Big blue and his lady

[Guthwulf]

These 2 lovely birds are a surprising pair for me. I put the female down some months ago, and although she showed interest in the box nothing ever eventuated after a few weeks so i put her back in the flight to gain condition.

Later i purchased Big blue, and placed him in the flight after quarantine. At first i paired him with another female i have who is his exact match, she is also a YF1 violet cobalt opaline. Both of them have a very rich deep colouring and i was so eager for their babies. They didnt hit it off at all, and when i placed them back in the aviary, the male promptly began kissing up with another boy. I was horrified at the thought that i had purchased two males who werent into breeding at all, and would prefer eachother to females.

So i removed his man-friend, and sure enough he chose the very next grey bird he could find - only it was a she! I placed them in a breeding cabinet as she was in prime condition to breed and just over a week later we have eggs :)

Although they kiss and preen and feed eachother regularly, i had never seen this pair mate (unlike augren who mounts tuatha every chance he gets). So i was thinking round one would be clear. They have 4 eggs so far (possibly 5, i havent checked this morning) and two days ago egg #1 showed clear, but egg #2 showed veins and a tiny beating heart! SUCCESS!! The other eggs are too young to tell, but im hopeful every egg after #2 will be fertile.

Fingers crossed, come along for the ride anyway! Babies could be YF1, YF2, dominant pied, grey, sky blue, cobalt (not sure about dark factor of the female so possibly could be some mauves).

Heres mum and dad:

http://file046b.bebo.com/9/original/2009/02/11/01/6697130a10072499769o.jpg

[absolutangel]

Ooooh, they're beautiful, I hope the eggs are fertile and that you'll be showing us their offspring soon.

[enicol6]

That is so funny. I am glad for your success and they should be beautiful babies. I have a boy who prefers his man friends as a general rule as well. But none more then his own reflection. I look forward to seeing the babies :)

[Zeena]

They're both gorgeous :)
Hope you get some fertile eggs :)
Keep us posted!

[Shy Bird]

my brother thinks the female is an awsome colo:cool:r.

[Cassidy]

wow very pretty i love the females coloring!!!!! i am bad at genacaticks ( bad spelling i know)

[LORI]

Beautiful birds and won't it be exciting to see what colors come out when those babies come:rolleyes:

[SusanBudgies]

I have a boy who prefers his man friends as a general rule as well. But none more then his own reflection. :laughing2: My Mr. Blue also is a bit of a narcissist.

[Guthwulf]

Ok so here are some updates. For her first round she has laid a total of 6 eggs.

Egg #1 was infertile (clear).
Egg #2 Fertile - developing and due to hatch on the 23rd or 24th of this month.
Egg #3 Was fertile, developed blood ring after a few days (dead in shell).
Egg #4 Fertile
Egg #5 Fertile
Egg #6 Appears fertile.

Fingers crossed :) Should have some good news to report next week. I am more eager to see the results of these chicks than i was with augren and tuathas!

[Guthwulf]

Howdi howdi hey everyone :)

Just thought i'd let you know that as of this evening, egg #2 was making tapping noises. I didnt hear any peeping, but then i didnt really hang around long. Should hatch late tonight or early morning (in the eaaaarly AM) tomorrow.

Will post pics tomorrow of their first baby! What will it become in the next few weeks... oooh the anticipation!!

[Angelic Vampyre]

Oh congrats can't wait to see what they have out of this pair

[Guthwulf]

Here is bub number one!

http://file046b.bebo.com/1/large/2009/02/24/08/6697130a10182295002l.jpg

[tammy1969]

Congratulations on your new baby, so beautiful!!!!!

The parents are gorgeous, so I can't wait to see the outcome of the chicks.

I'm so excited for you!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D I can't wait to see the other chicks.

[enicol6]

Congratulations on the new baby!!!!!!!

[lorri]

I love that picture Dean it's so cute it's like the man has come from work and asking for his tea.

success at last hey obviously the male would have any body no matter if it's a girl or a boy lol.
Please you've got fertile eggs though watch this space hey :D

[Guthwulf]

Hi all, egg #4 has been overdue a day or two for hatching, and i'd heard no shell pecking or peeping from inside. This hen is not the tidiest, she poops inside the box sometimes instead of dropping her massive loads outside. Fortunately i placed a lot of bedding inside as soon as i realised this and it has absorbed MOST of the muck. Frustratingly i have had to clean at least one of her four eggs DAILY as i have found caked on poop which is deadly to growing chicks.

I was worried that i had not been able to clean the eggs quick enough every day and that eggs #4,5,6 were dead in shell. Today however, when egg#5 was due to hatch, i found that egg #4 is about 30% through breaking the shell and peeping loudly!

Seems the eggs have gone a few days off schedule, but late is better than never! Expect pics soon! Fingers crossed it makes it out ok, i'll be checking!

[enicol6]

Oh I am glad to hear number four made it. He just wanted to make a grand entrance. I got a new peep today too. Can't wait to see pictures :)

[Guthwulf]

Just came home earlier today to find egg #4 is now baby #2!! Wish i had been home to see it happen, but i was very surprised to find big blue was the one sitting on the eggs and chicks when i came home!! Not only that but mum leaps out as soon as i check the box, whereas dad seems more than happy to stay where he is, slowly nudging the babies and eggs under his belly, doing a little bum shuffle to get comfy then staring at me straight in the eye lol.

Babies are both fed and doing well. Augren and Tuatha are due to have their first chick from their latest round hatch tomorrow, so this week i should have a baby hatching every day :).

Heres a couple of quick snaps:

http://file047b.bebo.com/10/original/2009/03/01/02/6697130a10223099424o.jpg

And one of the two babies together:
http://file047b.bebo.com/10/original/2009/03/01/02/6697130a10223099458o.jpg

Updates to come with any further babies!

[enicol6]

Those are GREAT pictures and congratulations again. My daddy over here sits on the eggs and babies too although mostly at night. It is nice to have a male that is that involved with the eggs/babies. You have 2 more coming right?

[Robin's Nest]

AWW! Congratulations!!!! :D

[KatRay09]

Wow they will make pretty babies!I'm so excited for you can't wait to see more pics!

[Guthwulf]

Wow, unexpected! I figured because egg #4 (baby#2) hatched late that the rest would also be late. However, even though egg #4 hatched yesterday, egg #5 hatched today, on the same day augren and tuatha's little albino girl hatched :)

Snapped these great pics of the two little babies snuggling up to their bigger sibling!!

http://file048b.bebo.com/0/original/2009/03/02/07/6697130a10235323185o.jpg

http://file048b.bebo.com/0/original/2009/03/02/07/6697130a10235323246o.jpg

[budgie_kelsey]

Aww, look at 'em!!! So cute!:loveeyes: I just adore baby birds.. They're so ugly that they're cute! lol if you know what I mean...:rolleyes:

[Guthwulf]

Update!

Fourth egg shown above hatched and died before i got to see the baby alive :( Either it got crushed or it just wasnt strong enough. Not sure.

The oldest baby is either a violet grey or a dark factor grey. Dad is a violet cobalt and mum is the grey, so its possible. I found out dad is split for opaline since the next two babies seem to be girls - an opaline dominant pied grey (no dark factor or violet) and a YF2 opaline dominant pied cobalt (possibly violet, but not so sure yet, dont think it is).

The grey boy has a good head on him, spots arent so great but then the parents didnt have great spots to begin with :) The creamino in this nest is augren and tuatha's chick :) She has way more yellow than her creamino sister from the previous clutch!

http://file046b.bebo.com/18/original/2009/03/29/07/6697130a10455623325o.jpg

http://file046b.bebo.com/18/original/2009/03/29/07/6697130a10455623348o.jpg

http://file046b.bebo.com/18/original/2009/03/29/07/6697130a10455623374o.jpg

[stacey101]

awww they are adorable , congrats!

[Budgiekin]

Oh what beauties! They are absolutely adorable!

(I'm sorry to hear about the egg that didn't make it. :()

I look forward to your continued updates. (I'm definitely going to learn a lot about mutations from you!)

[helloyo53]

Aww they are so very cute! I have just seen this thread, and I didn't know you were breeding!:o Very cute!:)

[Rebeccaveggie]

Beautiful babies! They are gourgous!

[enicol6]

Wow did they turn out beautiful!!! I love that the oldest already has his serious English face :) Boy that went fast. Beautiful beautiful :) Sorry about your little chick :(

[Jazz4Tj]

They are all beautiful!

[ozzie]

Wow the babies are gorgeous! Love the very last picture you have posted! That needs to go in a frame its so cute!

[moomoo16]

they are beutiful babies

[kimhosken]

they beautiful babies