Others, and that includes champions, cannot achieve that level for a variety of reasons, so that their “super” birds have obviously not had the attention so necessary – and even occasionally, such fanciers have taken their entries straight from the breeding cage, de-spotted and that is that!

That is no way to proceed – and the chances of being rejected by the judges on the day is heightened greatly, if for no other excuse, for appearing in poor condition.

So, how does the professional approach the task of preparing the team, often for many consecutive weeks?

Should hens be shown and how many times should they be benched – for instance, on an annual basis?

These and other suggestions are discussed below….

Catching The Team

This is not the time to discuss the “Ideal Budgerigar”, which is anyway different in all countries by and large.

The breeder knows which are his/her best birds and it is up to him/her to make decisions reading which cocks and hens he/she selects will be included in the possibles and probables that could, for the show season, be hooked out of the flights, including current year birds.

You will ask “How many days before the first show should the team be re-sited in the stock cages?” The answer is three weeks and they should be fed additionally on lots of soaked oats to put on weight in that time. “A big one will always beat a little one” is a common saying.

Hens should be very carefully considered for show – in a typical season we do not advise that they are shown more than three times each for reasons of their importance for breeding.

The Hallams

In UK in the 1980′s, a Lancashire couple, Sylvia and Gordon Hallam and their son Peter Hallam, had the “knack” in bucket loads. Their show teams were prepared so well, that their birds, which even if slightly inferior to better birds, were still placed ahead of such superior exhibits. Not necessarily winning the class, but you take the point being made. So what exactly were their techniques? We will itemise them.

The Hallams owned a printing works. So both with their adults and especially their young possibles, they were taken in show cages, by car, on a regular basis to their firm, where they were left for a few hours before another car journey home. Obviously, this process accustomed them swiftly to avoiding travel nerves – often seen as a green discharge from the vent which is not enteritis, but plain nerves on a first outing. It tells you that before, say, a national show, this should be the practice to follow and perhaps common sense if your potential “Best in Show” is to have a great chance.

Young birds are often highly fractious and scatty. They need special attention. “With what?”, you ask?

The answer is hot water and glycerine!

Fill your sprayer with very hot water and add 5mls of plain glycerine to it. Adjust the nozzle to a fine spray and test it is not too hot on your hand — we are not responsible if you scald yourself ! Better you than your birds! Then, fully armed, spray the birds really heavily the first time in a morning to the point they look like drowned rats. They have the day to recover their normal look as well as having their underdown feathers dry by the evening.

By then you will see the first results. Calmer birds, better feathers on their bodies – any tails still ragged and spots need attention later. Nevertheless a big change — but a few will still be scatty. This process is then continued, but a bit less dense each day until you see a sheen appearing on them. As the days progress, the birds become calm and you can always add a clip on show cage for them to receive extra steadiness, if not placed there permanently.

Other ideas include a lot of handling with the young birds. Place them in a “dummy” show cage – two per cage — overnight. That helps, and when it comes to the big day they are accustomed to change and familiar with the show cage restrictions and perches.

Two Weeks Later

Now come the tricky parts.

Some will not be fully feathered for this first event of the season. Examine the flights and tails and see their growth situation. Short primaries or missing ones and only one tail fully down, and he /she is left for a later event. Broken shafts should have been pulled earlier, bearing in mind that a primary flight takes four weeks to re-grow and a tail eight weeks. Spots also take four weeks to re-appear, but can be quicker if you spray the spot shafts regularly and keep them soft.

Cracked Shafts and De-spotting

Suddenly you spot a cracked tail feather on a top bird.

Catch it up and examine the shaft carefully. Is it actually bent, chewed a bit or cracked right through?

If it’s the last item — pull out the stump, but if the other tail feather is intact – still show the bird.

Many judges miss spotting there is only one tail!

If both are cracked only, get a lighted cigarette and hold it very close to the damage. You will see the tail straighten fast and all is back to normal. The same happens if you dip the shaft(s) in boiling water.

Whatever you do – do not use glue! That will result in a ban on showing, as bad as painting spots and finally losing permanent credibility. Such actions result in another species of bird involvement. The “albatross around the neck syndrome”! Same with plucking out flecking. It is banned and if spotted you will be in trouble.

De–Spotting

This is an art that needs good eyesight and practice – but is dead easy in experienced hands.

In short, you are aiming to reveal the six main spots clearly without the myriad of the, sometimes, masses of minor small spots and underspots which are paler than the majors.

A quality pair of bull-nosed, flat-faced tweezers have to be bought for this purpose. Pointed tweezers, as used by the “fairer sex”, are useless as you often take out the centre of the offending feather instead of taking it out completely in one movement. No harm is done, unless you are too fast and out comes a major spot — then you are dead for the show.

Now a word of warning on this subject. When de-spotting, do not leave it to the last minute and attack the complete job in one go. Close to the skin of each major spot are the empty feather follicles of the surplus spots you have removed. The area directly around that big important spot gets bruised. You then spray the bird and the water makes that big spot heavy – and out it falls within minutes or hours. Spread the process over several days and this will not happen.

Judging Sticks

Obviously all judges use judging sticks, or now becoming popular, a two inch (5cm) broad “paddle” which is placed through the middle bars to allow and encourage a nervous bird to perch for a second or two – so it can be assessed for placing. If not, then a judge risks the bird getting tired after a few hours and it perches and looks “out of this world”, with predictable comments from the exhibition viewers.

The Day of the Show

By this time, you should have stopped the last final fine spraying three days earlier and the final team look fabulous.

Cage up. Add the correct labels as supplied from the show secretary – please note the word “correct”. Do not reverse a young bird light green label entry, with an adult entry of the same colour. It is a trap that happens so often when in a hurry.

Now double check all is correct and then cross check each label corresponds to the entry form copy you have made.

Finally

Once the birds are taken and benched, it is up to the judges.

You have done all you can – your team is in sparkling white cages – or should be – and in a few hours you will nervously see how you have done.

In nearly all cases you do better than you think you would and have, in your early days, pushed out other birds further down the line because you have prepared yours so well.

You might not win the first time, but you may the next week.

Make a note of the judges – some very good, others have not a clue because they have not bred such a quality in their own aviaries and really do not know how to be decisive in their actions.

There are some brilliant judges around of course who know exactly what they are seeing “To the millimetre”.
They are up with the quality being bred and the times. They move fast initially and make swift judgements and then get them in a rough order before dealing with the finer points and minor place adjustments. A last check and it is “job done”.

Others can stand there, faced with, say, fifteen light green cocks and look bemused and start to sweat – especially at national level.

One actually, years ago, reached for the whisky hip flask at the UK Budgerigar Society World Championship.

Such judges are rare, but if, at national level, one of these “amateurs” is appointed from a national list of “qualified judges” – then I find that unforgivable to those exhibitors who have strived all year to win this or that class.

Make a note of those who have no ability.

Lastly, you will lose more than you win but whatever you do, if you have not won, make it your first job to congratulate the winner. Your personal prestige will then soar — even if you are not aware of it. We cannot all win!

Good luck and one day everyone will shake your hand. It’s a great feeling.

Robert’s query:

After visiting and discussing the birds diet, I was alarmed at the suggestion by my friend that chlorine in the water kills most, if not all, vitamin supplements that we administer in water. This to include Cytacon, Abidec and I imagine others.

This was passed on to him by a pharmacist.

Your views please.

For the correct answer, I wrote to Dr Gloria Havenhand of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK. Gloria is known throughout the hobby and is fully qualified to answer. She is married to top budgerigar breeder Don Havenhand.

Here is Gloria’s answer in full:

As we all know, most councils add chlorine to our drinking water – and if the council says it is okay – it is okay is it not?

Mainly, chlorine is added to stop harmful bacteria growing at a rate of knots in our water supply.

Remember, our drinking water is mostly recycled sewage water!

Chlorine is the “chariot of carnage” for bacteria like E.coli – but do remember that if chlorine can affect one organism, it is as likely to affect another, and another, in some way or other.

Remember all of you – chlorine gas was pumped into the faces and lungs of your great grandfathers in the First World War (1914–1918). It killed and maligned thousands on the battlefield by destroying lung and throat membranes within a few short breaths!

Chlorine is a halogen – in the same group as fluorine, bromine and iodine. These are never naturally found in nature! They can be killers above a dose of 1,000 parts in 1 million in humans and less than 100 parts per million in birds and small mammals.

They have highly unpleasant and suffocating fumes, can burn flesh and are certainly toxic. That is why they decimate bacteria!

DDT, the disaster chlorine-based pesticide of the 1960’s, was eventually banned in 1973 in the USA – it was cumulative in muscle and hence the meat and fish we all ate. DDT caused hormonal and central nervous disruption in humans and a multitude of animals sledging down the food chain. Guess what – DDT is back again today and used against the malarial parasite.

It is difficult to sit easy about any chemical – it has the habit of déjà vu!

So, where does this leave us with chlorine and the question of its effect on vitamins?

Take heed that chlorine slays most of the good bacteria in our intestines and probably that in birds too!

Bacteria spearhead the production of vitamins like vitamin B12 and vitamin K within the intestine. This is why we have so many ads on TV for Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli – good bacteria which elbow out the nasty pathogens our gut develops when slaked with chlorine, fluorine and antibiotics of any description!

You all apply and dose ill birds with antibiotics, slaying vitamins and good bacteria at a swipe!

So you choose.

Less is more – I would advise.

This is why so many bird fanciers use bee propolis essence – the natural antibacterial from the beehive – essential to apply to feather problems externally and immune boost internally and which has no detected effect on vitamin and nutritional absorption.

Vitamin absorption and use by date are singularly time based – so a daily supplement is okay – but is just waiting around the intestinal bend to be devastated in its form!

Use you head and your heart.

Further Reading:

• Halogens
• Bee Propolis Essence

Virtually no country is excluded from this problem.

So what are the causes?

Why is it Happening?

I list these major causes as contributing factors:

• The Lure of Modern Technology

  • Young people are fascinated by the constant introduction of new technology, gadgets and computers – spending hours, either constructively or wastefully!

• TV & DVD

  • Watching DVDs & Television is preferable for some young people who have no outside interests or hobbies.

• Lack of a Guiding Hand?

  • Today’s levels of parental leadership are vastly diminished in so many families.

• Increase in University Attendances

  • More young people in their late teens and early 20s now attend universities, so they have no time for the fancy.

• Alternative “One-Off” Interests

  • Some sporting interests and any required equipment can be a one-off expense. So it’s often an easy option.

• Smaller Attention Spans – No “Stick At It” Attitude?

  • Time needed to make a “job worth doing is worth doing well”. I grew up with that phrase ringing in my ears – and it stuck. I’m not sure it is applied much these days.

• Older Newcomers

  • Newcomers to the hobby are, in the main, coming from the 40 plus generation – but only joining after being told about an existing member’s interests.

• Hobby Too Expensive?

  • Money required for set up costs of aviaries, seed and stocks. Grain has shot up to new levels in the past two years.

• The Current Economic Climate!

  • Everybody is watching what they spend these days.

• The Hobby Does Not Market Itself Well

  • With so many sports, interests, hobbies and pastimes available today, you have to get noticed to ensure that you are not left behind. The hobby world wide does a poor job at marketing itself to the wider public.

How do other Hobbies Market Themselves?

The Pigeon Fancy is enormous – Fact. They market the hobby with extensive magazines, exposure on TV, and press coverage. They also publish books of great depth and interest (e.g. for sale & libraries).

The same applies to the Angling hobby.

As for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), they have their annual accounts running into millions of pounds.

Is the Budgerigar Fancy Doing Enough?

In a word, NO!

Using my national Budgerigar Society (UK Budgerigar Society) as a typical example, I decided the other day to address a letter to the Secretary (David Whittaker) and the Chairman (George Booth), copy to the Publicity Officer (Janice Al-Nasser – a very efficient lady), about the BS leading “The Charge” , as I now call it.

It relates to the marketing of the hobby to the general public.

As I see it, societies everywhere, and the UK is no exception, have committees, councils, boards etc., to lead on behalf of their membership.

Certainly one cannot argue that they are all nice people and are hard workers, when there are so many who do not help at all!

Such committees are also good, in the main, at dealing with the exhibition side of the hobby – i.e. show planning and organisation. The UK Budgerigar Society and the German presentations are but two in this category.

Regrettably (in my opinion) these committees often suffer from what can only be described as “modest leadership”, thus allowing all manner of rules changes (e.g. the BS can only change their rules every three years as mandated) which seem to merely irritate the members, rather than encourage them.

One example, some years back, was to tamper with the design of the show cage (when none was needed at all), at a time when members were being lost and continue to be lost.

Yes, I know there was a 10 year stay in place by which time the new design was obligatory, but it had to have forced members to say to themselves:

Why on earth have I got this extra (and unnecessary) expense?

I now have to go over to the new design fast or I’ll be left behind.

I cannot justify staying in the hobby any longer.

Exit disgruntled member, stage left!

There are such examples all over the world of a similar nature, but this article is being constructive – not destructive (as a few will take it) – as well as ignoring the praiseworthy comments.

Criticism takes all the attention.

Can we Halt the Decline in Membership?

So, are there actions the hobby can take to halt the decline and raise awareness among the general public?

I firmly believe the answer is YES.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Use Mass Marketing Channels – such as TV & Radio

  • Remember that television & radio exposure gets into nearly every home. I know in the UK that Jeff Attwood is considered perhaps the best speaker in the hobby, and a natural in front of a camera. I would be using him, for example, to promote the hobby on TV & radio.

• Aviaries & Shows on TV

  • Get the Attwoods of the Fancy to push the TV companies to feature some of the top aviaries and the budgerigar shows. Use some of the best and experienced fanciers to tell the public that not only do we exist, but what a great hobby this is, with a hands-on factor involved with nature as well as the challenge it creates for all of us.

• Magazine Placement

  • Supply every doctor’s and dentist surgery with a magazine to be seen by patients who have time to browse.

• Pet Trade Magazines

  • The pet trade magazines are a must for publicity to those who might switch from, say, keeping fish to budgerigars, or similar.

• Car Stickers

  • Have car window stickers promoting us and giving details how to get in touch with the right organisation. The public will spot a quality budgerigar in this way and be drawn to look further and, importantly, might bite. If not for them, but for their sons or daughters who love nature.

• Advance Promotion of Shows

  • All budgerigar shows should have promotion in advance of the event in local newspapers, on local radio and if possible local TV. Emphasise that there will be stewards to take you round the exhibits and explain all aspects of the hobby when you get there. Posters have to be up in an around the local towns & villages – even local fairs do that! Such marketing has to have a double effect – boosted door receipts and memberships.

• Reduce Bureaucracy

  • Stop the decine of existing members as a result of swamping them with ill thought out rules and regulations which appear to have been introduced without serious thinking as to the possible consequences could be. An example: the new BS rule on flecking needs re-thinking (in my humble opinion).You cannot legislate for a variable fault – leave it to the judges. It all depends on what is in front of them – and I speak constructively, not otherwise.

• Use Modern Technology to Spread The Word

  • Websites are a marvelous tool to market the hobby. They are free to access and can, if designed well, provide huge amounts of marketing material to the public at the touch of a button. Join the 21st century and make use of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

These are but a few of the many ways in which to market the hobby we love.

Call to Action

So, marketing the hobby to the general public is not “rocket science” – but it does need someone to take ownership and make it happen.

All the above ideas can be added to and a small group of bright individuals should be instructed to address the situation in each society. Try to ensure that someone in the group has some experience in marketing – even if it is in marketing their own small business!

To start the process you have to build a Development Plan. Have a goal in mind and map out the steps to get there. Be pro-active and have the drive to push matters through.

Importantly, those on society boards or councils MUST back the “marketing team” – not block them. Then and only then, can we as fanciers hope to increase the popularity of breeding exhibition budgerigars.

In particular (and I address this to the chairpersons of the hobby), place this matter of great importance on your society’s agendas NOW!

No longer can we deal JUST with the “individual trees” (i.e. tactical matters) in the forest. We have to look at “the forest” as a WHOLE (i.e. strategic matters) and see the danger we face.

Remember what I have written before.

If you have always done things in a certain way, then you will get the results you have always had.

The Charge

In my opinion, even though action should have been taken several years back, it is not too late.

Act now and keep acting and results will flow.

My concern is that all that I have written will fall on “deaf ears” – because it has come from “Binks”, as some silly folk think.

I hope to be proved wrong and something will happen – but knowing the “leaders of the hobby “, I am not very hopeful.

Please prove my cynicism wrong!

The future of this wonderful hobby is in our hands. When you vote for leaders for your next board, think carefully who are the best persons to drive it forward. Just because a breeder on the show-bench is highly successful is no reason to vote for him / her. Remember that fact.

I will be the first to publicise any budgerigar society (national or local) who implements some of these ideas and get results. This international budgerigar website is here for that purpose.

It is for this reason that fanciers from all over the world make it a habit to attend this unique show.

This year was no exception when fanciers traveled from as far afield as Australia, Canada, Pakistan, USA and, from mainland Europe, Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal & Switzerland to witness for themselves the quality of the birds benched.

Attractions

Apart from the quality budgerigars at the show there is the seminar staged on the Saturday morning, always popular with many fanciers attending and this year one of our top breeders and exhibitors, Brian Sweeting, was the guest speaker.

There are also all the Budgerigar Society, area & specialist societies stands that give members the opportunity to pay for their following year’s subscriptions plus, of course, the array of trade stands and products that are available to fanciers to stock up for the breeding season.

One other important factor of this unique show is the social side, the friendships that are made, new and old, and the opportunity over the two days to meet and catch up with fellow fanciers that one only sees once a year. This is further enhanced by the dinner/dance on the Saturday evening.

The popular Auction of Promises on Sunday afternoon is followed by the grand finale of the two days when the President of the Society presents the wonderful array of 91 trophies to the winning exhibitors. Each part contributes to making this unique event a weekend not to be missed.

Behind the Scenes

A show of this magnitude doesn’t just happen!

The result is thanks to tremendous teamwork by a great many helpers.

It starts with the erecting of staging on Friday morning and ends when the last bit of staging is put away and everyone has gone home.

The people to thank are too numerous to mention but include the staging erectors and dismantlers, the managerial and secretarial staff, the club show committee, security, trophy, catering, seminar, tombola, door staff, stand co-ordinator, sales staff, stewards, in fact everyone who helped in any way.

Stands

Each year there is a competition for Best Trade Stand and Best Area or Specialist Society Stand.

The winning Trade Stands were as follows:

• 1st – Calcivet (The Birdcare Company)
• 2nd – Aviary Hygiene (David W Van De Peer MBICSc)
• 3rd – EMP (Donald Cooke Ltd)

The winning Best Areas or Specialist Society Stands were as follows:

• 1st – South Midlands Budgerigar Society
• 2nd – LABS (Lutino & Albino Breeders Society)
• 3rd – CBBA (Clearwing Budgerigar Breeders’ Association)

This was the third successive year that the South Midlands BS won – they received £25 and a lovely engraved glass plaque.

Judges were the Society President Dave Herring, Chairman George Booth and overseas judge Dave Collier.

Judging

The task in hand for this year’s show fell upon a team of 15 judges which included the Budgerigar Society President, Dave Herring.

The remaining 14 judges were:

• Alan Adams
• Ghalib Al-Nasser
• Jeff Attwood
• Lyn Bancroft
• Nigel Beevers
• Jerry Donovan
• Colin Lamb
• Jim McGeehan
• Geoff Moore
• Norma Phillips
• Tony Pope
• Cy Thorne
• Mick Widdowson

Every year the society invites an overseas judge and this year was no exception. However, although Dave Collier currently resides in the USA, he is actually a B.S. Judge, so it was meeting up with old friends for him at the weekend.

Accepting birds on the Saturday morning and starting judging a bit later proved to be quite popular with many exhibitors – and providing four extra judges to judge the sections while the colour judging was in progress worked extremely well this year.

The four extra judges were:

• Dominic Avo
• Ron Payne
• Ray Steele
• Terry Tuxford

These four have already been invited to judge the colours next year.

There were super quality budgerigars on display at this show and having gone through the selection by the colour judges, the 26 best of colour winners and their respective opposite sexes came forward to the final selection for the major awards.

The Budgerigar Society celebrated its 85th Anniversary this year, and each exhibitor benching 8 or more birds received a specially commissioned clock to mark the occasion, this was most appreciated by the exhibitors.

Best in Show

Les Martin ensured that his name be added to that long list in the Hall of Fame for winning the supreme award at this show when his Grey Green cock was initially judged Best Any Age in Show and went a step further by beating the young bird for the Supreme Best in Show.

Soon after Les was declared the winner, the crowd realised that the bird was that which won Best Young Bird at last year’s show.

It was a popular win as Les is a staunch supporter of the Budgerigar Society Club Show and his worthy winner was a bird that excelled in width of head and depth of mask with wonderful frontal rise and directional feathering, staged in immaculate condition.

Best Young Bird & Best Opposite Sex in Show

The Norwood Stud (Tony & Sandra) benched a wonderful Grey hen to capture the next prestigious award of Best Young Bird & Best Opposite Sex in Show.

This bird excelled in quality of width of face and shoulder with good length and staged in good condition.

Best Any Age Opposite Sex in Show

The partnership of Mick Freakley & Ian Ainley have featured regularly among the major winners’ listing since 2007.

This year they did it again when their adult Grey hen won Best Any Age Opposite Sex in Show. This was a massive hen with a wide head but was spoilt by a short tail.

Best Opposite Sex Young Bird

Last year’s Club Show winners, Paul & Dennis Spruce, teamed up with Keith Moorhouse to form the partnership of Moorhouse & Spruce and they won the Best Opposite Sex Young Bird with a lovely stylish and powerful Cinnamon Skyblue cock.

Champion Any Age

The Champion Any Age section was headed by the Best in Show and Les Martin captured the second spot with his Skyblue cock of similar quality as the supreme winner.

The Freakley & Ainley partnership was third with their massive Spangle Cinnamon Grey cock, large and bold shown in good feather condition.

The Grey hen of Freakley & Ainley was the Best Opposite Sex in this section.

Champion Young Bird

The first two places in the Champion Young Bird were occupied by hens of super quality.

First was the Norwood Stud’s Grey hen which was Best Young Bird in Show, followed By Richard & Michael Miller’s Yellowface hen of style with good depth of mask and colour.

Brian Sweeting benched an excellent Cobalt cock of good length in third place.

Intermediate Any Age

It was partnerships that occupied the first ten places in the Intermediate Any Age section and the Bowker family of Richard, John & Wayne headed that section with a Grey cock of good frontal rise followed by the Moorhouse & Spruce partnership with a Grey Green cock which was last year’s supreme winner. A massive bird with good frontal rise but was not in the condition that took him to the supreme last year.

The Brian Newton & Gary Shepherdson partnership was third with a Light Green cock of good head quality and large spots.

There were no hens placed in the top ten in this section.

Intermediate Young Bird

The Cinnamon Skyblue cock that was placed Best Young Bird Opposite Sex headed the Intermediate young Bird section for Moorhouse & Spruce followed by their Yellowface Cinnamon Grey cock of good style and size with lovely top end.

R & J & W Bowker were third with their challenge certificate winner, a Grey Green hen with exceptional head quality showing the “buffalo effect” and benched in good condition.

Novice Any Age

A Skyblue cock of Dave Brick headed the Novice Any Age section, a lovely bird with good face and staged in good condition.

Simon Roberts was second with a quality Grey Green cock followed by Richard Hooper’s Spangle Cinnamon Grey Green hen in third place. A good hen with good width of face and shoulder.

Novice Young Bird

Albert Jennings headed the Novice Young Bird section with a nice long Violet cock followed by Dave Brick’s powerful Cinnamon Grey cock in second place.

A Light Green cock of quality from Philip Pearce & Connor Pears was third.

A Grey hen from Liam & Simon Devaney was the best opposite sex in this section.

Beginner Any Age

The only exhibitors who managed to win both sections were Jim & Carol Huxley in the beginner section who had a good team to win many awards. Their any age winner was a Grey cock of good top end and mask staged in good condition. Their Spangle Blue cock was placed third best.

Separating the two was a nice Grey hen benched by Terry Price.

Beginner Young Bird

Jim & Carol Huxley headed the beginner young bird section with a lovely Spangle Blue hen of good width and size. This was followed by Ian Ward & Michelle Rogers Cinnamon Grey Green cock of good width and blow of cap spoiled only by one shadow spot.

James Theobald had a Yellowface cock in third place.

Best Junior in Show & Junior Any Age

It is always good to see competition in the junior section, the future of our hobby.

Connor Spruce won the any age section with a nice Grey Green cock and Best Junior in Show – while Gary Cameron won the next two places with a Spangle Blue cock and a Grey cock.

Junior Young Bird

The junior young bird section was won by Jack Hickton-Cragg with a Dominant Pied Blue cock.

This was followed by Erin Newall’s Grey Green cock.

Jordan Butcher was third with a Cinnamon Blue cock.

Teams

There was a total of 6 Teams benched in the team classes of 4 and 6 birds and Geoff Bowley won both classes and Best Team in Show with a team of six Albinos.

Any Age Challenge Certificate

Winners were:

• K. Leedham – light green, cinnamon green
• Norwood Stud – dark/olive green, rare variety
• L. Martin – skyblue, grey green
• B. Sweeting – cobalt/mauve/violet
• P. Greenwood – grey
• C. Bowman – opaline green
• Main & Jenkins – opaline grey green
• Moorhouse & Spruce – opaline blue
• M & S Banks – opaline grey
• J. Stainforth – cinnamon blue
• T & A Luke – opaline cinnamon green, opaline cinnamon blue, any other colour
• I. Fordham – lutino
• D. Bowley – albino
• R. Day – yellow-wing
• R. Docherty – whitewing
• Cheatley & Alcorn – crest
• J. Grubb – spangle green
• Freakley & Ainley – spangle blue
• A & D Woan – dominant pied
• C & D Jones – recessive pied
• J. Nevin – yellowface

Certificates of Merit:

• D. Brick – Novice
• J & C Huxley – Beginner
• C. Spruce – Junior

Young Bird Challenge Certificate

Winners were:

• R. Allen – light green
• P. White – dark/olive green
• C & M Snell – skyblue
• B. Sweeting – cobalt/mauve/violet, opaline blue, spangle blue
• R & J & W Bowker – grey green
• Norwood Stud – grey
• M & T Rodgers – opaline green, opaline grey
• Main & Jenkins – opaline grey green
• Ward & Rogers – cinnamon green
• Moorhouse & Spruce – cinnamon blue, yellowface
• D. McKeown – opaline cinnamon green
• T & A Luke – opaline cinnamon blue, any other colour
• I. Fordham – lutino
• A. Kelly – albino
• Guppy & Barnes – yellow-wing
• R. Day – whitewing
• A. Brown – crest
• J & C Huxley – spangle green
• P. Hodgkins – dominant pied
• M & M Chapman – recessive pied
• Swain & Ford – rare variety

Certificates of Merit:

• A. Jennings – Novice
• J & C Huxley – Beginner
• J. Hickton-Cragg – Junior

It is an event not to be missed!

Guest Speaker – Brian Sweeting

Apart from the thousands of top quality birds benched for fanciers from all over the world to admire, there will be a seminar on the Saturday morning, with one of our top and successful fanciers Brian Sweeting as the guest speaker.

The seminar will kick off at 10.30 a.m.

Brian’s topic, through a power point presentation, will be “Make ‘em Breed”.

Tickets are £10 each and include entry to the seminar, light refreshments plus entry to the show on Saturday only. Those who attend the seminar will be invited to watch judging of the Best in Show and other major awards.

The Judges

While Brian is busy delivering his presentation there will be 15 judges busy judging their respective colours – they are:

• Alan Adams
• Ghalib Al-Nasser
• Jeff Attwood
• Lyn Bancroft
• Nigel Beevers
• Dave Collier (USA)
• Jerry Donovan
• Dave Herring (B.S. President)
• Colin Lamb
• Jim McGeehan
• Geoff Moore
• Norma Philips
• Tony Pope
• Cy Thorne
• Mick Widdowson

The section judging will be in the capable hands of the following:

• Dominic Avo
• Ron Payne
• Ray Steele
• Terry Tuxford (who will be invited next year to judge the colours)

85th Anniversary

To help celebrate the Society’s 85th Anniversary, each exhibitor benching 8 or more birds (excluding sales) will receive a suitably inscribed clock memento to mark this milestone occasion of the society.

Gala Dinner

The Saturday evening Gala Dinner will be returning to the Holiday Inn (formally the Moat House) and entertainment will be provided by Barry Cheese, a popular comedian.

Tickets at £25 each can be booked with Pete Hutchinson by sending him a SAE (stamped addressed envelope) and a cheque payable to “The Budgerigar Society” to:

• Pete Hutchinson, 125 Moss Lane, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 7XE
• Tel: +44 (0)1625 420269

Auction of Promises

On Sunday afternoon at 1.00 pm Geoff Capes, assisted by John Alcock, will be on the hammer with the ever popular Auction of Promises – with many quality birds promised from top leading fanciers together with many other superb items and promises.

This has been so popular over the years and it generates income towards staging the next show.

Tombola & Club Show Raffle

Throughout the weekend Norman & June Cox, helped by Jackie Fox, will want you to visit them at their great tombola stand with lots and lots of prizes to be won.

So go to them and have a go and be one of the winners!

Don’t forget also to participate in the Club Show Raffle while you are there.

Trophy Presentation

The finale will be when our President Dave Herring takes to the trophy stand to present the array of 91 trophies to their prospective winners. Will you be one of them?

There are a lot of incentives for exhibitors apart from competing at the highest level. The Jim Moffat Charitable Trust is allocating its usual £1,250 for the major winners divided as:

• £300 for Best in Show
• £150 for Best Any Age
• £250 for Best Young Bird
• £150 for Best Opposite Sex Any Age
• £250 for Best Opposite Sex Young Bird
• £150 for Best Junior

The Budgerigar Society will be presenting Georgian Crystal to the major winners and the Any Age section winners will each receive Georgian Crystal and £30 while £25, £20, £15 & £10 will go for 2nd – 5th Best.

The Young Bird section winners will each receive Georgian Crystal and £45 while £35, £30, £25 & £20 will go for 2nd – 5th Best.

The junior sections will get Sports Vouchers, a framed certificate and £20 for the winner and £10 & £5 for 2nd & 3rd Best.

Patronage

Patronage has been received from all 10 area societies and the show is also the club show of the following:

• Clearwing Budgerigar Breeders’ Association
• Crested Budgerigar Club
• Lutino & Albino Budgerigar Society
• Rare Variety & Colour Budgerigar Society
• Spangled Budgerigar Breeders’ Association
• Variegated Budgerigar Club

Trade Stands

Apart from all of the above there is an array of Trade Stands at the show for fanciers to be able to stock up with all their needs before the commencement of the breeding season; of course not forgetting the large number of birds that will be in the sales section.

Birds & Opening Times

Birds will be accepted on:

• Friday between 2.00 – 10.00 p.m.
• Saturday between 7.00 – 9.30 a.m.

The show will be open to the public on:

• Saturday between 3.00 – 6.30 p.m.
• Sunday between 9.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.

Admission to the show is £6 per person and a catalogue is £4.

Schedules

All members of the Budgerigar Society will have received their schedules already with the July / August issue of “The Budgerigar”.

Schedules may also be obtained from:

• The B.S. Office, Spring Gardens, Northampton NN1 1DR
• Tel: +44 (0)1604 624549

Schedules may also be downloaded from the Budgerigar Society’s website:

• www.budgerigarsociety.com

Closing Date for Entries

Closing date for entries is 21st September 2010 and these need to be sent to:

• Ronnie Simpson, 22 Homefield Avenue, Morley, Leeds, Yorkshire LS27 0DX

For other help contact the Show Manager Dave Hislop on +44 (0)1253 855894.

Visitor Information

For our overseas fanciers getting to Doncaster is easy.

By Air

• Local airport: “Robin Hood Airport” (only 10km away)
• Manchester airport (approx. 90km away)
• London airports (approx. 250km away)

By Train

• From Manchester International Airport to Doncaster
• From London Kings Cross station to Doncaster

By Sea

• via the port of Hull (approx. 42km away)
• via the port of Norwich (approx. 185km away)
• via the port of Dover (approx. 315km away)

By Road

• via the A1(M) motorway
• via the M18 motorway
• via the M1 motorway

There are a large number of accommodation facilities available in Doncaster ranging from Bed & Breakfast, Guest Houses or Hotels and a full list can be obtained from the Doncaster Tourist Information Centre.

See You There

Come to this wonderful show to join in the activities throughout the weekend, meet your fellow fanciers and just enjoy the amazing atmosphere among like-minded people!

Avian Polyomavirus (APV) or Budgerigar Fledging Disease

Avian Polyomavirus (APV) infection, otherwise known as Budgerigar Fledging Disease, is the primary cause of this symptom although other factors are often involved.

Budgerigar breeders recognise symptoms of APV in their birds as French Moult.

The term French Moult is a symptomatic description of a disease that may include APV, Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease virus (PBFDS) and other infections.

Preventing APV

Prevention is the only cure as there is no treatment for APV.

An understanding of the disease and other predisposing circumstances will help prevent the disease.

There are three important facets to this disease.

• Polyomavirus (APV) “Carrier” Bird
• Nutritional Stress during the Moult
• Poor Quill Strength

Polyomavirus (APV) “Carrier” Bird

APV is the most common disease of budgerigar studs. In my book “The Budgerigar”, I describe it as the most significant disease of budgerigars, as it often affects immunity thereby having a profound effect on the long-term health and reproductive ability of an infected budgerigar stud.

Infection with APV occurs primarily in young budgerigars between 0-20 days of age. Budgerigars that survive the acute infection will often drop their long feathers in the weaning cage, fail to develop their primary wing and tail feathers, or these may be deformed as the virus damages the feather follicle especially of these long feathers.

APV infection is life long although infection and disease are not synonymous. In fact the vast majority of APV infections are asymptomatic. In most instances the lost flight and tail feathers of weaning budgerigars are regrown soon after recovery from the acute infection. These birds however remain “carriers” of APV and are the most likely birds to lose their tails during the first adult moult.

Small outbreaks in adult birds have been reported but are rare. Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease virus (PBFDS) infection (that often occurs together with APV in budgerigars) is thought to be immuno-suppressive and may predispose adult birds to APV disease.

From my perspective, I consider APV to be a disease confined to young birds but which remains as a life long infection. Most infected birds remain symptomless “carriers” throughout their lives. Some individual “carrier” birds – mostly those possessing exhibition quality feather features – become re-infected with APV following a stressful event.

In my view the loss of tail feathers in adult birds is confined to birds already infected with APV i.e, “carrier” birds. Often these birds have not exhibited any prior symptoms associated with APV. However, in most of these birds there are symptoms of APV prior to the failure of the tail feathers to regrow although they are not obvious to most budgerigar breeders.

A close examination of affected birds often reveals a slow or delayed moult, low vitality, poor feather condition, missing flight feathers, frayed tail feathers, staining of the feathers above the nostrils, preen gland cysts and tumors, feather cysts and other signs of poor general health. Some birds may appear in very good condition but these birds often have lost feathers during the weaning period and regrown them soon after. They are in fact APV “carrier” birds.

Nutritional Stress during the Moult

A failure to regrow tail feathers is most likely to occur in APV “carrier” birds during their first adult moult. These birds are often physically large birds that also possess championship quality feather features.

The regrowth of the paired central tail feathers occurs towards the end of the moult at the same time as the long end flights. Any nutritional deficiency (i.e. stress) is more likely to appear at this time as these feathers are the largest in the body and because their regrowth also occurs towards the end of the moult. Dormant APV infections are likely to be activated in “carrier” birds at this time.

Poor Quill Strength

The quill strength of many championship quality budgerigars is poor. Poor quill strength may be a consequence of APV infection or poor genetic selection. Feather problems (e.g. feather cysts, bacterial follicle infections, feather abnormalities) and a failure to regrow tail feathers are more likely in birds with poor quill strength.

Feather cysts (i.e. retained curled up feathers are trapped beneath the skin) and other feather abnormalities may occur as a result of poor quill strength in the absence of APV infection.

“The Budgerigar” Book

Avian Polyomavirus (APV) infection and methods used to prevent it are covered in even greater detail in my book – “The Budgerigar”.

Note from Gerald S Binks: If you are serious about your hobby, I would urge you to obtain Dr Marshall’s book “The Budgerigar” which took 12 years to compile. Details of how to obtain a copy can be found below.

• Tails You Lose! – Part 1 of 2
• Dr Rob Marshall’s book – “The Budgerigar”

Among birds being checked in was an outstanding bird (for its time) in full condition, and the buzz among the officials was on the lines of – “Here is the Best in Show”.

Overnight, both tail feathers disappeared!

They were not even on the cage floor. The question was, who was the culprit among the overnight stewards? Then it was realised that one of them had a very good bird in the same class. Such are the vagaries of human nature to win at all costs! The outcome, of course, was that no tail – no win!

Quality Nutrition is Everything

Anyway, that was yesterday, but in 2010 the problem takes on a different aspect which results in the same feeling of depression by the owner(s).

I refer, of course, to the fact that you can breed a super bird with all the right head qualities, depth of mask and so on, until it gets to 5-7 weeks of age and suddenly it loses its tail feathers! It can be earlier or later. The bird is what I have always thought – a borderline French Moult victim.

The reasoning is that the tails are the longest feathers in the budgerigar body, and thus require a perfectly nutritious metabolism to sustain these feathers soundly to full growth and permanence, until the first normal moult.

The Puzzle

So, your “Best in Show” winner has succumbed to the dreaded title of a “Tail-less wonder”.

It is now left with a familiar situation, where, for the very observant, the tips of the feathers that normally are left in the feather follicle, as in a standard French Moulter, are not there! I find this difficult to understand and so far I have no answer to it.

As the bird continues to grow, tiny new tail feathers start to appear – but then stop growing. If pulled out, you find a clean outer stump from within the follicle at the base, where growth has started, but stopped, as the poor nutrition (?) has failed to support them further.

To contradict this statement, we can now look at the adult “Tail-less wonder”. By the time the bird has reached, say, 10 months of age, it still continues to create the same kind of stumps as before – but it has, by then, a high quality metabolism because it has been fed under your good management. So why no normal tail growth at this stage?

Feeding Changes Can Cause Trouble

Obviously, we are not all good avian managers and so many fanciers try all sorts of commercial products (that may affect their studs adversely) in the hope that something “works”.

In “The Challenge” book, this is discussed at length. In my case, I realised many years ago that one new product can upset the complete metabolic balance that can easily precipitate French Moult. Budgerigars are very sensitive to nutritional changes!

Binks Receives A Hit!

By reason of a balanced nutritional input, I have not had any French Moult for years – unless I push a pair to breed too far and ask for trouble.

This season (2010) I have produced a light green normal chick that at 5 months of age looked superb. Mick Freakley and Geoff Tuplin saw it and waxed lyrical – but days later – no tails!

I immediately thought of something that has been in my mind for many many years. We have all these specialist veterinarians, some of whom are paid by various societies in the world, who deal with the basics of diseases that in the most part are well recorded and have been so for years. The question in my mind is simple and is vitally important to us breeders, namely: Why has no research been carried out on the tail loss factor?

Infected Follicles?

In the past decade we have swiftly become interested and have acted upon acquiring longer feathers and directional feathers on either side of the head, to create what I termed for the hobby as “The Buffalo Effect”.

Not easy to achieve, but the hobby at large is trying and is already succeeding in many aviaries. This has to put extra strain on avoiding the loss of tails for the reasons given above.

So, with this personal experience in mind, I approached Dr Rob Marshall for his (and I stress his) comments and the possibility of some positive research into the state of the follicles, post the loss of their tails.

My mind says:

• “How do I clean up the follicle, so that the growth can behave normally?“
• “What is inside the follicle that is stopping new tail growth?“
• “Is it an infection? If so, which bacterium is it, and how do we knock it on the head?“

Finding A Cure?

When I was approached, at the age of 19, with a kind invitation to join Her Majesty’s Armed Forces (for two years at her expense), I tried to join the Black Watch Regiment- as I have a Scottish (and Lancashire) background.

I was rejected for flat feet much to my now wife’s amusement!

So, I found myself in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and was eventually put in charge of The Medical Centre near Aldershot, under a gaggle of qualified Doctors.

Where is this getting to, you will be asking?

Well, I learnt a great deal in patient treatment – especially treating boils. We used a paste that was applied to the infection called Magnesium Sulphate paste. This is still available from your pharmacy. It has the capability to draw out all forms of nasty boils until they are clean and heal.

I decided to get some recently and, while it is early days, I am melting the paste and working it into the tail zone and seeing what happens – if anything! There have to be more modern treatments, of course, but I am currently stuck in the past!

Conclusion

I have now received the report from Dr Rob Marshall (see below).

Close scrutiny will reveal that the possibility of a cure has to overcome factors in the bird’s background – but my latest question to him is “How do you explain that the bird with the best head qualities – with the slightly longer feathers – is affected, but its nest mates – also stunning light greens – do not have the problem? Certainly ALL have the same genetic background!”

Please note: If you are serious about your hobby, I would urge you to obtain Dr Marshall’s book “The Budgerigar” which took 12 years to compile. Details of how to obtain a copy can be found below.

• Tails You Lose! – Part 2 of 2 (Dr Rob Marshall’s report)
• Dr Rob Marshall’s book – “The Budgerigar”

Identifying Early Illness

• Introduction

  For most diseases there is a sequence of signs that appears before a budgerigar becomes obviously sick.

  At first there is a loss of the health signs. Detecting potential disease therefore requires knowledge of these health signs as well as looking for the other signs of failing health or disease.

  Self-diagnosis requires an ability to recognize the signs of health, failing health as well as symptoms of disease.

  A systematic physical examination of the sick or dead budgerigar helps reveal more subtle symptoms and improves the accuracy of self-diagnosis, but when in doubt contact your avian veterinarian.

  Individuals that display distant signs of failing health or disease should be caught and examined more closely in order to identify the exact nature of the health problem.

• A Systematic Approach

  A systematic approach to the physical examination is recommended as it produces the most comprehensive information about the nature of a bird’s illness or injury in the shortest possible time.

  Distant signs of failing health or disease:

  • Noise & Smell
  • Roosting Activities (on perches & the ground)
  • Feather Quality (colour, cleanliness & strength)
  • Droppings (size, colour, consistency & smell)
  • Physical Abnormalities

   
  Close-Up Inspection:

  • Eyes
  • Frontal Feathers
  • Feathers above the Nostrils
  • Cere & Beak
  • Mouth & Facial Feathers
  • Body Condition
  • Vent Feathers
  • Wings
  • Tail
  • Droppings

Some Examples

To illustrate the systematic approach to problem identification, here are a few examples:

• Breeding Cock Problems

  Breeding cock problems are mostly the result of energy depletion, so that most birds can be saved when emergency first aid is given at the first signs of sickness. A treatment protocol – including a wise choice of medicine – can be started.

  • For a sick breeding cock:

    • Move the sick cock into a heated hospital cage
    • Provide emergency first aid
    • Select one of the following medicines based upon the individual symptoms:
      
       
      • AIL Spray: Quill or red mites discovered during physical exam
      • Doxycycline Megamix: Infertility in this and previous breeding rounds
      • Moxi-T: Dirty feathers above the nostrils, missing flight or tail feathers
      • Turbosole CankRtabs: Vomiting associated with sudden onset illness and dark green droppings
      • Fungilin: Vomiting associated with infertility, going light, excessive hunger and large dark brown droppings
      • Sulfa AVS: Watery droppings with an odour

   

  • For a dead breeding cock:

    • Post Mortem: Post Mortem findings determine best treatment for breeding partner and rest of flock

• Breeding Hen Problems

  Breeding hen problems, especially sudden deaths, are often the result of entering the breeding cabinet when not ready to breed, inadequate nutrition, stress or food related diseases.

  • For a sick breeding hen:

    • Treat the sick hen in a hospital cage
    • Provide emergency first aid with added liquid calcium (e.g. HiCal)
    • Add “Super Charge” and “HiCal” to the drinking water of all other breeding pairs
    • Select one of the following medicines based upon the individual symptoms:
      
       
      • AIL Spray: Quill or red mites discovered during physical exam
      • Doxycycline Megamix: Failure to lay eggs, deaths when laying eggs in this and previous breeding rounds
      • Moxi-T: Dirty feathers above the nostrils, missing flight or tail feathers
      • CankRtabs: Vomiting associated with egg laying
      • Fungilin: Soft shelled eggs associated with infertility, going light, excessive hunger and large dark brown droppings
      • Sulfa AVS: Watery droppings with an odour

   

  • For a dead breeding hen:

    • Post Mortem: Post Mortem findings determine best treatment for breeding partner and rest of flock

• Problems In The Flights

  • Individual Bird Sickness

    A systematic approach is needed to guestimate the cause of an illness when a sick individual bird is discovered in the flights. During a close examination the eyes, cere, nostrils, body condition and plumage (frontal feathers, feathers above the nostrils, facial feathers especially around the mouth, breast feathers, vent feathers, wing and tail feathers) should be inspected systematically for additional signs of failing health or disease.

    A complete physical examination is recommended as it produces the most comprehensive information about the nature of a bird’s illness or injury in the shortest possible time.

    After this close inspection, the captured bird should then be placed into a paper lined show or hospital cage. Here it may be given first aid treatment and its droppings can be closely monitored as the physical appearance of droppings provide a wealth of information as to the possible causes of failing health.

  • Deaths Occurring in the Flights

    An occasional death in the flights is considered a normal occurrence and often the result of natural attrition involving older or inherently weak birds. Concern, however, should be aroused when more frequent deaths and an increasing number of sick birds appear in the flights, as this is the pattern of a contagious disease.

    A budgerigar breeder’s greatest fear is the overnight discovery of two or more dead birds on the floor of a flight as this finding is a portent to further deaths over following days. Swift action must be taken at this time to identify the stress factors involved with the deaths.

    With a cluster of deaths a pattern involving one sex or age group often emerges which considerable helps identify the underlying stresses involved. For example, gender-specific deaths occur as a result of breeding behaviour stress interacting with other stress factors. The high testosterone levels of males and high mineral needs of females ready to lay eggs are the factors that link a cluster of deaths in the flights to a particular gender.

“The Budgerigar”

The above article has been adapted from Dr Robert Marshall’s 2009 publication “The Budgerigar”.

For more information on this book, please click here.

Changes in the behaviour or physical appearance of an individual bird may indicate the beginning of an illness or an inherent weakness.

Individuals that display any of the distant signs of failing health or disease should be caught and examined more closely in order to identify the exact nature of the health problem (See pages 210-239 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

This article covers troubleshooting of budgerigar health problems using self diagnosis as follows:

• By Close Inspection
• By Common Symptoms
• By Treatment Trial
• By Location of Problem

By Close Inspection

During a close examination the eyes, cere, nostrils, body condition and plumage (frontal feathers, feathers above the nostrils, facial feathers especially around the mouth, breast feathers, vent feathers, wing and tail feathers) should be inspected systematically for symptoms of failing health or disease (See Figure 18b pages 219 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

• Abdomen Symptoms

  The abdomen is examined by passing the middle or ring finger over its length whilst holding the budgerigar in such a way as to avoid the feet. Changes in the abdomen (See photo 9.11 page 104 Chapter 9: “The Budgerigar“) include a “soft belly”, hernias, internal tumors, ovarian cysts, fatty, or cancerous tumors (See page 230 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). Treatment varies according to the exact diagnosis.

• Body Condition

  In the hand, the healthy budgerigar feels strong but buoyant. The body should be carefully examined using the fingers to feel for abnormalities.

  • Crop Problems

    The crop region is gently examined for the presence of bloating or crop herniation. Air in the crop is an abnormal finding in budgerigars and a sign of crop stasis, trichomoniasis and crop infections (sour crop) (See Chapter 30: “The Budgerigar“).

  • Obesity

    The weight of a budgerigar can be assessed in the hand by feeling for fat depots or a prominent keel. Overweight budgerigars are less likely to be fertile (See pages 226-227 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). Often they are fat because of an inability to fly due to missing flight feathers. In overweight birds, paired fat depots may be found in the area between the crop and breast muscle. Fat tumors may also be found in this area. Additional fat depots may be found as small bean shaped fat pads in front or behind the vent.

  • Going Light

    The degree of prominence of the keel bone and fullness of the breast (pectoral) muscles help identify weight loss in budgerigars. “Going light” is a sign of an unhealthy budgerigar and describes an excessive loss of weight that occurs in budgerigars that are not eating, digesting or absorbing enough food. A prominent keel bone accompanies the weight loss. “Going light” may occur rapidly within a day when toxic diseases such as coccidiosis cause a sudden dehydration (See Chapter 28: “The Budgerigar“). Megabacteria infections (See Chapter 29: “The Budgerigar“) and worm infestations (See Chapter 28: “The Budgerigar“) prevent the digestion and absorption of food so that birds “go light” more gradually.

• Cere

  • Cere Changes

    Cere colour and texture vary between sexes. The colour of the cere of healthy female budgerigars is brown across all varieties. The blue cere colour of male budgerigars is present in all varieties except albinos, lutinos and some individual pied birds. The surface texture of a healthy male is smooth and that of a healthy female is rough.

    The colour and texture of the cere may be used to assess the health of both sexes as these features change in response to hormonal fluctuations, failing health and disease (See figure 18e page 223 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

    When cere changes are discovered look for other symptoms as an abnormal cere may occur as a result of natural hormonal flucutation or as a result of a disease process. Cnemidocoptes mites may infect the surfaces of the cere and facial skin and may permanently damage the beak. This condition is not highly contagious but treat with ivermectin / moxidectin according to veterinary recommendations.

  • Nostril Problems

    Cere changes associated with female hormones or Cnemidocoptes mites may cause the nostrils to become occluded. Stress related Streptococcus or Mycoplasma and Chlamydophila infections produce a watery discharge from both nostrils, whereas a mucoid discharge appears in one, or both nostrils when Staphylococcus or fungal infections occur as a result of dusty and humid stud environment. Treat according to veterinary recommendations.

• Ear Infections

  Ear infections are uncommon in budgerigars but most often associated with dust-related Staphylococcus infection. (See photo 9.8 page 103 Chapter 9 & page385 Chapter 30: “The Budgerigar“). Treat with Penicillin antibiotic and ear drops according to veterinary recommendations.

• Eye Problems

  Close inspection of the eye whilst holding the bird is required to detect infections, inflammations and injuries as the budgerigar’s eye and eyelids are very small.

  “Red eye” is a common condition of budgerigars (See figure 18d page 221 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“) that starts as a painful conjunctivitis, has several underlying causes and is symptomatic of self-inflicted trauma. Administration of one drop of antibiotic eye drops daily for 2-3 days is the best treatment for “red-eye”.

  Eye symptoms should be viewed with great caution, as they may be the only indication of the presence of contagious diseases such as Psittacosis (See figure 27h page 345 Chapter 27: “The Budgerigar“) and Mycoplasmosis.

• Feather Problems

  Changes to the colour, cleanliness and strength of a budgerigar’s feathers, offers a warning sign for failing health or disease (See pages 216, 222, 224, 226-229 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

  Birds with dry feathers can be recognised from the distance by the physical characteristics of tail feathers. Frayed, soiled and bent tails warn of dry and weak feathers that lack strength and durability. Their presence is often the result of coexistent Megabacteria (See figure 29a page 371 Chapter 29: “The Budgerigar“) and Polyomavirus (See page 334 Chapter 27: “The Budgerigar“) infections although genetically based structural weaknesses may also be involved.

  Feather soiling is a sign of failing health that indicates dry feathers, “sticky” droppings or reduced preening activity. Dirty feathers are not present in healthy birds under normal conditions but may appear across a flock when prolonged wet weather prevents feathers from remaining perfectly dry.

  Viewing the vent and tail feathers of roosting birds from below offers a good opportunity to identify birds with soiled dry feathers. These birds should be caught and undergo a close physical examination.

  • Frontal Feather Changes

    Changes of the frontal feathers may be used to diagnose a variety of conditions (See page 222 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

  • Feather Stains above the Nostrils

    Staining of the feathers above the nostrils is an indication of a sinus infection (See photo 9.6 page 103 Chapter 9: “The Budgerigar“), the cause of which is most commonly a stress induced Streptococcus or dust related Staphylococcus infection. Treat with Penicillin antibiotic according to veterinary recommendations (See figure 18f pages 224-225 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

  • Feather Picking of Young

    Feather plucking of chicks by a mother is an indication that she is ready for another breeding cycle. Feather picking is also a sign that a breeding hen is experiencing a metabolic disturbance caused by energy & mineral depletion. It may be necessary to stop her entering another breeding cycle if she is showing signs of fatigue. Treat with “Quik Gel“. Fortify food with additional protein and energy.

  • Facial Feather Changes

    The facial feather area starts beside the cere then follows the margins of the beak down the length of the mask. The feathers of this region should be clean and colourful.

    The persistence of food remnants that soil or adhere to these feathers during the feeding of young is an indication that the feathers are dry and failing health. Slimy, bubbly and discoloured mouth discharges that matt the facial feathers is a sign of disease (See figure 18g pages 224-225 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). Look for other symptoms to help you diagnose and treat the cause of the changes in facial feather qualities.

  • Tail Feather Changes

    The tail feathers provide information regarding the genetic quality of the plumage, conditions under which the budgerigars are kept and their health status in respect to Polyomavirus infection (See page 332 Chapter 27: “The Budgerigar“). It is the longest paired tail feathers that reveal most about health and these are best viewed from beneath (See figure 18l page 234-235 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

    Tail feather changes represent a fundamental problem in a stud that needs to be addressed by the breeder in consultation with a veterinarian.

  • Vent Feathers Changes

    Examination of the vent feathers can be a useful procedure for checking the health of individual budgerigars. The vent feathers of the healthy budgerigar are dry and clean as this finding reflects silky waterproof feathers and healthy droppings. Wetness, staining, pasting and clagging of the feathers surrounding the vent signal failing health or disease (See figure 18h page 228-229 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

    • Wet Vent

      Wet vent is caused by any sudden stress. Most breeders will recognise a wet vent as it is commonly seen in budgerigars entering their first show. (See page 227 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). Treat with Emergency First Aid treatment and Penicillin antibiotic according to veterinary recommendations.

    • Staining of the Vent

      Soiling or staining of vent feathers indicates failing health or disease (See page 227 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). It is the colour of the staining that reveals the nature of the disease.

      Liver disease is indicated by vent feathers that are soiled with a yellow stain.

      Dark forest green coloured stains of the vent feathers often appear in birds that have stopped eating from diseases such as trichomoniasis and coccidiosis.

      Dark green greasy droppings that hang from the vent feather area signal a dehydrated and seriously ill budgerigar that requires immediate first aid treatment. Look for other symptoms, treat with Emergency First Aid treatment with a “guestimated” medicine – See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

    • Pasted Vent

      A pasted vent refers to the matting of vent feathers together with a white paste-like material (See page 227 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“). The white paste is dried urates and a sign of disease. The presence of large amounts of pasting indicates dehydration and kidney malfunction.

      Wet pasted vents that appear in budgerigars soon after entering the breeding cabinet are a result of the stress associated with pairing, courtship and egg production. These birds may not have been in breeding condition when they entered the breeding cabinet, be inherently weak or be incompatible with their selected partner. They should be transferred to a hospital cage for observation in order to avoid the likely outcome of breeding failure or death.

      Look for other symptoms to “guestimate” an appropriate medicine – See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

    • Caked Vent

      A caked (or clogged) vent occurs when droppings block the vent. Often tail wagging accompanies the constipation caused by the clogged droppings. Seed may also stick to the caking. Immediate and then daily treatment by removing the caked droppings and cleaning the vent area gives soothing relief to most budgerigars.

      Look for other symptoms to “guestimate” an appropriate medicine – See Part 2 Medicine Selection. For example, caking with large moist droppings may appear rapidly with acute diseases such as Megabacteria infection (treated with amphotericin) that interrupt digestion and stimulate thirst.

      It is helpful to smell the vent area when it is pasted or caked with droppings as the presence of a particular odour may be used to identify a particular disease.

      Thrush infections (treated with Mycostatin) and infections of the uterus (often referred to as vent gleet) produce a pungent yeast-like odour to vent discharge (treated with Penicillin antibiotic) whereas E.coli infections produce a distinctive chicken-like smell (treated with Sulfa-type antibiotic).

  • Wing Feathers Changes

    Both wings should be examined (See page 232-233 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“) one at a time by first passing the finger over the outside rim of the wing to feel for any lumps (feather cysts) and then extending each wing fully to inspect its outer and inner surfaces for mites and lice. The number and condition of the primary flights of each wing reveals much about the stage of moult and health. Abnormal or missing flight feathers and a delayed moult represents failing health irrespective of the outward appearance of the individual bird.

    Polyomavirus (French moult) is a common cause of missing flight feathers.

    Quill mites are a major underlying cause of failing health and breeding failure in budgerigars (treated with lice spray & ivermectin).

    Feather cysts may be felt along the rim of the wing as hard fleshy swellings. They are usually found towards the wing butt in the area of the outermost primary flights (treated with Penicillin antibiotic and surgical excision under veterinary supervision).

• Feet & Leg Problems

  The feet of a healthy budgerigar remain clean as a result of a good circulation keeping them warm and dry. Soiling of the feet, toes or toenails is therefore a sign of failing health as it indicates poor circulation and cold feet.

  The feet are examined by enticing the budgerigar to grasp a finger in order to check the perching reflex (See page 231 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

  Splay legs (see page 306 Chapter 24: “The Budgerigar“) and deformed toes are poorly understood conditions that may occur with nutritional deficiencies, incubation problems, injuries sustained in the nest or with inappropriate perch shape and size.

• Preen Gland

  In a healthy budgerigar, the preen gland is barely discernible as a slight swelling near the base of the tail (see figure 9d page 105 Chapter 9 & page 306 Chapter 24: “The Budgerigar“). Roughened feathers or excessive grooming over the preen gland area is the first sign of a blocked preen gland. Tail feather abnormalities occur with large preen gland tumors because of the close proximity of the tail feather follicles with this gland.

  Preen gland infections are usually the result of vitamin D deficiencies and lack of direct sunlight.

• Vent Problems

  Examination of the vent feathers in the exhibition budgerigar can be a useful procedure to check the health of the individual bird. Wet-, pasted- and caked vent feathers are early signs of failing health. These conditions are discussed in this section and also in Feathers – Vent Feather Changes. Prolapses (see photo 9.26 page 110 Chapter 9: “The Budgerigar“) are other problems of the vent area.

  • Early Signs of Deteriorating Health

    • Wet Vent

      Wet vent (see photos 18.51 & 18.52 page 227 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“) refers to the wetness around the vent feathers, occurring as a result of a sudden stress.

      Breeders are aware that budgerigars at a show develop a wet vent as a sign of stress but any type of acute stress will produce a wet vent as it occurs as a result of cloacal malfunction.

      The cloaca is a three-chambered structure that separately stores the droppings passed down the bowel from the urine produced in the kidney. The uterus also opens into the cloaca (see figure 9k page 110 Chapter 9: “The Budgerigar“).

      In the healthy budgerigar, the water from the urine is recycled into the bowel and re-absorbed into the body. The system provides this desert bird with an extremely efficient method for conserving water. Under stress, the budgerigar becomes highly excited and defecates before water re-absorption is completed producing the water that appears around the feathers near the vent.

      The wet vent is a common occurrence in the birds under acute stress. Acute or sudden onset stress is associated with emotional stress as seen in birds at the show, when young birds are places in the “nappy cage”, when the juveniles are moved into the flights and in overcrowded studs.

      Physical factors that cause wet vents include sudden changes in temperature in the stud (too cold or too hot), fright (predators) and excessive fighting between birds due to a lack of perch space.

      The presence of wet vents is an early warning signal of an imminent and possibly serious health threat to the individual bird or the entire stud. The natural resistance and fortitude of budgerigars can be assessed by the absence or presence of wet vents. Birds repeatedly getting wet vents are not suitable for showing or breeding as they lack a calm nature. This nervous type of bird is also more susceptible to disease and a potential health hazard to a stud. These birds should be removed from a stud.

    • Pasted Vent

      A pasted vent indicates a prolonged stress. Pasted vents in one or more budgerigars indicate a long standing and potentially serious illness that is capable of infecting the entire flock including robust and vital birds. Look for other symptoms to “guestimate” an appropriate medicine – See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

      An infection requiring Sulfa-type antibiotic is present when a smell accompanies a pasted vent. Alternatively the acid contents of Quik Gel should be effective to control this stage of most infections whilst waiting for the results of veterinary testing.

    • Droppings Caked Around the Vent

      Dry, enlarged black droppings – This type of dropping is seen with low grade Megabacteria infections. Individual crop needle treatment using Amphotericin and Quik Gel is the treatment of first choice – See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

      Moist, large khaki green droppings – These droppings usually carry a bad odour when removed from the vent. Bacterial enteritis, coccidiosis and uterus infections are the most common cause of these droppings. Look for other symptoms to “guestimate” an appropriate medicine – See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

    • Stained Vent

      INSERT MISSING INFORMATION HERE!!!!!

By Common Symptoms

• Breeding Problems

  Many breeding problems occur as a result of introducing budgerigars to breeding cabinets when they are not ready to breed. Others occur because of a failure to provide the breeding pairs with the nutritional balance and dietary energy level needed to maintain their vigour throughout two breeding cycles. A plan to prevent these kinds of breeding problems is needed because breeding failures may result in deaths of important birds or the loss of an entire breeding season when sick birds fail to recover in time to breed again during that breeding season. For a detailed description of breeding cock and hen problems refer to pages 278-287 Chapter 22: “The Budgerigar“.

  Infertility is an inherent failing of some championship quality budgerigars and for these birds it is incurable. However, there are other causes of infertility that can be reversed. For a detailed description of infertility and other egg problems refer to pages 288-297 Chapter 22: “The Budgerigar“.

  The other egg problems discussed in “The Budgerigar” refer to those conditions involved with the failure of a fertilised egg to hatch. Although the cause of most of these egg problems can be identified and cured, their presence largely goes undetected by breeders who unknowingly blame infertility for the failure of these eggs to hatch.

  Nestlings refer to young birds in the nest from hatching until weaning age, when they leave the nest.

  The health of a newborn chick and the parental care it receives from hatching until weaning age determine its future value as breeding or show birds. Nestlings bred and reared by healthy parents will be strong at hatching and will grow to their full genetic potential when they receive good parental care and nutritious food in the nest. Those that are born weak will never achieve their true show potential irrespective of the level of care and nutrition they receive.

  Chicks are born weak due to a variety of reasons. Stress induced diseases such as Psittacosis or Polyomavirus infections produce weak chicks by devitalising the mother and undermining her ability to brood properly. Other diseases and nest contamination may infect the egg directly and debilitate the developing embryo resulting in a weak born chick.

  Death is the usual outcome of weak born chicks. For a detailed description of nestling deaths and other nest problems refer to pages 298-308 Chapter 22: “The Budgerigar“.

• Deaths

  Highly contagious diseases such coccidiosis, roundworms and trichomoniasis and toxic infections associated with contaminated foods are the most common causes of deaths in the flights, whilst energy depletion associated with inadequate nutrition, hormonally induced interruptions to the breeding cycle are the most common causes of deaths in the breeding cabinets.

  The highly contagious diseases have potential catastrophic consequences that can decimate a stud within a matter of weeks, abruptly destroying bloodlines that have taken years to create. Refer to pages 244-245 Chapter 19: “The Budgerigar“.

  Although there are advantages and disadvantages associated with each type of flight – internal or external – the cause of a death or illness occurring in the flights is more likely a result of stud management rather than whether the flights are indoors or open to the weather.

  Sooner or later all budgerigar flocks will become exposed to life threatening diseases. Breeders should be prepared for such a situation and have a tactical response plan prepared in order to avoid unnecessary deaths.

  A tactical response plan should incorporate an emergency first aid treatment protocol for individual sick birds, a method for “guestimating” a treatment to protect the remainder of the flock and a method for identifying the nature of the disease.

  An emergency treatment plan needs to be activated whenever two or more birds die in the flights within 2 weeks, because the earlier diagnosis and treatment is initiated the better the chances of averting catastrophic losses.

  • Deaths in the Flights

    An occasional death in the flights is considered a normal occurrence and often the result of natural attrition involving older or inherently weak birds. Concern, however, should be aroused when more frequent deaths and an increasing number of sick birds appear in the flights, as this is the pattern of a contagious disease.

    First Choice of Medicine
    The following emergency medicines should be mixed together in the drinking water with Quik Gel whilst a diagnosis is being confirmed.

    Qwik Gel is the first choice emergency medicine when:
    • Deaths with no other symptoms

     
    Sulfa-type antibiotic is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with the presence of a “chicken-house” smell in stud
    • Deaths associated with green droppings, smell to droppings or occurring within a week of wet weather rain

     
    Penicillin antibiotic is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with stained feathers above nostrils
    • Deaths associated with white or brown watery droppings and signs of vomiting
    • Deaths are associated with symptoms of dropping changes that carry no odour
    • Deaths associated with French Moult outbreak

     
    Doxycycline is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with ongoing conjunctivitis and “red eye” problems
    • Occasional deaths associated with infertility during the breeding season
    • Deaths are associated with green staining of vent feathers

     
    Baytril is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with mice infestation or the presence of a mouse dropping smell in stud
    • Deaths associated with yellow staining of the vent feathers

     
    Piperazine Wormer is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with birds of all ages and sexes “going light” over a short period following wet warm weather
    • Deaths associated with large watery dark brown droppings in unrelated birds

     
    Amphotericin is the first choice emergency medicine when:

    • Deaths associated with white or blue mould on droppings
    • Deaths associated with related birds going light with dry feathers and black droppings

   

  • Deaths in the Breeding Cabinet

    An occasional death in the breeding cabinets should not be considered a normal occurrence but a cause for concern. Treatment must be confined to affected breeding cabinets alone until a definitive diagnosis confirms a need for flock treatment – because of an airborne contagious disease, mite infestation or food/water contamination.

    Choice of the emergency first aid medicines is the same above list for sick birds in the flights.

• Dropping Changes

  Examining the droppings of budgerigars from a distance can reveal helpful information as to the health status of a flock. The size, colour and consistency of droppings offer the best clues as to whether a change in behaviour or plumage appearance is a significant risk to a flock’s continuing health.

  Close inspection of the floor of the flights or breeding cabinets is required to notice a change in the droppings (See page 217-218 Chapter 18: “The Budgerigar“).

  Droppings of a healthy flock are uniformly small, round, dry and black in colour with a white topping. Down feathers are often attached to these droppings. A change from small, black and white droppings to tan or khaki coloured droppings is an indication of a stressful event that if allowed to persist may lead to disease. Failing health or disease is present when large coloured droppings appear on the floor of a flight. When seen in the breeding cabinet large khaki coloured droppings may be considered normal when a hen is in the process of laying eggs, eating soft foods or parents are feeding young.

  • The Healthy Dropping

    The healthy dropping is characterised as follows:

    • Small, black with white caps
    • Have an attached down feather
    • Dry with no sign of wetness or smell

     
    The healthy dropping of the healthy budgerigar is black in colour, round, has a white cap and a down feather attached to it. The droppings of healthy breeding birds are not always small and black. The small, dry dropping of the healthy budgerigar is a reflection of the top fitness and a fully functional cloaca. The character of the droppings may change from day to day dependent upon many factors but the budgerigar breeder can look to the droppings as a most reliable and sensitive measure of the health of the flock. The healthy budgerigar may produce from 25 – 50 stools per day because of its extremely high metabolic rate. The healthiest aviary birds produce the smallest droppings.

    Down feathers or pin-feathers are those very small fluffy feathers that are dropped every day in the perfectly healthy budgerigar. They are seen on the floor, attached to the wire or droppings in the healthy aviary, but are no longer “dropped” at the first instance of stress of any kind. Their absence from the flight floor is a sure sign of a potential health problem.

    What is the significance of “down” on the droppings? The healthy budgerigar starts producing “down” feathers soon after the juvenile body moult (i.e. when the bars disappear from the forehead) is complete. The down feathers are used for insulation and produce a fine powder that waterproofs and lubricates the feathers. Their growth reflects the health and vitality of the budgerigar. The healthiest birds drop down feathers daily, producing copious amounts of powder (bloom) in the process.

  • Interpretation of Droppings

    The droppings are a very reliable and sensitive reflection of health. The careful observation and understanding of dropping changes in the flights or breeding cabinet is an incredibly powerful health management tool, allowing the observant breeder to quickly restore the health balance of the flock by using products such as Quik Gel rather then medicines.

    These products stimulate health by returning the flock to its natural balance. The best results are achieved when they are used at the first signs of a change in health. They act differently to medicines, which cure illness by killing the germ. Instead they restore the natural conditions of inner health to the body, having no direct effect on the germs. Their action prevents illness before it has had time to establish itself.

    The daily examination of the droppings on the floor is the most useful method for monitoring the health of the budgerigar flock. It is best to have flight and breeding cabinet floors free of any grit, sand, wood shavings or saw dust so that the droppings can be easily monitored every day. The small black and white is the dropping of a top heath and the first thing a breeder should see first thing in the morning.

    A change form healthy dropping indicates a potential health problem. View with caution any change in the colour, consistency or smell of the droppings. The discoloured dropping is abnormal in budgerigars fed a dry seed mix, although breeding birds and aviary birds may produce a larger, green coloured and watery dropping for a short time (24 hours) after eating soft foods, greens or soaked seed.

  • Abnormal Droppings

    The dropping is a very reliable and sensitive measure of the health of the aviary birds and reveals a wealth of information for the observant breeder, reflecting the health and management of the flock. The fancier is able to monitor the health of the flock by observing for any dropping changes. The early recognition of a dropping change allows the fancier to implement an immediate recovery plan that protects the health of the entire flock by using the water cleansers.

    The detection of abnormal droppings is only possible when the flights or cabinet floor is cleaned regularly. It is impossible to detect early illness in aviaries with sand, soil or deep litter systems.

    The Early Signs of a Potential Health Problem

    These changes can indicate deterioration in health, not a disease:

    • Watery droppings or wet vent
    • Larger droppings
    • Absence of down feather on droppings
    • Change in colour of the droppings
    • Smelly droppings

     
    What are the effects of stress on the droppings? The high metabolic rate of the wild budgerigar protects the livelihood of the budgerigar in the wild but exposes the health of the budgerigar to the stresses of captivity. The wild budgerigar has adapted to the harsh arid environment of central Australia largely due to its small size and high metabolic rate. It has evolved totally dependent upon the perfection of nature. Unfortunately, the aviary situation is far less then perfect in providing the budgerigar with its evolutionary requirements for health. It is the high metabolic rate of the budgerigar, the Achilles heel for survival in the wild bird that exposes the aviary budgerigar to so many illnesses. This high metabolic rate allows it to withstand the effects of stress for only short periods of time. The sudden disease outbreaks and mortality so common to the budgerigar aviary are usually the result of prolonged stress.

    The careful observation of the droppings is by far the best remedy against disease outbreaks in the budgerigar aviary. Any change in character of the droppings is a warning sign of an immediate health problem, because stress of any kind provokes and immediate change in the droppings of birds, especially those with a rapid metabolism such as the budgerigar. The changing droppings reflect the bird’s natural response to stress largely controlled by the body’s protection and survival systems.

    Although the signs of stress in birds are subtle, they become more obvious to the trained and observant eye. The weaker birds are the first to show signs of stress. The watery dropping is the first sign of stress but is very short-lived (24-48 hours) and often missed, because of the budgerigar’s extremely high metabolic rate. After a day or so the droppings become larger and change usually to a khaki-green colour. Without treatment at this time the stressed birds’ health deteriorates and disease appears and spreads throughout the aviary. Treatment to restore the health of the flock is best given at the first signs if stress.

    Signs of Stress

     
    • A watery dropping or wet vent is a sign of sudden (acute) stress. This is by far the most effective stage to prevent illness. Health is restored using water cleansers, energy supplements and by repairing the management flaw

     

    • Large, soft, discoloured droppings appear with prolonged (subacute) stress. Illness can still be prevented at this stage without using medicines

     

    • Pasted vents, large watery an often-smelling droppings are signs of long standing (chronic) stress. The disease already established within the aviary at this stage requires veterinary assistance and the appropriate use of medicines to restore the health of the flock.

     

    • The absence of down feathers is an early sign of stress. Down feathers on the droppings is a good sign that the birds are healthy and their absence reflects a stress of some kind. Water cleansers are used immediately the down feather disappears from the droppings. At the same time the dropping should be examined to see if any further treatment is needed.

     

    • Poor stud conditions may be responsible for the absence of down feathers. The stud design can be assessed by looking for down feathers on the droppings first thing in the morning. When down feathers appear in the afternoon and not in the morning, then the flight conditions are too cold, too hot, too wet or humid. Poor environmental conditions “stress” the birds, depriving them of restful sleep, retarding down feather production, reducing their ability to conserve body heat and exposing them to illness. The absence of down on the droppings may be the only sign of illness in many studs.

  • Watery Droppings

    Watery droppings are early signs of illness in budgerigars. A wet vent and watery droppings on floor recognize their presence.

    An increased water intake due to thirst is also a cause of a watery dropping. Often the budgerigar will pass a watery dropping within ten minutes of drinking a lot of water. There is a wetness around a normal looking “snake like” dropping when an increased thirst is the cause of a watery dropping. A wet “mushy” abnormal looking dropping is caused by bowel infection. The cause of watery droppings can be determined by the time of day that they occur.

    What is the significance of watery droppings of a morning?
    Watery droppings in the morning but turning normal in the afternoon is stress induced indicating a design flaw of the stud (too cold, too wet) that may be remedied by insulating the flights, especially the ceiling.

    What is the significance of watery droppings of a afternoon?
    A watery dropping in the afternoon rather than first thing in the morning is also stress induced and may occur with predators (rats, mice, snakes, dogs, cats), draughts or a sudden weather change.

    What is the significance of watery droppings during the night and day?
    Watery droppings during the day and night are commonly associated with illness such as canker, coccidiosis, Chlamydiosis, fungal or thrush infections. Wet droppings also occur when sugar based medications are administered (vitamins, electrolytes, antibiotics etc.).

    What is the significance of white, watery droppings?
    White droppings occur when there is a gizzard obstruction. The bird with white watery droppings requires immediate first aid treatment and crop needle feeding. The white watery dropping is a common finding with cold stress when birds over-engorge on grit. It is important to remove all grit temporarily from the cage when white watery droppings are seen.

  • Enlarged Droppings

    What is the significance of larger droppings?
    The size of the droppings is a very good indicator of the fitness and health of the budgerigar. The metabolism of the most healthy and fit birds purrs with efficiency and requires minimal energy to run at top capacity. The budgerigars in top health eat and drink less because their energy systems are highly efficient. They produce droppings that are small, tight, low in water and are well formed; the fittest birds have the smallest droppings. Large droppings occur when the birds eat too much. Excessive hunger occurs with feeding parents, illnesses, parasite infestations or as a habit. Large droppings may indicate a fitness or heath problem and should be tested microscopically.

    Large droppings reflect a continuing stress. The use of Quik Gel immediately large droppings are noticed in the flights or breeding cabinet, is the best and most natural means for preventing illness in budgerigar flocks.

    A large dropping is an early sigh of a health problem. On closer examination a change in the colour and wetness may also be noticed.

    Persistently large, discoloured, wet droppings indicate a health problem in the breeding cabinet.
    Large droppings do occur in the breeding cabinet of healthy hen birds. Healthy cock birds that are not feeding should have normal droppings. Look at the perch site to check the health of the cock and hen in the breeding cabinet. Cock birds may produce stress related droppings soon after pairing in incompatible pairs. Feeding cocks may produce larger droppings, but too much moisture in the droppings indicated a problem in either sex. Mould growth on the dropping in the breeding cabinet is a sure sigh of a health problem.

• Vomiting

  Vomiting is a life-threatening symptom requiring immediate attention.

  The most likely causes of vomiting are:

  • Blocked gizzard (with sour crop)
  • Canker (Trichomonaisis)
  • Megabacteria

   
  First Choice of Medicine
  Birds showing symptoms of vomiting must receive immediate emergency first aid treatment. The following emergency medicines should be mixed together in the drinking water and administered together with ER formula / Quik Gel by crop needle whilst a diagnosis is being confirmed.

   
  Metronidasole and Penicillin antibiotic are the first choice emergency medicines when:

  • Vomiting is associated with a sudden illness following wet weather with additional symptoms of a wet head, gas in the crop and continuing appetite. Hens are more likely to suffer these symptoms in the breeding cabinets and cocks in the flights. These are symptoms of Sour crop related to a blocked gizzard. Sour crop may also occur as result of feeding a contaminated soft food. Under these circumstances birds of both sexes will show symptoms within 72 hours of eating the contaminated food.

   
  Baytril is the first choice emergency medicine when:

  • Vomiting is associated with a sudden illness following wet weather with additional symptoms of a wet head and gas in the crop. Several birds of both sexes show the above symptoms within 72 hours of eating the contaminated food. These symptoms occur when sour crop is unrelated to a blocked gizzard but occurs as result of being fed a contaminated soft food.

   
  Ronidasole are the first choice emergency medicines when:

  • Vomiting is associated with a sudden onset serious illness following warm weather with additional symptoms of gas in the crop, stop eating, dark green droppings and any discharge from the mouth (See page 393 Chapter 30: “The Budgerigar”).

   

  • Cocks are more likely to suffer these symptoms in the breeding cabinets and flights. These are symptoms of Trichomoniasis (canker). Follow an Emergency First Aid Treament forthesick individuals as well as a flock treatment.

   
  Amphotericin is the first choice emergency medicine when:

  • Vomiting is associated with an ongoing illness following an acute stressful period – cold stress, weaning etc) with additional symptoms of going light, excessive hunger, dark brown to black droppings, seed in the droppings. Related birds of both sexes may be affected simultaneously or over a period of time. These symptoms occur with Megabacteria infections have blocked the stomach and gizzard.

 

• Weaning Problems

  Due to their much larger size, exhibition budgerigars take 20% longer to reach weaning age. They start to wean when 5 weeks old and may take several more days before they are able to eat and drink by themselves. It appears many exhibition budgerigars have lost their instinctual ability to wean quickly and for them weaning as well as fledging are very slow processes.

  It is the diminished ability of exhibition budgerigars to wean and fledge quickly that predisposes them to weaning problems. In order to minimise weaning problems most breeders move nestlings of weaning age into a communal nursery (weaning cage) for between 1-3 weeks, where under close observation, they learn to eat, drink and fly before they are allowed to enter the flights.

  (See pages 310-319 Chapter 22: “The Budgerigar”)

By Treatment Trial

A treatment trial is an important means for diagnosing many budgerigar diseases, because it is difficult to diagnose many of the more serious diseases in early stages of infection (e.g. Coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, round worm infestations) and for others diagnostic testing is unreliable (e.g. Psittacosis, Megabacteria ) or takes may days to finalise (e.g. Fungal infections and toxins).

A positive response to a treatment trial involving a “guestimated” medicine and emergency first aid treatment within 48 hours of treatment should be expected when the correct medicine is chosen.

A positive or negative response to treatment trial helps confirm the correct diagnosis and determines a need to continue or stop treatment for the entire flock.

• Positive Signs to Treatment: Individual bird

  • Increased activity within 12 hours
  • Fawn colour droppings within 24 hours
  • Perching behaviour within 48 hours
  • Eating after 72 hours
  • Feather colour returns within 72 hours
  • Climbing up wire of hospital cage after 72 hours

• Negative Signs to Treatment: Individual bird

  • No increased activity within 48 hours
  • Droppings remain dark green after 48 hours
  • No perching behaviour within 72 hours
  • Not eating after 96 hours
  • Feather colour returns within 96 hours
  • Climbing up wire of hospital cage after 96 hours

• Positive Signs to Treatment: Birds in Flight

  • Increased activity and noise within 24 hours
  • Smaller droppings within 24 hours
  • Feather colour visibly brighter within 72 hours
  • Down feather appear on floor within 72 hours

• Negative Signs to Treatment: Birds in Flight

  • Dark green watery droppings after 48 hours
  • Fluffed up look within 48 hours
  • No increased noise or activity after 24 hours
  • Vomiting

By Location of Problem

See Part 2 Medicine Selection.

Dr Rob’s Products

To order the products mentioned in this article, please use the links on the Dr Robert Marshall page.