Interview With Rita And Rolf Posthuma

[**KAZ** 0]

Interview with Rita and Rofl Posthuma W.A.

 

 

Q1. AT WHICH POINT IN TIME DID YOU FIRST DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN BUDGERIGARS ?

 Since about 1975 have I been interested in keeping birds, but I was told that birds should fly around in the wild, until one day, I was asked whether I would like to have an aviary.

 

Q2. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST AVIARY/BREEDING ROOM LIKE ?

 Our first aviary we bought from Joe Olzowy, and we extended it with a breeding room, which held 8 breeding cages.

 

Q3. WHERE DID YOUR FIRST BIRDS COME FROM AND OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME DID YOU CONTINUE WITH THESE LINES ?

 Our first birds came from Joe Olzowy. We continues with these birds for many years.

 

Q4. ARE YOUR PRESENT BIRDS FROM THESE SAME BLOODLINES, IF NOT WHAT BLOODLINES HAVE IMPACTED MOST WITHIN YOUR STUD?

 We have moved on, and our present birds are mainly from 4 different breeders.

Bob Levy’s birds have had the most impact on our stock.

 

Q5. HOW DO YOU PREPARE YOUR BIRDS FOR THE BREEDING SEASON?

 I keep our birds as healthy as possible all year round. No real preparing for the breeding season.

 

Q6. DO YOU SET YOUR BREEDING SEASON BY THE CALENDER OR BY SIGNS OF THE BIRDS BEING READY ?

 I breed by the calendar. I have found that from August to Feb/March is the best.

 

Q7. WHEN PAIRING UP DO YOU GO BY PEDIGREE OR VISUAL APPEARANCES OR BOTH?

 First visual, and then I check the pedigree

 

Q8. HOW CLOSELY DO YOU MATE YOUR BIRDS AND WHAT RELATED MATINGS HAVE BEEN

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL?

 I don’t like father to daughter mating, as I think that these produce weaker birds. Certainly not brother/ sister pairing.

 

Q9. WHAT VARIETY MIXES DO YOU USE FOR IMPROVEMENT IF ANY OR IS IT BEST TO BEST?

 I try not to mix varieties if possible, however sometimes that is unavoidable if you have two very good birds of different varieties.

 

Q10. HOW MANY CHICKS AND ROUNDS DO YOU ALLOW YOUR BIRDS TO HAVE?

 I prefer my pairs to have around 4 chicks each if possible. I let the pairs go for 3 rounds time permitting, and if they are still in good shape.

 

Q11. WHAT FEATURES ARE THE HARDEST TO PUT ON A BIRD AND HOW DOES ONE GO ABOUT ESTABLISHING THAT FEATURE AND RETAINING IT, THE DIRECTIONAL FEATHER, STRAIGHT BACKLINE, SHOULDER & LENGTH?

 I find the head feature the hardest to put on a bird. To me it is a trial and error pairing.

 

Q12. WHAT IS YOUR FEEDING PROGRAMME DURING THE BREEDING SEASON AND DOES THIS DIFFER DURING THE NON BREEDING SEASON?

 I like to give my birds a good variety of seed. They get Golden Cob breeders mix all year round together with a mixture of pannican, millet, niger, linseed and lettuce.

In the breeding season I mix breeding aid through this seed. They also get soaked triticale and grated carrot and broccoli or zucchini each day. They get fruit when available, and corn or silverbeet or other green vegetables. Gum leaves, or hibiscus, grape, or bottle brush leaves are given when I have them and have time to get these.

 

Q13a. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT AVIARY DESIGN, SIZE, FLIGHTS, BREEDING CAGE DESIGN AND NUMBER OF CAGES ETC?

Our aviary is approx 8 m wide and 6 m long. – the breeding sections takes up 2m of the length and the full width. The flights section is divided equally into 4 flights. Flight no: 1+2 have a door which can be opened to make one large flight. The same with 3+4 flight.

At the front of the cage we have a 2m section which extends out into the open right across the width of the cage, with a roof over it. This way they can enjoy being outside with the protection they need.

The floor is tiled everywhere for easy cleaning. Electricity and water are also connected.

We have 14 breeding cages. 8 comes in a bank, and the other 6 are wire cages. I had 16 cages, but found I didn’t need these. With 14 it works well. The breeding boxes are on the front of the breeding cages. If I would change anything with these, I would make the breeding cage large enough so that the breeding boxes could be inside the cage, rather than on the front. The jury is still out whether I like the bank better than the wire cages or the other way around.

 

Q13b. WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT YOUR SETUP IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO DO SO ?

I’m quite happy with this setup, and can’t think of what I would change.

 

 

Q14. DO YOU USE PREVENTATIVE MEDICATION DURING AND PRE BREEDING SEASON AND IF SO WHAT AND WHY.

The birds are treated with doxy a few times a year for about 1 week at a time.

I put a mixture of dried citric acid and bi-carb of soda in the water about once every 8-10 days to keep their gut clean.

Ivomec is used to keep the lice etc away.

 

 

Q15. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE GREATEST ASSET OF BEING IN THE HOBBY AND WHERE DO YOU SEE THE HOBBY HEADING WITH SO MANY BREEDERS LEAVING TODAY?

I find that breeding budgies is a very relaxing hobby. Going to meetings is very beneficial as you learn heaps of things interacting with others and joining in with the running of the club.

It is a worry that people are leaving the hobby, but I can understand that when you get older there are other things to do instead of staying home looking after budgies.

 

 

Q16.  WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT VALUE ABOUT FRIENDSHIPS FORMED AND FELLOWSHIP WITHIN THE BUDGIE BREEDING FRATERNITY ?

For those who are willing, you learn that it is not about yourself but about helping others and joining in with the running of the club.

 

 

Q17. DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW TO PROMOTE THE HOBBY TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR CLUBS ?

That’s a hard one. Maybe we should advertise more in the local newspapers, telling them when and where our clubs meet.

 

 

Q18. WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A NATIONAL SHOW?

The National show gives us an opportunity to interact with breeders from other states, if you are lucky enough to be able to attend these shows.

 

 

Q19. HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT POINTING A NOVICE BREEDER IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO ENABLE THEM TO REACH THE TOP BENCH IN AROUND EIGHT YEARS?

I would ask them which color they like the best the suggest that they start with that. Some think that it is best to start off with normals, however I think that some of the varieties are also good to start with. They generally are the pretty birds and everyone loves them.

 

 

Q20. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH BIRDS WITH FEATHER DISORDERS?

Depending what the disorder was, I would not breed with them.

 

Q21. WHO HAS INSPIRED YOU THE MOST IN THE FANCY?

Some of the Champion breeders.

 

 

Q22.   WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR LOWEST AND HIGHEST POINTS IN THE HOBBY ?

I have been very lucky in that we have not had disasters like loosing lots of birds in one go. The most I have lost in one go was 3 of my violets, when it was very cold.

At the moment my birds are improving well, and therefore I would consider it a high point.

 

 

Q23. WHAT IN YOUR MIND WAS THE BEST BIRD YOU EVER BOUGHT THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR STUD AND WHAT APPROXIMATELY WAS ITS COST ?

The best bird was either a lacewing cock or a spangle cock split for lacewing. These birds have really improved my birds. The lacewing I got for nothing and I paid approx $40 for the spangle.

 

 

Q24.  IF YOU WERE JUST STARTING OUT ALL OVER AGAIN AS A NOVICE IN TODAYS WORLD, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU DISPENSE BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT ?

I would suggest to find an experienced breeder, who is also reliable and has healthy birds. Buy a pair from them, or if you can afford it buy 2 hens and a cock, and start breeding. I don’t think that it is necessary to pay several hundreds of dollars for birds.

 

 

Q25. WOULD YOU HAVE A PHILOSPHY TO SHARE THAT HAS HELPED YOU IN DAILY LIFE WITH YOUR BUDGERIGARS ?

Spend as much time with them as you can. It is both relaxing and enjoyable.

 

 

Q26. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE MUTATION OR VARIETY THAT REALLY INSPIRES YOU ? AND WHAT VARIETIES ARE YOU SPECIALISING IN AT THE MOMENT ?

I love the violets, but the Danish pieds , lacewings and texas clearbodies are also up there. I have started breeding yellow face budgies and would love to have a violet yellow face someday.

To have a violet Danish pied or texas clearbody would also be great.

 

Q27. GIVEN ALL OF THE ABOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER TIPS OR HINTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE AND SUSTAIN AN EXHIBITION BUDGERIGAR STUD?

I still consider myself a learner in a lot of areas, as it is only the last few years which has really taken me ahead.

 

 

Q28. IF THERE WAS ONE MAIN THING YOU HAVE WANTED TO SAY THAT ENCOMPASSES YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT BEING INVOLVED IN BUDGERIGARS AND CLUBS WHAT WOULD IT BE ?

To be a member of a club and be involved should go together. The more you involve yourself the more you learn and enjoy it. There are a lot of caring people who you meet.

 

 

 

 

 Mrs Rita Posthuma

Mt. Nasura. W.A. Australia.

Open Breeder – have bred budgies for approx 15 years.

 

Edited April 8, 2010 by KAZ