Dave_McMinn

tonight was all about the humble cockroach -

the bit that has not been plucked, yes. I think it is a little boy at this stage, so that means Caesar is split for Ino and also opaline.

Currently moulting in the aviary :thanks: I hope he ends up looking like his uncles, in terms of head shape and all

I am thinking he has to be an opaline. Too much blue for opalescence I think. We will see

it is messy in the garage. there is a lot of stuff in my garage. i would rather have it all outdoors. The other thing is that with the garage, there is no way to really stop mice getting in. If you set up the breeding room correctly, then you can mouse proof it. The birds will have more natural light and I will have the rest of my garage back

I have a double garage - double brick. Presently one side of the garage houses the breeding cages. the other side is for the car. The garage is very big - there is a space at the back where the dogs sleep, plus work benches, plus a dining room table, plus the hot water system, ***, it is huge when I think about it - I will get you a photo. Any reason for the question?

if you put a large bird with a small bird, then you might end up with a medium sized bird. If you are not showing, then size is not important.

Not much i can do when they are so young, but I will leave him there and see how he goes. You never know, there is always hope.

This one is my favourite

are these new editions Kaz? Who was the breeder of these birds?

If you have a cat and it lives inside, then i am all for it. Outside cats do more damage to the native wildlife. They hunt and kill native birds and native mammals. Arguing that cats are good because they kill mice and rats is like arguing that the cane toad is good as it eats the beetles/moths/whatever in the sugar cane fields. I am all for people having cats if they keep them in their own yard and put a bell on them to warn the native wildlife. Unfortuantely, the stray ones have caused so many problems I would rather have none then domesticated and strays

There is a pet store on Parramatta Road at Ashfield. If you know the area, you come out onto parramatta road where bunning is, turning right. You drive past the girls correctional facility and it is there on your left, on the corner. I am not sure what the name of it is, but they have good cages, and are relatively cheap. They do not sell animals, just pet supplies.

Why will he not breed? Does he know he is too old? "Will not breed" has got absolutely nothing to do with "is willing to kill the chicks of another bird to secure a good location"

Great looking birds Kaz. So Schitzo, Dumb and Dumber's sister, only has 2 chicks per clutch?

4 boxes and 8 birds, as in 4 pairs, will lead to trouble. It is recommended that you have twice as many boxes as pairs. Why not wait until you have more boxes and can secure them higher?

Sorry, typo, no new picture - yet. I spoke to kaz and she said it add some Triple C to the water, so that is done. I also trimmed the vent of some birds - Luthor and his lady (Lutino I bought from Cec Gearing) Now I had always assumed the Lutino was an 06 bird, however on closer inspection I think the ring is purple. This means that she is at the very end of her possibly breeding. She gets one more go, then she goes out to pasture. Such a shame as she is one of the best looking hens I have.I forget to grab the number. She may be a french moult survivor as she loses wing feather very easily and is absolutely terrible when anyone goes to catch her. Well, checked on things before I went to bed. A few more pics Caesar's chick are very cute. they look like they are trying to scramble out - the great escape. Here you can see Dumber and Cino's chicks together, and then the sickly looking little one on its own. It is hanging in there, but I am concerned about its legs. Kestral and Dumb have another egg Earl and Latte's little one is coming along well. I did not get any photos of Twitch and Kiwi's eggs, still seix or seven - I forget now. She is sitting, so I let her be.

hmmm, lacewing twin budgies. Now that would be nice.

Had a look in the nestboxes this morning, and I am concerned for a little one. The eldest bub of Dumb and Cino does not look good. Another little one has hatched in there, and this little seems well, it has been fed, and it is the dark pink colour. The oldest young one though is in big trouble. It is a light shade of pink, and instead of being a little round ball thing that rolls around, it is flat. Its extremities, as in its legs and wings are even more pale in colour, as in I am not sure this little one's extremities are getting any blood. It looks like a person doing the breast stroke. I am not sure how this could have happened - maybe its mother sat on it, or maybe it has some inherent disease, but they way it looks, if it survives, it would not have a normal life. The chick was a bit pale in this photo but it is much worse now. I hope that it is only this chick. If any of the others appear to have these signs, I move have to move them to another nestbox. I once had a whole lot of chicks die like this, but only in one nestbox. I am not sure if it was due to the mother or father, but I never bred those birds again. I wonder if it is because something in the crop milk? Any thoughts on how to proceed, save for moving any surviving the chicks?

I am looking for a picture of a grey clearwing and a greygreen clearwing. Anyone have any like that? Nubbly5, you quite a few. Any pics so i can see?

If they are both single factor greys, then it is possible that you could get blues. SF Opaline Grey Male x SF Grey Opaline Grey Female 25.0% grey(df) opaline 50.0% grey(sf) opaline 25.0% blue opaline if they are both double factors DF Opaline Grey Male x DF Opaline Grey Female 100% grey(df) opaline if one of them is df and the other is as sf, then 50.0% grey(df) opaline 50.0% grey(sf) opaline

I think that for some show birds when they are in a small cage, it is no good for their wing muscles. I remember Kaz telling me once before she built her current aviary that all her birds were in cages, and she was concerned about their well being, specifically the wing muscles. Her current aviary was built to enable her birds to get back into a "flying" environment. I think you may find that your birds will come good. Give them a month or two then reassess them. As for not breeding with them, I would not go that far. I do not think that the non-flying thing is a genetic factor, but rather a learned behaviour from two birds who have not had the chance to stretch their wings. Are the boys related? You said you put them in the aviary. How long were they in quarantine?

i really do hope so

I thought this baby was a front on view of this one

Another chick just hatched. It is the first of Earl and Latte. They had a nest of 5, so hopefully it is their first of four or five. Earl and Latte are both grey opalines, so i am going to say that this little one is a grey opaline - :laughter:

I love how they are called "nieces and nephews of Dumb and Dumber", like Dumb and Dumber are some type of celebrities :laughter: Kaz, your birds looks great. So you are thinking that little grey wing will be blue? Both parents blue? Did that blue and grey from Fran's birds come from the same nestbox? I am amazed how well you do with the photos. I find the different style of nestbox, as in the ones that slide up at the back, a lot harder to photograph in as the flash reflects more. Damn melamine - :rofl: