CAGE BIRD CLUB

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1935, Page 9

CAGE BIRD CLUB

ADDRESS ON BUDGERIGARS. MEETING AT INGLEWOOD. On Wednesday evening, at a meeting of the Inglewood Canary and Caged Bird Club Mrs. Collins, New Plymouth, gave an interesting address on budgerigars. Mrs. Collins stated, that budgies .were’a native of Australia, and were really not love birds. The untold colours were produced by inbreeding and she detailed the various markings. The advice was given that a novice should commence breeding with only a few major colours, and'gradually work up to the multitude of colours. . Mrs. Collins outlined the best known methods of feeding and emphasised the necessity of providing rock salt and keeping clean water in the cages. She advised an outside aviary as budgerigars loved to roll in the grass when it was wet. They would breed throughout the year, but in their natural state the, period is usually from September to December. For purposes of exhibition it was essential to have healthy stock. It was advisable to pair birds in separate compartments, but so that they can see and hear other birds, as in their natural state they bred in colonies. They did not like to be isolated. During the breeding season they could be fed with cod liver oil once a week, using a teaspoonful soaked overnight in a saucerful of seed. It was not wise to soak it in bulk for any length of time. Feeding the oil in this way prevented egg-binding. If birds would not nest in boxes breeders should use their discretion in the use of husks. Boxes and husks must be kept clean for most birds were naturally, dirty. • Six eggs should be the most left under a hen. . If she was sitting on more they could be placed under another hen, whose breeding might not be up to standard, or which might not have been well paired. Incubation took place in about 17 days. A warning was not to feed thistle which had been frosted. In the event of the death of the parent bird, hand feeding would have to be resorted to, using a gruel. Differentiation of sexes was always a difficult problem but, said Mrs. Collins, the hen bird always bit harder than the cock. She then described how a bird should be prepared for exhibition purposes.

Speaking of egg-binding she said that the yents should, be steamed and a little oil applied. Budgerigars, if too fat, were subject to fits. French moult was probably caused by too hot weather. It had to be remembered that in Australia these birds always flew south for the breeding season. In the hot weather, if the parents had not fed the young correctly, that would account for French moult.

Mrs. Collins remarked that Java sparrows in her aviary had built their own nests of straw.