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Thank you Daz, AND I have done nearly all of it by myself. I like the birdroom a lot but I would love one the size of yours, it would be lovely. But mine is a huge improvement than what I had and it is very worker friendly, I have room to move now lol. After the breeding season I will be making some improvements. I want to try and fill in any gaps above cages so to stop the dust collecting. Filling in the bottom stands and putting lino on the floor. Here is my fluo light, put it up by myself and it was a bit difficult but I managed. Greg is going to help me do the veranda soon. Here is my fluo, I love it too because it has made the room so much brighter. light turned off light turned on. and I thought I would a couple of my kitchen on here too, this bit is the best, I love having water right next to the birdroom. The little kitchen is only a couple of feet from the birdroom, it is in the first part of the old one. It is not inside my bird room but next door in the first part of the old bird room. Just put the tiles on

Mine adore it, one day last week I gave it to them and went out later and I had forgot they had beetroot and I thought what you so and so, I thought a hen had killed the cock, and I thought the hen had killed the chicks too and then I remembered. lol

I have red backs hiding in my aviaries, always out trying to kill them. They find little dark places, I am really freaked out by them but they are deadly.

I think Bing is very nice. Peppa is only 7 that's not to bad for a cock. I know a breeder with a top bird, 2003-2004 actually had offered him to a friend for $500.00, he still filled the eggs. But my friend said NO because it's a huge amount of money for a 2003-2004 bird. but this bird is totally a top bird worth every cent if he was younger, probably in the thousands if he was a young bird.

I like your pairs Maddy, and you are doing fine, already some pinkies, sorry you lost one of your hens. But as the saying goes, where there is live stock there will be deaths. Well that is what I get told every time I loose a bird. lol

Wow sounds great Maddy, you will have heaps of room now. Had a giggle at your spider dance too, I am much the same, tonight while sitting out side having a UDL, went to pick up my tinny and a rotton spider was crawling around almost onto my finger, I did a bit of a jump scream and dance too. Greg just laughed at me and said, crikey it is only a LITTLE Huntsman, it won't hurt the poor little thing. I gave it a quick spray and Greg jumped up and saved it's life and put it in the grass.

She is adorable, I am pleased you saved your eggs. What happened to reds photo or was I just seeing things. need glasses so bad. lol

I think Bing and Peppa are 2 very nice quality cocks, the others are really nice too but the those 2 stand out. Taylor I love your cubby house, I think it will make a great little birdroom.

If you shine your torch on the eggs it should see red in the egg through the shell, blood, and the egg should turn pearly white.

I thought I would give you all an idea where things are at the moment. Nest 1..sky blue hen / violet cock, younger brother to my shield winner, so far clear eggs. Nest 2..grey opaline hen / lutino, had 4 fertile eggs, hatched all 4 only one survived, a lutino hen. Nest 3..grey cinn spangle hen / white DF spangle cock, so far 2 fertile eggs Nest 4.. yellow Df spangle hen / grey cock. so far clear eggs. (Aunty / nephew mating) Nest 5.. grey hen / violet cock, shield winner, so far 7 fertile eggs. (father daughter mating) eggs should start hatching in a couple of days. Nest 6.. grey hen / green clearbody cock, so far clear eggs Nest 7.. light green cinn spangle hen / white DF spangle cock, apart to chuck the hen out, hasn't laid. Nest 8.. baby cage Nest 9.. grey green cinnamon hen / Dark green dom pied, 4 fertile eggs. Eggs should start hatching in the nest couple of days. nest 10.. light green hen / light green cock, no fertility yet. nest 11.. grey green dom pied hen / sky violet spangle cock, 2 eggs so far and the 1st showing fertilty nest 12.. sky opaline spangle hen/ sky yellow face cock, no fertility yet nest 13.. grey hen / light green cock, hasn't laid yet, the cock is the same cock from nest 10, running him with 2 hens. nest 14.. light green cinn opaline hen/ yellow DF spangle, 4 fertile eggs.. father/ grand daughter mating. nest 15.. foster pair. nest 16.. sky spangle hen / white DF spangle, waiting on laying. Father/ daughter mating nest 17.. light green clearbody hen / grey green clearbody cock, looks to be clear eggs, they already had a nest of 3. nest 17.. grey hen / light green/clearbody cock. just put down. nest 18.. cobalt cinn opaline spangle hen / white Df spangle cock. Father/daughter mating. The cock is the same as nest 15, running him with 2 daughters from different mothers. nest 19.. sky blue cinn opaline hen / light green spangle cock, 2 eggs so far nest 20.. sky violet spangle hen / cobalt cock, looks to be clear eggs so far. nest 21.. light green cinn opaline pied hen / light green cock, just put down. nest 22.. sky blue hen / sky blue spangle cock. smashed 2 eggs and I fostered 2 and one is fertile nest 23.. light green opaline spangle hen / violet opaline spangle, 1 egg but she is mucking around. nest 24.. light gren cinn spangle hen / white Df spangle cock, so far clear eggs. nest 25.. dark green hen / violet green cock. 2 fertile eggs so far nest 26.. violet hen / grey cock, 3 eggs laid , no fertility yet, they just had a round of chicks. nest 27.. grey green cinn hen / cobalt cock. 3 chicks, 1 theirs nest 28.. holding cage.

I am with you Daz, keep it simple. Much easier on the birds and me.

Thanks Pride and great news he has a fertile egg with another hen, fingers crossed, out there this morning and I have some fertility in difference nest now, even the hen the destroyed 2 and I fostered 2 , 1 of them is fertile. Gb I know now that even if I have fertile eggs, I can't get to excited because they have to survive and after the last round and they all dies but a few, the same thing may happen again, but if it does I think I will cry and probably through it in.

Update time. All is going well kind of lol. I have most cages with eggs, 1 to about 8 in different nest. One nest with one of my best hens has destroyed 2 of her eggs so I fostered the last 2 and out false eggs under her to stop her, it normally works. I have a few nest with clear eggs still. But the best news is my violet (the shield winner has 6 fertile eggs so far. violet The yellow df spangle (father to the white boy) has 2 maybe 3 fertile eggs and he is with his grand daughter. yellow df spangle Grand daughter The dom pied has 4 fertile eggs so far. The rest are to early to tell. I just put the white boy (white Df spangle with 2 hens) White boy I just need them to hatch and survive now. Oh I have a dark green cock I think about 3 1/2 weeks old nearly 4 weeks and he is looking like a beauty. Will take some pics tomorrow or when I get time. But he has a wide head, plenty of feather, I think he will be just like his dad. His dad is the violet green. (My violet is his dad and his mother is the violets half sister a and the yellow DF spangles is the grandfather. If he turns out as good as he is looking now I think I have my line on the right track. Mixing the spangles with the normals with the wow bird as the common blood. Any just need to wait and see. violet green, But one of my nest is also exciting, I have this really nice sky blue cinn opaline, (parents are the violet cock and a sky blue hen) and we put her with a light green spangle (full brother to the white DF spangle) the light green spangle is in my siggy his is the one on the left. Anyway she has 2 eggs and I am praying they will be fertile. Light green spangle This boy is being a pain, clear eggs so far Any way Time will tell I guess. but at least the fertility is improving

Your pairings sound good Gb, look forward to seeing the results. I hope all goes well for you.

Time for an Update on birdroom. Well it is basically finished now as you all know I am breeding in it. The best thing is it is mouse proof, well so far anyway. I have 9 wire breeding cages and 2 wire holding cages on one wall. 6 white board breeding cages on the back wall 12 wooden breeding cages on the other side wall with so far a baby cage on top, another double breeding/holding cage will go up there soon. and there are 2 large holding/breeding nearest the window. The best news is today Greg bought me a fluo light for the birdroom because I did his tax for him and that was my payment and I didn't even ask for it. so that's great. I haven't put the light up yet maybe tomorrow. Wednesday I am buying the lino for my birdroom but won't be putting it down until the breeding is finished, but I found one I like so i am grabbing it why it is in stock. I know I have already posted these photos but I thought I would put them on here to for the finish product. Left side The back wall The right side the 2 large cages near window The baby holding cage up the top, yes next to my trophy cabinet.

I know that is true Daz, I have seen it too. But I have seen beginners spend huge amounts and before you know it Champion breeder but as you say they have the eye for it.

I don't think you need to wait here, you need 30 points to go up to any level except Champion you need 50 I think and every year the they take points away that are 3 years old, and to stay in champion you need to keep 50 points all the time. So I need to go up on my 3rd year in Intermediate or I loose the points I have now. The problem is I can go to a shield an dif I am very very lucky and win a class or 2 I would be in open in the following year. Never to be in Intermediate again. You get 10 points for a win, 7 points for 2nd and 3 points for 3rd. And at the diploma shows, you can win up to 10 points at a show. If you win the Diploma that is 10 points but their has to be 120 young birds in the show and 3 fanciers showing, I think, If you win a section like beginners you get 5 points but again their has to be so many birds in a class I think 20 and 3 fanciers showing. and then if you win best adult or young bird in show well that is another 5 points. 10 all up. Young birds you nearly always get the points but adult birds are different, like at the ky show I had best adult bird in Intermediate and then best adult bird in show and then Grand Champion in show but only got 5 points because there was not enough adult birds there. But I was rapt because my bird bet the Diploma bird.( best young bird in show)

Yes thats the problem hey Gb, the beginners with deep pockets and buying the best. and us with empty ones buying their culls and doing the hard yard. I actually get more satisfaction breeding top birds from my $25.00, that get 1st or 3rd and having most of my birds place in the top 10 at the shields and get on the National Team. and this year my by bird won Grand Champion so to that is the best to me.

I am Intermediate now to Daz and I was scared to be here but I am already on 10 points towards open and I only did 2 shows this year, so I am really happy with my results but my plan is to stay here for 3 years and then go to open because I am still learning and once you get to open you are against the best of the best, Champion breeders that have gone back to open etc.

Thanks all, I will look into a humidity thing, thanks Fordmob and Daz I have 2 light green split clearbody cocks I bred last year, In the nest i got 3 light green split clear bodies, 1 clear body hen and 1 lutino hen. I haven't put the clear body cocks down through lack of normal hens, but i have a grey hen out there waiting for one today, so that's a start. I have the grand father of the babies this year down with a normal at the moment. I am focusing more on my main line , spangles before I loose it. The clear bodies and dom pied come in when their is a nest or bird available.

Good luck with it Daz.

Time for another update, here are some babies, a bit older and some new ones. Yellow Df spangle another one from the same nest, one has suffusion more than the other and they do have better colour than the photos, it the camera White Df spangle from another nest, I am hoping it he improves, he is a bit small but my birds seem to develop late like the yellow one the grandfather and the white boy through their feather after their first moult. Light green form another nest and the clearbodies and the weakest one but the one with less suffusion, always the way.

Thanks Gb, Geoff had a lovely dom pied at the Bendigo Auction yesterday, It was huge huge with huge shoulders I went after it but was out bidded as usual.lol.

Some nice pairs there Sqeak, all the best with your breeding.

Thanks Daz, yes it has and still is heart breaking, I have fertile eggs and normally I would be excited but not anymore, they need to hatch and live, it just seems the hens just aren't feeding the, all the dead ones have no food in crop at all when I find them dead. But I will give the water spray a go. How do you tell what the humidity is the the birdroom , is there away to tell Daz. I have 3 fertile eggs so far from the yellow Df spangle and he is 07 bird and I really want those babies, I got nothing from him last year and already his chicks died this year from another nest. I have lost chicks from the white boy his son and I have fertile eggs from my violet and I need them too. I am on the verge of panicking. I have gave a couple of chicks a weak solution of hand rearing food and I managed to save them. But i will try the milk. I just can't understand why the hens won't feed them. I am fairly happen with what chicks have survived there are a few good ones there. My idea of putting clearbody to clearbody was yes numbers, I am really happy with them but not the suffusion, there are 2 really good ones there to, they are big birds too. Are you saying putting clearbody to clearbody a bad idea, just wondering because I am always after advice on them. Yesterday at the Bendigo auction tried to buy another clearbody but they weren't as good as mine so i gave it a miss, I was also after grey hens and cocks but there weren't any there to improve my clearbodies or spangles but there were some nice cinnamons there. I was also after a albino for the clearbodies but was out bidded but teh winner promised me a chick when they breed and we shook hands on it lol, it was Peter Tirent, have you ever heard of him. But any I have lined some up off the breeder who sold them yesterday but will have to wait, so that won't happen until next year. My birds mainly come from this breeder.