Managment and nutrition

Birdroom Hygiene

Jim Hutton

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is the first essential of good management. Clean, well-cared for budgerigars are most often healthy birds, free from parasites and diseases that bring other, greater worries in their path. Therefore, a good system of husbandry is of tremendous importance.

The aviary should be cleaned out at least once a week, especially during the breeding season, to remove the copious droppings left by the hens during the laying of the eggs. There is no need to leave everything spotless, like a hospital, which in turn would disturb the birds too much and affect the breeding results, but a general cleaning is a priority.

Every day the aviary floor should be swept before any other job is undertaken. This is important, especially during the moult. A paint scraper, brush, bucket and shovel is all the equipment necessary for the clean-up operation. Remember, dirt is the most common cause of disease; it harbours deadly bacteria and I am sure many deaths in budgerigars are attributable to a lack of cleanliness.

Hot Water

About once a fortnight I usually mop the floor with hot water and a strong disinfectant. The outside flights are raked regularly, the flights having a covering of 10mm washed gravel approximately 12cm thick. This is usually kept clean by the rain washing any dirt from the surface, the gravel acting like a filter. About twice a year a disinfectant can be used, however, I would suggest you water well before allowing access to the birds.

All appliances should be cleaned on a regular basis. Every week, clean the water drinkers with a bottle brush and a little Vanodine in warm water. The seed pots, grit pots etc., are washed on a regular basis, again in a Vanodine solution. During the breeding season the nest-boxes are cleaned between rounds only, when new wood shavings are added. At the end of the breeding season, they should be thoroughly cleaned in hot water and disinfectant, dried off and stored away, ready for the following season.

In addition to the weekly cleaning, there should be a special clean-down at least once a year. If this is done both after the breeding season and then in the autumn before commencing the breeding again, then so much the better. In the Autumn it is best if all the breeding cages are washed with warm water and disinfectant or Vanodine.

The walls in the birdroom can be washed down, and it is advisable to give them a light spray of water and Duramitex, leaving them to dry before any contact with the birds. Any maintenance and painting can be done at this time. If you are contemplating making new cages, I would strongly recommend using melamine-finish board, it will ensure that future maintenance and cleaning will be much easier.

Outside the Aviary

Autumn is a very good time for sprucing up the outside of the aviary. Creosote all the timber, check all the wiring for weakness or breaks and finally check all the roofing. Repair where necessary, nothing is worse than a leak in the roofing during the breeding season.

Important Points

Two very important points in the control of hygiene in the birdroom are:

Ventilation: Always ensure there is adequate ventilation in the form of windows that open, wired doors, or extractor fans and air ducts. Plenty of fresh air helps to keep down the threat of disease and dust accumulation.
Adequate Space: Make sure there is plenty of perching and flight space. A rough guide is 16cms of perch per bird. Overcrowding brings about stress, which in turn brings about the chance of stress-related diseases.

Birds, like most animals, are subject to internal and external problems. The symptoms - ruffled, puffed up appearance, soiled vent etc., are familiar to most breeders. Sick birds should be isolated immediately and kept warm and treated accordingly. This immediate separation will help to stop the spread of any disease that may be present. If in doubt about any signs of illness or treatment, always consult a vet.

Watch your Numbers

The secret of good management and hygiene is never to keep more birds than can be easily cared for, otherwise the work involved becomes a disagreeable job, instead of an interesting hobby. Good food and cleaning are the most important things for health and disease prevention, without them you cannot expect to produce better budgerigars.

Birdroom Hygiene

Jim Hutton

Cleanliness

Hot Water

Outside the Aviary

Important Points

Two very important points in the control of hygiene in the birdroom are:

Ventilation: Always ensure there is adequate ventilation in the form of windows that open, wired doors, or extractor fans and air ducts. Plenty of fresh air helps to keep down the threat of disease and dust accumulation.
Adequate Space: Make sure there is plenty of perching and flight space. A rough guide is 16cms of perch per bird. Overcrowding brings about stress, which in turn brings about the chance of stress-related diseases.

Watch your Numbers

Controlled feeding system provides balanced diet

Champion Budgerigar breeder John Bell looks at the
'Wisdom of the Yeast'

How often it happens that a chance observation leads to the development of an important new product. Perhaps the most quoted instance is Alexander Fleming's observation that "a mould colony had anti-bacterial properties". That observation, followed by much hard work, gave the world the antibiotics industry, and has saved millions of lives.

What follows describes the development of a feeding system for Budgerigars which also started from a chance observation.

The Budgerigar was first introduced into Britain by Gould in 1840. These birds were small, weighing about 35 grammes and measuring only 6.5 inches in length.

With the founding of the Budgerigar Society in 1925, by a group of far-sighted enthusiasts, came the stimulus to develop the potential of this remarkable bird. Today, while the Budgerigar Society Standard for an exhibition bird is some 8.5 inches in length, this feature is not the only one which has changed. There are others - width of face, thickness of shoulders and solidity of body, the whole frame coated with feathers, whose form ranges from what is technically called "Yellow" through Buff to double-Buff. The birds have lots of underdown, and directional feather is now also a feature.

The fanciers continue to develop the great genetic potential of the species, always seeking for that extra dimension, which will guarantee success on the show bench. What this means, of course, is that to-day's show bird is very different from Gould's originals. We must recognise these changes and the metabolic requirements they may have created, if we are to continue to develop the species.

We need now to look at the wider changes which have been taking place as that little Light Green bird has been developing into the show bird we know today.

The human population of the planet has increased at an alarming rate. In any other species it would be described as a plague, but since it concerns us, we try to ignore that fact. The result of this explosive increase has been the need to produce more food. That increase in output has often had to come from a reduced acreage of land. The increased output has been achieved by the use of more intensive farming methods.

New varieties of cereals yield many times the yield per acre of the older varieties; heavy use of artificial fertilisers increase further the output from the fields and these coupled with rapid re-use of the land for the next crop, all add to the pressure on nature.

Without doubt, the quantities of food have been produced to meet the demand, but what of the quality? Can we be sure that today's high yielding cereals and seed crops are supplying the same balance of nutrients that was to be found in the older varieties under a gentler farming system?

In part the question is academic, because without the new varieties and higher yields we would not have fed the human population to the extent we have. Many more people would have died of starvation. The question remains however, "Is the total nutrient from seeds and cereals as it used to be?"

The answer to such a question is doubly important to a Budgerigar fancier, since it not only could concern his or her own diet, but also could be of importance to the well-being of the birds.

For a possible answer to such a question, we have to turn now to a company, Murphy & Son Ltd whose founder was running a bureau of Biotechnology at the beginning of this century, long before the word biotechnology became the buzzword that it is today.

The company has been closely associated with the fermentation and food industries for some 102 years. It's laboratory has monitored products and given technical advice over that time and has developed skills in the management of yeasts and their fermentation behaviour.

Some years ago, in the course of their routine work, it became evident that from time to time, fermentations were slowing down, yeast vigour was being affected and yet it appeared that there was an adequate supply of main nutrients.

Careful investigation revealed that there were, at times, slightly lower levels of trace nutrients and minerals. These were not large differences, but since very low amounts of certain trace metals play a very important part in the living cell, the effects of adding trace nutrients to the growth medium was tested. The results were in many cases quite dramatic. Yeast was re-invigorated, fermentations returned to normal, yeast cells multiplied rapidly and produced healthy new cells.

So Murphy & Son Ltd has a new product which continues to serve the fermentation industry when it has problems. The "Wisdom of the Yeast" might have remained there, if it had not been for a Budgerigar enthusiast joining the company, namely the author of this page, John Bell.

It was not a quantum leap in thought to see that if yeasts, which depend for their nutrient on the products of cereal grains, can suffer from deficiencies in their feeding, the same might be happening to Budgerigars and other grain and seed-feeding birds.

The slow, painstaking investigation and observational work which followed the initial thought will not be described here, but the study has led to the development of a controlled system of feeding which provides a balanced diet for the birds and is straightforward for the fancier to operate.

It is most important to recognise that Pro-System provides a balanced diet, and additional feeding of supplements is both unnecessary and undesirable. The author is always willing to discuss matters of feeding with fanciers who may have a favourite nutrient.

To give some ideas of the straightforward nature of the diet, the main breeding trials were carried out using the following menu:

Menu
Category	Amount
Plain Canary seed	50%
White Millet	25%
Yellow Millet	7.5%
Panicum Millet	7.5%
Japanese Millet	7.5%
Niger	2.5%
Mineralised grit with oystershell	Available at all times
Pro-mineral Supplement	Available at all times
Vitamin Supplement	Solution: 1 tablet to 1.5 litres water (renewed daily)¹

¹N.B. This liquid is used to supply the drinking water for the birds. A fresh solution is made up of each day and drinkers are cleaned and replenished with fresh solution each day, as a matter of good hygiene.

It is also important as a general principle to ensure that all utensils and equipment such as nest-boxes are kept in a high state of cleanliness. Where practicable, boiling for several minutes in a suitable disinfectant solution is desirable.

Some observations made during the course of the trials are particularly noteworthy.

Levels of fertility and hatching rate were excellent, this even applied to older hens whose age ranged from four to seven years. Several very obese birds which had been acquired, were placed in the main flight, where Pro-Mineral and Pro-Vitamins were available. The majority of these birds slimmed down, became active fliers and returned to breeding.
The occurrence of adult birds failing to feed their chicks was almost eliminated.
Excessive swelling of breeding hens was not encountered, even on leaving the nesting-box in the morning, hens appeared to be comfortable and passed firm fæces.
The fæces from the breeding hens during egg-laying and incubation, were small, firm and free from objectionable odours.
All nest-boxes were completely dry during egg-laying, sitting and rearing of chicks. This in itself is a very important feature, since it does not encourage the multiplication of bacteria.
Within minutes of introducing the birds to the feeders containing Pro-mineral, they were sampling it with obvious enjoyment. Earlier observations and calculations with regard to consumption of cuttlefish, had created a puzzle, since the amount consumed was far in excess of what should be required for egg-laying needs. After the introduction of Pro-mineral it was clear that the birds had been consuming the cuttlefish for the trace mineral requirements and, in doing so, had been taking in an excess of the main minerals in the cuttlefish.
As mentioned above, one feature of this system is that it makes it possible for the birds to live on a diet closer to that of their original desert habitat. The dry droppings are part of their natural water conservation and are a sign of normality.
A good additional supplement to give to breeding birds is Whole Groats soaked in Cod-liver Oil and allowed to soak prior to feeding, for 24 hours. Give 1 oz per pair per day only. Rate of usage: to 1000 g Groats add 4000 I.Us Vit A (the ratio of vit A to vit D should be 10:1)².

²N.B The above has been added in order that those who use this may check the ratio of A to D on the particular brand of Cod-liver Oil they use as this can vary widely.

A possibly interesting diagnostic feature may arise from the state of the droppings, since during the extended period of the trials, only two birds continued, for a period, to have wet droppings. This was diagnosed as due to a small infection of Trichomonas, though it had not reached the point of causing "reaching" which is normally associated with this problem. It may be that having established dry droppings as the normal, a deviation can be taken as a warning to examine the bird closely.

Good routine

As a matter of good practice, it is recommended that Dr John Baker's finding on Trichomonas and his treatment using Emtryl be adhered to and the whole flock treated once per year as a matter of good routine.

Breeders who have already used the Pro-System for a complete breeding season, have reported that fanciers visiting their aviaries, comment on the increased level of noise and activity. A sure sign of well-being.

Having seen the marked improvement in the Budgerigars, we are left with wondering how far we humans are suffering from trace nutrient deficiencies.

Editor's note: Dr John Baker, who has done some research into this question, says that modern intensive agriculture may have reduced the amount of micronutrients in seeds and this may occasionally happen with certain types of excessive fertiliser use, but it is equally likely to arise when crops are grown on naturally deficent soils. In addition a seed diet alone is insufficient for peak performance as seeds are naturally low in some micronutrients regardless of the type of soil and fertiliser use, so that some form of supplementation is required.

Housing and Birdroom Management

Jeff Attwood

The manner in which an aviary or Birdroom is designed can add or detract from one's enjoyment of the hobby.

Until established in the hobby and sure that this is the interest you intend to follow, great expense and unnecessary outlay can be avoided by making use of the existing available space. A garden shed, unused room in the house or even a sectioned off rear of a garage can all be utilised and arranged to successfully house and breed exhibition Budgerigars during the formative years. My first outside flight was a disused wardrobe with the front removed and replaced with wire netting and laid on its side. The sleeping quarters was a "tea chest" fitted with legs and attached to the side of the wardrobe. During the early- and middle-1950s this served me well together with a few breeding cages in my parent's garden shed.

No Thought Given to Design

Gradually this was extended to a number of units which like "topsy" grew and grew with no real thought to design and became a bit of a shanty town. All this however cost very little, and during that period I began to form the idea of what type of establishment would really suit the requirements of the birds and become an enjoyable feature of the garden. This I was able to achieve when moving to my present home in 1977. I prepared a master plan based on my own and other fanciers' experiences and gradually developed the aviary I have today.

Avoid Problems

First and foremost there are certain preliminary steps to be taken which can avoid unnecessary confrontations with neighbours and local authorities. Don't forget that the erection of a large birdroom in the back garden can often irritate a neighbour both the aspect of noise and appearance. The legal position can often favour the complainant when neighbours fall out.

Firstly with regard to planning and the District Council. Recent legislation has made allowance for certain structures under what is referred to as "exempt regulation". No planning approval is required in certain circumstances. These apply to structures such as greenhouses, carports, garden sheds, some sun lounges and aviaries, as long as certain criteria are complied with. The structure in question must not exceed 50% of the garden space available. It must be at least one metre from the boundary with your neighbours and must not exceed 4 metres in height with an apex roof. The maximum space permitted without approval is 40 square metres as long as this does not exceed the 50% of garden space mentioned above.

You must be cautious however, as previous additional development to your property affect the amount of space permitted for your aviary. Also the Local Authority's interpretation of the term "aviary" differs from area to area and in all cases applies only to the hobbyist. A very large aviary using up the maximum space may be regarded by some authorities as a business, and planning approval would then be required. Don't forget that although legally an aviary may be permitted the question of noise pollution is a separate issue and can still bring problems.

Seek Advice First

With regard to planning approval I would recommend going along to your local council taking with you a simple plan of your garden. This should show house and the other houses in the immediate vicinity. It should include boundary fences and walls and other structures such as greenhouses or sheds already in your garden. Once verbal agreement has been reached send them a courteous letter together with a copy of the agreed plan and request that they confirm in writing that they have no objection. The reply, if favourable, should be kept somewhere safe for future reference should the need arise. Next call on adjoining neighbours and seek their approval of what you are planning. Offset any doubt they may have regarding noise or spoilt views and you will be off to a good start.

When deciding on the construction, many factors must be determined, and in the majority of cases cost will be the main factor. I personally favour a brick or block structure as I consider the atmosphere within, both for temperature and humidity, is more stable than with a timber construction. Nevertheless, in my case I eventually decided on timber. You can plan your own shed to vour personal requirements and most timber merchants will build what you require at little extra cost. Take advice on the thickness of the timber as a long exposed shed wall, if insufficiently supported, can be subjected to excessive wind pressure and collapse.

Ventilation Prevents Disease

My own birdrooms are ten feet high at the roof apex. to allow plenty of air circulation, with all natural light and louvre-type ventilators at a high level above the cages. This I feel gives plenty of ventilation which reduces incidences of dead in shell and also allows the use of all wall areas, with the exception of the door space. All walls and ceilings are insulated with Cosywrap before cladding with "laconite", a spray-painted surface board. This allows me to keep the temperature at a reasonable level with just a one kilowatt fan heater, thermostatically controlled, throughout the colder winter months, when the birds are breeding. The wall surfaces can be easily washed down.

Flight areas, both inside and out, are in my opinion, essential to maintain fit active Budgerigars throughout their lives, from barhead to adult. Flights prevent the build up of excess body fat, particularly in hens. In providing flying areas certain rules should be adhered to.

Make sure that the inside flight (sleeping area) has at least two perch spaces available for each bird to permit movement.
Ensure that both inside and outside flights have sufficient space to accommodate the number of birds you can expect to produce. Overcrowding can easily lead to outbreaks of disease.
Have an opening between the inside and outside flights, sufficiently big to allow large numbers of birds to fly together, tiny bobholes lead to broken necks!
Vary the perch size and level to ensure adequate exercise for feet and wings.

Cages vary in size and design but I consider that stock cages of good size are essential for housing barheads on weaning, for show preparation and for sale birds.

Wire Cages Stimulate Birds

With regard to breeding purposes, some seventeen years ago, after discussion with Dob Travinecek of the USA, I started to use the all-wire cage. Based on the theory I stated earlier, this was to suit the bird rather than to look as attractive as a matching block of conventional cages. The Budgerigar is a gregarious, flock bird, preferring the company of many of its own kind. It is stimulated by the sight and sound of other Budgerigars. The wire cages simulate a controlled colony type breeding environment. I have found it to be beneficial to my breeding success particularly with difficult birds. A similar effect can be achieved by using wire or glass separating slides in conventional cages.

Heating of the breeding space during the winter months is, I consider, highly desirable. A minimum temperature of 50° Fahrenheit should be aimed at although a temperature of 60° Fahrenheit is really enjoyed by the Budgerigar. Heating, together with adequate and suitable lighting is most advantageous in achieving consistent early breeding results. Probably one of the most essential pieces of equipment is the night light. This permits a low level of lighting throughout the birdroom during the hours of darkness. There is no doubt that this can reduce the incidence of addled eggs and infant mortality in the event of night fright by allowing hens to find their way back to the nestbox following a disturbance.

Hens Will Nest Anywhere

Nesting boxes are also found in many different sizes and designs. No matter what the human eye perceives as suitable, hen Budgerigars will seek out any dark corner or enclosed space to lay their eggs. For purely reasons of convenience, I adopted the plastic nest box some years ago, and use these in all my wire cages. They are long-lasting, easy to clean, do not harbour mites, and in the event of a joint breaking are very easy to repair with a hard plastic adhesive. I still use a wooden concave and a handful of sawdust with these nest boxes.

American Innovation Pays Dividends

One recent addition to my outside flights, which I discovered in the United States, is a water misting system. This sprays a very fine rain over the birds which is most welcome during hot spells and can be used to improve feather condition during the weeks leading to the open shows. It is also most effective in bringing birds into wonderful breeding condition when used after the Autumn moult. I feel it simulates the natural rain which occurs in the Australian Spring thereby triggering the birds' own reaction.

This subject of management has many different facets all of which I cannot touch but there are the basic points.

Dr John R Baker

Introducing New Birds into a Budgerigar Stud

Work at the University of Liverpool over the last 10 years has shown that when an infectious disease breaks out in a budgerigar stud, this is nearly always associated with the introduction of a new bird or birds. The purpose of this article is to suggest ways of greatly reducing this risk.

The number of infectious diseases that can strike a budgerigar stud is large, and with more work being done on cage-bird illness, both in this country and abroad, new ones are being found every year. Diseases which do not currently occur in this country may be introduced from overseas. Some of these diseases are relatively mild and some are easily cured, but there are a large number which can be very serious, with the death of a large number of birds, and there may be nothing which can be done to improve the situation.

Far and away the commonest reason for an outbreak of infectious disease in a budgerigar stud, is the introduction of a new bird or birds. These birds can be apparently healthy on the premises from which they come, but they can carry disease-causing germs without showing symptoms. This can happen in two ways; either the bird has the germs hidden in small numbers where they can not cause problems, or the bird may be immune to the disease, but still infected. When this bird is stressed, by moving it to a new aviary for example, it can go down with the disease, and in this state it will be excreting vast numbers of the germs to infect the new premises. Even if it does not become ill it can cause a disease outbreak if the birds in the new stud have not met the infection before, and thus have no immunity to it.

The habit that many fanciers have of putting new birds into the flight with the others, or putting them down to breed in the bird room is potentially disastrous. With many other classes of stock this would be considered extremely fool-hardy and not to be considered. At the University we have investigated large numbers of outbreaks of disease in budgerigars, some of which have been so severe that the stud has been nearly wiped out. Fanciers have left the hobby because they could not face the problems associated with dealing with the disease.

The way to avoid nearly all such outbreaks of disease is to quarantine the new birds, regardless of their source. Quarantine should not be done in the bird room, as many diseases can spread without bird-to-bird contact. For example, some diseases can be spread in the dust that the birds produce. Quarantine should, therefore, be done somewhere else, in a garden shed or the spare bedroom for example. The new birds should be kept in isolation for 3 to 4 weeks. Ideally they should not be looked after by the fancier who is dealing with the main stud, but if this has to be the case, the new birds should be seen to after the rest of the stock, so that disease is less likely to be taken into the bird room. It would also be a good idea if the fancier had some overalls or an old coat which can be used in the quarantine area. After dealing with the new birds, the fancier should wash his hands thoroughly and also use a skin disinfectant; cages and other equipment should be cleaned and disinfected before being put back in the bird room after the quarantine period.

When the birds are in quarantine they may go down with the disease they were carrying, and thus the risk of disease in the main bird room will have been greatly reduced. This is not the only advantage of quarantine. The birds may be dosed to get rid of infections they may have - treatment for worms, scaly-face and Trichomonas come to mind as examples. The birds can also be tested to see if they have bacterial infections, megabacteria, worms, psittacosis, budgerigar fledgling disease and psittacine beak and feather disease are all easily tested for these days, although it is moderately expensive. But what is the cost in terms of time, expense and worry if one or more of these diseases are introduced? I would suggest that the latter is far greater, and part or all of the stud may be wiped out adding further to the cost of the disease.

In the USA it is becoming routine with the larger members of the parrot family, not only to screen for such diseases as the ones mentioned above, but also to test the new birds for general health by doing such things as blood tests and droppings examinations. I am not suggesting that these should be carried out if birds are frequently introduced into a stud, but if the stud is almost entirely closed and new birds are brought in only very rarely, it would be worth considering them.

In summary, strict quarantine of new birds would eliminate many of the problems that budgerigar breeders face and the birds in many studs would be far healthier.

Natural Conditioning - an alternative method

Keith Flockhart

Aloe Vera

I am not sure if there is any scientific evidence to back up this article but people who have used it seem pleased with their results, and there is Aloe Vera available in New Zealand for farmers to give to their dairy cattle. Most health shops sell capsules, hand cream etc., so there must be something going for it.

I have had two people contact me on the use of AloeVvera as a natural wormer and also a tonic and pick me up. The first person places a whole AloeVera leaf in his drinking water for four to five days every two months and says there is no algae forming while it is in the water. The other is from Les Gill and he uses Aloe Vera on his birds.

Keep your birds in top condition by growing and using Aloe Vera in your aviary's day to day management. Aloe Vera is a miracle cure for most diseases in birds.

It helps with digestive disorders caused by birds eating infected foods.
It is a wormer and laxative.
It is excellent on cuts and sores and will stop cuts bleeding and act as an antiseptic.
It can be used as a spray and acts as a conditioner.
It stops bacterial and fungal growth.
It gives your birds greater stamina.
It helps prevent egg binding.
It will help control a lot of other diseases.

The active ingredients in AloeVera are:

Alion, Baralon, Natalon, Chlorophyl, Emodin, Resins, Albumin, Essential oils, Gum Arabic, Silica, Phosphate, Lime, Iron.

The minerals it contains are

Vit. A, Vit B1, Vit B2, Vit B3, Vit C, Vit E, Vit B12,

The minerals it contains are

Calcium, Chloride, Chromium, Copper, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, and zinc

There are also 17 amino acids and 5 enzymes.

The enzymes are most beneficial to the birds whole system and will activate the functioning of any sluggish parts. This means an improvement in health and well-being, and a noticeable difference can be observed after 48 hours.

To use Aloe Vera make a gel juice by the following method.

Fill a one litre jar with rain or filtered water, and place a 115 gram piece of Aloe Vera leaf in it. If using as a wormer of laxative leave the thick skin on, otherwise trim it off. (Remember, put water in jar first)
Place jar in refrigerator for 24 hours. The leaf will float at first and when ready will sink to the bottom of the jar.
Dilute the solution 50/50 with water and give to your birds daily.
The original solution can also be topped up and the Aloe Vera leaf will be effective for 14 days..

Remember you cannot overdose your birds on this.

Important points

Do not shake or stir the jar as the enzymes are very sensitive.
Keep refrigerated, enzymes are destroyed by heat.
Change water daily.
Solution can also be sprayed on birds for external parasites.
For cuts and sores use the gel that oozes from the leaves.

Practical Management

Nigel Tonkin

The initial part of the discussion will cover questions that are asked on the handling of budgerigars during sickness and from there it will be basically an open forum with back up questions and answers enclosed if required.

I have a bird that is off-colour and needs medication or food administered directly into the crop, how do I do this?

To respond to this question I showed a video on crop needling. I then demonstrated the process first and then observed whilst others partook.

Remember that the budgerigar is held in your left hand, facing you. Slowly insert the crop needle and rotate downward aiming for your left thumb. You should feel the ball of the crop needle against your thumb.

I, in the main, use an 8 gauge crop needle and with great success with budgerigars from 3-4 weeks of age onwards, particularly if I am feeding a hand-rearing food. An 18 gauge crop needle for medicating large chicks to adults and 22 gauge for medicating 3-4 day old through to 2-3 week old chicks.

The three gauges of crop needles that I use: 8, 16 and 28 gauge crop needles

If I am asked to inject my budgerigar by the vetinerary surgeon, how do I go about it?

I will firstly demonstrate the method that I use. Always feel for the keel bone and then inject into the muscle. Each time the bird is injected, alternate from left to right of the keel bone, to help the reduction of bruising.

On removal of the needle, I usually massage the injected area. It is important that prior to injecting the bird, that you 'bleed, the needle of air by flicking your finger onto the syringe (needle facing up) and pushing the "plunger" until air bubbles are no longer present, and only liquid is emerging from the needle.

Do you have any suggestions for identification of specific diseases of the budgerigar/

In a word, "No." It is imperative that a proper diagnosis is made of any perceived problem by your Veterinarian, prior to treatment with any drug. Some fanciers will "treat" their sick bird with a cocktail of drugs in a hit and miss treatment that may well kill the bird, or camouflage the actual problem, thus making diagnosis for the Veterinarian difficult. Some of these "cocktails" have proven useless, as they destroy the benefit of each other. The best policy, as stated before, is to seek the Vets advice.

What procedure should you follow when introducing new birds into your establishment?

All introduced budgerigars should be quarantined for approximately 6 weeks. By quarantined, I mean totally isolated from your aviaries, thus reducing the risk of spreading disease if, per chance, there was a problem present. During this quarantine period, faeces and crop samples should be taken by your Veterinary surgeon or, if you are able, collect the samples yourself and deliver to the Vet for testing for worms, coccidiosis, psittacosis etc. My preference, particularly with imported birds, is to have the Veterinarian bring his microscope and necessary equipment to my establishment, to enable on the spot testings for canker and megabacteria plus "set" the slides with faeces and crop samples for further examination and testings back at the clinic. A spread sheet is produced identifying all of the birds to be tested, with results added as they come to hand. The beauty of this system is that individual "problem" birds can be isolated into holding cages for specific treatments. It would be a good idea at this stage, if all is clear, to treat the birds with an appropriate probiotic to colonise the gut and exclude harmful bacteria.

Approximately 2 weeks after the arrival of the new birds, introduce to the quarantine facility (again only if all tests are clear), either a "control" bird, or droppings from your own aviary-kept birds (it would probably be a smart idea to have had some tests done on these budgerigars at the same time as the birds that are in quarantine, to ensure all is well). This helps to introduce "good" bacteria from the aviary-kept birds, to the quarantined birds, without a major risk. It is best to establish that the "good" bacteria is compatible prior to releasing the new birds into the established flock.

An appropriate time to introduce purchased birds is during the breeding season if possible, the birds can be paired instantly (if breeding fit), and the period during breeding acts as the quarantine period. The idea of isolation in wire breeding cabinets will be questioned. I prevent contact via clear perspex dividers The birds still require farces and crop tests.

The use of "control" birds in all aviaries can be of benefit. By "control" bird, I mean a fit bird of inferior quality, flying with your required birds (2-3 per flight), for the purpose of availability for blood sampling or autopsy if a problem arises within that flight.

Is it worth repairing damaged eggs?

Yes.

Okay then, how do you go about repairing damaged eggs?

Many an egg has been saved and many more could have been saved, if time was taken to assess the severity of the damage. If the egg has just been laid through to early embryo stage, examination can be made with a "laser" torch to assess if the white is full of air bubbles, if this is the case, the damage is too severe. If the embryo is visible, and blood appears to have "collected" on the one side within the egg, this damage is possibly too severe but worth attempting to salvage. Almost any other damaged eggs should be repaired, within reason. I have Selleys Aquadhere PVA non-staining, non-toxic wood working glue on hand along with dry shells from hatched eggs or from clear eggs that have been opened and left to dry for the repairing process.

Do not use too much glue, just a thin film, as drying time is extended. Carefully select and shape the patch for the repair. Wait for the glue to totally dry prior to returning to the nest box. I usually keep the repaired egg between my lips whilst I go about the other aviary duties. I then place the patched area of the egg on some fine sawdust to see if the sawdust attaches to the egg, if so, I wait a little longer, retest in the sawdust and return to the appropriate nest box. The biggest mistake you can make is returning the egg with wet glue and later finding the egg attached to the hen as she leaves the nest box.

What do you feed your birds and does this continue unchanged throughout the year?

It is essential to feed a variety of good quality "dry" seed all year round.
A daily supply of soaked or sprouted seed, this must be drastically reduced during the warmer weather.
A daily supply of greens eg., silver beet.
A weekly, or fortnightly supply of gum leaves and branches.
A continual supply of grits both hard and soft.
A daily water supplement eg., Calcivet daily and Soluvet 3 times per week (note you can mix the Calcivet and Soluvet together) leading up to and including the breeding season - after the breeding season is completed, stop the Calcivet usage and reduce the Soluvet to 1 to 2 times per week.

I periodically review my feeding programme. I have stated in the past that when one sights a "positive" practice in someone else's aviary, and that practice suits your purpose, initiate it. My seed in the main is grown for me in Queensland, and is fed in large, separate containers by variety. By using larger containers, the birds have maximum feeding space, thus reducing stress. The following are fed dry:

Plain Canary
Jap Millet
White French Millet
Red Panicum
Grey Striped Sunflower
Bandicoot Oats
Wild Seed Mix

My soaked seed mixture is made up of:

10 parts Triticale
10 parts Bandicoot Oats
1 part of "small" mixed seed to which Aviclens is added. This mix is soaked for 12 hours in water, rinsed, drained and fed twice daily. The Aviclens slows down the fermentation process during soaking thus reducing the risk of bacterial contamination of the seed.

I feed the birds silver beet daily, unless of course they are being administered a "treatment" via the water. If this is the case, all soaked seeds and silver beet feeding ceases until the "treatment" is completed. On completion of the "treatment", the silver beet and soaked seeds are reintroduced gradually (ie., in smaller amounts). Gum leaves and branches are also withdrawn during any "treatment" as the birds are likely to extract needed moisture from this source rather than the drinking container. Just on "treatment", I withdraw the drinking containers from the aviaries and breeding cages (if no chicks are present), at about 2pm and reintroduce at about 10am the following day, thus encouraging all of the birds to get a share of the "treatment". After any given "treatment" or a show, I give the birds a 1 to 3 day probiotic course. I prefer open drinking vessels in the aviaries that are made of pottery, glass or enamel. I detest the bottle with the "drip" system as I do not believe that the birds get a fair go at drinking in an aviary situation. The birds like to eat together and drink together as in the wild. I also believe that the risk of disease from this system is greater as any problem bird leaves a "concentrated form" of the problem at the small outlet.

Hard grit ex Broken Hill, shell grit, Mount Gambier limestone, dolomite and cuttle fish obtained locally, are made available at all times, and beach sand is spread under the aviary perches.

The moult and breeding season sees minor changes to this programme - if I get a feel that the birds need a little something extra, they get it supplied. Millet sprays being one of these little extras, in fact the nursery cage is swamped with these sprays, as it seems a preferred source of intake for the "weaned" birds.

The diet of the budgerigar will vary from aviary to aviary - it is the breeder of these birds that has the final say on what is presented to the birds, and not the birds themselves, so surely, we owe it to them to give the best that is available to encourage a long and fertile life. What do you think?

Would you breed with birds that have been affected by, and remain a visual French Moulter? If so, would the progeny or later descendents be afflicted? What do you believe causes French Moult?

To the first of the 3 questions my answer is "Yes", if it is a quality bird. Jeff Attwood visited my establishment on his last visit to Australia, and saw a Grey Green Cock of exceptional quality. He suggested I lower the perches in the breeding cage to 12mm from the floor. I had good results with this. In the first year the first round chicks were perfect FM-wise as were the first round chicks of the following year, but in the second round of both years, I had 2 FM chicks in each nest. It should be noted that in the first year, another pair had a FM chick and the second year a number of pairings did, so I could not confirm anything from this.

I have thrown many theories around about French Moult prior to the evidence that French Moult is caused by a virus, without ever coming up with anything concrete. The feather problems always seemed to appear in the latter part of the breeding season, in my case Summer (December). Up until a few years ago, I always managed to produce 2 or 3 French Moulters. Last year there were 5 or 6 FM and around 7 tail-less wonders The year prior, there were 35 FM and 2 or 3 tail-less wonders. There have also been the odd few that have an appearance that the tail, and in some cases, some of the body feathers, have a quill within a quill, similar I guess to a "break" in wool, once a sheep has been under some kind of set back.

My initial theory was, that as it was the end of season, the birds may be losing some of their breeding fitness, plus I may not be giving them the full attention that they deserve, in that I should perhaps be increasing the protein content in that last month of breeding.

The next theory was, that a mite could be the cause, but because it was occurring in random nests and with random birds, this theory was again questioned.

Now that scientists have discovered a virus and also are, I believe, in the advanced stages of finalizing a vaccine for the virus, it has opened up the possibility of "controlling" one of the dilemmas of the fancier. Even after the knowledge of the latter, I question the random choosing of the birds that do become French Moulters. Thus, I believe all three suggestions might have some bearing on the problem. If the diet of the parent birds is not adequate, it could be fair to say that some of the youngsters might not be "totally" fed, thus becoming vulnerable to a virus, or even other forms of infection. Therefore, within any given nest there could be birds that are more vulnerable than others, thus perhaps, explaining why not all of the birds within the nest are affected.

This virus may be air-borne, but may also be carried by a mite. There always seems to be evidence of mite when French Moult is found - this might not be the case in all aviaries but certainly the aviaries that I have visited in this country that have had French Moult, have also in the main, had evidence of mite. The presence of the mite, and the mites activity of sucking blood from their hosts, may break down the birds resistance again making the bird vulnerable to the virus, or perhaps the mite may be the transfer agent?

Regards the "short tail syndrome", there have been claims of success by feeding those affected birds with vitamin "K", a blood clotting agent, via the crop? I am yet to trial this, but I will, and it will be via the crop and by injection, and on birds that have been this way for 10 -24 months. I have been given a word of warning by a chemist that, if too much Vitamin "K" is administered, it may cause a heart attack - tread carefully.

Do you number eggs as they are laid? Do you clean out the nest boxes between rounds? At what stage do you remove the youngsters from the nest box?

Yes, I number all of the eggs plus write the cage number upon them as well, ie., Egg 1 Cage 2 = 1:C2. I then write the date the egg was laid and the nest it was transferred to upon the nest box info sheet. I aim to spread the eggs throughout the breeding cages as an insurance against losing a complete nest of eggs, if per chance, the hen dies on the nest, or her eggs are damaged etc. I aim to clean the nest boxes out between rounds and insert a new lot of sawdust. This can be a bit risky if a hen has already started to lay as she, or even the cock may attempt to clean the sawdust out, thus risking the breaking of the eggs. I prefer to remove youngsters at about 3 1/2 weeks of age and place them in a "protective" area on the floor of the cage, (a cover with a concave base, openings in the front and one side). The concave is filled with seed at morning and night and millet sprays are added to encourage the chicks to eat, the cock still continues to top them up and the hen can get back to laying round 2. Chicks are then totally weaned at 4-5 weeks.

What advice would you give to someone just commencing in the fancy and aiming to purchase birds?

I usually advise first-year beginners to forget about expensive birds until they have learnt a bit about breeding practices. In fact, I have suggested to some new fanciers that aimed to purchase birds from me, to come back after 12 months and see if they still want spend their money. A few do, and have continued with the hobby. Others are thankful of that advice, as they did not continue on. Once the new fancier does start to get an eye for a bird, regardless from whom they purchase from, they should aim to buy 1 cock and 2 hens or 2 even pairs that are hopefully, related and from a good background.

Editor's note.This article has been abstracted from Nigel Tonkin's notes, formulated for a lecture given at the 22nd Annual Golden Cob Australian Championship Budgerigar Show in 1996, hosted by the Queensland North & Central Zone Budgerigar Council.

Year-Round Feeding

Nigel Tonkin

It is essential to feed the following all the year round.

Good quality dry seed.
A daily supply of soaked or sprouted seed.
A daily supply of greens, which must be drastically reduced during the warmer weather or:
A fortnightly supply of gum leaves and branches.
A continual supply of grits; both hard and soft.
A daily water supplement, such as Calcivet daily and Solavet three times per week (note: you can mix the Calcivet and Soluvet together) leading up to and including the breeding season. After the breeding season is completed, I stop the Calcivet usage and reduce the Soluvet to 1 to 2 times per week.

I periodically review my feeding programme. I have stated in the past that when one sights a positive practice in someone else's aviary and that practice suits your purpose, initiate it. My seed in the main, is grown for me in Queensland and is fed in large, separate containers by variety. By using larger containers, the birds have maximum feeding space, thus reducing stress. The following are fed dry:

Plain Canary
Japanese Millet
White French Millet
Red Panicum
Grey Striped Sunflower
Bandicoot Oats
A Wild Seed Mix

My soaked seed mixture is made up of:

10 parts Triticale
10 parts Bandicoot Oats
1 part of small mixed seed to which Aviclens is added.

This mix is soaked for 12 hours in water, rinsed, drained and fed twice daily. The Aviclens slows down the fermentation process during soaking thus reducing the risk of bacterial contamination of the seed.

Green Food

I feed the birds silver beet daily unless they are being administered a "treatment" via the water. If this is the case, all soaked seeds and silver beet feeding ceases until the care is completed. On completion of the medication, the silver beet and soaked seeds are reintroduced gradually in smaller amounts. Gum leaves and branches are also withdrawn during any treatment, as the birds are likely to extract needed moisture from this source rather than the drinking container. During periods of medication, I withdraw the drinking containers from the aviaries and breeding cages (if no chicks are present) at about 2pm and reintroduce at about 10am the following day, thus encouraging all of the birds to get a share of the doctoring.

After any given care or a show, I give the birds a 1 to 3 day probiotic course. I prefer open drinking vessels in the aviaries that are made of pottery, glass or enamel. I detest the bottle with the drip system as I do not believe that the birds get a fair go at drinking in an aviary situation, the birds like to eat together and drink together as in the wild. I also believe that the risk of disease from this system is greater as any problem bird leaves a "concentrated form" of the problem at the small outlet.

Hard shell grit, limestone, dolomite and cuttle fish obtained locally are made available at all times and beach sand is spread under the aviary perches.

Minor changes

The moult and breeding season sees minor changes to this programme. If I feel that the birds need a little something extra, they get it supplied. Millet sprays being one of these little extras, in fact the nursery cage is swamped with these sprays, as it seems a preferred source of intake for the "weaned" birds.

The diet of the budgerigar will vary from aviary to aviary and it is the breeder who has final say on what is presented to the birds, and not the birds themselves, so surely, we owe it to them to give the best that is available to encourage a long and fertile life.

What do you think?