My 2011 Breeding Journal

[splat 0]

Hi all.

I am pleased to say that I have started breeding program for 2011.

I am actually very excited as all is going to plan in my new bird room.

To start with my bird room is very warm inside on a freezing morning. Yes and I have 20 fertile eggs at the moment, really happy.

 

I have..

light green spangle cock x light green hen (uncle x niece..) 5 fertile eggs and counting. Last year the cock only filled one egg and it died at hatching. so I am frilled so far.

 

White Df spangle cock x Yellow Df spangle hen nephew x auntie..4 fertile eggs and counting

 

Grey green cock (outcross) one of Geoff's x yellow Df spangle hen sister to hen above. clear eggs and have gone down again.

 

Light green cock x violet opaline hen.. 5 fertile eggs and counting. cousins

Clearbody cock x Clearbody hen.. 4 fertile eggs.

 

Light green cock x grey hen (new line) 2 fertile eggs.

 

White Df spangle cock x grey op spangle hen.. just started laying and 1 fertile egg so far. half brother/ half sister.

 

Yellow Df spangle cock x cobalt spangle hen.. just put down (parents of my top birds. I am running him with his grandaughter too, a grey green spangle hen.

 

I have a few more just put down and I have few mucking around, I have decided that all young cocks will not be used until they are 18 months old.

I will try for some photos soon.

[GenericBlue 0]

nice to hear splat

i motivated a bit today i washed cleaned bird room and three cages then set them up with three pairs

something in the air maybe

[splat 0]

Thanks Gb, I am really pleased so far. Eggs will start hatching probably Sunday coming. Good luck with your pairing.

[splat 0]

A quick update and sorry still no Photos still

It all started out good, plenty of fertile eggs which I was really happy about. But now it is all going sour.

It all started with one nest. Light green x opaline hen, her first egg she or he smashed it, so I put a false egg in and she went on to lay 7 more eggs and all fertile. The day before the were due to hatch, she or he destroyed the last 2 she layed so I quickly took the others out and fostered them but the next morning I found 1 on the floor which she had thrown out that I had missed the night before. The cow. These 2 birds were used last year with no problems.

Anyway the parents for these eggs a first time parents so when the 1st egg hatched she let it die so then I had to foster them again, which is today to another nest. Then I have another with problems a light green cock x grey hen (1st time parents) she laid 5 eggs 2 fertile. their first egg hatch a couple of days ago with problems, I saw a hole in it and picked it up and the chick was chirping loud so I put it back. I went to Mooroopna and when I came back rushed out and checked and the empty shell was their but NO chick. Couldn't find it anyway, after searching a while I found it on the floor dead cold, so I put it in the palm of my hand and breathed on it, I brought back to life and put it back under the hen, But the hen didn't feed it so I fed it and put it under another hen and then thee next day the her next egg hatched and she still wouldn't feed her so it went under another too. Boy this is all driving me crazy.

And there is the light green spangle ( my best bird, brother to the white boy) well he is with a light green hen and they had 6 fertile eggs, their 1st egg was huge and it was fertile and it did try and hatch but didn't make it out of the egg. The second one hatched and it is wierd lays stiff all the time.

My problem is most of the hens are maiden and because these eggs are hatching at the same time I have NO larger chicks to put under them to in courage them to feed.

I did put down older hens but they wouldn't lay, they just mucked around.

Edited June 9, 2011 by splat

[**KAZ** 0]

A quick update and sorry still no Photos still

It all started out good, plenty of fertile eggs which I was really happy about. But now it is all going sour.

It all started with one nest. Light green x opaline hen, her first egg she or he smashed it, so I put a false egg in and she went on to lay 7 more eggs and all fertile. The day before the were due to hatch, she or he destroyed the last 2 she layed so I quickly took the others out and fostered them but the next morning I found 1 on the floor which she had thrown out that I had missed the night before. The cow. These 2 birds were used last year with no problems.

Anyway the parents for these eggs a first time parents so when the 1st egg hatched she let it die so then I had to foster them again, which is today to another nest. Then I have another with problems a light green cock x grey hen (1st time parents) she laid 5 eggs 2 fertile. their first egg hatch a couple of days ago with problems, I saw a hole in it and picked it up and the chick was chirping loud so I put it back. I went to Mooroopna and when I came back rushed out and checked and the empty shell was their but NO chick. Couldn't find it anyway, after searching a while I found it on the floor dead cold, so I put it in the palm of my hand and breathed on it, I brought back to life and put it back under the hen, But the hen didn't feed it so I fed it and put it under another hen and then thee next day the her next egg hatched and she still wouldn't feed her so it went under another too. Boy this is all driving me crazy.

And there is the light green spangle ( my best bird, brother to the white boy) well he is with a light green hen and they had 6 fertile eggs, their 1st egg was huge and it was fertile and it did try and hatch but didn't make it out of the egg. The second one hatched and it is wierd lays stiff all the time.

My problem is most of the hens are maiden and because these eggs are hatching at the same time I have NO larger chicks to put under them to in courage them to feed.

I did put down older hens but they wouldn't lay, they just mucked around.

 

 

Sounds EXACTLY like the breeding season I am having Splat. Its terrible

[RIPbudgies 0]

Your not having a good run, that's for sure. I hope it's gets better for you.

[Finnie 0]

A quick update and sorry still no Photos still

It all started out good, plenty of fertile eggs which I was really happy about. But now it is all going sour.

It all started with one nest. Light green x opaline hen, her first egg she or he smashed it, so I put a false egg in and she went on to lay 7 more eggs and all fertile. The day before the were due to hatch, she or he destroyed the last 2 she layed so I quickly took the others out and fostered them but the next morning I found 1 on the floor which she had thrown out that I had missed the night before. The cow. These 2 birds were used last year with no problems.

Anyway the parents for these eggs a first time parents so when the 1st egg hatched she let it die so then I had to foster them again, which is today to another nest. Then I have another with problems a light green cock x grey hen (1st time parents) she laid 5 eggs 2 fertile. their first egg hatch a couple of days ago with problems, I saw a hole in it and picked it up and the chick was chirping loud so I put it back. I went to Mooroopna and when I came back rushed out and checked and the empty shell was their but NO chick. Couldn't find it anyway, after searching a while I found it on the floor dead cold, so I put it in the palm of my hand and breathed on it, I brought back to life and put it back under the hen, But the hen didn't feed it so I fed it and put it under another hen and then thee next day the her next egg hatched and she still wouldn't feed her so it went under another too. Boy this is all driving me crazy.

And there is the light green spangle ( my best bird, brother to the white boy) well he is with a light green hen and they had 6 fertile eggs, their 1st egg was huge and it was fertile and it did try and hatch but didn't make it out of the egg. The second one hatched and it is wierd lays stiff all the time.

My problem is most of the hens are maiden and because these eggs are hatching at the same time I have NO larger chicks to put under them to in courage them to feed.

I did put down older hens but they wouldn't lay, they just mucked around.

 

 

 

Sounds EXACTLY like the breeding season I am having Splat. Its terrible

Aww, I'm sorry for both of you. It's hard with all the extra added dramas.

Edited June 9, 2011 by Finnie

[Dean_NZ 0]

This has been my experience too. I always put experienced pet type foster pairs down at the same time now. I find they are superb feeders and have saved me many a nightmare

[splat 0]

It's a little bit better, The funny stiff little one is still alive but not growing much, it's sibling hatched yesterday and is bigger already.

The nest that has the 2 foster ones has hatched 2 of her own and are all going good but she has 4 more to hatch yet so I will have to foster some in a couple of days but just need to find another that will feed them.

Last night and early this morning my clearbody nest hatched 2 and feeding them well and she is a maiden hen, so happy with that.

But my problem is the nest where the funny one is has 3 more eggs to hatch which will make 5 chicks if all hatch.

The df spangle nest has 2 foster and 2 of hers and 4 eggs still to hatch, The clearbody nest heas 2 and 2 eggs to hatch, there is another nest that had cleared eggs and I put 5 eggs under her from the nest the hen started destroying and if they hatch she will have 5 and she is on her own, so I will need to take a couple off her and there are 2 more nest with fertile eggs, one has 7 fertile so she will have her hands full and the other nest has 3 fertile both hens are maiden. So I am really struggling to where to put all these chicks if they hatch.

But at least I have some older chicks to put under the maiden hens to make them feed now.

[GenericBlue 0]

sounds like they have you on your toes splat

[splat 0]

Yes they have Gb, it really sucks because I had it all planned out as usual and then it all gets stuffed up.

[robyn 0]

Hope things settle soon Splat, do you think different breeding seasons make different problems?

I have pet only but Feb. nestings, not a problem, but have 4 pr down now and seem to have a different things happening, like choice of seed, greens etc. seem to be different to what birds took in Feb. ????

[splat 0]

I don't know what it is Robyn but it is so annoying. But things have proved a bit, I now have 3 babies alive in my clearbody nest, one died at hatching and it looked like yellow belly. I have 4 chicks in my light green spangles nest still has one egg to hatch, but that little stiff one is still alive also.

There 2 chicks from another nest being fostered.

I have I have 3 chicks in my Df spangle nest and 3 to hatch. and today one of the violet hens eggs hatch but I don't think the others will because I handled them to much trying to find somewhere to put them. My white df sp had fertile eggs and because the hen played up I fostered them but the foster hen played up worse so I was force to put them back and they never progressed and yesterday I broke them open and the were just little weeny part chicks dead in shell.

Anyway all in all so far I have 13 chicks but i should have 22. I have 2 more nest with eggs about to hatch but they weren't in my count.

 

so i still have something to be excited about.

but I do have some fertile rounds coming through now also.

I am slowing pulling them out for a rest and putting them down late July for babies for the uncapped shield.

[robyn 0]

Well things seem a bit brighter for you Splat. Hope you get some good chicks in the end.

 

My first 2 chicks popped out of nest box yesterday,( nest of 7.)

Had 24 eggs in 4 nests, lost 1 chick and 5 clear, 18 chicks all doing well. With rain, rain, and more rain!!!

 

 

[Jetsbudgies 0]

IO_O sounds like lots of people having problems breeding in cabinets! I was thinking of converting my breed colony to cabinets but after hearinf so many problems im not sure i should now :-(

[**KAZ** 0]

IO_O sounds like lots of people having problems breeding in cabinets! I was thinking of converting my breed colony to cabinets but after hearinf so many problems im not sure i should now :-(

 

 

Considering all the variables that makes breeding successful.............you thinking its all about cabinets is so far wide of the mark its not funny. This isnt about cabinets.

[splat 0]

Cabinets is a lot better than colony by far, just it is really the wrong time of the year to cold, I am emptying breeding cabinets and putting them back in middle to late July.

I had another disaster today a mature hen didn't feed a chick when it hatched yesterday and it was dead this morning, so annoyed, so now I only have 3 nest going with heaps of chicks.

 

Sounds like your going okay Robyn.

Oh I have good new though I have 2 chicks from earlier rounds, one from my yellow Df spangle cock and the other one form my violet cock. The one from the spangle is a grey green cinnamon spangle, I thought cock but not really sure as I can see white around the nostrils. and the other chick an opaline cobalt hen from the violet are looking really good..

[PJI 0]

Cabinets is a lot better than colony by far, just it is really the wrong time of the year to cold, I am emptying breeding cabinets and putting them back in middle to late July.

I had another disaster today a mature hen didn't feed a chick when it hatched yesterday and it was dead this morning, so annoyed, so now I only have 3 nest going with heaps of chicks.

 

Sounds like your going okay Robyn.

Oh I have good new though I have 2 chicks from earlier rounds, one from my yellow Df spangle cock and the other one form my violet cock. The one from the spangle is a grey green cinnamon spangle, I thought cock but not really sure as I can see white around the nostrils. and the other chick an opaline cobalt hen from the violet are looking really good..

Keep them in the cabinets Julie just take the nest boxes away.It won't hurt leaving them in the cabinets for another month or so until it warms up a bit.All my hens are in cabinets, i won't put the cocks in for a while yet.

[robyn 0]

GO THE CABINETS !! Mine are only pet types but after trying colony it only took one bloodied hen to convert to cabinets. Far less trouble, and you have the control over which birds pair up.

[splat 0]

Cabinets is a lot better than colony by far, just it is really the wrong time of the year to cold, I am emptying breeding cabinets and putting them back in middle to late July.

I had another disaster today a mature hen didn't feed a chick when it hatched yesterday and it was dead this morning, so annoyed, so now I only have 3 nest going with heaps of chicks.

 

Sounds like your going okay Robyn.

Oh I have good new though I have 2 chicks from earlier rounds, one from my yellow Df spangle cock and the other one form my violet cock. The one from the spangle is a grey green cinnamon spangle, I thought cock but not really sure as I can see white around the nostrils. and the other chick an opaline cobalt hen from the violet are looking really good..

Keep them in the cabinets Julie just take the nest boxes away.It won't hurt leaving them in the cabinets for another month or so until it warms up a bit.All my hens are in cabinets, i won't put the cocks in for a while yet.

 

okay Phill, Have hens in together and cocks in together waiting to go into breeding cabinets, I have put a couple back in the aviary because I am sick of them.

Bad news again today, lost 3 chicks from 3 different nest, all one day old. Hens aren't feeding them, but one looked like it had yellow belly. I had another chick hatch this morning and I put an older chick in to in courage her to feed the new chick as the hen is a maiden hen but a late 09 hen. Well she fed the older chick but not the new one, so I topped it up tonight and put under another hen, probably will be dead in the morning. Annoying because it is my spangle line chick, the father is from my white boys brother that Kaz has and my white boys daughter, so cousin to cousin, they only had 3 fertile eggs, she only laid 4 eggs all up.

My light spangle, brother to the white boy and he is better than the white boy well he filled 6 eggs, the first one was huge and the chick tried to hatch but died, the other hatched but there are 2 with stiff backs for some reason. The youngest died and there was a dead one this morning from hatching and it looked yellow belly. So I only have 3 left and one is the stiff weird one. I was really counting on that nest and what's worse the hen isn't feeding them enough either. But I have NO where to put them.

[splat 0]

That chick that hatched yesterday, dead the this morning, this is driving me nuts. I have another chick hatch in a new nest and I am just leaving things alone, see what happens. This nest has 6 or 7 fertile eggs. the hen is a violet daughter to my shield winning violet and a sky hen (outcross) and she is with a grey, brother to the violet, so uncle niece. Hoping for some violets actually.

[robyn 0]

Any updates on you chicks Splat? Hope things are settled down now.

[splat 0]

No Robyn things are no better, I have I think 17 chicks but i should have about 40 chicks plus. They hatch and the hens won't feed them, so they are dead the next morning. Have saved a couple by transferring.

Yesterday I went out and found a chick from my white boy dead, it hatched the day before, hen didn't feed it. And I found a 12 day old dead, noticed it wasn't growing probably in the last few days, had a full crop though.

Yesterday I empty some boxes and pulled apart a few pairs.

I took some pics the other day but haven't pt them on the computer yet, will try and do it soon

[robyn 0]

Gee that's disappointing Splat. Is your "stiff" little one still going, or improved?

[splat 0]

No it died at about 7 days and there was another the same in another nest and it died about 4 days and there was a chick in another nest that had a broken leg at 1 day old, I put that one out of it's pain though, the leg looked broken between the thigh and the knee it was a white double factor spangle.

I am just having a real bad results this time this year.

But so far i have

2 grey greens from one nest, one is a bit small never got fed early on, but they look like they will be nice birds.

2 yellow df spangles and showing some promise.

3 clear bodies I think light green

1 dark green, 1 light green spangle from another nest, there should be another one but every thing is so messed up at the moment, I have to wait for them all to feather up to work out who owns who.

1 white df spangle from another nest.

4 chicks from another nest one is grey but I don't know what the others are yet but one isn't growing probably and looks strange in it's colour. all these chicks are in 3 nest, there are 5 in one nest, 5 in another nest 4 in another , 14 all up so I am missing one here but I am not sure which one it is. all these chicks are from quite a few different nest. so confusing.

Anyway I have another nest with 2 chicks and a couple more to hatch and they are from 3 different nest also. I have have another nest that hatched one this morning which is the other fertile egg from my white boy because when the hen didn't feed the chick I wasn't taken any more chances and I transferred it yesterday and it hatched this morning, there are a couple of fertile eggs in the nest belonging to the parents in there and a egg from another nest where the hen went off the eggs but I probably found then cold to late but you never know.

I will try and post some pics soon.