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Budgie Aviary Plans

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The design of your aviary will depend on several factors – the number of birds you want to keep, the outdoor area available, the amount you are able to spend on it, and the views of your family (and neighbours!). You will also need to bear in mind the weather, and ensure that your budgies have the heat and shelter they need to cope with cold winters. You will need to check local by-laws or contracts to make sure there are no issues around aviary noise or planning permissions. In the UK, no planning permission is required for a structure built on your own land under 2.5 metres high. Building an Aviary If building from scratch, a cement or rubble foundation is best, with a concrete floor on top. This can be hosed down easily, and will not be the muddy, disease-ridden quagmire that an earth floor can transform into. The concrete will also prevent mice and rats from burrowing under the aviary. If you leave holes in the concrete you’ll be able to plant some shrubs or small trees in the avia...
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Budgie Aviary

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If you want to keep several budgies, or a mixed flock of birds, an outdoor aviary is ideal. You will be able to give the birds lots of space, and they will enjoy the benefits of fresh air and sunlight. An aviary can be a custom-made structure, free-standing or lean-to, or a converted outbuilding such as a shed. An aviary for budgies, cockatiels and finches Most aviaries are permanent homes for their owner’s birds, but some function as outdoor exercise areas or summerhouses only, with birds confined indoors in the colder months. If this is the arrangement you have in mind, you will need to get the birds in and out of their temporary lodgings, and will probably have to use a net to catch and transfer them back indoors.
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Budgie Show

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There are no waiting lists or endless rungs of elitist bureaucracy for newcomers to budgie shows (although there is usually a bit of paperwork). As a beginner you will be able to enter your birds in the Novice sections, against other novices. With five or less birds to show, you’ll get away with minimal paperwork; more than that, and you’ll be up to your ears in it. On the day of the show you’ll be able to pick up show tags from the event secretary. You will be told how to fill them in. The cage will only display a number, to ensure owner anonymity and eliminate any unconscious bias in the judges. At your first show it’s best to stand quietly and watch. There is an etiquette to be learned – the silence as the judges prowl between the dozens of cages, and the general politeness that masks the competitiveness. There will be various levels, from novice upwards, with judges looking for the top three birds in each class (i.e. sections of the show at each level, focusing on a specific budgie...
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Show Budgies

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Budgies bred for shows and exhibitions are often referred to as English Budgies (see Budgie Varieties, above). In general, the birds are at the large end of the budgie scale, often with emphasis on feather features such as crests or tufts. As with any animal show, judges are looking for the most perfect versions of the various types of budgies. Lutino budgie ready for the show Exhibition Budgies Successful show birds are placid and accustomed to noise, travel, lots of activity beyond the confines of the cage, and lots of other budgies. Any bird excitable, nervous or noisy bird will not thrive in the show environment (and will certainly not be scooping any prizes). If you want to exhibit budgies, speak to an experienced breeder, who can ensure that you buy suitable birds.
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Budgie Chick Problems

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A healthy, attentive hen budgie will do everything necessary to ensure a healthy chick. A proper incubator should work the magic, too. But things don’t always go to plan, and deformed or dead chicks are not uncommon. Budgie Chick Died There are a number of reasons why this might happen. In order to avoid it, bear in mind these potential hazards: Egg rotation. A hen (or an incubator) regularly turns the eggs, enabling the chick to develop properly. If the egg is not rotated at least five times a day, the unhatched bird’s intestines may stick to the side of the eggshell. An unfortunate chicks afflicted in this way will hatch with its guts outside its body, an ordeal which, needless to say, it will not survive. Temperature. If this is too high or too low, the chick will not hatch. Heat will also kill a young bird, while cold will make the hen sit so tightly that the poor chick might be deformed or killed. Humidity. If the environment is too dry, the eggs may not hatch. If the humidity is ...
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Feeding Baby Budgies Tips

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Rearing chicks by hand is a time-consuming, fiddly process, not to be entered into without full appreciation of what’s involved. Always seek expert advice for any aspect of chick-feeding, and take time to watch some instructional videos. This will boost your confidence, and minimise the chance of mishaps. You may have healthy, attentive parent birds prepared to put in all the hard work, but you still need to know what to do if things don’t go to plan. Mishaps could be anything from a sick male (meaning he will be unable to feed the nesting hen bird) to an abandoned nest. Baby budgies are very delicate creatures, and if the mishap occurs early in the rearing process – within the first two weeks – your chances of weaning the bird are slim. Rearing a freshly-hatched bird is something none but the most expert breeder should attempt. Five-week-old budgies in a nestbox Feeding Budgie Chicks There are several budgie chick feeds and additives available commercially. These should offer the corr...
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Budgie Chicks

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Chicks sometimes wait 24 hours until chirping for food. This is because the nutrients from the egg yolk are keeping them satisfied post-egg. If, however, there is no sign of feeding after the first day, you will have to transfer the chick to another chick-rearing hen, or begin the delicate process of hand-rearing (see Feeding Budgie Chicks, below). The cock will feed the hen while she’s sitting, and the feeding of the chicks is down to her, until they leave the nest at five to six weeks old. The cock may then join in the chick-feeding, but often the hen will do the weaning single-handedly. Once the chicks have all hatched, droppings will start to accumulate rapidly. You need to clean out the nest box at least once a week, with clean hands. Remove as much of the soiled wood shavings as you can, but don’t shove the chicks around too much as you endeavour to clean their nest. If older chicks develop dirty feet, clean them as described in Cleaning Budgie Feet, above. The chicks should not ...
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