The Splendid Bourke Bird Blog: 2021

Saturday, December 11, 2021

Correcting Splay Legged Bourke's Parakeet -- Ruby's Hand Fed Offspring

Night time feedings for one bird are not desirable! Cannot let it starve, however. Hope it becomes a wonderful pet for someone. Will be glad when it is weaned. Smile.

Monday, October 18, 2021

LEG BAND UPDATE for 2022 bands.

I just got off the phone with a woman at American Federation of Aviculture and learned what has happened at L&M Leg Bands.

She said that the man who did the bands passed away suddenly in August. He was in his 50's and had not been sick, so it was unexpected. His sister is the person who answered the phone and took orders.

Apparently, there are many who would like to buy his equipment, but after something like this, there are legal hoops to jump through. Until then, she said no one is doing bird leg bands in the USA.

Very sad for his family and for American bird breeders across the country. May his family members be comforted and his soul rest in peace.

Peace and Blessings.

Friday, August 13, 2021

Ruby Rubino Bourke's Parakeet Newly Hatched Clutch and Many, Many More

Our current babies that are available starting August 15, 2021. We will probably have tame, young birds available throughout the rest of the year. Currently we have 15 hand fed young Bourke's Parakeets with others coming on. Contact us for more information at: rosie.birds@gmail.com

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Question: Why don't my Bourke hen's eggs hatch?

Question: I’ve was trying to breed a couple of Bourkes for the last 2 ½ years with no luck. Some kind of calamity or birth defects always ruined the clutches. Out of six clutches they only raised 1 healthy baby to adulthood.

I thought it might be a genetic problem so I got a new male. Mommy just got through sitting on 3 fertile eggs but abandoned the eggs at 23 days. I cracked one open and it was still alive ☹, poor thing. It was FAR from 23 day of gestation. Maybe half way developed. I felt bad that I opened it. ...Help!!

*****

Answer:

Here's my first piece of advice: Never open an egg unless the hen has abandoned it herself and it is cold. Eggs DO NOT begin to develop until a hen begins to brood them. So, counting the number of days might be a grave error. She might lay 3 eggs and not begin to brood right away, then sit on the eggs and lay two more ... all eggs will begin to develop when being warmed, and not before. So, it is possible that those three eggs might all hatch on the same day, which could be the 28th, 29th & 30th days after being laid. Then the last two two eggs a few days after that... Yes, it takes 18 to 21 days for them to develop and hatch, but ONLY after they are being brooded (warmed). If a hen doesn't immediately brood (and most don't), then you can't count from the day an egg is laid. Well, you can count, but don't be surprised if it takes longer to hatch.

That's why people can order duck eggs and have them shipped to them, taking days to arrive, but still begin to develop when put in an incubator. Any bird or fowl's egg can sit for several days and still be a good egg. All it needs is to be fertile before brooding, which can be several days after being laid. It can wait to start developing days after being laid, and only after it is kept warm can you reliably count the days until hatch.

Also, it is wise to allow a hen to abandon her eggs herself. Never remove them because you know they are infertile and won't hatch. Hens learn from the experience of infertile eggs. Or, if some hatch and others don't, leave the unhatched eggs in the nest. They help keep newly hatched babies warm.

It sounds to me like your hen is doing everything she can do for you. Just leave her alone and maybe she will do better in the future. Be sure she has a large cuttlebone or more. You can add a brown rabbit salt block...the iodine and minerals are good for them. I highly recommend a copy of "Rosie Birds Guide to Small Exotic Birds." There's a lot of useful information in it. It talks about nest boxes, etc. I hope you have 1 to 2 inches of pine shavings in the bottom of the box so her eggs don't roll around ... a potential problem that might keep them from hatching. Bourkes are not like Budgies and need shavings in their box. I'll put a link at the bottom.

One last thought. After three clutches of eggs each year, it is wise to remove the nest box so that your hen doesn't become physically stressed. I hope you understand their circadian rhythm and why and when they lay eggs. It's in the book. There's also a link to my videos and my Blog. I hope they can help you be more successful with your sweet Bourkes.

ROSIE BIRD’S GUIDE TO SMALL EXOTIC BIRDS on Amazon in USA:

https://www.amazon.com/Rosie-Birds-Guide-Small-Exotic/dp/198676348X/

ROSIE BIRD YOUTUBE VIDEO CHANNEL:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnja_zyZnS_zHp7wksScpOw/videos

THE SPLENDID BOURKE BIRD BLOG:

https://thesplendidbourkebirdblog.blogspot.com/

Peace and Blessings,

Gail (Rosie Bird)