M&L Aviaries

Click on the links in the photo section to see some new video and photos that have been uploaded to photobuckets

Every year I enjoy trying to guess the sex of the babies and then finding out if I am right or wrong when I get the DNA results.  This year  I thought that #1 and #3 were females and #2 a male.  I was correct.  


They have all pretty much mastered their flying, only a few crashes here and there when they over shoot their target.  #1 seems to be a typical #1, confidant, calm observer who also enjoys interacting with people and playing with her toys.  Because she is so attentive we are working on getting her to fly to us on command. #2 is a typical male, very playful hands on kind of bird, gives everything  100% but he also likes to sit there and get his scratches, #3 is a combination of the other two, playful and interactive with us but also loves her toys. Between flying and playing they all are losing interest in their afternoon hand feeding. However they all are eating pellets, veggies, birdie breads and pastas.

I have been adding photos to the photo section and will add more today of some very wet birds enjoying their showers.

First #3 followed by #2 after watching #1 fly from the feeding bucket to the cage.  #3 and #2 flew from the boing and landed on my back, not to graceful but flying nonetheless.  We will see what happens this evening during their feeding time.

They decided last night was the night to sleep on a perch as opposed to cuddled up in their box on the bottom of the cage.  We keep a box (covered area) at the bottom of the cage for them to hide in and sleep, they will use it periodically throughout the day but generally explore. They would however normally sleep in it at night, but not last night, they are big birdies now.  #3 does what the two older ones do, she can't be left out.  She slept on the perch with one of them on each side of her. Smart, she still gets her cuddles =)

#1 took flight today.  She had that gleam in her eye while waiting to be fed.  She outstretched her wings and instead of flapping her wings and hanging on for dear life with her feet, she let go and off she went.  Not too bad for a first flight, fairly controlled and a not so bad landing, I have seen worse.  After that she was quite content to just sit in her feeding bucket and wait for food.  They will now be moved to the breeding/flight room for safe flying.  They have a huge cage there as well as many perches, boings and atoms hanging from the ceiling for them to land on. They all are trying the pellets and seem to like their veggies.  The main source of food is still formula but they have dishes of food everywhere for them to explore and play with.

It is around 8 weeks that they start to fly.  All of them are perching now, even #3, the pressure is on to keep up with the siblings.  However, she still takes the time to lie down flat as a pancake on the bottom of the cage, it is too cute, the other two will sit with her when she does that. This is definitely a very cuddly & scratchable clutch with #1 being the one to like it the most, she likes to just cuddle up in under your chin and get scratched.  It will be interesting to see who still likes to do that when they can fly. #2 enjoys playing along when you rough her up with your hands and #3 seems to have the combination of the 2.  They will continue to develop and change over the next several weeks when they get more and more personality.  Take a look at the new photos as well as a link to some video that has been added to the bottom of the photo page.  Hope you all are enjoying watching them progress as much as I am.

Well it's been a while, the babies are 7 weeks or just about.  Lots of feathers now.  Baby #1 started the peeking out stage but baby #2 is the first to perch.  She climbs up on the side of her feeding bucket and sits there.  Baby #3 is watching everything and will be sure to follow shortly, she is younger after all. #1 & 2 should start flying this weekend, that always happens around 8 weeks.  I find once they start to fly you start to see more of their individual personalities.  They are all very similar right now and enjoying their scratches.  #1 seems to be the one that is very content to sit in a lap and be scratched and touched until she falls asleep.  The other two are very exploratory.  #1 seeks out her toys and plays with them, #2 &3 will play with the toys given to them.  Once they fly and have their own sense of independence then you truly see what each bird enjoys doing.