pair under diffrent peronts to insure i goyt at least one chick from all pairings and the birds were all feed same

but chicks from nests with larger and more constenly feeding peronts chicks came out larger than the same genetically breed other chicks whos peronts were no feeding as well

out come as i said was

larger chicks from birds that were feeding better and same genetics but not feed as well birds came out smaller

so i think alot is in the both issues not just one

even my first breed albino was fostered and came out smaller than his full sisters that were raised by his natural mum n dad

so... i belive its to do with how much their feed in nest as well

i really cant comment on birds being feed only seed and water as my birds breeding or not get full range of stuff no additives all natural or bar i just started giving pro bows every 3 days a month

I think RIP and Matt are putting forward the arguement that each bird will have a maximum size that they can reach due to their individual genetic make up, and the right food will simply allow it to reach that potential. No matter how good you feed it it will not go past that potential. If thats where they are coming from I would say that makes sense.

 

At the same time I'm sure they would agree that if you simply bred birds and fed them the cheapest seed possible they would go no where near that potential.

 

Therefore as a breeder if you want bigger birds you should feed them the best quality/amount of food possible.

I think RIP and Matt are putting forward the arguement that each bird will have a maximum size that they can reach due to their individual genetic make up, and the right food will simply allow it to reach that potential. No matter how good you feed it it will not go past that potential. If thats where they are coming from I would say that makes sense.

 

At the same time I'm sure they would agree that if you simply bred birds and fed them the cheapest seed possible they would go no where near that potential.

 

Therefore as a breeder if you want bigger birds you should feed them the best quality/amount of food possible.

 

 

I can totally agree with this.. Well put.

I think RIP and Matt are putting forward the arguement that each bird will have a maximum size that they can reach due to their individual genetic make up, and the right food will simply allow it to reach that potential. No matter how good you feed it it will not go past that potential. If thats where they are coming from I would say that makes sense.

 

At the same time I'm sure they would agree that if you simply bred birds and fed them the cheapest seed possible they would go no where near that potential.

 

Therefore as a breeder if you want bigger birds you should feed them the best quality/amount of food possible.

 

yes thanks jimmy banks

I think RIP and Matt are putting forward the arguement that each bird will have a maximum size that they can reach due to their individual genetic make up, and the right food will simply allow it to reach that potential. No matter how good you feed it it will not go past that potential. If thats where they are coming from I would say that makes sense.

 

At the same time I'm sure they would agree that if you simply bred birds and fed them the cheapest seed possible they would go no where near that potential.

 

Therefore as a breeder if you want bigger birds you should feed them the best quality/amount of food possible.

 

Thanks JB , isnt it amazing that someone else can have the right words for what your thinking. If you take a normal nest of 4 young , they are all fed the same in that cabinet , But ! the resulting young can all be different in size . The only variable is in their genetic make up .

I think RIP and Matt are putting forward the arguement that each bird will have a maximum size that they can reach due to their individual genetic make up, and the right food will simply allow it to reach that potential. No matter how good you feed it it will not go past that potential. If thats where they are coming from I would say that makes sense.

 

At the same time I'm sure they would agree that if you simply bred birds and fed them the cheapest seed possible they would go no where near that potential.

 

Therefore as a breeder if you want bigger birds you should feed them the best quality/amount of food possible.

 

Thanks JB , isnt it amazing that someone else can have the right words for what your thinking. If you take a normal nest of 4 young , they are all fed the same in that cabinet , But ! the resulting young can all be different in size . The only variable is in their genetic make up .

 

 

Really Matt? What if one chick being a bit younger is not fed quite as much by it's parents as the others, or maybe the parents select out certain food first and deliver that to only one chick more often than the others? Maybe by chance one of the youngsters gets some food that is not good. There are too many variables in your test of genetics v's nutrition. You would somehow have to ensure that each chick is fed the same in regards to nutrients and quantity for it's life stage as well as ensuring that the nutritional specs were over what is required for maintainence.

 

None the less if any animal is fed to it's optimum the limiting factor becomes it's genetic potential. So I definitely agree with the feeding them best quality and amount of food. BUT have we got any recent information on the actual nutrient requirements for growth of our current exhibition budgie? I know there is sketchy info about budgies in general but nothing done recently. This leads me to think that we don't really have a great handle on what our exhibition budgies ACTUALLY need or more like what actual quatities they need now a days.

Edited March 4, 201015 yr by nubbly5

Hi Nubbly there was a study done and documented. It is in The Master Breeder series.

 

Link to Nutrition

I think RIP and Matt are putting forward the arguement that each bird will have a maximum size that they can reach due to their individual genetic make up, and the right food will simply allow it to reach that potential. No matter how good you feed it it will not go past that potential. If thats where they are coming from I would say that makes sense.

 

At the same time I'm sure they would agree that if you simply bred birds and fed them the cheapest seed possible they would go no where near that potential.

 

Therefore as a breeder if you want bigger birds you should feed them the best quality/amount of food possible.

 

Thanks JB , isnt it amazing that someone else can have the right words for what your thinking. If you take a normal nest of 4 young , they are all fed the same in that cabinet , But ! the resulting young can all be different in size . The only variable is in their genetic make up .

 

 

Really Matt? What if one chick being a bit younger is not fed quite as much by it's parents as the others, or maybe the parents select out certain food first and deliver that to only one chick more often than the others? Maybe by chance one of the youngsters gets some food that is not good. There are too many variables in your test of genetics v's nutrition. You would somehow have to ensure that each chick is fed the same in regards to nutrients and quantity for it's life stage as well as ensuring that the nutritional specs were over what is required for maintainence.

 

None the less if any animal is fed to it's optimum the limiting factor becomes it's genetic potential. So I definitely agree with the feeding them best quality and amount of food. BUT have we got any recent information on the actual nutrient requirements for growth of our current exhibition budgie? I know there is sketchy info about budgies in general but nothing done recently. This leads me to think that we don't really have a great handle on what our exhibition budgies ACTUALLY need or more like what actual quatities they need now a days.

 

Come on nubbly , there isnt that many variables in nest that is going to dramatically enhance the growth of one bird over the other .

My older chicks feed the younger ones , I see it all the time

Well you might be surprised.. There can be a big differnece in one nest from the oldest to the youngest depending on the feeding habbit of the hen.,

I Agree ,But why keep hens that dont feed properly , You are only passing on Bad genetic traits arent you.

... you don't keep bad hens.

Feeding as well as breeding is a feature that yoiu try to enhance in your aviary.

 

But my comment was not about bad feeding hens, it was about the difference in feeding that some hen do.

 

The difference comes from a well fed younger chick compaired to a "Stuffed" older chick.

Edited March 6, 201015 yr by Daz

Thanks for the article Daz but that even talks of gaps in knowledge about budgie nutrition. This take directly from the article itself: "Finally, to complicate matters even further, optimum dietary levels of a number of nutrients have not yet been determined for Budgerigars."

 

Also Mat my comment is merely that there are too many variables even in the same nest. If you tried to publish a peer reviewed article using that as your evidence it would not be accepted as reasonable evidence.