BREEDS & THEIR NEEDS
BUDGIES
(Pet & Aviary)

Albino Cock, Blue Pied, Lutino, Normal Blue + Green Spangles	Albino (behind branch) Dbl Factor white, Lutino + 2 Blues.	2 Green Spangles, Green Opaline, Lutino + Blue	Double Factor White Cock next to Lutino Hen	4 Lutinos + Rainbow + Dominant Blue Pied
Lutino Hen with 8 eggs		Chicks approx 3 weeks old - the eldest is a Pied

The pictures are "Thumbnails" - click on pictures inc. the one at the top of the page and you will
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BREED INFO.

• Budgies originate from Australia, as do most of the small Parakeets we English tend to breed.

• In the outback of Australia the wild Budgie is always a "Normal Green" colour and much smaller than the budgies we breed in captivity.

• It's only in captivity that we manage to produce such diversity of shapes and sizes and the many variations of colours.

• All the above pictures are of "Pet" Budgies, as opposed to the specialist "Show" quality Budgies that some Breeders produce and show up and down the Country.

• The main difference is the size - those of "Show" quality being much larger, esp. the head and the "Necklace" - the black spots around the birds' throat.

• The Show Breeders tend to titivate and tart these spots even to the point of plucking out any
  feathers that may detract from a true-shaped big spot!

• Pet Budgies can be an ideal bird for the beginner to start out with.

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FEEDING

• They can thrive just on a Budgie mix seed.

• They love Millet Sprays but these are quite fattening (so should be given sparingly),  as are all the Millet seeds you find in your average Budgie mixed seed, which tends to have more millets than any other seeds.

• However, if you mix a Budgie Tonic Seed  (which has a better mix of seeds a bit like mixed
  canary seed + a budgie seed) with Plain Canary seed you will get a much better selection of seeds
  to help keep your birds healthy.

• The seed husks must be blown off the top of the seed dishes everyday before replenishing with
  new seeds, otherwise you could end up with a full dish of husks and rubbish and no seed for your
  birds to eat, if you just keep adding rather than de-husking first.
   

• A seed "Winnower" is ideal to sort the husks from the good seed, thus not wasting seed and therefore saving money!
  f

• Budgies love most green foods esp. chunks of carrots, apples and celery which you can stab onto panel pins which you can nail onto branches or shelves in the Aviary.

• They thrive on clean wild foods too inc. dandelion leaves, chickweed, dock seeds, shepherds purse, seeding grasses at hay time.

• When breeding they appreciate EMP (or similar) Egg food slightly dampened either
  with/without Sweetcorn added.

• (Frozen sweetcorn covered in boiling water and put in Microwave for 3 mins then the water
  strained off before mixing with the egg food).
   

• No bird likes sloppy food - just slightly moist and crumbly.
  

• You can overdose budgies on Calcium - esp. at Breeding time - so it's best NOT to add supplements which include Calcium to any soft foods or water.
   (see note on Calcium overdose).
   

• I once saw a budgie hen that was supplemented with calcium at breeding time, try to lay an egg and
  end up with a bad prolapse as it struggled to lay the egg - the poor thing had to be put to sleep.

• You are much safer just making sure your Budgies have free access to Cuttlefish and Grit (mineralised/oystershell).  This will provide sufficient calcium for your budgies needs,
  even at Breeding time.

• Budgies DO need IODINE in their diets, so make sure you provide them with iodised mineral nibbles block (the small square pink blocks you can buy from your Pet shop).
   

• They must have fresh clean water every day. 

•  In the summer make sure you clean your water dishes and drinkers regularly, as they tend to
  turn green when the sun's on them.
   

• They do enjoy a bath - so make sure you provide a dish or hanging bath of a size your budgie
  can get into to splash about.

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SEXING

• In the normal colours of Budgie telling the sexes apart is quite easy once they are a few weeks old.

• The Cockbird has a BLUE CERE (the fleshy bit above the beak).

• The Hen has a BROWN CERE.

• In the younger hen immature hen i.e. under 4 months old - the Cere tends to be a fawny-brown.
   

• That doesn't mean to say you can breed them after 4 months - they should be at least 8 months
  - 1year old ideally before they are allowed to breed, even tho. they probably would go to nest a lot younger - if you let them - but you wouldn't be doing the bird any favours!!
   

• As the Hen comes into Breeding condition it's Cere darkens until it is a deep chocolate-brown colour.
   

• With experience, you can actually sex chicks while still in the Nest, as a Hen chick will nearly
  always bite you and make threatening noises (which is what it will do when it becomes an adult,
  and is protecting it's own Nest box).

• The cock chick is a lot milder mannered - it may give you a nip if you handle it but nothing like the "bite" the Hen chick will give you!!
  
  

• The "Ino's"  i.e. Lutino (yellow) and Albino (white)  (the red-eyed varieties) are a little more
  difficult to sex:
  

  • The "Ino" cockbird's Cere is a pale "baby-blue" colour, even when Adult.

  • The Hen bird stays more fawny but does turn a much darker brown when Adult and in Breeding condition.
    

  • "Double Factor" Birds (dominant colouration).

    • The "White" ones are white all over and  look like an Albino but have a strong blue
      tinge to the feathers and have dark eyes not the Red eye the Albino has

    • - the cock birds have a normal deep blue Cere.    (See pictures above).

    • The "Yellow Double Factors" are similar to Lutinos but their colour is a stronger,
      deeper yellow.  They also have dark eyes rather than red ones and the Cock bird also
      has a normal deep blue Cere - not the pale "Baby blue" of the Lutino.
       

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BREEDING

• When breeding Budgies everybody has their own ideas and techniques which work for them.

• Some Breeders start breeding before Xmas, so that their birds have gone thru the moult ready for
  the Showing Season.

• These Breeders usually have their Birds housed indoors and use light dimmers etc., to simulate Spring conditions.

• Other, non-competitive Breeders wait until Spring-time which is when the birds will naturally come
  into Breeding condition.

• The cock and hen should be fully fit and in Breeding condition. i.e. their Ceres should be bright blue
  in the cock bird and a chocolate brown in the Hen.

• The Cock bird will start feeding the hen.

• They tend to bond and mate for life but that doesn't mean that the cock doesn't try it on with other spare, available hens when his mate is in the nest box!

• Depending on whether you breed in cages with one pair to a cage or en-colony with lots of Budgies together in an Aviary. 

• You get better results if a few budgies are within sight and sound of each other.

• They seem to like noise.  

• A Radio can be appreciated.
   

• Don't get misled, as budgies are very sociable birds and you often see cock budgies feeding another cock budgie - it usually means nothing other than they are being sociable - it happens all the time.
   

• If you are breeding one pair to a cage - you need a decent sized cage 2ft 6" - 3ft long, as budgies
  are prone to getting fat, if they are housed in too small an area. 
   

• The Nest box can be added either onto the front or side of the cage, depending on your set-up.

• In an Aviary it is ESSENTIAL to make sure you have quite a few more Nest boxes than actual pairs
  of birds, otherwise you will end up with major fighting, which could be nasty.

• There can be a lot of friction between the hens when deciding which Nest boxes are the best and
  they would like to lay claim to.

• This is why they should all be as near identical size and design to each other as possible and all
  fixed at the same height, with the pop holes at the same height and level.

• They will all try and claim the highest and there could be fighting and even fatalities.

• They can be quite cannibalistic when it comes to territory!

• If Breeding en-colony - once the pairs have claimed their Nest boxes and started to lay, you must NEVER EVER introduce any new birds - this is asking for big trouble.

• SEE Important Notes on NESTBOXES (Approx. 12" high x 6" square)
  
   

• Budgies don't actually need any bedding in the bottom of the Nest box but they must have a
  wooden concave (like a saucer) so that the eggs don't roll around and get chilled.

• Also, so that chicks can get a purchase when they push with their legs trying to move around.

• If you don't have a concave with shallow sides or a sprinkle  (no deeper) of bedding if the
  nest box bottom is flat, you may end up with chicks with Splayed Legs.
  
   

• A loose Rule of Thumb, is that it's usually approx. 2 weeks from putting birds together and
  seeing them feed/mate to the first egg being laid.
   

• They lay their eggs every other day

• They lay between 4 - 8 eggs

• Hens usually start to incubate after the 2nd egg is laid.

• All the chicks will then hatch every other day.  

• This is so that in the wild they stand the chance of at least some of the chicks surviving, if they are all of different ages, if there is a draught or predator problems.
   

• They can lay up to 3 clutches every year. 

• Any more than that, esp. if she brings them all up, would deplete the Hen's calcium reserves and
  not do her any favours health-wise! 

• Over-breeding is a big No-No!
   

• The Cock bird keeps guard of the nest and feeds the hen while she is incubating.

• He also helps to feed the chicks once they hatch.

• If anything did happen to the Hen, the cock bird has been known to take over the feeding and rearing of the chicks

• If the cock bird did not take over the feeding and rearing then the only other options are adding the chicks to another hen's nest if she has chicks of a similar age (so long as she hasn't too many to start with).

• or HAND-REAR - not an option to be taken on lightly if you haven't done it before.

• On another note: If anything happened to the cockbird i.e. it dies/escapes - so long as it has mated at least once with the hen, the sperm stays viable in the hen long enough to fertilise a full clutch of eggs.

• INCUBATION:  approx. 18 days

• CLOSED RING:  10 - 12 days - usually when eyes are about 1/2 open.

• RING SIZE:   L

• FLEDGE:   approx. 28 - 35 days

• Once out of the nest the cock bird tends to top the chick up until it's fully independent.

DIET WHEN BREEDING

• Budgies don't need a special diet when Breeding. 

• Just a good quality seed and everything I've already mentioned above.

• They appreciate slightly dampened EMP egg food (+ cooked sweetcorn, if you wish) when feeding their chicks but they don't actually need anything other than their usual seed diet + greenfoods etc.

• Obviously, fresh water.

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PET BIRDS

• Budgies are one of the original companion Pet Birds kept in homes, going back centuries.

• Most people prefer the Cock Budgie as it can learn to talk, do Tricks and is much gentler, quieter and easier to tame than the Hen Budgie.
   

• All Pet Birds should be able and allowed to take plenty of flying exercise.

• You are much better spending time getting your bird used to you and accepting you BEFORE you
  let it out to fly Free.

• If they are finger-tame all the better, then you can get the bird back into it's cage safely with
  as little stress as possible.

• If you can't get the bird back in it's cage

  • - NEVER chase it or try to catch it by trapping it against a wall or try to throw a towel over it.  

• You will give the bird major stress if you do this and it could have a heart attack and even die of
  fright or you could badly injure it.
   

• Be very aware the first time you let your new pet out, as they always fly straight at and into the window, as this looks like an open space to them.

• Many Pets have ended up either concussed or with broken necks after their first foray out, for just such a reason, esp. the baby birds.

• Always have something up at the window - like net curtains or blinds etc. 

• On the reverse side of the coin - always make sure ALL WINDOWS, Doors etc. are closed when
  your pet is free, as they are like grease-lightening and will be thru. a gap before you know it!

• Just be aware that all "Parrot-like" birds will chew anything wooden or fabric, so watch it at
  all times while it is out of it's cage.

• Make sure you don't have any poisonous plants in your house that your bird could nibble.
   

• You should NEVER leave any Pet Bird alone in the house for extended periods of time
  - that's paramount to mental cruelty!  Like a Prisoner in solitary confinement!
   

• Budgies love mirrors and will "chatter" away to their reflections.

• Also, they love "stimulating" Toys and swings - but don't clutter their free space - they need to
  be able to move freely about, within their cages.

• You are better only giving one or 2 toys at any one time then changing them, say weekly, to help
  keep your bird stimulated.
  
   

• CAGES :  Make sure that at least 2 sides of the cage the Bars are Horizontal.

• Budgies can't climb up Vertical Bars and they need to be able to climb all round their cage.  

• Square or rectangular Cages are acceptable but...

• Round cages, esp. those with vertical bars are a big No! No!
  
   

• Another consideration is the height and width of the cage.  There is no point in having a tall narrow cage, as your bird cannot fly vertically only horizontally then upwards.

• Some cages, esp. those for the bigger bird, have the top of the cage in 2 halves which open separately. 

• The top opens out, so that you can put a perch across the gap, then the bird can perch above it's own cage and hopefully save your furnishings - it also will do it's droppings into it's cage and not on
  your floor!

• All these things must be taken into consideration when buying your Pet Bird's cage as it has to live
  in it and it must feel like a spacious home and not a prison!
   

• Another thought is the cage door.  It's much better if it opens downwards and doubles-up as a platform for the bird to sit on as it comes out of it's cage.  

• If the door opens sideways there is only the thin metal door frame for the bird to perch on to get in and out of it's cage.

• Natural branches are best as perches - smooth dowel rods or ridged plastic perches are not good for their feet.  (See Bumblefoot)

• Sandpaper perch covers are just cruelty!! 

• Would you like to stand with your bare feet on a perch covered in sandpaper??
   

• They need different widths of perch to exercise their feet and their perches should be wide enough so that the foot just sits on the top half of the perch and isn't so narrow that the foot wraps all the way round it.
   

• When you go out it's a good idea to leave either a radio or television on for your Bird.

• Better still, have another sociable, non-threatening, Pet Bird in a separate cage in the same room.
   

• Never have your bird in a South Facing window, where the sun can beat mercilessly on them, trapped in their cages, during the summer months. 

• Your Pet can and will overheat.

• During the heat of the day in the wild, birds seek shade in cool areas of bushes and trees.

• You never see a Bird outside "Sunbathing" by choice!!

• You may love the Sun but your bird prefers shade and cool.

• NEVER leave another Pet alone in the room with your Pet Bird.  Esp. a dog or cat!!
   

• They do like to be covered over at night and some will even let you know when they are ready to
   "go to Bed".