Julie & her flock's breeding journal

[Julie]

ok... here we go! I'm presently owner of 11 adult budgies and 6 baby budgies... My first clutch of babies ever!! :) I'm really happy about it... but really nervous as well!


My concern right now is that I need to clean the two nests... and I'm scarred! But I saw some poop on one of the little guys paws, and I know I need to get it off... He's 10 days, another in the same nest is 9 days and 7 days, and another only a few days old... Do I remove them by hand... I suppose, not much other choices!! And that particular nest box is a wood one, do I wash the wood and wait for it to dry, then put them back?? Should I put some paper on the bottom?

Thanks!

[Babyluv12]

Just wash your hand really well with antibacterial soap and hot water and pick them up gently and put them in a dish with a clean folded towel on the bottom. Keep them away from drafts and work fast. I wouldn't go through washing it and letting it dry unless you have a second box to use in the meantime. Just dump the inside and wipe it down -you can use vinegar since it works as a natural antibacterial. Make sure you don't wet it -just wipe it. I would add a papertowel on the bottom so you can easily remove it next time with the bedding, etc. Then place the new bedding and put back the chicks. BTW. congrats

[Julie]

I'm gonna try that right now!! :)

Thanks a million!! By the way, I really love your sig!!!

[Julie]

Ok, I've cleaned the nests and tried to clean the babies... some of them I couldn't get the poop off their feet (not on the toes, but the joint)... Anyone has any tricks I could use? I tried with a warm wash cloth, but I didn't dare dunk the bird in the water yet!!

[Babyluv12]

Thanks. Next time you have them out try a warm damp papertowel and hold it on there for a little while to moisten it a bit. I wouldn't worry too much about it right now, just clean the box every few days so they stay as clean as possible.

[Lacey6116]

All budgie mums seems to be different in terms of what they will let you do - but with mine, i have 2 nest boxes for each breeding cabinet and each day when i feed the parents, i take the nest box out, check babies crops are full, clean their feet, give them a kiss :o, then replace them with fresh bedding into the second nest box, while i clean the first one properly. I know that there is some good advice as to leaving them for a few days in the nest box, so that their immune system builds up, but i always think that i am there, so why not check and clean them - i know i sure would prefer a clean house to live in! Congrats on the bubs

[Julie]

Update on my journal

I'm getting used to handling the chicks, which are cuter and cuter every day!! But also dirtier too!! They are getting harder and harder to clean (they are fast!!) Anyone has any advice for me?? Tricks for easier cleaning of the feet, or keeping them "happy" while restraining them??

Also, my nest is approx 3 ft up it the cage (it's a big cage)... is there any danger of the chicks falling out of the nest? Should I lower the nest? Will the mother let me and not complain too much??

Thanks!!

Julie :p

[clifff123]

Wow 3 ft is a long drop for a baby budgie, our was about 10 inches and they would fall out. Thats a big cage. I would try to lower it in some way.
Bye the way they area adorable!!

[Julie]

You know what, it would be 1 & half feet (which is still alot for a baby bird in my opinion), but will the mom mind? Will she still feed them? They are between 2 and 3 weeks old by now approx...

I've included a picture of my 4 yr old son besides the cage we bought for our budgies!

[nev90]

Do you get the nest box wet when you're cleaning it? If the box is dry the dirt shouldn't stick to the babies. Possibly if they are getting too dirty it is because they are getting too much soft green food and that's causing loose droppings.

[Julie]

No, I don't get the nest wet... I put 2 paper towels on the bottom & change them each night. As for feeding, they get their normal seeds... I just make sure there is enough of it, and sometimes some soaked oatmeal (that might be it)... But they are 4 of them in there, it does tend to be dirtier than in the other nest where there are only 2 of them!

[Lacey6116]

My chicks always get dirty also. I think its because as they grow, the hen looks after them a little less so that they become independant. I dont have a huge flock, so each chick is hand tamed. Because of that they get used to me handling them a lot and i usually just used a wet paper towel to loosen any gunk and it should be easy to come off.

The little devils sure get themselves into a mess though sometimes dont they!!! :eek:

The chicks are so so cute - and so different - what do mum and dad look like?

[Julie]

The chicks are so so cute - and so different - what do mum and dad look like?


Well... it's a bit complicated! This is my first flock you see, and after reading last year, I had decided to put a few nests in my cage (it's a rather big cage) and let the birds be to see what would happen. Well!! At first, nothing. Then, one couple I adopted from a cousin who couldn't keep her birds anymore, decided to start laying eggs in one of the nest in last December. I was so happy!! My first eggs! She had 5 eggs. 2 broke. Then, another kind of dissappeared (seemed to have been all chewed up). And the next day, the last egg hatched while I was away for one night... and when I came home, I found this tiny pink bird on the bottom of my cage, dead. I was SO dissappointed!! Sky didn't give up... She laid again a little while later, so after the 2nd egg, I moved Sky (mom) and Plankton (dad or I assumed it was) to a separate cage (the only other one I have). Then, two more hens started laying eggs in the bigger cage. Weeks went by, then another attack on one of the hens, and some eggs were thrown out of the nest (one you could see the babe almost ready to hatch :( . After the attack, I spread the remaining eggs between the other 2 hens... 2 each. And no... it never occured to me to mark the eggs... Hence the dilemma!! The attacked hen (Bradette) is white with a bit of blue... so is her mate. Sky (Mom) is a purple/blue and Plankton (Dad) is a normal green. My other Mom is blue (Gertrude)... and with her I don't know who the mate is! I've seen her with two males : Edgar (white who fathered Bradette's eggs) and Chick Hicks (another normal green)...

So needless to say, this summer I plan on either building breeding cages, or purchasing a few other cages to be able to keep a better record of the parents!! :-)

I'll try to post pictures soon of the parents (my daughter will work on that for me!)

[Julie]

Here's a few pictures taken this afternoon... :)

[Julie]

Here's a pic of one of the babies... Can't wait to see what color it turns out to be!!