Heathrow

Well Done Gina !! The Victorian team will be hard to beat again

I was there - maybe forum members need to wear a badge or something. Other than Splat and Macka i dint realise other members were there.

Well Done Daz Good luck to everyone tomorrow for there respective state selection shows. I have 10 birds selected for our Young Bird Shield, high hopes for couple of them, fingers crossed!!!!!!

I would do it now! Maybe get the hair dryer out, making sure he is completely dry.

Try washing it with Milk, gets blood out every time. Baby shampoo only spreads it and makes it much worse.

Thanks Renee - is the DVD and Kit worth getting??

Matt is just part of the moulting cycle. Happens to every bird and every breeder can tell stories about a Super bird losing there tails just before a show.

I'm starting to worry about you WA girls!!! When you say sperm sample are you saying that if a cock produces a sample he is automatically fertile? or can the sample be readily analysed to determine fertility i.e. "are they firing blanks" I have a cock bird that is probably "dumb" but is a super bird in every other respects, 2005 bred and only 3 chicks. This particular bird seems too eager and doesnt know what to do. I really dont want to waste a breeding cage and hen if he is not going to produce chicks so i'm looking for an alternative. Heathrow, so far every cock bird I've obtained a sample from to use (not just to check fertility (to see if they have sperm in other words)) has been fertile. I'm sure that there can be fertility problems with cock birds that still produce a sample but I've not found one yet. It's way way way more common for a cock bird not to produce a sample at all. I have looked at birds sperm samples under the microscope and seen movement generally without actually being able to see the individual swimmers. Some samples are more motile than others but I have not found any that I've actually bothered to look at to be non moving. Mostly I don't bother checking anymore coz I've never been able to see anything that might help other than general movement. Sperm sample size of a budgie varies (and I can only go on the width of the capilliary tube of 1.5mm which is what I collect the samples into) with a good sample being around 2cm long and an average of around 1cm. In this form you can't keep it much longer that it takes to get from the cock to the hen as the sperm dies on contact with air. I have not heard of anyone experimenting with liquid nitrogen storage of budgie sperm. There's probably not enough commercial interest in budgie sperm to make it viable anyway...... Your 3 chick bird sounds like a good candidate for AI so long as he produces a reasonable sperm sample. Seeing as he has produced some chicks already you might assume he would be fertile. Okay so if sperm is present assume he is fertile! Thanks Gina - Your response's has been of great benefit.

Matt - Tails and flights can take up 10-12 weeks to grow back

I'm starting to worry about you WA girls!!! When you say sperm sample are you saying that if a cock produces a sample he is automatically fertile? or can the sample be readily analysed to determine fertility i.e. "are they firing blanks" I have a cock bird that is probably "dumb" but is a super bird in every other respects, 2005 bred and only 3 chicks. This particular bird seems too eager and doesnt know what to do. I really dont want to waste a breeding cage and hen if he is not going to produce chicks so i'm looking for an alternative.

I know this subject will be contentious for some people, but its worth thinking about if only to reaffirm your current view. I know very little about AI and have never seen it performed before. What got me thinking about AI, is there an advertisement on the SQBBA home page for a DVD made by Mario Capasso from Canberra. There is also a Kit that can be purchased to help. http://www.mariocapasso.com/ On the cover of the DVD its suggests that through AI fertility of cock birds can be quickly determined. I am really interested to know how effective this is and if breeders use this technique?????? Do many people use AI? and in what situation would you use AI?

I got my Budgerigar book today!!!! Just spent 10 minutes looking though it, Excellent book with great detail. Just need a spare weeekend to read from cover to cover now.

Yeah JB not 100% sure - if you look on the BCT website they have the details there.

I am with you Pearce. The game for "men in boy-sized shorts and jersey designs from the 70's" is not a gmae for real men. AFL is more for the ladies as I see it - good looking men prancing up and down and jumping around a lot. The Swans play a more league-centred style, with emphasis on tackling, and look how well that is going now. I prefer League over Union, Union over Aerial Ping Pong, Aerial Ping Pong over the A-League. BudgieBuyer09 , if you are out there I am sure you would have an opinion on this. The Swans got smashed by the greatest team today. Your ranking of codes is my version of Least Skillful to Most Skillful

The Nationals Auction is by invitation only, and generally they ask for a pair of TOP Quality birds. This year they are also having a Sale to a top price of $200.

Tomorrow Kaz- tough decisions to make about what to put in Dave - last year Bob Smith sold a pair for $2500, which was cheap for Bob's birds. But generally the birds average well under $1000 a pair. It really depends, last year a pair of Fallows made over $1000 and i've seen Clearwings go for similar money.

2009 National Auction details are now online http://www.bctas.info:8080/display/BCT/Nat...t+of+Sale+Birds

Pearce - Football should never be used the same sentance as rugby. 2 completely different games, football (commonly referred to aussie rules) is a game requiring great skill and talent, and is a pleasure to watch. And then there is Rugby which is none of the above

Yeah but in what Activity - Australia vs New Zealand in Chess???

Australia and New Zealand is on what Daz?????

I was considering going to the Shield yeah... but still unsure if I can change plans that I have previously made... we will see. Do you know what time it starts/finishes? I might be able to get there for part of it but not all... As for photo's, I figured it would be something like that (wait till the end) I will definately check prior to whipping out the camera and clicking away Your a judge arn't you Heathrow? You wouldn't like a camera in your face while your judging a bird? It could be a fantstic shot. Judging starts at 10am. Class judging normally finished by 11.30 - 12. Once this completed everyone is locked out while selection for the Nationals team takes place. You might what to consider this if coming for a short time. I hate photos being taken of me at the best of times Jimmy. I not very photogenic.

No not me - I recieved a email last week, he indicated someone down this way was getting his fronts. This a little bit cryptic

Plus postage - I got mine from the same source and they are an excellent front.

Daz - they are $18 on the website, thats between $15 - $20

JB - try the buybudgies website for cage fronts, i have the type with a drop down door, best invention going. Great website for other products as well and cheaper than others. www.buybudgies.com