OK so attempt two. Not my attempt The budgies insist.

[DonnaBudgie]

What are you going to name the babies?

 

[rheashard2]

The good news is so long as I wait until the moms are out eating I can get the babies and they don't mind. I can even put them back and they don't mind even if they are in there (the box). All the years feeding them has built up trust I guess. Also when I got both moms (sisters) they were clipped so did a lot of rescues as a first impression.

I tried feeding them millet but were like (what is that) so unless I puke it into their mouths I'm not sure the babies know where food comes from yet.

Regurgitation is feed into baby mouths. Puke goes in toilet!

 

[clark_conure]

What are you going to name the babies?

I don't know probably something comic book like the girl lois and one of the males mr terriffic... will see,

 

[clark_conure]

Regurgitation is feed into baby mouths. Puke goes in toilet!

thanks for the science lesson.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Are the sisters and Clark Jr mating again? My budgies started mating again RIGHT IN THE BOX in front of their KIDS when the kids were 3 weeks old! It continued after she started laying another clutch. She would be brooding the eggs and he would pop in to feed her and the kids but get some action while he was there. She didn't object at all and would just lay more eggs. I replaced them as they were laid with dummy eggs. She laid 11 eggs in her last, third, clutch but I didn't let her keep any. I split up the amorous couple or they would have bred to death.

 

[clark_conure]

Are the sisters and Clark Jr mating again? My budgies started mating again RIGHT IN THE BOX in front of their KIDS when the kids were 3 weeks old! It continued after she started laying another clutch. She would be brooding the eggs and he would pop in to feed her and the kids but get some action while he was there. She didn't object at all and would just lay more eggs. I replaced them as they were laid with dummy eggs. She laid 11 eggs in her last, third, clutch but I didn't let her keep any. I split up the amorous couple or they would have bred to death.

Actually I saw dot try today but they fell....so I don't think he finished. I really don't want to got for another round of this. I love the babies but these three are enough birbs.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Then you need to remove the boxes as soon as the babies fledge.

 

[clark_conure]

noted.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

They still may lay eggs wherever they can find a spot to do it.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Stopping budgies from breeding once they start can be hard. Before I bred some last summer I thought it would be fun to let them raise one clutch and somehow they would stop at one, but they had other ideas. Maybe some pairs will stop but mine kept right on going. I separated them after they laid their third clutch of 10 eggs (I subbed all eggs for dummies)! As long as they have a box and plenty of food they're programmed to make more budgies. Five years ago an elderly man in Michigan was letting his budgies colony breed in a room in his house. His son called Animal Protection and they took away 838 budgies! He said they just kept breeding. I can't imagine what his house smelled like!

This only applies to regular budgies, not English. English budgies are much harder to get to breed. They're just too lazy it seems. The show breeders I know say you can't just pair them up or even let them pick their own mates, put the pairs in breeding cages and give them a box. They have to set up several pairs to get just one pair to breed and this is a problem when they have champion birds they want to breed and they won't. I have 3 healthy young English females in a large cage with three healthy young males and they've shown no interest in forming pair bonds and mating.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Oy... and I thought cockatiels were prolific breeders !!

 

[clark_conure]

So Dot's kids seem to be able to grip at least on my hand I hope they come out soon. All three still fine. The biggest issue is locking the GCC up when I'm not around. Let him out last night night and was fine for a few hours then attacked budgie mom. Had to chase both down locked the GCC up and sprayed styptic on the hurt budgie. Tonight waited later and he behaved himself. I don't trust him out unless I'm here but he seems to be catching on to the drift.

I need this phase over!!!!!!!!

 

[clark_conure]

Just an update... All Babies can walk on their own now no more splayed legs the 80 grit sandpaper worked. Waiting for them to emerge. The GCC is managing his curiosity as best he can but I still lock him in the best cage when I can't fully monitor everything. My head is on a swivel especially when the babies chirp for food. I can't wait till they decide to leave the box and fly. Is there a point I can just take them out and put them in a plastic bin so they can be out of the box and try to practice flying? Dots kids have like all their feathers now.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I would just let them come out on their own. Im not sure of your setup but make sure you set it up so they can climb out of the box and have something right there to perch on instead of facing a straight drop down to the bottom. That will encourage them to come out.

You can play with them and encourage them to fly. I wouldn't just toss them in the air and let them learn to fly or else. But you can sit on a big bed with them and give them a little toss about a foot off the soft bed. Flying is an instinct and fledglings are programmed to learn to fly. When prevented from learning by very early wing clipping, they may never learn because they missed that developmental stage.

When Rocky, my first baby, was at fledgling age, I worried about how she was going to learn to fly without birds for parents, but one day while we were playing with her, she just flapped and took off. She flew straight up and tried to land on rhe hanging pendant light about 7 feet up from where we were sitting. I had to climb up and stand on the table to grab her as she struggled to pull herself up on the smooth metal fixture. After that she could fly but it took a while for her to master landings.

I promise they will learn to fly very soon, but I as surprised at how long it took for my parent raised babies to leave the box last (2024) summer. They would leave the box and go back in to hang out with Mom who was brooding the next clutch.

Post new pictures!

 

[clark_conure]

Yes Pics are currency on here so I will. Usually when I take them out the parents can always see them not sure about taking to another room to practice. But probably ok. Might do later tonight....would keep them safe as they practice. They all have the purple cheek dot, but it makes sense the dad also has it.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Awww so cute! I think the green is a boy and the blue is a girl? What do you think? The little one is too young to tell. He sure is adorable!

 

[clark_conure]

I think green and blue are male by cere and baby is female by cere but I dunno.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I noticed that the blue baby has a blood feather in the wing. The wing feathers are still growing so they probably aren't ready to fly yet. Be careful of that blood feather.

 

[rheashard2]

Cute babies. Post more pics.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

**Dies from cuteness overload** Baby budgies are soooo cute!!