My Budgie Blue cant fly

[abbi]

I got 4 Budgies 3 months ago.- Two are Australian, and they will fly all over the room daily. They always return to the cage. The other two, Louie and Blue are English so they are larger. The vet said they are healthy and not overweight. They are both about a year old. I got them from a long term Breeder so they were in a flight cage. I have them all four in a tall flight cage together now they get along well.

Louie had clipped wings but they are growing back in now. On the very rare occasions he ventures out of the cage, maybe once a week if that, he gracefully flutters to the floor. I expect once his flight wings are back he will be able to fly.

Blue is a bit bigger than Louie. Blue never had clipped wings. He has all his feathers. He just tries to fly and is very bad at it. He tries more often than Louie but he flaps like crazy and just flutters to the floor but it is not at all graceful like Louie. Even in the cage he falls to the bottom a lot. I love him dearly. Do you think he will someday fly? Once they are on the floor they will step up to the long perch and let me return them to the cage. I try to keep them out to practice flying awhile before I return them. Do you think he just needs a lot more practice? How long can I work with him? i don't want to wear the little guy out.

[jellybean]

Can you post some picture of him.

[abbi]

[abbi]

Blue is active and feisty and will climb all over the place even out the door and to the top of the cage, poor guy tries to fly....

[jellybean]

Did they have free flight time from the breeder before you got them. If not he might have no muscle mass to allow him to fly.
He definitely looks fully feathered.

See what others think.

[Hezz]

The first, darker photo, he doesn’t seem to have. Full complement of flight feathers on the side facing the camera, but does in the others, so it can’t be that. All you can do is give him the opportunity to build up muscle mass in the hope that it will help get him into the air, but without an examination we can only be guessing that there is no other physical reason for him not to be able to fly. Keep letting him practise, but make sure he isn’t going to hurt himself. Padding on the floor of the cage and around the cage and perching stations might be needed. Birds that can’t fly or have been severely clipped risk hurting the base of their spine and/or their keel if they land heavily.

[abbi]

Thanks, I will try to encourage him to practice. The Avian vet gave him a very close exam and said all looks to be in order. He was in the same cage as Louie but I don't know how much flying time they got. He seems happy and peppy - I'll let you all know in a few months. thanks for the input

[abbi]

UPDATE. - Buddy Blue comes out once or twice a week, he really wants to fly when Annabelle and Speedy start their flying. He is actually getting better at it and his flights are become longer and more smooth. I think he will get it eventually, in his own time. I'll keep you all posted, he is not giving up trying!

[Hezz]

That’s very good. A bit of practice and the chance to build up some stamina is all he needs.

[abbi]

Just a follow up - Blue still can't fly - he is a great runner and climber and tries to fly -doesn't fall to the ground - just flutters down - can fly about a 1-2 feet on a downward trajectory - not sure if he will ever fly but - still trying to encourage him - he is an English parakeet so perhaps that is why - I'll report back next year

[Hezz]

It is sad that he hasn’t gotten to that stage but I bet he is a happy Chappy, anyway. As long as he doesn’t hurt himself trying - that’s probably the biggest thing to watch for.