Daz

I don't let them out till they are at least 4 weeks. 35 days old is even better.

Thats what I said Heathrow... But the problem occurs when you start looking at the birds. It takes a good eye and strong will to buy what you need instead of what you want. Got to confess that I have bought many times what I want and not what I need only to find better in my flight..

Pet Bird?

I'd be interested in how they go. Keep us informed.

I voted NO! This is absolute rubbish!

No not really. Heathrow I have breed Brother to sister in a melanistic pairing to try for a double factor which I got. Henry did try Father to Daughter and Mother to Son but it really didn't work for him so he doesn't do that pairing any more. Have you much luck with this pairing?

Good luck. I would look at your birds before going and seriously be criticaly of them. Write down features that you need in them and then try to find birds with those features in the auction.... There is nothing worst than to pay for a bird and findout that you have better ones at home.

A very good reason way we quarrentine birds...

I used to use them but decided to learn the gentics.. It's more convenient.

Renee, Gary put me straight last year in Busselton. He told me to throw out what I what doing and KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. So I did. I through out all the medications and put the birds back on clean seed and water with good vegitables. Yes I lost a few birds. but I did beeed more chicks. In fact I breed 151 chicks from 20 breeding cages in 9 months compaired to 132 birds in 20 breed cabinets in 12 months. The flock has never been stronger and has been winning on the bench. The coin a phase from KISS.... he sure knew something.....

Yes very good. Cousins are also a good pairing. You can pair any bird to any bird. But some combinations just don't work. One issue "WE" have is that we put our morals on to the birds. In the wild, budgies breed in large flocks and inter breeding occurs. Nature sorts out the ones that survive or not. I don't breed father to daughter or mother to Son. I have heard some UK breeders do. But I do Half Brother to Half Sister and Uncle to Niece. Aunt to Nephew. Cousin to Cousin. You have to be carefull as you can loss fertility by breeding too close for too long. Sherman in South Africa was a great believer in close breeding until one day his totally lost the fertility in the all his birds. You can read about inbreeding and outcrossing in the Current Challenge by Gerald Binks.

It's a woven mesh from Metal Mesh Pty Ltd in Brisbane.

I don't know about protecting your stock. Line breeding or any form of breeding two animals together is the merging of features both visual and non visual. By breeding closely related animals you can enhanse their features, both good and bad. By noting the outcomes, you can best understand the hidden features in a line. It can take years to uncover traits and with good record keeping you can get a better understanding of how to pair up the birds for better success.

No damage I hope.

This brings back memories.. All the breeding cabinets are changed but the nest boxes are still the same. I am altering a few for this yer's breeding season. I've found the 9mm sides bowed a bit last year which cause the backs not to sit in the grooves properly so I am going to a 12mm side to stop this. I'll try it on a few to see how it goes first.

You will here some breeders in Australia start talking now about Doxy or Tetra... But what are they and why are they using them. Doxycycline - Wikipedia Tetracycline - Wikipedia Preventitive medication is widely used by many high standard breeders in Austalia. Amprolium is a coccidiostat and is used after rain ito try to prevent the Coccidia parasites which causes Coccidiosis. Praziquantel and Oxfendazole are used to kill Flat worms and Round worms and is ound in Worming Medication. Tetracycline is a broad Spectrium Antibiotic that is used against Bacteria infections. Doxycycline is a dirivative of the Tetracycline Group of antibiotics and is also used to fight infection. The Tetracycline Group of Antibiotics were developed primarily for the use in people, but have been used in Birds by leading manufacturer. Over use of both Doxy and Tetra for long periods, years, can cause a build up of resistance in the Bacteria that they are trying to control. With any use of medication there is a need for the understanding of the drug, the good and bad points and the required doses. Some breeders find that when they buy birds from aviaries that have a high routine of preventitive medication that the birds don't last long as they have grown a need for the continuation of that routine for their well being.

Some breeders will only pull one tail feather at a time. That way there is always one tail feather there. It's a penalty but not a disqualification. I have a recessive pied win it's class and then drop both tail feathers. It was awarded when it had its feathers so I got the trophy. I did have a yellowface that had a tail feather hanging on as it was judged and still won its class. - You got to be lucky in those incidents.

Renee I hate it when I here people start to prepare for breeding as your doing... It sounds great....I 'm trying to be strong and not pair up till after Burnie in May.. I have a strong will... and it won't falter. I just started the birds on Tetracycline and have divided the older birds, Green rings and older in to one flight. Last year's birds that are older than 6months in to another flight and the juniors in to a third flight. This way I do another cull and see who will be going and who will stay on for the next breeding season. All the best Renee, hope you do well.

If there is any incorrect or misleading information in any posts on mutations, please let one of the staff know and we can address it.

Best Book I've found A Guide to Colour Mutations and Genetics in Parrots Author: Dr Terry Martin 296 pages Hard Cover (limited numbers) $80.00 plus P&H Australia $72.73 plus P&H Elsewhere ISBN: 0 9577024 77 Soft Cover $70.00 plus P&H Australia $63.64 plus P&H Elsewhere ISBN: 0 9577024 69 This title, that has taken Australian author, Dr Terry Martin BVSc, some five years to complete, is the most definitive, collective work ever attempted on this intriguing and contentious subject. Drawing on information from specialist parrot mutation breeders from all over the world, Terry Martin has collated over 700 colour photographs in this 296 page soft and hard cover title within text that is both approachable and easily understood. Contents Presented in three parts, the author takes the reader through a comfortable and absorbing introduction to understanding the basic principals of mutations and colour genetics in the first two parts. The information has been supported throughout with a plethora of colour photography resulting in a highly digestible and understandable journey. Part three is for the adventurous, being the technical manifest of genetics in parrots. Part 1 Understanding Mutations Understanding Basic Genetics Establishment of New Mutations Primary Colour Mutations Key to Naming Mutations Part 2 Combinations of Mutations Part 3 Scientific Investigation of Colour Morphs Loci for Colour in Parrots Index of Primary Mutations by Species Over 80 species of parrot are discussed with numerous examples of breeding outcomes to assist the breeder in understanding how various mutations can be bred and developed. The underlying objective throughout this book is Terry's attempt to standardise the naming of colour mutations internationally. All in all a compelling read that will undoubtedly stand the test of time and become a major reference source for many years to come. Click here to link to buy it.

Hi Liv, it takes 8 weeks for the tails to grow back. Some times they won't. I don't pull tails as a rule but have done on a skyblue that had a white strip on the tail. He grow it back with the white strip back on so ended up in the breeding cabinet.

I went to my club when the trouble started and they were good with advice but didn't want to involve the council with the club so I was pretty much on my own. Hope your club will do better. Got to agree with DrNat. That is basically what I did. I started out by asking what I needed to do to get the permits and then complied. It basically went well. If you work with them instead of against them. It should be okay. But if all else fails... Call A Current Affairs and get a film crew down there ..

:rofl: I am sorry to hear that your both have gone through and are going through the issues. I am just glad to be on the better side of the problem. For me, it took nearly two years to sort out.

I've been talking to a few breeders and found they all have their own interpritation on what is a bloodline. So I suppose it's up to the individual as there is not "an industry standard"

I'm on the other end of the stick. I have only 3 nest boxes left with chicks. When they fledge the breeding cages will be clean out ready for next season. I'll start thinking about pairs after the nationals at the end of May.