Heathrow

Got some questions regarding the Australian ring colours: So, the ring colour in 2009 was red.....birds with red rings hatched from September 2008 to August 2009? Is the Australian ring colour for 2009/2010 BLUE? So, did a bird with a blue ring hatch in September 2009 or later? Thanks for your help. 2010 rings (blue) were issued on 1st September 2009, 2011 rings (purple) will be issued on the 1st september 2010, and the pattern continues. Prior to this year ring were issued on 1st Jan. 2009 breeding season was shorten by 4 months to allow for the changeover to 1st September. Hope that answers your question

Are they these ones ? http://thecragstud.webs.com/apps/webstore/...cts/show/405928 http://thecragstud.webs.com/newsizenestboxes.htm http://thecragstud.webs.com/apps/webstore/...cts/show/888782 If so, could you inquire about their assembly process and maybe ask for them unassembled and do it yourself when they get here ? Yeah Kaz - they were ones i was looking at. May get a couple this year to experiment with, will let you know how it goes.

Thanks Matt

I'm guessing no one went then

Did anyone go to the BS Nsw Annual show on yesterday in Sydney?? If so who were the winners???

I think you are right - seed has changed over the past 10 years. With regard to the nutrient value of seed, that is determined a great deal by the chemical properties of soil in which its grown. Australian soils are generally regarded as been of poor quality and being deficient in some of the macro plant nutrients ie phosphorus. The problem we have is bird seed is regarded as a sideline by most growers, not the mainstay of the grain growing business, therefore the agricultural inputs that a grower may use on other crops may not be applied to a bird seed crop. Another problem is all resource dollars for this type of analysis goes to the commercial industries, not for hobbiest. I think things have changed the way we think and use seed mixes. It used to be the main source of nutrients with a little supplementation. Im guessing that most birds nowadays would receive a greater amount of nutreints from sources other than dry seed mix.

Thanks Geoff - I think its important for breeders to understand that while each of these lines are being bred for that particularly feature, that's not there only feature. Example Line 2 being bred for width of shoulder, i'm sure that they would be good depth of mask, good spots, good cap feather, and have no obvious faults. The mistake breeders make is selecting a bird which excells in a certain feature and creating a line at the expense of other important features. In a very short period of time that have cemented that feature, but have also cemented faults, by choosing the wrong birds to start with.

How have you chosen the 6 best cock birds? I know you are running with 3 different lines, so 2 cocks per line? and are the hens specifically chosen from the line or chosen on feature alone? Are the different lines been bred for different features that one day the will become 1 line?? We each have differnt ways of doing it, and its interesting for other breeders to understand how and why??

That why i dont get the whole naming of birds thing. Once you name a bird there is an emotional attachment, which cloud's the decision making process.

If breeders are having to use Old birds - 3 - 4 year old, that says to me that the havent paired correctly. The aim of each pairing should be to improve each year, if breeders are still using older birds, then generally the young birds havn't improved on the parents.

I would have thought that you'd be asking for trouble by expecting them to raise 4 rounds or more. Yes, I agree. My 'maidens' tend to give me grief with their first round - I was thinking maybe I had to let them wait to 'mature'. You wouldn't keep you 4th year hens as fosters? I never said i take 4 rounds from a pair in a season

I'm going the other way - good breeding hens dont live long enough to not have them in the breeding room. I am about to start some breeding at 9 months. Its very rare for good hens to give you more than 3 seasons worth of chicks. First season they are learning the ropes of breeding, still expect some good results. Second season is make or break, this is the most productive season in terms of quality and quantity. Third season they start to decline, still expect some good results though. Fourth year hens are more trouble than they are worth and are cage and cock wasters.

I have used that in the past Geoff, using only the very best cock birds (both genetically and visually) and also using feeder pairs for to help the hens. Its given me a lot of options for this current breeding season, half brothers to half sisters pairing, plenty of cousins to pair together. You are right - the best birds each year do come from the best birds. I dont know why people dont repair the best producing birds more often from year to year. If they are producing really good birds.

May is the time you want your best birds in show condition,is readiness for State selections and hopefully the Nationals. Therefore they need to be going into a moult in early to mid March. Best way of doing this is feeding only Jap millet for a week, brings a moult on.

You are right Splat that is feathering. Feather is the MOST important consideration we should make when pairing. The only part of a bird we see is the feathers! Apart from the feet and beak. 10 years ago Directional feathering was all the rage, this was developed by increasing the feather length coming at 90 degrees from the cere. Now we have the buffalo look which is having feathering poiting down from the cere. One way to look at it is to imagine looking at bird front on, and viewing it as a clock face. The original directional feather was at about 3 and 9 o'clock, the buffalo look is more at 4 and 8 o'clock. How many breeders on this forum pair based on feather? I did some research on Jac Cuyten after seeing the youtube clip and found this article on feather, its a big file (13mb) and about 80 pages of photo's explaining the main feather types and the breeding outcomes. Originally we were only concerned with feather length, now we see feather in a 3 dimensional view, this document helps explain this. http://www.archive.org/details/AllAboutFea...-Expoperiquitos

I found this preview to a film being released in Belguim by Jac Cuyten on the UK forum, some stunning birds!!!!!

Welcome Geoff

Does anyone have any experience with Plastic nest Boxes??? Also does anyone know of a local manufacturer??? (anywhere in Australia), i know of a supplier in the UK, but because they are plastic and cant be flatpacked, frieght will be massive.

not very coordinated mate - any names?? He makes me look like a dwarf! jf

I reckon Liv's lucky thats all they lost.

My thoughts are Good book, with some minor productions issues. It focuses heavily on the health components, understandably given Rob Marshall is an avian vet. I would have like to see more aspects on the breeding of Quality Exhibition Show Budgerigars from a practical point of view, seems to be very theory based. I liked the chapters devoted to feather - I learnt a lot from this. I dont beleive its better or worse that "The Challenge", different books with different strengths for different purposes. Together they make a great combination.

not very coordinated mate - any names??

Have many people purchased this book ?? Whats the general consensus good, bad, any other comment?

How do you BAKE your budgies Heathrow ? Pluck em first, singe off the feathers, or just slow roast in their little skins I like them slow cooked in the webber bbq served with red wine jus. They need to be free range though none of this supplemented with meat protein stuff. That's what lack of sleep does!!! Should read Back seat

Some purchases get named after their breeder - a bit like farmers naming dogs. But that is as far as it goes. Thats pretty funny - maybe i should do that.