Start of the breeding season

[marleen4]

Sept 11, 2013 11:48:44 GMT BudgiesBuddy said:

I am sorry for your loss the cock.

Are you colony breeding?

I have 2 large aviaries which is quite good as birds can be swapped around when needed.

One aviary has 4 male and 4 female budgies, 4 female diamond doves and a pair of Chinese button quails.
There are several chicks in the nest boxes and one female budgie is infertile.

The other aviary (after the death of the cock) has 2 males and 3 females, 3 male diamond doves and a pair of Chinese button quails with 3 chicks. It also has a lame finch that has lived there for several years after being caught by the cat. She has become tame and is an absolute star at hang gliding!

I know that colony breeding is regarded a no-no, but I like to keep them as natural as possible, whatever that may mean to a bird living in captivity!

[BudgiesBuddy]

Glad that you know what you are doing.

I was just surprised when I read that the hen was asking other males to feed her, and that's why I asked. Because in caged breeding, if we replace a male with another one for any reason, including death, the new male will be attacked by the hen, even killed in some cases.

[marleen4]

Wow, that really surprises me! I've never seen anything remotely like this type of aggression. I'll keep this in mind though, a good heads up.

In the case of colony breeding, other males can replace a lost one. This is the reason I like to have one more male than females. Sometimes the extra male is close to "retirement" or a young cock still discovering about the world. I regard the mate of the infertile hen an extra, as she is a lot of work and not much fun for him At any case, others tend to help out when there are problems of illness or otherwise.

Lat year I had 2 cocks who unfortunately died around the same time. The 2 hens decided to support one another, and became quite attached as Hezz will remember, including sharing a nest box. This was helpful initially, but later on one of them became too possessive and would not let a new cock near "her" bride! She even made the mating movements of a male, which I had never seen before in a female. I had to split them up between the aviaries, which solved the problem. They are both busily creating new families as we speak, so must be bisexual after all!!!

[Hezz]

I do remember this. I fully understand now about a female going through the whole male "process" ..... Misty is doing all this with Smudge ..... I really wonder whether this would have happened if she hadn't lost Fluoro early on - the two paired up when I had them in quarantine. Barrie pegged her as a "little girl trying to be a boy".

As another wierdo to throw into the mix, because Smudge is NOT going to be allowed to breed, is that I have seen her drop her back for Misty, but not for Sparky (cock) ...... sorry, Marleen .... a little off on a tangent there.

[marleen4]

Strange creatures. Their world is much more complicated than I had ever imagined, which explains why I'm hooked! I keep trying to understand and think of solutions, and they are always 3 steps ahead of me.... Who is the clever one here? No, no answer required! (could be a bit embarrassing)

So far so good in the aviaries. I'll try and make some baby pictures this weekend.
Millet spray is an absolute no-no thus far. They are fussy eaters; they only eat what they are brought up on!

[Hezz]

It really makes you wonder how good we are at understanding any of our animals. Some "expert" tells us that they act this way because of ....... and we believe them. So, yes, I do think they are 3 steps out the other side before we have even woken up to the fact we should be moving! But good news that all is going well so far, touch wood!

[marleen4]

I found a new cock, look how handsome he is!!!!
So lucky to find him, as the breeding season has only just started.
He looks like he was born last season, which is just perfect as he will hopefully pair up soon!
Also, the promised pictures of some babies.


Babies!!!


And another one, just before I removed the other eggs.


The new cock, a dilute, to replace Buddie. My daugher named him George.... It's he handsome!!!

[Learner]

A stunner!

Do you know what his parents were like? He should produce some interesting off-spring.
Good luck.


(I'm not jealous - really!! )

[BudgiesBuddy]

George is very handsome.

[BudgiesBuddy]

A Double Factor Spangle.

[marleen4]

Sept 15, 2013 9:56:23 GMT BudgiesBuddy said:

A Double Factor Spangle.

I'm not the best with colours and will have to look this up.... thanks BB!

[ffiscool]

What a beautiful boy!

[Hezz]

I am amending his name slightly to ..... Gorgeous George! Does he have a tint of blue, or is that just the photo?

[marleen4]

Gorgeous George (great name!!) has a pale greyish necklace, but no other colours. I have another bird with similar colouring, however yellow rather than white. He has a pale grey stomach, and also a necklace.

[BudgiesBuddy]

Sept 15, 2013 19:33:03 GMT marleen4 said:

Sept 15, 2013 9:56:23 GMT BudgiesBuddy said:

A Double Factor Spangle.

I'm not the best with colours and will have to look this up.... thanks BB!

Genetically, Double Factor Spangles are all yellow or all white. It depends on their base color. A green budgie will be all yellow, whereas a blue budgie will be all white.

This means that if you pair this male with a normal hen (not split for anything), all the chicks would be green Spangles. They will be split for blue.

But if you pair it with a normal Spangle, half of the chicks will be all yellow and rest half would be green Spangles.