Treatment of Egg Binding - Most cases of egg binding will respond to treatment if found soon enough; the hospital cage supplied by most Societies is ideal for this purpose. I have found that one bulb is sufficient for the treatment - no more than 25 watts.

Remove the perch and allow the bird to sit on the floor; supply bird with a small dish of water to which has been added sulphaD (eight drops to forty mls of water). With a small eye dropper, give bird one or two drops of this mixture every half to one hour depending on the state of the bird.

Do this without holding the bird in the hand so as to reduce the amount of stress on the bird. The method is to hold the eye dropper above and behind the bird's head and gently drop a drop of liquid on to the bird's beak which often will tilt its head up instinctively and more liquid can then be given. This becomes easy with practice.

Birds will usually lay naturally from one to ten hours later - if not then, more drastic action will have to be taken by experienced people.

Egg binding in birds is definitely confined to species kept in aviaries.

I rarely see the problem in my aviaries which have a flight length of 40ft or more and I find this problem mostly confined to my aviaries with a flight of less than 12ft. Like most other aviculturists, I resorted to such things as Cod Liver Oil, but always came to the conclusions that it did more harm than good. Yes, it often cured the immediate problem of egg binding but often led to kidney failure and soft shelled eggs.

So I found out what Cod Liver Oil contains that worked for egg binding. It is rich in vitamins D3 and A. Sunshine could provide Vitamin D3 and plenty of green food would provide Vitamin A. This helped greatly but it did not eradicate the problem altogether. I found that three drops of "Fishaphos" to one litre of water worked as well as the cod liver oil.

Why only three drops? I found that by adding more than three only reduced the daily intake of water by the birds. I do not think that any one thing will prevent egg binding; I have also found lettuce as a green food is very helpful in preventing egg binding, especially in cabinet breeding. Lettuce mainly tones the blood and reduces uric acid build-up in vital parts of the body; but lettuce can be more of a problem than egg binding.

The baby's head will start to bob, and this begging motion may be accompanied by little begging sounds that stimulate parent birds to feed. Slide the tip of your feeding instrument into the open mouth and start squeezing and give the baby a chance to breathe, then continue. Watch the crop as it fills; stop feeding when the crop is plump and soft, before it is bulging and tight. The baby may continue to beg, but as with people, birds can be full before the message gets to the brain that they are no longer hungry. (Courtesy ALSQ Inc Qld)

Pick up the baby with both hands - one hand under the bird, one hand over the back and wings. Don't be afraid. Just handle it calmly and gently but be sure it is securely confined in your hands because baby birds can jump quickly and erratically. Set the baby on a towel on a smooth, stable surface, or put it in a margarine tub lined with a soft washcloth. 

Depending on the size of the bird, either gently hold the sides of the lower mandible with your thumb and forefinger so that one hand is mostly covering the back and wings, and the movement of the baby's head is limited. Gently pull the baby's head upward so you can see the crop as it fills. If you are tense and push the baby down, the pressure on the crop may cause the baby to regurgitate. 

Some facts that may help you when considering feeding are :

 1. Generally birds that look at you with one eye (parrots, finches etc) eat food that does not move, for example, seed.

 2. Generally seedeaters have short, stumpy bills, while nectar and fruit eaters have long curved bills.

 3. The bigger the parrot the bigger the seed it will eat.

 4. Parrots, specially cockatoos, should be fed a minimum of 20% sunflower

 5. Birds fed excessive greens (lettuce etc) will pass loose watery droppings.

 6. When required to force feed, always start by giving the bird 10% glucose (1 teaspoon Glucodin/50ml warm water )orally at 10mg/kg body weight.€

Invariably when someone tells me their lovebird killed its mate, the truth is that one bird of unknown sex killed another of unknown sex. 

In most instances, a cock bird has died and another bird has been introduced to mate with the widow. If the original nest box or any other box for that matter remains, the odds are against the newly introduced bird's survival. It shouldn't be too difficult to understand how this could happen. 

If a stranger entered your home uninvited and proceeded to take all your possessions, wouldn't you fight to protect your home and property? A lovebird is no different. Love at first sight is not, as the name suggests, the way it always happens. 

So when introducing a new mate to one of your trusted breeders, do so in a new environment unfamiliar to both birds and leave the nest boxes out for a couple of weeks. Then all should proceed in the normal way.  

Courtesy African Lovebird Soc of Qld Inc

All trees with small or narrow leaves are no good as shelter from heavy rain. You will need some trees with broad leaves, such as coffee trees which also have the tendency for the branches to hand down and with their reasonably broad leaves shed the water quite well, and are quite attractive, and do not grow too high - they are ideal for aviaries, once established. Privet is popular and good for nesting (finches) but no good for protection from the weather. also believe that providing nesting places without wet weather protection is a waste of time anyhow, as it nearly always rains when you don't want it to.  

Leave the ends of your aviary free of nest sites. Always put them on the sides of your aviaries or shelters. Winds, even in warm weather, will cause draughts in your aviaries so you will need to guard against these.

You will also need to guard against mice, rats, snakes, black ants, cats, and unfortunately thieves.

But most of the time aviculturalists were looking at the situation purely from a human viewpoint. I believe that aviaries for birds must be looked at as a totally artificial environment. 

In that situation, looking at it from the birds' point of view we as aviculturists, should provide the best possible conditions for our birds under that situation.  

We know that most birds like to bathe quite often, but we also should know they do not like to be wet for long periods and so we should provide adequate shelter to which the birds can retire and dry off, especially in wet weather. 

Some aviculturists also believe that, so long as there are some trees growing in their aviaries, that will provide adequate shelter.

The cock bird, however, took no part in the rearing of the young bird. The food given to the birds is, on the whole, similar to that which John Stoodley describes in his book "Parrot Production". 

We are experiencing very good results with this food formulation. On this diet, the colours of the plumage are resplendent, and in excellent condition, and the birds are much more active. We complement the food with condensed milk and white bread, together with a large amount of fresh fruit and herbs. The hen bird is thriving well on this diet, in spite of the additional strain of feeding the young bird. 

The male bird stays passive when we do a nest inspection and he does not interfere. After the first month, the female did not spend long periods in the nest.  

On the 38th day the young bird weighed 695grams and on the 50th day 760 grams. On the 56th day it was fully feathered. On the 71st day it weighed 1000grams. The body was completely covered with the typical light blue feathers with yellow feathers all over its ventral area.

 (Courtesy Agapornis News, official magazine of the African Lovebird Soc of Qld Inc)

A few years ago, this hitherto unknown specie of macaw was brought to Europe-USA-Africa. In 1982 Loro Park acquired a beautiful pair of these birds, which were soon displayed to the public. 

The aviary in which they were housed was 3.6m in depth, 4m long and 4.2m high. A nesting box 50cm in depth 60cm long and 80cm high was installed in a sheltered area in the South West corner. The entrance to the box was 14cm in size and faces north. Nesting materials were rotten wood, and shavings. They have no fear of visitors. 

Fresh pine and eucalyptus wood is given each week, and is quickly gnawed down.  

The breeding box was installed at the same time as the birds were introduced to the cage, app 1982, Initially, it was used for sleeping quarters, but 15 days before the hen laid her first egg, she only left the nest box for food. 

On the 10th July the first egg was found, and measured 42mm by 32mm. The second egg was fertilised but after 14 days was found to be dead.

Buckwheat can be grown on poor and wet ground, and is often used as a first crop on newly cleared land and is planted to be ploughed under in order to improve the soil. Russia, the USA and Canada are the biggest producers.

Tartarian Buckwheat or Indian wheat, Fagopyrum Tataricum is the only other species common in cultivation. It is a

native of Siberia and is distinguished by the toothed edges of the seeds. Buckwheat is used mostly in the diet of the parrot family. European aviculturists feed as high as 10% in the ration.

Buckwheat can be offered in the form of grain, sprouted or as a green.

Cultivated Buckwheat, Fagopyrum Esculentum is a native of Asia and it was introduced into Western Europe about the 16th century. Buckwheat is a green leafy plant and grows to about 90cm high and has heart shaped leaves with small white flowers. 

Grown as a cereal crop, Buckwheat is well adapted to cool arid areas, tolerating a short growing season and is notably free from disease. Bees like its sweet- smelling flowers and make a dark highly flavoured honey from its nectar.

Growing feathers are often called "blood feathers" - each feather has its own blood supply until it finishes growing. If a feather is damaged after its blood supply is cut off, it cannot repair itself and can be replaced only in the next moult.

To compensate for the energy lost during moulting, a healthy bird's metabolism usually prevents the bird's body from carrying out two stressful functions - e.g. laying eggs and moulting - at the same time.

Fast Growing - When the adults eat their food, they in turn feed it to their youngsters, hopefully supplying enough calcium for the very fast growing African Grey chicks. Usually with my pairs everything goes just fine and enough calcium is supplied, but I have on rare occasions, still experienced a lack of calcium in some chicks. 

This could have been caused by the adults feeding more dry seed than softfood or because the chick itself is growing at such a rapid rate that its body was not getting enough calcium, causing soft or brittle bones especially noticeable in the legs.

 If such a chick is left unattended its bones will become so soft that they will fracture easily and a painful death will result. 

At the very first sign of a calcium deficient chick, I immediately take the entire clutch to my veterinary. Those with decreased calcium levels should be treated with an injectable calcium as well as Vitamin D3 which is required to absorb and uitlize the calcium in the body/ Usually, if the chicks are treated at the first sign of trouble only one shot is needed without any boosters. 

A liquid calcium (neo-calglucon, glubionate calcium) syrup is added to the chick's diet while they are being hand-fed. They can be treated with this liquid calcium mixed into the formula or given orally a few drops to 1/2cc, depending on the age and size of the chicks. For older chicks, 1cc per ounce of drinking water can be offered. 

Within a day or two, the ailing chick should be back on its feed. If within the next few days the chick has still not shown much improvement, then the calcium injection should be repeated as needed. Mine have always been up by the first or second day with no recurring problems. 

In adult African Grey parrots, calcium deficiencies can also occur if they do not receive a proper diet. Greys have been known to fall of the perch through weakness. This is sometimes caused by a heavy fat diet of sunflower seed; sometimes peanuts will hamper the bird's body growth, not allowing it to absorb enough calcium. An injection of Vitamin D3 and calcium, as well as adding extra calcium to the bird's diet, can usually rectify this problem if dealt with in time. Courtesy ALSQ Qld

This can be artificially added to the pair's diet in either a powder form or a liquid along with fresh foods which contain calcium. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain some calcium, but a good powder, which I prefer to use, or bone meal, which has a high calcium content, can also prevent ricketts. 

If not provided, a bird has to draw on the resources of its own body an calcium will be taken in excess from the bones, which sometimes results in paralysis. Sufficient amounts of Vitamin D3 are important in the diet in order for the body to properly absorb the calcium. Vitamin D should be added to the breeding pair's diet. 

Uneaten foods - Any food left at the end of the day which has extra rations of Vitamin D3 should be removed. Foods rich in calcium should be offered. Green leafy vegetables and oranges provide a good natural source of calcium. Some people feed bread to their birds. Others offer cheese of which some parrots are extremely fond. 

Strong Shells - All this added calcium is to assure strong eggshells without draining calcium from a hen's body, which could cause soft shelled eggs without having enough calcium in the body. If drained from the body in this way the hen could develop severe calcium deficiency. The first signs of an egg-bound hen are usually when the bird appears sluggish and puffy. 

In very severe cases the hen will often be unable to stand sometimes, the toes will curl and the hen will start to haemorrhage from her vent. If the hen is rushed to a vet for a calcium injection and the egg removed by an experienced person, the hen can be saved. But, if left un-attended for any length of time the hen could be rendered crippled for life. 

Also as mentioned earlier, a hen may not be able to pass a soft-shelled egg and could die if left unattended. An under-developed shell could also be the result of insufficient calcium in the diet. Porous shells can sometimes be the result from a poor diet low in calcium as well as Vitamin D3. 

It is unfortunate that untamed, wild caught African Greys with a nest-box, will usually hide inside not coming out, even when there is a problem. Many such problems could go unnoticed. So with a proper diet hopefully all will go well. 

With fast growing African Grey chicks, other problems can sometimes arise without proper calcium in the diet. Parent raised chicks need a substantial amount of calcium added to the feeding pair's food supply. This usually is best given to the pair in the softfood diet. 

Along with proper food containing a supply of calcium, supplements, such as a good calcium/phosphate powder

Housing -

The Abyssinian breeds best in breeding cages rather than aviaries.

Once Abyssinians decide they are ready to nest, they generally are fairly forthright about it.

It is the largest species and as with several of the rares, the colouring is sexually dimorphic (there is a visual difference in the colouring of the sexes). One of the most beautiful characteristics of these birds is the particularly brilliant shade of apple-emerald green colouring which is shared by both sexes. The male has a bright red forehead which the female lacks. Both have a red beak and black markings on the wings, hence the alternative name, Black-winged Lovebird.  

Abyssinians have never been very common in aviculture. Sporadic imports have been made to both the United States and Europe, however the birds have never really become established. At the moment, their price in Belgium is around 500 pounds per pair, the highest it has been and it is evident that the bird is scarce. 

Split Orangefaces are MOSTLY (though not always) more orange on the cheeks, the small eyerings are sometimes yellow in place of white-yellow and also that the body colour is sometimes a little bit lighter than that of normals.  

However, studying normal green (cocks) split for lutino, normals split for blue, and certainly normals split for Whitefaced? Most of these birds show visual signs of the mutation they are split for: normal (cock) split lutino is generally more hazy on the breast than normals. 

Another example: a green bird split for Whitefaced only (is not an applegreen) - the red of his mask is generally paler.

The combinations with blue series mutants are not very spectacular. The Orangefaced combined with the Dutch Blue, gives the so-called Yellowfaced. The naming is poor. The pink at the front being a little paler i.e. yellow, a better name for this combination mutation would be Marine (or Pastel Blue or Dutch Blue) Orangefaced, so that no-one would be confused. The combination of Orangefaced with Whitefaced gives Whitefaced , more spectacular than usual. 

Some breeders argue that the white of the Whitefaced becomes more white. I thought white is white, and a good Whitefaced HAS a whiteface; so why cross a beautiful mutation, (as the Orangefaced certainly is), into a bad Whitefaced, to produce less bad Whitefaced young? 

It seems to be like the "Applegreen" earlier, a mutation that would be better not to exist in my opinion, because it causes a lot of confusion. 

We have been breeding Orangefaced for about seven years now, and we're all convinced the Orangefaced to be a Recessive mutation.

The bird is saying "I feel a draught!". 

Sick - The bird's feathers seem to stand away from its body, its head droops, and its eyes are semi-closed. The bird sits low on its own in its surroundings. 

Letter to the Editor -

Q - What is Scaley Beak and what causes it?
A - Scaley Beak can be seen in most bird species. It is seen as a crusting of the beak. It usually begins in the nares (nostril) and spreads over and round the beak.

On severe cases, the eyelids can also become involved. The feet are commonly affected also. 

The main organism causing the problem is the scaley face and leg mite, cnemidocoptes pilae. This is spread from bird to bird. 

It is easily cured by applying a scaley face cure to the area. Two applications a fortnight apart usually produce a permanent cure. 

Other causes are fungal and bacterial infections of the beak; and also tumours. These can usually be differentiated from the mite disease by close observation of the condition with magnification or by a skin scraping. 

The bird is saying "I don't feel good!".

Sleepy - A sleepy lovebird ruffles its feathers, droops its chin and draws up one foot. Its eyes may flutter for a few seconds, as the bird tries to stay awake.Many times this is preceded by the bird muttering to talking to itself. 

Many birds use this time to rehearse sounds and rythms of sentences and words they have heard during the day. Some birds become crouched on the perch or may even rest on the floor. It uses two legs to perch and rest because it lacks the strength to stand on one. 

The bird sleeps for most of the day, during the times it is usually active. These signs may be accompanied by nasal discharge, sneezing, coughing or tail-pumping.  

The bird's eyes will be dull, and it will show little interest in food or in what is going on and may nip if taken out of theit cages when they feel this way. 

The bird is saying "I want to go to bed!". 

Cold - The bird fluffs its feathers to trap as much heat as it can to keep its body warm. It pulls one foot into its feathers to warm it. The main giveaway is the shaking or moving feathers on the bird's chest. 

The bird brings its head close to its body in much the same way that a person would snuggle down into a warm coat on a cold day. It raises its shoulders so its neck almost disappears.