First Breeding Journal

[Maddy 0]

Quick update for today.

 

I've rung chick #3 and all the other chicks are doing great.

 

 

 

To me, chick #1's head pin feathers look to have a yellow tinge to them. So I'm going to go ahead and guess YF opaline normal

(feel free to correct me on this one lol)

 

 

 

Chick #2 has clear flights and tail feathers( as far as i can tell) as well as white down, so I'm thinking a dom pied opaline.

 

This is all just speculation. I really am not 100% sure on my guesses, but its fun to watch them and see how they develop.

 

I also decided to take out the egg that was in the nest before it went rancid.

Whats the maximum amount of time I'm allowed to leave an egg before it can effect the nest?

 

Its been about 4 or 5 days for this one, and I decided to crack it open to be sure.

Well, it let off an unpleasant odour when i first opened it. There was no blood and the membrane was yellow and quite dry.

But i took a picture so that others can confirm that it was a definite DIS.

 

 

I buried it in the yard as trash pickup was today and i didn't want it to stink up the bins (they smell bad enough as it is)

[Maddy 0]

And so I'm not leaving them out...

 

Chick #3 (his ring is still on which is good)

 

and Chick #4

[GenericBlue 0]

i think chick four is also a pied

 

and the first looks opaline cobalt yf

 

two look definitely dom pied

they all look so healthy great work :}

[Maddy 0]

Can I ask how you guessed chick #4 GB?

 

For future reference

Edited March 2, 2011 by Maddy

[GenericBlue 0]

yep

it is old enough now that if it was normal it would display dark wings all over

if you look at its wings where the bend is its got a dark triangle of colour (dark but thats it

nothing else i can see a bit more coming in across the top end of flights i could be wrong about it but im pretty certain looks pied to me as would be darker wings

looks like one that may come out with a dark tail feather rather than a white one in center ?? maybe cant predict that but resembles

the wing marks of some mine that came out with the one black flight in tail ( big call i know ) but ill risk pie on my face for a guess on it

im calling yellow face on three of them also but will only tell you why if im correct :} the one you said but is obvious now and two of the others

[Maddy 0]

Awesome. Thanks GB

 

 

Here are some pictures for today (or this morning)

They're not good for seeing colour as I didn't adjust my camera to the fact that the

morning light was shining right through the front of the aviary (I normally take pictures in the afternoon)

But they are good for seeing development. So I might get some proper colour seeing ones later.

 

Chick #1

She has body feathers now. I see a bit of sky blue on her back

I think I will call her Gloria. Only because she hatched just after the really hot days we had, and her sibling died.

So I just think of the song 'I will survive' lol

 

Chick #2

Definitely clear flights. Hello pied

My mum has named this one Leela as it only had one eye open for a few days.

 

Chick #3

A bit bright, but I don't see any colour on this ones wings.

The whole time it sat on my hand it had its wings out like this. It was cute.

So I think I will call this one Ace

 

Chick #4

This one isn't bad for colour and I see some colour on the flights part of its wing

So I'm guessing this one will be like Chick #1

I've decided to call this one Potato as it just draped itself over my hand like this the whole time.

I'm not sure if that means there is something wrong with it, I just thought it was cute.

 

All of them seem to have white down. Does this mean they are all hens?

Edited March 2, 2011 by Maddy

[Maddy 0]

I think people are getting bored with me spamming my own topic lol

But its very exciting, its my first clutch of chicks and I want to document everything

I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon enough, but for now I'm just going to keep spamming pictures.

 

I got some more colour adequate pictures.

As well as a picture of mum.

 

Gloria

 

 

 

Leela

Notice the light patch on the back of the head confirming the pied.

A funny quirk about her is that if you poke her lightly on her above her leg, her wings stick straight out.

 

 

 

Ace

Wings out as usual.

Also, don't let that leg fool you. I know it looks a bit 'splayed'. But i assure you it moves about like the other chicks

 

 

 

Potato

sitting comfortable in the dip of my hand

 

 

And lastly, Doormat.

I was having trouble deciding whether or not I should let her go for another round.

Apart from her face she looks in good health, so I caught her to check her weight.

It seems fine, but I can feel her keel bone. Its not prominent, but I don't think I want to risk it

She's just over a year old, so she has plenty of time to be a mum again.

 

There was a lot of struggling and biting going on, so my hold on her doesn't look very good.

[GenericBlue 0]

not board confused ace looks pied and potato well potato looks like pied also but ....ace seems to resemble rec pied markings rather than dom is this possible mum n dad could be split ????

other wise i got it backwards ace is pied n potato is not

potato looks yellow face as does ace but im really not sure any more and may just shut up

[**KAZ** 0]

Doormat.

I was having trouble deciding whether or not I should let her go for another round.

Apart from her face she looks in good health, so I caught her to check her weight.

It seems fine, but I can feel her keel bone. Its not prominent, but I don't think I want to risk it

She's just over a year old, so she has plenty of time to be a mum again.

 

There was a lot of struggling and biting going on, so my hold on her doesn't look very good.

Good and mature decision Maddy

 

Her cere also looks like its soon to peel as well, to show she's not in breeding condition.

[Maddy 0]

I went out and got the parents details.

 

I only have their parents, not their grandparents....but I don't believe rec pied can travel very far because its recessive right?

 

Doormat = Normal Cobalt cock x Opaline Cobalt hen (which explains Gloria being cobalt)

 

Pie = Violet Opaline cock x YF Pied Cobalt hen

 

Now the info on Pie's mum only says pied...it doesn't specify. Is it possible to get a dom pied from a rec pied?

Because that could be where it came from.

 

If not then I'm stumped lol

 

And I would much rather be patient and wait to pair Doormat again, then be hasty and end up killing her.

Both her and Pie are being great parents so it would be counter productive to destroy that

 

Especially because I think she is a beautiful hen....and I got her for free.

I don't think that is going to happen much during my time in this hobby.

 

Oh and GB, don't shut up. I love your input

Edited March 3, 2011 by Maddy

[**KAZ** 0]

I don't believe rec pied can travel very far because its recessive right?

 

 

 

Because its recessive it can.

[Maddy 0]

I see. Hmmmm thats interesting that is. That it can travel hidden under other traits.

 

Well it could've come from their grandparents or further back if thats the case.

I doubt Pie's mum was rec, as the piece of paper i got only said pied for pie as well.

 

I might test it next breeding round. I will breed either pie or one of his daughters(?) to a rec pied and see what happens.

[GenericBlue 0]

but if pie is / rec pied than so has to be doormat

and not only that the pied gene being recessive may not go to all chicks as its only a 25 percent chance of a / rec pieds chicks getting the genetics for rec pied so you wouldnt know which daughter so

but if the chicks pied you wont need to worry as if its rec pied you know both mum and dad are indeed split as you cant possably get a rec pied unless they both are split to it

so did i make sense ???

[*Nerwen* 0]

i Don't think Potato is Opaline .. there are faint black dots on the body, which in a few days should give a dark look to the down feathers.

 

as to the pied markings - give it a bit more time to judge. Pied marks can affect any area at any time with each chick

[Maddy 0]

Yep i understand GB. If the chick turns out to be rec pied, then it means doormat and pie are both split.

 

I'm hoping you're right Nerwen. I would love to have at least one cock come out of this clutch

[Finnie 0]

I think people are getting bored with me spamming my own topic lol

But its very exciting, its my first clutch of chicks and I want to document everything

I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon enough, but for now I'm just going to keep spamming pictures.

 

 

We don't get bored by pictures!!

 

This is your journal, so go ahead and put whatever you want in. The more pictures, the better. It makes it a great record to look back on later, and see how your chicks changed from day to day.

They are looking really good, too, by the way.

 

And GB, I love your input. It makes me go back and forth to the photos to see if I can pick out what you are seeing. It's very educational. I can't wait to see how those pied markings on chicks #3 &4 come out eventually!

[Maddy 0]

Thats good to know...because I'm not stopping lol

 

But its how i feel about it too. I can see how they aged and even go back to their earlier photos and see if I can pick out anything that they have today.

Thanks

 

And thats how i use your input too GB. I go back and look and i say 'OOOOHHHH i see it now!" and it helps me to learn to pick out things like that

[GenericBlue 0]

lol and when im wrong about potato you can all go back and go wooooooooooo thats how i can see its not pied lol or yellowface ha ha ha

it is hard from pics but if you watch your babys you can start to pick the different varietys poping out in the nest as you learn more

 

i use to be really good at it but as i now breed show birds i dont have the practise anymore :{

so im probs still wrong

but i did feel and think they were both pied at least the botom one seemed to look it but as nerwin said they change daily so quick and well unless in hand really hard to tell from pics

your pics are so clear its great

and dont stop im loving the pics and everything

[Maddy 0]

Picture/Update time!

 

Gloria

Her feathers come out a little bit more every day.

She's funny though, she goes into reverse when she's in my hand like she's trying to escape.

But when I put my hand in the nest she hides behind it.

She's also starting to nibble the wood shavings, so next nest clean I will put some seed in the nest.

 

 

Leela

She's starting to get YF feathers like Gloria, so I think you were right there GB

She also looks like she is going to be a cobalt judging by the pins at her shoulder.

She also seems to have one dark tail feather?

 

 

Ace

I think is a definite dom pied. She has a pied spot on the back of her head like Leela.

But it looks as though she has two dark flights on the end of her wings.

 

 

Potato

I think this is hen #4.

Took a long hard look and its white down not grey.

Its a shame, it did want one cock. But aww well. I have 4 healthy chicks...I can't complain

Looks like she is going to be like Gloria.

 

 

You'll notice that their crops all look orange.

That's because I give mum and dad a serving of the homemade egg and biscuit that GB told me about.

They love the stuff, especially Pie. I put it in before I check the nest and it gets Doormat out of the way for me lol

Pie hears me open the container and rushes to the door.

 

Hopefully Leela and Ace are going to turn out like their dad. I really love him. His colours are just beautiful,

and his features aren't too bad either.

His brother was a champion apparently, Pie just got stuck at the shallow end of the gene pool.

 

Unfortunately, I'm not having much luck with my other occupied breeding cabinet.

These two, Overcast (hen) and Bloo (cock), have been paired now since Feb 1st.

I've seen them mating, and Overcast has been in and out of the nest box as well as chewing on the front step.

I sometimes open the nest and she hops in while I'm checking.

I don't know what to do with these two. They are bonded and ready, but aren't producing anything

[*Nerwen* 0]

it is still white down that appears it is more the skin that has dark pigment on it and later at the age of little Leela it will look grey in colour. I can still see the marks that make me think normal not opaline. get a shot the cere next time

[Maddy 0]

I've been struck by the Flu since Tuesday.

But I've found that I feel a bit better when i go out to the aviary,

as its nice and peaceful.

So its been my little hospital all week

 

Updates

 

Gloria

She now realises that she can flap her wings and she tries to escape.

She never gets very far though.

Nearly every time I open the nest box she's near the front entrance looking out.

 

 

 

Leela

Looking like another cobalt.

 

 

Ace

Her wings still stick out.

 

 

Potato

This is a strange one and I'm wondering if there is something wrong with it.

It doesn't seem to want to move, it just sits there.

And unlike the others, as soon as I pick it out of the nest it peeps its little head off.

After I took this photo I realised that he no longer had his ring on.

Took me a while to find it amongst the dried poop in the nest but I thought for sure it was too late to put it back on.

But it still fit. So I'm wondering if this means he is smaller than the others too.

 

I think you might be right Nerwen. There does seem to be some grey down on his back (or its a trick of the light)

and he does seem darker than the rest.

[*Nerwen* 0]

the peeping isn't an issue each chick is different I've had ones that do nothing by cry until back in the box and others that love being held and outside. Lucky you found the ring for him. Watch him like you are, I wouldn't stress if he has a full crop.

 

they look great.

 

Hope you get better soon

Edited March 6, 2011 by *Nerwen*

[alpaca-boy 0]

awww maddy!!

 

im so happy for you

ive been reading the breeding journal and i think they all look so lovely and healthy

and little potato is just adorable, he is my favourite

 

but is little potato a boy or girl??

good luck

and keep posting pictures, im loving them, i like watching them grow and your pictures show their transition well!

 

all the best,

Grant

[Maddy 0]

I've been frantically trying to fix my camera's exposure.

Its an SLR and its been blowing out the whites in my recent pictures (as some may have noticed)

It makes its extremely difficult to catch true colour.

So I went back to see what could of changed. I found out, that when the pictures were fine,

was before I added the white breeding cage cabinet.

So I'm thinking its just reflecting.

 

So lets see if these pictures are better.

 

Gloria

She has throat spots and cheek patches now.

 

 

Leela

Is getting her colour in.

Another cobalt, only she is a pied

 

 

Ace

Although she is a pied, she has a few dark flights.

At least she will be distinguishable

 

 

Potato

My little fat boy.

Yep his down has come through more and its grey.

This makes me happy

He has seed all over his face lol

 

I put a handful of seed in the nest when I changed it yesterday.

It seemed to sink underneath the wood shavings.

 

My mum has been bugging me for a few weeks now, asking which of the babies she can have.

See she wants a hand tame baby for my brother.

I'm fine with that, but she doesn't seem to understand that I don't want to choose until their feathers come through a bit more.

What if I give her my best baby?

 

I'm thinking of giving her one of the pieds or Gloria. Only because I would like to continue breeding pieds (I'm liking them)

so if I keep at least one pied then I can continue them. However, Gloria might also develop features like her dad, so I want to wait and see.

[GenericBlue 0]

just keep handling them all spend alone time with them all hold them dayly as they grow up till three months and they will all be tame so wont matter what one you give her

if you give her a pied id say ace as dark flights on the wings not good for quality show bird