splat

I think you should do what suits you I only run one cock like that because i know what he is like and he gets down to business as soon as he enters the cage. But most pairs I let them stay together fpr the whole clutch and like my yellow DF SP I will run him with 2 at one time which is much easier. I have run this particular cock with 3 hen for 2 years now and I think out of all that he has only rear his young once and I have had all most 100% fertility but he is getting on now so it will be interesting to see how he goes this year.

Yes Macka pluck them as most my birds have really heavy down In addition to this, I'd be interested to hear your method and progress on running the Spangle Grey Green cock with up to 3 hens. I've never had much luck with this due to pair bonding.Hi Daryl to start with I put one hen in a show cage with the cock for a while to see how they like each other if all good I put the hen and cock in the breeding cage for the 1st day and let them bond and the the next day I take him out and put him in the show cage with my second hen and if all is well she goes in the breeding box with him. So up till now the cock is with the 1st hen over night and then in the morning I put him with the second hen, if I only run him with 2 he will stay with the second hen till 4 or 5 o'clock then he goes back with the 1st hen.But if he is with 3 hens i put him in the show cage with the 3rd hen to see how they go and all is well they go into the breeding box. So the 1st hen has him over night , the second gets him in the morning till lunch time and the third gets him from lunch till about 4 or 5 o'clock in the late afternoon.Some breeders find it doesn't work for them and prefer to leave the cock with the hen until she has laid her eggs then move him on which is much easier but normally I find running him with 3 hens works for me and when i put him in with the next hen she welcomes him and they go for it straight away.My reason for doing it this way is because this cock is quite old and i want to try get as much as i can out of him this year. I hope I helped Daryl.

I would say feeder oats which I think are oats before they are hulled

Hi all this is those 2 girls now, I took these pics abot 3 weeks ago

Well I have really started my breeding, 1 round each then rest untill June July. I have already a couple of nest down and I have 4 fertile eggs from 1 nest being fostered as the hen was breaking them and I other nest with 1 egg. 2 nest had all clear. Hear is what I have put down with Geoff Gardners help. I know some of the hens ceres are real brown and some light but he reckons that's fine so we will see. Violet Cock my strongest one and grey cinnamon spangle half brother half sister ( same father) Grey green spangle cock ( my foundation cock) Lt Green spangle hen Grey green spangle cock ( my foundation cock) and violet hen the parents of my violets not a good picture of her. Yellow DF spangle and cobalt spangle hen ( parents to my babies winning this year Grey green cock and grey green cinnamon opaline hen This nest has 4 fertile eggs being raised by foster parents This pair have only one fertile egg so far and this pair are the foster parents because their eggs were all clear Dark green cock brother to the violets and sky hen This pair my foundation cock and the hen are the parents to my yellow df spangle well thier eggs wre all clear so they are down again, I am running him with 3 hens this time. I will post regular updates Geoff gave me strict instructions not to cull any birds from the line of my foundation cock until they have fully molted and he has seen them.

Wow Nubbly very nice birds :rofl:

Splat can you explain what system there is in Victoria.. I am always interested in the differences around the states. Do you meen the point system daz. Well this is how I think it goes You need 30points to be promoted from beginner to intermediate intermediate to open but then you need 60 points to go from open to Champion But you need to stay on 60 points every year to stay Champ I think every year they take points off you that you earned 3 years earlier bringing your points back so you need to keep winning if possiable to keep your status At the shields 1st place 10 points 2nd 7 points 3rd 3 points At a Diploma show 10 points for Diploma which is champ young bird in Show 5 points best bird in class if their are 20 birds and 3 exhibtors Daz if you look up the BCV site you can look up the rules. I was going to copy it for you but it won't let me The 2 shows I have shown at I have won the Adult bird in beginners but no points because there were not enough birds in the class.

Oh how cute Proud dad :rofl:

Thanks Jimmy. Your new signiture are they your new babies :rofl:

Thanks Daz and Daryl, Gee GB have to mention that at a meeting. Daryl I am now on 22 points need 8 points to go to the next level and yes Geoff Gardner is a treasure to have in our club, he came to my house yesterday and help me pair the birds up will post a new post on the pairings soon but I now have 9 breeding cages in action. My winning white DF spangle has now no tail feathers Geoff pulled them yesterday because they were broken so I don't think they will be grown back in time for the young bird shield :rofl: Just found out that I am getting another sash from the show, Opp Sex Adult bird in Show it went home with someone else

Totally agree Liv :hooray: love love love trophies at this early stage and sashes being thinking how I can fund raise for trophies for the beginners next year Geoff Gardner will be here shortly he is from our club he went out of the hobby for a while but has returned he was a national judge. He is coming to help me pair my birds for breeding we are lucky to have him in our club.

That's awsome, we get rosellas and a few weeks ago I had a smoker on top of my aviary, That was a sight.

Thankyou everyone my baking dish is proudly on show for a few days wish I had one like that years ago when I was raising my four sons, I could of cooked up a huge feast

Being thinking of that Macka

Pearce don't think so the grey green op spangle is the same bird with different hens, he is my foundation cock and the grey green is my other foundation cock, I bought the grey green from the pet shop for $15.00 but new the breeder rang up and ask for his pedigree and he is almost all G & M Watson blood and the hen I have him with is 100% G&M Watson blood and they gave me a ripper of a baby so far. The grey opaline is 50% Henry George and 50% Ray Wilson but he has a crook hip so I don't think I will get anything out of him. But he is a very nice bird has a lovely head.

Update the grey green pair has 3 fertile eggs under another hen. The grey opaline and sky blue were all clear as I thought would happen The sky blue spangle and grey green spangle the parents of my winning yellow df spangle were all clear to but I will try them again and finally the dark green opaline spangle and grey green cinn opaline nest so far 1 fertile egg which is better than I thought as the cock has a wonky foot. I am about to pair up more in the next couple of days The grey green op spangle the one above with my violet hen

They are all looking great Dave, you have some real nice birds

Thank you Nubbly They went great I did what you said, I think it was routine for them in the end they got use to the spraying and seemed to look forward to it. I give them probotic before the show and spark after along with their vitamins to help pick them up and they are still looking great. It is rest time now, no show until the shield now in May.

He is really lovely

Thankyou Pearce can't believe my birds are doing so well

Thanks Kaz it was a super day.

Hi all, well went to the Kyabram Diploma show yesterday (my club) . The judges were Rex Stevens and Greg Jones. The judges went hard against heavy flecking which was good to see. There were some really nice birds there and to me more compition than the last show, there was a very nice grey I think cinnamon opaline young hen there but heavily flecked in the beginners and I really thought that bird would of won it all. I did well again I won Best young Cock in beginners ( white DF SP) Reserve young cock Best young hen in beginners ( Sky Blue cinn SP) Reserve hen young hen, this hen didn't go to the last show The cock took out the best young bird in beginners and the hen went best opp sex in beginners The cock was in the top 2 for the Diploma most people thought I had it because the other bird would not perch at all but the other bird got it and he was owned by Jeff Orlandi I also got best Adult Cock in beginners ( the Yellow Df Spangle) the cock took out best Adult bird in beginners Then he went of to win opp sex Adult bird in Show. I also won best Young Blue bird in Variety Class and best Young DF Spangle bird too. Actually my winnings are Identical to the Riverina except I left my adult hen home so I didn't get the the adult hen in beginners and I took my light green opaline spangle and she got reserve young hen. It was really pleasing to see the judges be consistent as they pick the same birds as the other judges did 2 weeks earlier. I also won the raffle and picked a 25kg back of seed which was much needed. The prizes were disappointing as for all my winning all I got was a lovely big casserole dish and sash which was great but no other sashes or prizes at all except for 2 certificates for the colour variety . I know our club is small and we probably don't have much money but it was disappointing being a beginner and if I won I was really looking forward to the trophy and sash But over all it was a great day.

Hi Jenny and welcome, your birds are really lovely. Where abouts in Central Victoria are you, that's if you don't mind me asking

hot water and a bit of sugar to straighten them I will let you know how I go not expecting much this time but I can always hope

Car is all good now and birds look great so I am off to the show tomorrow. Have my fingers crossed, Taking about 12 birds this time as I am on my own. Can't wait doing last minute preparation on the little fellas today, checking spots ect, dipping tails in hot water.