Heck better

The hecks grassfinch made a full recovery..amazing what a bit of heat can do. I've been advised not to put him back in the aviary with the other finches as it is very likely he was attacked by what must now be the dominant male protecting the nest!

Hecks very ill

I spoke to soon about the Hecks...found one on the aviary floor - unable to fly. Its now in the hospital cage, but I doubt if it'll make it. It's the older male...maybe to old. Or perhaps the younger male (I think its a male) decided three's a crowd. The hen is still sitting tight!

No parakeet eggs yet

The parakeet nest boxes have been in for 2.5 weeks and so far no eggs, despite Marge spending a lot of time in the box.

All the other parakeets, only the males have shown interest in the boxes.

I'm having doubts about the sex of Rosy, 'she' keeps displaying and I thought it was only the male bourkes parakeets that do this. Rubino's are very difficult to sex. The person I got her off said she'd bred before and was adamant she was a hen. I've sent off a blood sample for DNA testing to prove once and for all. This is the second time, as Rosey was a replacement for another hen bird that turned out to be male. Also decided to check Goldie out (as opaline yellow Turks can also be difficult to sex). These colour mutations are a real problem, it's so easy with the normals.

The Hecks meanwhile are on eggs. I think they have been sitting for well over a week now and probably due to hatch next week. I can't be sure because it's impossible to see in the nest. All three birds are getting on fine...I'm not even sure who has laid the eggs!

New Blog - New Birds

This is my new blog for my grass parakeet website “Neophema Splendida”, currently at http://www.grassparakeets.talktalk.net/. It provides information and pictures of the birds I keep and a log of their breeding activities. My dog Buster may also make an appearance.

For 2010 I’ve moved away from just keeping Splendid Grass parakeets and now have Turquoisine and Bourkes grass parakeets and some Hecks Grassfinch.
My current pairs for 2010 are:-
2 pair of Splendids;
Normal / lutino cock x Lutino Hen (Barney and Marge)
Seagreen Cock x White Breasted Blue Hen (Mr Burns and Lisa)
1 pair of Bourkes; Rosa cock x Rubino Hen (Rocky and Rosy)
1 pair of Turquisines; Red Fronted Normal Cock x Red Fronted Opaline Yellow Hen (Rudolph and Goldie)
3 Hecks (hopefully two are a pair).
Apart from Barney, Marge and Mr Burns all the other birds are new for 2010. So I don’t know what to expect this year. Also, only Barney and Mr Burns are proven breeders.

Barney & Marge

Lisa & Mr Burns


Rudolph & Goldie

Rosy & Rocky

The Heck's