While behavior is not a good indicator of behavior in budgies (males and females both exhibit courting behavior, displaying to mates, aggression, head bobbing, and feeding behaviors to other budgies regardless of sex), this little one actually is male. He has always been male, but his mutation is recessive pied, which means that his cere will never turn blue like males of other mutations but rather will stay the immature color, which is pink in males.

He's gorgeous It would be best to keep him separated at this time from the girls, or if he's particularly bonded to one budgie to maybe house them two separately and discourage breeding to ensure there are not any surprises.

 

While behavior is not a good indicator of behavior in budgies (males and females both exhibit courting behavior, displaying to mates, aggression, head bobbing, and feeding behaviors to other budgies regardless of sex), this little one actually is male. He has always been male, but his mutation is recessive pied, which means that his cere will never turn blue like males of other mutations but rather will stay the immature color, which is pink in males.

He's gorgeous It would be best to keep him separated at this time from the girls, or if he's particularly bonded to one budgie to maybe house them two separately and discourage breeding to ensure there are not any surprises.

I hope you realise I am going to have to admit to my wife that she was right... I will not hear the end of that one LoL

Still, they are still young birds and he has been cooped up with three females and his mother, no wonder he had a rough time at feeding.
I have transferred all the females into one large cage for night time or outdoors time. His mother is in her own cage as she was always a loner and the males have their own mansion.

I am going to build my own custom sized cage with horizontal room, designed to fit on a set of book shelves. I have all the woodworking tools, I may as well use them.
The floor is my only concern, but I will find what I need. Is there any woods you think are good / not good to use? I am going to use inverse routing then put the wire in the inside so they cannot chew the edges. Also, paints, varnish or oils such as linseed, comments or ideas?

All the birds take a turn out in the house, but not all at once. Here are some pictures of the six babies on a free afternoon / evening.

Six babies all out for a wing stretch.

Let's be cheeky, I'll keep watch you get that curtain.
He's seen us, Run away...run away...

We're the last two, lets confuse him...OK...You go up and I'll go down, he can't catch us both!

 

I would suggest you might want to consider buying large flight cages such as Prevue Hendrix F050s rather than building a cage (or cages).

You must be extremely careful to ensure any Do It Yourself project is completely safe for your budgies and that isn’t an easy task.

Please be sure to review the information in the links below:

Safe Natural Wood for Budgies

Ensure metal mesh is Budgie Safe.

 

I don't think we will have any trouble with timber here, this is their natural home country and most of our wood is quite suitable.

The wire advice is well noted and thank you for pointing that out. I don't want to hurt my darling birds.

We currently use wattle or bottle brush as perches, cut straight from the tree in various thicknesses. They love to get a new branch and then ringbark it.

I checked with our Avian specialist and his advice was this is their favourite tree. I have some decent sized pieces of a tree we had to remove from storm damage, so my brother is going to use his wood saws and thicknesser to make the frame base, top and sides.

I'm more worried about them enjoying the smell of the wood to much LoL

Since separating the lone male, it has been much better for all the birds. He is in with his father and another male, but seems to be showing as the Alpha male.

Always like the support in this forum, it is first class.

 

Sounds like you have a good plan and it's great to hear you can get good advice from your Avian Vet

And it's lovely to hear you're enjoying the forums, too

 

Thank you for providing the additional information regarding the wood and your plans.
I look forward to seeing the finished aviary!