chrissy0705

Thank you KAZ, that's exactly what I was looking for... ... just the logic behind the suggestions. Thank you.

So a week ago, I re-paired Raine (my SB YF2 Greywing spilt to recessive cock) with Pearl (my Mauve/Grey Opaline hen). The poor girl is doing everything she can to get his attention and he wants no part of her. She screams her head off, paces back and forth non-stop, and jumps from perch to perch in front of the nest box, but he just sits there (most of the time with his back to her). This girl is ready to roll and I don't know what I can do to encourage him to take interest. He is the mate to the female that had the 5 eggs that were no good. Is he too attached to her still? How long will it take for him to warm up to her? Is there a chance he won't bond with her at all? Is there anything I can do to help her get his attention?

What about "BUFFY"... like the vampire slayer. Tough girl, a little beaten up, but very pretty. OR Or "VIVIAN"... like Julia Roberts from pretty women. A beautiful women who was a bit beat up in life but made it through it all.

I did not realize that your had many more females than males. I am in not position to tell you what you should and shouldn't do, I was just stating that I too had these very same thoughts for the very same reasons but was advised against doing so. I have 10 keets and my females out number my males also. Right now, I have three breeding pairs, two females in a separate cage and a young hen and cock (3 months old) in another cage. I probably could have the four non-paired birds together, but my one female is mature and wants to lay again and I didn't want aggression from her on my young male. I by all means am not criticizing you for your set up. Everyone does what they feel is best and good for you to prevent un-wanted breeding. I was just asking if your logic was the same as mine and thought that someone with more experience could explain the disadvantages of separating flocks. I'm sorry if you felt offended.

I was advised in a previous post that it's not good to seperate your hens and cocks (besides when taking steps for breeding). I thougt of doing this with my flock before to prevent breeding with my younger hens but was advised not to. Is this the reason you have "seperate flocks" of males and females? And another question to the experts is what is the effects on the birds if you seperate them into gender flocks? Just wanted to confirm that I think you albino is a hen. I have a mature albino and he is a cock... and his cere is pink. Here is a picture of him a month ago or so.

I love posts like this one, where someone asks "what is my bird".... I read the questions wrote down my answer before looking at what anyone else replied and got two of the three correct !!!!!! I'm proud of myself (can you tell) lol. I did guess that the yellow bird was a recessive pied male, but thought it was DEC. Now I see it does have a few markings on it's wings. Oh, well I tried. I also guessed that the ages of the blue birds were about 1 and 2 years old and the yellow bird to be just under a year, but I guess that wasn't a good guess (as Neville pointed out it's hard to tell). By the way I love your YF1 (I really, really want a YF2 cock). They all look great!!!

Thank you sooo much for this. I never saw that before.... how could I have not??? I just tried it and I'm gonna use this picture to test it. (This is my pair I just got into a breeding cage this week.) It worked, it worked!!!!! Thank you sooooooooo much! One Question, do you or anyone else know how to resize all existing photos in your album to the same size at once?? Is there a setting for that?

Thank you to all who took the time to reply to this post. I am try really hard to learn this and process it. You are all alot of help and I envy your knowledge. Thank you again.

Thanks. I am excited. The two hatchlings are doing well, mom is doing a wonderful job. I think if anything I might only get one more out of the three remaining eggs. One looks DIS, the other one looks like it might not be fertile at all and the last one is very solid with a clean line around the "air pocket". I try not to peek too much, but I am checking at least 3 times a day. One thing I wanted to ask is do the babies tend to cry out alot more at night or is it just that the house has quieted down and I notice it more?? Last night we were just sitting watching TV and I was nervous cause they were crying alot. I was expecting to find one or both of them dead this morning but they were both alive and well. I went and got the stuff needed for hand feeding just in case, but they seem to be doing well now. I couldn't have done it without all the help from this site. Now if the other pair would just get busy.... that would be nice.

Thank Elly... this was very helpful and I will visit the areas of the site you suggested. Thanks for taking the time to explain. Sorry about the links instead of photos. I explained before my computer is not allowing me to resize. I have tried to trouble shoot it but still can't figure out the problem. Photobucket lets me get to the resize screen and when I click the size I want it boots me out of the program and closes out my internet all together. I know it's inconvienent but I don't want to miss out just because I can't post a picture instead of a link. I didn't realize that someone won't even bother with a post because of it. Good to know.

OOOOOHHHHHH, okay I think I understand now. Thank you Elly.

So... If she has NO F Grey then there will be Sky Blue and Grey If she has SF Grey then there will be Sky Blue, Cobalt and Grey If she has DF Grey then there will be Grey and Cobalt Did I get that right?

okay, thanks guys. Either way I guess it was a pleasant surprise!!! okay, thanks guys. Either way I guess it was a pleasant surprise!!! One other question I guess would be... should I expect another hatchling EVERY OTHER DAY now? And how often is too often to check on them? I don't want to scare off mom by looking in too much, but I'm excited for one and two I'm like a new mother all over again, just wanted to check all the time to make sure nothing has happened to them????

Can you tell her dark factor by looking at her picture or do I have to know her history in order to tell????

So I thought this would be a good way to learn, not only for me but alot of others. Below are pictures of wing patterns on MY birds and I was wondering if you guys can point out the particulars on them to tell me what pattern makes them what they are so I can learn how to look for signs... These first three I'm told are all Opaline, but to me (probably because I know nothing...lol) non of their wings look the same?? What particular markings make them Opaline? 1. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4800.jpg 2. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4830.jpg (bird on right) 3. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4830.jpg This one is Dominant Pied... I know dominant pieds have a spot on the back of their heads, which she does and I've read that all dominant pieds have clear flight feathers, is that ture of all dominant pieds and are these the two things the only things to look for to that indicate DP? 4. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4807.jpg This one is recessive pied? I just assume the absence of markings on her wings is a way to tell (besides the fact that she has no iris) but what is the true indication from her markings to tell? 5. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4816.jpg These two are both normal hens... the only thing I know to look for are no bands of color on the body and dark lines on the head, but what do I look for on wings? 6. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4820.jpg 7. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4796.jpg (bird on left) This last one is a greywing. I know duhhhh the markings are grey, but is that it? Simple as that? 8. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4826.jpg I really want to learn this stuff and I think focusing on one particular part of the body at a time and learning what to look for might help. I don't have any DF or Spangles so I don't have pics to post to teach me those markings to look for so if someone has a picture of them and wants to point out the wing features on them that would be great. I know discriptions are in the FAQ and Mutation section of the Willow Aviary but it groups the info and I want to break the body parts down. (Later I can learn about beak and leg color, belly and rump, etc...) okay, so that's it. If you feel this is redundant or I need to educate myself some other way, I understand, but I thought it would be good for me and others trying to grasp this stuff.

I FORGOT.... my cock is also yellow face two, sorry that makes a big difference... I'm sure that will change things? Here are pics of them... so you can see their colors better. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN3793.jpg http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN3063.jpg

As you all know my first pair had a failed clutch of 5 eggs. But I had a second pair sitting on another set of 5 eggs. To my absolute delight, early this afternoon I heard this tiny little churp coming from the nest box and looked in to see the most precious little thing. Well I put the kids down for a nap and just went to the nest box again to see if the parents have been feeding the baby and got the shock of my life..... THERE WAS A SECOND BABY ALREADY!!! Is it common for two chicks to hatch within just hours of each other in the same day?????? Here's a picture. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4773.jpg

okay, so Sunny (my green recessvie pied hen that had the clutch of 5 eggs that were no good) is in a new cage with my other batchorlette to recondition and rest before trying to breed again. She seems to be doing well. Although her is not showing much interest yet, I have re-paired Raine (Skyblue Greywing Split to Recessive Cock) with Pearl (my Grey Opaline Hen). IF they decide they like each other and move forward can you tell me the offspring out come? % if possible? Thanks so much Christine

No, Neat, don't feel stupid.... I FEEL STUPID cause I just went to both the "cheating websites" and I can't figure out how to even use the charts?????? Wow this **** is tough to follow. I think I give up... I'm just gonna pair them, mate them, and hope that something amazing happens!?!?!?! :hap:

4 years old is too old for a hen???? They can live for 10 to 20 years can't they??? So for breeding purposes, hens only have two good years in them?

He is beautiful!!! I love YF1 birds. They are so pretty. My next male just has to be one.

Thanks Norm... I will consider this because I know for sure this is the second clutch that has not worked out for them as a couple. I am told that she needs a serious break for a bit so maybe I'll take advantage of that "break" and just let him try with another. I have one hen (the one that eat the other hens egg) that is more than willing so I just may do this. Especially because the hen just won't give up on wanting in a nest box. I think I may have to put her in a regular cage with the grated floor and do all I can to discourage her from laying.

Can you believe this.... as I just told you all I got Sunny and Raine set up in their new cage to let them "rest" for a bit after the clutch of 5 eggs proved to be infertile. As I told you I have blocked off the openings to the nesting boxes (two boxes perminately mounted to the right side of each of the 4 breeding stations)... and Sunny (the hen) has been sitting outside the nest box since I put her in there and since this afternoon has been franticly bitting and scraping at the material covering the hole. Should I allow this? Will she become disinterested or will she keep it up until she is able to go in there? Please help. I don't know if I sould just let her do what she wants or force her to take a break.

okay, well all the eggs were bad.... no babies! I opened them all and some were just wet yolky eggs and others were hard carmelized balls.... http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4732.jpg I've also removed Sunny and Raine from the old cage and put them in their new accomodations... I have covered over the nest box openings and will let them take a break in their new cage for a month or so before trying again. http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4735.jpg http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...5a/DSCN4744.jpg Although I am sad not to have gotten babies, I am thankful to all who helped me through this experience. So thank you all.

Thank you to all on this.... I will be removing the eggs and getting them into a larger cage shortly. I will keep a close eye on her and see how things go. I will update you all as things happen. Thank you again.