Budgie Parakeet Baby Pictures (2011 Round 1)

4/9/11: All this love tickles!

This is a “budgie baby page” — we put one of these together for each season’s budgie parakeet chicks so our adopters can ooh and aah over all the cuteness while they wait to bring their feathered friend(s) home. If you’d like to be added to our waiting list for a chick of your own, please visit our breeding info page for details!

New photos added 4/19/11 — SCROLL DOWN to see! Click on photos to view a larger version. Bookmark this page and check back for progress updates and new photos as they grow!

4/19/11 update: The babies spend the entire day out of their cages and have free flight space in one of our bathrooms. I’ve filled the space with playgyms, toys, swings and food. My daughter and I spend hours with them, feeding them millet out of our hands, marveling at their acrobatics and laughing at their antics. I return them to their cages overnight for much needed rest (then I get busy scrubbing the bathroom!). The oldest babies have gone home with their new families so feeding time has gotten much shorter and it’s a little quieter here now, but I do miss them. After spending so much time with the babies, saying goodbye is always hard. The smiles I capture on adopters’ faces make it all worthwhile, though… Scroll down and take a look at a few of those happy faces! (The first chick hatched on 1/24; the last on 3/24. Each chick will be hand-fed for 3-5 weeks, then weaned and ready for new homes between 3/7 – 5/7.)

4/9/11: Kiowa (now known as Elvis) loves his new friend’s mustache!

4/9/11: Steele went home with Denim, front; Sioux, rear, went home with Eugene.

4/9/11: Dakota and Piper joined Joe and his family.

4/19/11: “Em” showing off his gorgeous opaline spangle markings.

4/19/11: Peekaboo! “Lamborghini” taking a look inside my camera.

4/19/11: “Monet”, an unusual silver gray cinnamon-wing English/American cross.

4/12/11: Now that they know the joy of flight, it can be difficult to take pictures! Hopi landed on my camera. L to R: Em, Hopi, Chenille

4/12/11: L to R: Em, Farquaad, Mongo, Hopi

4/12/11: L to R: Em, Farquaad, Chenille

4/12/11: L to R: Porsche, Lamborghini, Camaro

4/1/11: (L to R) Denim, Kiowa, Tweed, Cherokee, Fiona

4/1/11: (L to R) Dakota, Munchkin, Lamborghini, Cherokee

3/30/11: (L to R) Oz, Pinocchio, Dronkey, TinMan

4/1/11: (L to R) Porsche and Mercedes

4/1/11: (L to R) Monet and Mongo. Play hard, sleep hard!

4/1/11: Sioux. The yellow-faced babies will get more color as they mature, and the yellow will likely spread to turn their blue chests turquoise.

3/31/11: Suede

3/31/11: Picasso is a big boy, just like his father.

4/1/11: Pied Piper

3/29/11: Some of the budgies are learning to fly, so I’ve baby-proofed a bathroom for them to explore! Safe and easy to keep clean :>)

3/29/11: Dronkey (L) and Pinocchio (R). Pinocchio was the first to fly.

3/29/11: Fiona (L) preening her feathers; Kiowa (R)

3/29/11: Oz (L) and Cheyenne (R)

3/29/11: Left to right: Suede, Fiona, Denim.

3/29/11: Left to right: Mercedes, O’Keeffe, Monet.

3/20: 4 of 5 Sunny x Rainbow chicks: opaline spangles including 2 yellowface blues, 1 blue dominant pied, 1 green dominant pied. The youngest chick (still in the nest box) looks to be a blue opaline spangle.

3/20: Patootie x Lilac chicks: cinnamon-wing gray Texas clearbody, gray-green Texas clearbody, normal gray-green. I’ll be keeping the Texas clearbodies because they are a rare mutation — I’ll breed for more now that I know Patootie carries this rare sex-linked gene!

3/20: 4 of 5 Sunshine x Paisley chicks: light green opaline dominant pieds (2 normal pieds and 2 greywing pieds). Youngest chick (still in nestbox) appears to be a greywing pied.

3/20: 6 of 7 Navaho x Rain chicks: 4 yellowface type 2 blue dominant pieds; 2 normal blues. The youngest chick (still in nestbox) appears to be a blue and white dominant pied.

3/20: 6 of 7 Shrek x Dijon chicks: 1 full-body-color greywing, 1 diluted greywing, 1 dominant pied, 3 normal greens (original Australian wild type). The youngest chick (still in nestbox) appears to be a greywing.

3/20: Bandit x Hydrangea: 3 green greywings; 1 yellow recessive pied greywing.

3/14: Rainbow’s 2 oldest chicks (right and left sides) and Lilac’s oldest (center) pulled for handfeeding today. Such lovely balls of fluff!

3/14: Dijon’s 3 oldest chicks pulled for handfeeding today.

3/14: Hydrangea’s 2 oldest chicks pulled for handfeeding today.

3/14: Paisley’s 2 oldest chicks (bottom, yellow pieds) and Rain’s 2 oldest pulled for handfeeding today.

3/9/11: Dumbledore (normal green original Australian wild type male, left) and Rowling (opaline green female, right) at 6 weeks. This photo of brother and sister clearly illustrates what the opaline mutation is. They are weaning now and will go home with Ellen and Josie soon!

3/5/11: Rainbow’s oldest chicks at 6, 8, and 9 days of age. The largest two appear to be spangled dominant pieds (one yellow/green and one white/blue).

3/5/11: Dijon’s oldest chicks (see pic below) at 6 days to 11 days of age. Eyes are opening, they can hold their heads up, and the pin feathers are starting to appear.

2/27/11: Dijon’s pinkies lining up in the nestbox to show you the difference mere days make in size. Top chick is less than a day old (note the crop milk the hen feeds the newborns, showing through the skin in the crop located at the base of its neck). Each subsequent chick below hatched 1-2 days apart from one another. The bottom chick is 5 days old in this picture and is just starting to sit up.

Do you see the curled up chick hatching? Within minutes it will join its 1 day old sibling! Newborn budgie parakeets are so tiny — the size of a dime!

“Synchronized Sleeping” in the brooder. Chicks out of Draco x Buttercup: female on left is “Rowling”; male on right is “Dumbledore”. Pictured here at 4 weeks of age. Their parents are owned by Connie — they had 3 chicks; I am hand-raising 2 of them.

Our daughter offers “Rowling” some sprouted seeds and lentils. At 4 weeks of age, Rowling is still being hand-fed 4 times daily (with formula) while she explores other food options. Most parakeet babies are fully weaned at 6-7 weeks of age.

Page Contents (click to jump to subject)

Sunny x Rainbow Clutch

(Wizard of Oz name theme)

DAD is “Sunny”: opaline double-factor yellow spangle male English budgie. Split for ino and blue. Has a “natural tameness temperament”. DOB before ~2007.

MOM is “Rainbow”, a yellowface type 1 cobalt (or skyblue SF violet) opaline clearflight pied American parakeet. DOB ~2009.

Breeding Outcome Expectations:
100% English x American
100% spangle
50% blue
50% yellowface type 1
50% green /split blue
50% of females ino
50% of males /split ino
50% clearflight or dominant pied
100% opaline
50% SF violet factor and/or dark factor

Outcome: 7 eggs; 6 fertile; 5 hatched (1 chick died in shell while hatching). 1st egg laid 2/4; last egg on 2/16. 1st hatched 2/24; last hatched 3/6.

“Oz”: male cobalt blue (maybe violet) and white opaline dominant pied spangle. Split: possibly ino. DOB 2/24. Handfed 3/14.
“TinMan”: male dark green and yellow opaline dominant pied spangle. Might be masking YF. Split: blue; possibly ino. DOB 2/25. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Toto” (RESERVED FOR JEN): male yellowface skyblue opaline spangle (Rainbow Spangle). Split: possibly ino. Markings: black feather on top shoulders, lighter cheek patches and spangles. DOB 2/27. Hand-fed 3/16.
“Munchkin”: male yellowface skyblue opaline spangle (Rainbow Spangle). Split: possibly ino. Markings: darker spangles and cheek patches. DOB 3/1. Hand-fed 3/20.
“Em”: male skyblue opaline spangle. Split: possibly ino. DOB 3/6. Hand-fed 3/24.

Patootie x Lilac Clutch

(Famous Artists name theme)

DAD is “Patootie”, a large show-type gray-green opaline English budgie. Split: blue, cinnamon-wing, and Texas clearbody. DOB 11/09.

“Lilac”: cobalt (or SF violet skyblue) full-body-color greywing female American parakeet. Maybe split for recessive pied. DOB ~2009.

Breeding Outcome Expectations:
100% English x American
50% green /split blue
50% blue
100% split greywing or clearwing; 50% males split cinnamon
100% females opaline; 100% males /split opaline
50% grey factor
50% SF violet factor and/or dark factor

Outcome: 6 eggs; 3 fertile; 3 hatched. 1st egg laid on 2/1; last egg on 2/12. 1st hatched 2/25; last hatched 3/1.

“Picasso” (RESERVED FOR JEN): male normal dark green or violet green. Split: blue, greywing or clearwing, opaline; possibly Texas clearbody and cinnamon. DOB 2/25. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Georgia O’Keeffe” (RESERVED FOR JEN): female opaline gray green Texas clearbody (a rare mutation; visually all mustard yellow throughout with black markings). Split: blue; greywing or clearwing. DOB 2/26. Hand-fed 3/16.
“Monet” (RESERVED FOR JEN): female opaline grey (or violet gray) cinnamon-wing. Split greywing or clearwing. DOB 3/1. Hand-fed 3/16.

Navaho x Rain Clutch

(Native American name theme)

Navaho (Yellowface type 2) x Rain (dominant pied skyblue)

DAD is “Navaho”: yellowface type 2 American parakeet. Split: opaline. DOB ~2009. Note that in the YF 2 mutation, the yellow spreads into the blue body color to create turquoise.

MOM is “Rain”, a skyblue dominant pied American parakeet. Split for greywing. Has a “tameness temperament”. DOB 2/10 by Mellow Yellow x Mostly Cloudy.

Breeding Outcome Expectations:
100% American
50% blue and white
50% yellowface 2 blue
50% dominant pied
100% black stripes with 50% /split greywing
50% of females opaline; 50% of males /split opaline

Outcome: 7 eggs; 7 fertile; 7 hatched. 1st egg laid on 2/5; last egg on 2/17. 1st hatched 2/23; last hatched 3/7.

“Cheyenne”: male yellowface type 2 skyblue dominant pied. Split: possibly greywing. Markings: R wing and L tail. DOB 2/23. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Kiowa”: male normal blue. Split: possibly greywing. Markings: white brow. DOB 2/24. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Sioux”: female yellowface type 2 skyblue opaline dominant pied. Split: possibly greywing. Markings: vertical blue on R chest, color on both sides of tail, no markings on wings (center back only). DOB 2/26. Hand-fed 3/16.
“Dakota”: male normal blue. Split: possibly greywing. DOB 2/28. Hand-fed 3/18.
“Cherokee”: male yellowface type 2 blue dominant pied. Markings: clear tail; 2 spots L wing and 1 spot R wing. Split: possibly greywing. DOB 3/2. Hand-fed 3/20.
“Ottawa” (RESERVED FOR JEN): male yellowface type 2 blue dominant pied. Markings: clear tail and wings; small blue spot low center belly and under tail. Split: possibly greywing. DOB 3/4. Hand-fed 3/20.
“Hopi”: male? skyblue and white dominant pied. Markings: clear wings, color both sides of tail. Split: possibly greywing. DOB 3/7. Hand-fed 3/24.

Sunshine x Paisley Clutch

(Fabric Type name theme)

DAD is “Sunshine”: opaline homozygous light green recessive pied male American parakeet. Split: greywing. Has a “natural tameness temperament”. DOB ~2009.

MOM is “Paisley”: skyblue opaline dominant pied female American parakeet. Split greywing. Has a “natural tameness temperament”. DOB 2/10 by Skylar x Mountain Dew.

Breeding Outcome Expectations:
100% American
“natural tameness temperaments”
100% green /split blue
50% dominant pied
50% black stripes /split greywing and 50% visual greywing
100% /split rec pied
100% opaline

Outcome: 5 eggs; 5 fertile; 5 hatched. 1st egg laid on 2/6; last egg on 2/15. 1st hatched 2/24; last hatched 3/5.

“Suede”: female light green and bright yellow opaline dominant pied. Markings: banded pied; more high R wing. Split: blue, recessive pied, greywing. DOB 2/24. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Denim”: male light green and bright yellow opaline dominant pied. Markings: more on high L back; L tail. Split: blue, recessive pied, greywing. DOB 2/26. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Tweed” (RESERVED FOR JEN): male light green and yellow opaline greywing dominant pied. Markings: more on L wing. Split: blue, recessive pied. DOB 2/28. Hand-fed 3/16.
“Angora”: male light green and yellow opaline greywing dominant pied. Markings: upper both wings. Split: blue, recessive pied. DOB 3/2. Hand-fed 3/20.
“Chenille”: female green and bright yellow opaline dominant pied. Markings: left wing and tail. Split: blue, recessive pied, greywing. DOB 3/5. Hand-fed 3/24.

Bandit x Hydrangea Clutch

(Car name theme)

DAD is “Bandit”, homozygous light green full-body-color greywing American parakeet. Split: recessive pied and opaline. DOB ~2009.

MOM is “Hydrangea”, an opaline violet-blue greywing American parakeet. Split: recessive pied. DOB ~2009.

Breeding Outcome Expectations:
100% American
100% green /split blue
50% FBC (full body color) greywings and 50% greywings
Males: 50% opaline; 50% /split opaline. Females: 50% opaline
50% violet factor
25% recessive pied

Outcome: 6 eggs; 6 fertile; 4 hatched (2 died in shell). 1st egg laid on 2/6; last egg on 2/16. 1st hatched 2/25; last hatched 3/2.

“Camaro”: male dark green or violet green opaline FBC greywing. Split: blue; possibly recessive pied. Markings: body color on wings, dark cheek patches, darkest of 3. DOB 2/25. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Mercedes”: male yellow with light green recessive pied greywing. Markings: white cheek patches, gray spots on wings. Split: blue, opaline. DOB 2/26. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Porsche”: female light green greywing. Split: blue; possibly recessive pied. Markings: yellow wings, light cheek patches; lightest of 3. DOB 2/28. Hand-fed 3/16.
“Lamborghini”: female? green or violet green opaline greywing. Split: blue; possibly recessive pied. Markings: body color wings. medium cheek patches, middle darkness of 3. DOB 3/2. Hand-fed 3/20.

Shrek x Dijon Clutch

(Shrek character name theme)

DAD is “Shrek”, a light green dominant pied American parakeet. Split: opaline, recessive pied and greywing. Has a “natural tameness temperament”. DOB ~2008.

MOM is “Dijon”, a dark green full-body-color (FBC) greywing American parakeet. Split recessive pied. Has a “natural tameness temperament”. DOB ~2010.

Breeding Outcome Expectations:
100% American
“natural tameness temperaments”
100% green (25% blue possible if both are /split blue)
50% dominant pied
25% normal black markings /split clearwing
25% normal black markings /split greywing
25% FBC (full body color) greywing
25% greywing
50% females opaline; 50% males /split opaline
50% 1x dark factor

Outcome: 8 eggs; 8 fertile; 7 hatched (1 dead in shell). 1st egg laid on 2/2; last egg on 2/16. 1st hatched 2/22; last hatched 3/6.

“Dronkey” ~~(RESERVED FOR JEN)~~: male bright light green and dusky yellow FBC greywing. Split: possibly opaline. DOB 2/22. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Fiona”: female dark green and dusky yellow FBC greywing. DOB 2/24. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Pinocchio”: male dark green normal original Australian wild type. Split: clearwing or greywing; possibly opaline. DOB 2/25. Hand-fed 3/14.
“Pied Piper”: female dark green and bright yellow dominant pied. Markings: center tail feather yellow, yellow spot center chest. Split: clearwing or greywing. DOB 2/27. Hand-fed 3/16.
“Mongo”: female dark green normal original Australian wild type. Split: clearwing or greywing; possibly opaline. DOB 3/1. Hand-fed 3/20.
“Farquaad”: female dark green normal original Australian wild type. Split: clearwing or greywing; possibly opaline. DOB 3/3. Hand-fed 3/20.
“Ogre”: male light green and yellow greywing recessive pied. Markings: white cheek patches, almost clear wings and head (markings are very faint). Split: possibly opaline. DOB 3/6. Hand-fed 3/24.

Draco x Buttercup Clutch

(Harry Potter name theme)

DAD is “Draco”, a light green normal original Australian wild type American parakeet. Split for opaline. (Owner: Connie)

MOM is “Buttercup, a light green recessive pied American parakeet. (Owner: Connie)

The above pair is owned by Connie — they had 5 chicks in two clutches; I am hand-raising 4 of them:

“Rowling”: female light (bright) green opaline. Split recessive pied. DOB 1/24/11.
“Dumbledore”: male dark green normal original Australian wild type. Split recessive pied. DOB 1/26/11.
“J.K.”: female light green opaline. Split recessive pied. DOB 3/23/11. Hand-fed 4/15.
“Hermione”: female light green original Australian wild type. Split recessive pied. DOB 3/24/11. Hand-fed 4/15.

Adopters

8 7 for Jen (me, the breeder)
7/17/10: 1 for Eugene G in Laramie, WY (PIF)
7/31/10: 2 for Ellen V in Boulder, CO (PIF)
8/6/10: 2 for Joe D in Lafayette, CO (PIF)
8/22/10: 2 for Libby K in Fort Collins, CO (PIF)
9/30/10: 1 for Marie W in Steamboat, CO (PIF)
10/30/10: 2 for Rochelle E and Nathan N in Fort Collins, CO (PIF)
11/19/10: 3 1 for Laurie C in Castle Rock, CO (PIF)
11/19/10: 1 for Dusty K in Colorado Springs, CO (PIF)
11/23/10: 4 3 for Betty B in Colorado Springs, CO (PIF)
12/11/10: 1 for Carli P in Sidney, NE (PIF)
12/15/10: 2 for Matt V in Aurora, CO (PIF)
12/23/10: 1 2 for Angela S in Colorado Springs, CO (PIF)
12/28/10: 1 for Michaelyn O in Fort Collins, CO (PIF)
1/21/11: 2 for Marsha J in Loveland, CO (PIF)
2/27/11: 2 for Karen D-R in Leadville, Colorado (PIF)
3/4/11: 1 for Julie M in Fort Collins, CO (PIF)
3/19/11: 2 for Sarah S in Aurora, CO (PIF)

More Budgie Parakeet Pages:

Hand-fed Budgies and Parakeets available in Colorado!: Our family raises, hand-feeds, trains and adores Budgie Parakeets. Learn more about our selective breeding program and view our gorgeous, tame birds.

Inside Our Aviary: See where our birds live — flight enclosures, breeding room, play gyms.

Our Flock of Adult Budgie Parakeets: Take a peek at our gorgeous feathered friends. Lots of photos!

Adorable Pictures of Our Hand-fed Babies: Come ooh and aahh over all the cuteness and watch them grow up!

Pre-Adoption Questionnaire: If you are interested in adopting one (or more) of our parakeets when they become available, please respond to these questions.

Budgie Baby Waiting List: I know how hard it is to wait when you’re excited but I promise you, the wait is worth it!

FAQ (frequently asked questions): What is a Budgie Parakeet’s personality like? What are the differences between American Parakeets and English Budgies? How do you tell a male from a female? Should you keep one, two or more? How long do they live? Where did the species originate?

How To Care For Your Pet Budgie Parakeet: Learn about housing, cages, homemade aviaries, cleaning tips, health, safety, nutrition, exercise, playtime activities, toys, and more.

Bird Nutrition and Food Recommendations: Malnourishment is a leading cause of premature death in pet birds. We provide lists of healthy foods, and tell you how to grow your own sprouts.

Training, Talking, Tricks: Entertaining video demonstrations and informative tips.

Colors, Varieties, Mutations, Genetics: Budgie Parakeets come in a rainbow of colors. This page has beautiful photos and variety descriptions.

Bird and Parrot Playgyms, Stands and Perches for Sale: Learn how to make your own — or order a custom one from us.

Homemade Aviaries and Flight Cages: How to converted used furniture into large flight cages and beautiful indoor aviaries.

Hand-Fed Baby Budgies and Parakeets — Our Adoption Procedure:

Respond to our pre-adoption questionnaire.
Email your responses to: Jen @ puppies are prozac . com (remove all spaces in the address first).
Upon approval of your questionnaire responses, I will add your name to the waiting list.
As soon as we have 3 week old chicks in the brooder for hand-feeding, I will email you (in the order of your waiting list date) and request a $15 (each chick) non-refundable deposit to reserve your hand-fed baby.
While you’re waiting for your parakeet(s) to be hand-fed then weaned onto solid foods, please read our parakeet care information page, prepare a cage with the specifications outlined on that page, and purchase some appropriate budgie parakeet food.
Most parakeets are weaned and ready to move to new homes when they are about 6 weeks of age. Sorry, no shipping. Pick up is in Fort Collins, Colorado.

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