splat

When I have birds like that I put them in a cage together without the nest box and watch them, I have left them there like that sometimes up to a week or two, they normally bond like that and if they still don't bond I don't pair them together. Sounds like the hen is not interested in him .

Thanks Robyn, yes it has been a very depressing time. Once I worked out what the problem was then things went well for a few weeks then the bad luck returned, dead in shell at hatching, stiff backs and out stretched legs and a few with their hips out. Last week I lost 4 out of this nest, they looked perfectly healthy full crops just dead. But after talking to GB I put them all on turbosole because Gardina (type of canker)how ever it is spelt is quite common in the birdroom. Well to cut the story short everything is going well now and the surviving chicks that looked scrawny have waked the weight on and look healthy as.

Good on you Daz, what **** they put us through.

No Budgie mate has has being rolling in PVM powder That is why she is pink.lol Thanks Daz. I am very pleased with them and plus quality dark greens and they are big birds. The 1st have purple rings on and the last 4 have 2012 rings on. lol I don't know about the Nationals , they will be very young next year for Shield ans National considering there will be birds up to 18 months benched. But at at least I am building my family and I should be in a good position for Shields and Nationals 2013. After having 2 bad season including this one I am very happy with what chicks I am breeding.

That is very nice that you fostered the mans aviary and birds. A hen will incubate an egg for 18 days but that is normally starting after she lays the second egg but some sit straight away. The eggs that are fertile turn a pearly white colour and when the eggs are infertile they stay a pinky clear colour

Sad that she is sick but good news that she is starting to do well and that she will be coming home soon.

Sounds like you are having a bad run like me Renee. I really hope thing improve for you. Out of all my bad luck I have bred some really nice chicks so it kind of makes up for it. But I have lost over 70 chicks to date but everything seems to be going okay at the moment.

How is Tess going Dave? Sounds like things are going well in the bird room Dave.

Thank you Pride I am very happy with them here are some of the same birds today a few days later This one is the eldest and half brother to the ones below, they have the same dad. This is dad, my violet green This photo is a bit crappy because he was playing up because he just got home from a trip to Mooroopna His half siblings this one is just 5 weeks old this one is 5 weeks in a couple of days this one will be 5 weeks in 4 days There are is a violet about 4 weeks old and 2 more dark greens for sure about 3 weeks old and I think 2 more greens about 2 weeks, there were 15 in total but I lost a lot.

That's right Gb, you never know unless you show. lol. There is a saying that I have better birds at home than that but those better birds don't count unless they are there on the bench. I actually do have better birds at home and I am sure plenty of us do but mine would be on the bench if they grew their rotten tails and I am sure they would win too.

Yes most of the auction here are quite expensive but the country auctions like Bendigo are good value, you can pick up very decent birds as a fair price. But the same as what your auction was.

Thank you Phill, I am pleased something good has come out of a disaster. I just hope they don't go backwards to much.

I took some photos of some of my babies, I think some will be really good. Grey spangle...... father white Df spangle my Grand champion and mother grey opaline Dk green cock.... father violet green and mother sky spangle Grey green cinn pied.. Dark green pied and mother light green cinnamon hen Violet... father grey and mother violet hen These 3 are from the same nest... Father violet green and mother dark green. they are half brother to the chick above. one is is all most 5 weeks and the other 2 are almost 4 weeks old White df spangle ... father white df spangle (son of the white above and mother grey opaline spangle, they are just 4 weeks old These chicks are still in the nest except for the first 3. I am quite pleased with what I have bred to date considering I have lost over 70 chicks now.

That's fair enough Dave but i don't mean now I mean when the show season starts and maybe not next year but at some point it's a good idea. It is real eye opener when you do.

Very nice chick Phill.

That's the key, it is building a family, I think many of us loose sight of that including myself. It all takes time, I am starting to see results in my breeding this year. It is a pity that I have lost over 70 chicks though because I will never know what I had bred, some of these chicks are form my yellow Df spangle and white df spangle and it has being so dishearting. The yellow Df spangle is 07 and he filled and hatched over 2 rounds of chicks with his daughter and I had high hopes for these chicks but all dead. He also filled and hatched chicks with a niece all dead. The white df has one chick alive out of several from a daughter and half sister. But what I am saying is what has survived is looking really good. I have never spent a lot on birds. I know one day I will need to to bring in a feature. I did spend $160 on a cock a little while ago for a certain feature. But then also I am very lucky because I have a mentor how looks after me very very very well. Geoff's great help with giving and loaning me birds when needed and helping me pair etc.

He probably has a good super he is living off

That 's what I am trying to say, you can breed some top birds from breeders culls if you have a bit of Know how and and eye for the bird. I will be breeding from other breeders cull now and in the future. In my eyes birds at auctions are so expensive but as you said Marks birds are stunners and if he was still in the hobby no one would of got those birds.I would of loved to have gone and seen all those quality birds in the one place up for grabs. But I still have to say in my situation if I had the money I would still buy a new car and then I would spend heaps on birds if I was able to but boy I would have tell Greg I paid $50.00 for a bird I spent a fortune on. lol. I went to an auction a couple of months ago with Clearwing and had a lot of fun and spent $300 on 3 birds and told Greg I spent $100 on the 3 lol. But i was very happy with one of my purchases which cost the most.

They are stunning Phill, you are very lucky to get some birds like. Look forward to seeing the chicks from them next year.

Dave I believe you need to bench your birds to see where you are at, a judge told me that, I don't believe it is chasing the glory.I believe it is to see where you have progressed and where and what you need to improve.

Lovely chicks Squeak, well done , that spangle is lovely. You must be proud. I have to admit you have done much better than me.

Looks great

Wow that's a lot of money and his birds are tops. Taz no I don't think I will be going to the Western Subs Auction but I would like to.

I agree John but it is NO hobby when you spend that much money on birds, I know of beginners spending large amounts how can the ordinary breeder compete. it has to be on what they know or have learnt. I find it actually frustrating. Mark has beautiful birds and good on him, he has done the hard yard, a bird is only worth what we are willing to pay and some people have very deep pockets and can go for it and other don't. I have to admit with what I have bred form my culls that I have bought I am very proud. Winning a shield and placing in top 5 and winning grand champion etc. with out spending a fortune. Hey Taz how does that work by putting to flecked together and you get no flecked because if I do that I get worse flecking.