It still hasn't hatched. The eldest has its eyes fully open. I might be able to take more photos soon.

Hi Ratsy, going back over your journal, I think Marigold laid last egg on the 5th. so add the eighteen or so days she is still about on cue so last egg could still be o.k. See how it goes in a day or so. Either way you've got a nice little family going there.

Yep! So I can start handling them at two weeks? What do I do with the egg if it doesn't hatch? Do I chuck it out or leave it?

Yep! So I can start handling them at two weeks?

Why two weeks ? If you read the caring for baby budgies in the nestbox article FAQ or BREEDING TIPS area you need to be handling them sooner to look out for any issues.

i handle my chicks from day three on i give each one a quick look over when their 1 week i start checking their mouth for food mum may of left stuck to their beak tops and under tongue for same stuck in bottom beak

as if you do not clean this out the beaks deform

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....showtopic=13358

Yep! So I can start handling them at two weeks? What do I do with the egg if it doesn't hatch? Do I chuck it out or leave it?

Hi Ratsy, About the egg. I would remove it in time but, what is the usual thing with Hen's? Do they toss an egg that is d.in s. say or infertile or do they just sit? I haven't thought about this before Ratsy but someone will know and they could tell the rest of us so we'll all know.

second chick is green, there is a tiny bit of yellow on the wing. still haven't got a clue of the first one, though I think it is blue.

Yep! So I can start handling them at two weeks? What do I do with the egg if it doesn't hatch? Do I chuck it out or leave it?

Hi Ratsy, About the egg. I would remove it in time but, what is the usual thing with Hen's? Do they toss an egg that is d.in s. say or infertile or do they just sit? I haven't thought about this before Ratsy but someone will know and they could tell the rest of us so we'll all know.

 

i leave till the last chick is two weeks if hen has not tossed it i toss it

Awww. I just watched the eldest preening himself.

Awww. I just watched the eldest preening himself.

Lovely eh' Ratsy. Still no news egg 5? I'd say it's getting a bit too late now.

Definately a dud egg, robyn. I just woke the birds up. Marigold was awake and Skye was asleep. Do I need to clean the box in a few days?

Edited February 26, 201015 yr by Ratzy

Definately a dud egg, robyn. I just woke the birds up. Marigold was awake and Skye was asleep. Do I need to clean the box in a few days?

 

Hi Ratsy, If your box isn't messy or wet etc from chicks being fed I wouldn't clean it out very often, I think I did it every week. Depends on how much mess is in the box. I only changed shavings etc. when it got a bit messy with droppings. I think I read some don't touch their box's until chick's are out. I suppose it's personal choice. Sorry your last egg hasn't hatched but 4 from 5 is a good effort. Keep up the good work.

Boxes get messier when babies are past two weeks. You may want to clean it out then.

I candled the egg but it seemed clear and it was cold so I removed it. I'll bring it to school to show my classmates how small they are. More yellow is showing on the second chick but none on the first, though it is grey with white down so far. I'll clean the box once the smallest is 2 weeks. I saw the most beautiful rec pied today. It was violet and mostly white. The lady in the shop told me that she knows if they are a boy or a girl by the head shape? Apparently if it is a girl it has a small round head and a boy has a square shape. She also said that all of the budgies in the cage were young, so I pointed out to her that the opaline spangle had a brown cere and a male at the back had a deep blue cere. She didn't even know what a cere was, so I pointed that out too. :rip:

Hi Ratsy, any new pics. ? Your eldest is about 2 weeks now isn't it? Boy time fly's. Can you tell what colours you've got yet?

Sorry I didn't answer that sooner, robyn, I just had a scare with Skye. The eldest is not showing definate colours yet but the second one is definately going to be green. I'm thinking blue for the first one though.

Sorry Ratsy, missed last post until to-day. What's wrong with skye? Hope he's o.k. maybe he's a bit stressed with fatherhood!! Not to make light of things if he's sick or something. Let us know.

Hi AGAIN Ratsy, I just found your other post about Skye. I hope he's looking better now. Try to follow the advice the others gave you, we know Dad's don't always understand things from a "kid's" point of view, your instinct was Skye's not well and you probably know him better than anyone so trust your judgment and do as much as you can to get him well again. It might just be it was a bit of a shock for him to keep up with all those little open beaks, do you have some vitamins or extra nutrition you can give him to help him along? Just keep up your good work and we'll keep everything crossed he's o.k.

He's fine now, put on weight like you wouldn't believe! Thank you. We were a bit low on vegies at the time, but now the cupboard is stocked! I showed my mum and dad a chick out of the box and they couldn't believe how much they'd grown. Two are green and the other two I think are blue or violet. More pics coming soon, there was a camera course at school so I don't think it is here at the moment.

Are you checking the chicks feet and inside their beaks etc ?

Yep! Here is the eldest, it isn't very clear but as soon as someone posts I'll post the next one.

Back again Ratsy, glad to hear Skye is o.k. your bub looks terrific as well, even if a bit blurred l.o.l. waiting for those other pics.

Here is the next photo. I took it while the eldest was out. To me the eldests tail feathers look more violet than blue so maybe I got a violet. Skye is split violet after all.

 

Today more feathers have grown and the eldests tail feathers are deep violet. The second one has some green and the last one has yellow coming through. The third I suspect is violet or blue. I just read that they cannot be split for violet? Then is Skye an actual violet?

Yep! Here is the eldest, it isn't very clear but as soon as someone posts I'll post the next one.

Ratzy............you can post ten images in one post.......you dont have to wait for someone to post after just one image.

Edited March 6, 201015 yr by KAZ