Answers to Correspondents

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22540, 3 October 1936, Page 7 (Supplement)

Answers to Correspondents

"Beginner," I'utaruru. —Budgerigar: Providing tho hen continues to sit, I think it likely that the majority of tho eggs would hatcii out. Tho husk would absorb tho shock. From the breeding you mention, you would get mostly white birds, and during the season probably some blue and some green. N.S., Huntly.—Budgerigar: Probably tho trouble is that the eggs aro not fertile. Leave the birds alone —the next clutch of eggs will probably be good. Thero is a possibility that the cock bird has doveloped a taste for eggs, bat this is unlikely. If he continues to interfere with the second clutch of eggs, you had better change him. Be sure that you are giving plenty of cuttlefish and grit. I would givo tho cock another chance before removing him. C.L., Waimuuku.—Canary: Tho small inflaination is probably the result of some infection from dirt or olr?rwiso gaining access through a crack in tho ball of tho foot. Wash tho leg and foot with soap and warm water, and then dress it with peroxide. Afterwards, rub a littlo olivo oil on it. Clean tho perches thoroughly with hot water, soap and disinfectant. Cover thorn with 0110 thickness of old flunnol and dampen with a few drops of olivo oil. This should remove tho infiamation in tho course of threo or four days. "Tyro," Tangowahine.—Budgorigar: A cage approximately three foot by eighteen inches deep by two feet high is sufficient, but tho larger the better. Tho bird might have irritated himself with acid from a cage front or with solder from new wire netting. Wash the affected part with warm water, and afterward rub in a little oitment. See that tho perches are perfectly clean, and be careful that the inflammation does not spread to the eye-lid. Examine the bird for lice. If present, dust with a good insect powder. If this treatment does not succeed, write again giving full description of the progress of the hare patch. "Gentle," Kaiwaka.—Budgerigar: As extra food for the youpg when thoy are almost weaned, givo quantities of good quality white millet seed, hulled oats and spray millet. A little good insect powder in the nesting receptacle once a week is sufficient during the

warmer weather. Wait until the youngest is able to lift its head (which is at about sevon days of ago) before dusting tho neßt with the powder. Givo canaries their nesting pan and material as soon as the present cold snap has passed. A little gin and glycerine in the drinking water is exceptionally good as an egg-binding preventive. Bird shops sell several very good prepared canary-rearing meals. E.A.H., Frankton. —Budgerigar: It is not certain from your evidence that the budge.rigar did kill the young. Might not one of the young ones have died and been removed from the nest? Usually, however, any youngsters dying like this just shrivel up. An infertile egg being broken causes the feathers of the birds to become sticky. Occasionally, a good egg then adhores to the feathers, and. 011 tho hen leaving the nest, is dragged out and dropped on the floor. In struggling to be free of the egg, sometimes the shell is pierced with a beak or a claw. If such losses continue, take the cock away from the hen and she will raise the youngsters by herBolf. 1 would be pleased to know tho conclusion of your misfortune. W. 8., Manurowa. —Budgerigar: If tho hen has ceased brooding her eggs, you have been the cause through constantly looking at her. Most budgerigars do not object to interference by a human being, but some do. Do not disturb the sitting hen until the oldest chick Is over a week old. Until then, she will have kept the nest clean enough—in fact, she might do so all the time. The crack round the sido of the husk would not be detrimental, and during the hotter weather it would bo beneficial. The behaviour of budgerigars indicates that they know when their eggs are fertile. Many cases of eggs being thrown on the floor of the cage or the bottom of the aviary have been proved to be cases of infertile eggs being rejected. In a clutch of six eggs, it is usual for at least one to be Infertile. The suggestion is that tho young ones are supported by this infertile egg, and on account of it the hen does not sit on them too closely. Many hons are light sit(ers —that is, they appear to us to be out of the nest far too often, although eventually the eggs hatch out quite satisfactorily. Thi3 is probably your trouble.