JamesBond007

I was wondering if the yellow face is recessive or dominant? Does it take both cock and hen to have yellow face to appear?Oddly, the software I am using with a hen who is a yellow face, suggests that all the cocks will be split yellow face, and so will the hens with a pairing of only one blue mutant 1, but given it is a multiple allele I was wondering about when does it become visible? (and if the program I am using is confused)(No budgies were harmed, or washed with this question, so it shouldn't have to be deleted by moderators this time ) I also know that it is a dominant gene really. and that "The BS Colour Standards describe the Yellowface mutant 1 as any of the blue series birds with its mask been a lemon yellow. This lemon yellow will be visible in any of the white areas that the bird is masking such as the secondary tail feathers and on the wings and back of head. This also applies to all other blue series budgerigars with white coloration such as the albinos, Whitewings, Spangles (single and double factors), Dark-eyed clears, Whites and others. This is because of the dominance of the green to the blue and yellow to White." but am still confused by the split / noit split issue as I didn't think it was a sex linked gene.

I would answer that by asking you if YOU think there is any point in finishing it? Only you can answer that, because only YOU can write what compels you to write the story in your heart or mind. All first bits of stories start out bad, as barely scraps of ideas, that get cobbled together. If you think there is something that makes you say you **need** to write it, then it probably doesn't matter what it reads like at the moment, it's going to change a thousand times as you do it and it evolves and takes on a life of its own. [like putting a baby budgie out into the flight and watching it grow from there] So I would say - continue if you feel a compulsion to write this, or other stories. Who knows, one day you might write a bestseller about a gentle old man who is lonely and starts breeding budgies for company... yes, a bit of a tease, I was thinking of, Birdman of Alcatraz which was turned into a movie, after the notorious Robert Stroud. (and yes they were really canaries, not budgies) Who knows where your story could take you.

I would agree with all the above comments, and only add. Think of the most obvious "dumb" questions you have and write them down (remembering that there really are NO dumb questions - ever, they are just the ones that everybody else has asked a thousand times, or are too shy to ask themselves). Type them into GooGle and read all the advice that comes back. Once you get the "dumb" questions out the way, you normally have more of a foundation in yourself then to start asking questions of the forum and getting good responses. (me, I'm still at the asking dumb questions stage, so I type a lot into GooGle)

Jodie, rather than say what I think about your story, I would ask if this is a first draft? Is the story complete, yet? If it isn't I would encourage that you don't bother with getting criticism just yet, just go out and write YOUR STORY however you want to, even if you aren't quite sure. I always find to get a good story going that you should identify a main character (MC), who has a problem (CONFLICT) and there is some reason that the problem can't get resolved (OPPOSITION). The goal is then to have the MC defeat the OPPOSITION and remove the CONFLICT... When you map it out this way (slightly oversimplified) then the story has a basic shell (like the frame of a house) to build on, by adding more and more complex layers (and rooms with different themes etc etc) to enrich it. For the first part, I always just advice people to write whatever they want. Believe me, there is more than enough time to worry about the editing process. IF you have finished it, drop me a PM and I will give you some pointers, from my perspective on where it could be tightened. Best of luck with it.

I think all life is life, Macka - including wildlife. And given that we (humans) have taken on the responsibilities as pet / bird owners we have a duty of care, and owe it to the bird species (who we have taken away from their natural environment and bred up to be exhibition types) to care for them. I know this comment is a bit of a stretch from your comment above, but I believe that the RSPCA will not care one way or another that "its only a bird" - they will fine anyone for being cruel. Sure, if it was a person, they might get life / go to jail, but a hefty fine and a bad name etc is not something to be thrilled about (at least in my mind).

It gets cold, but with the door closed and the windows closed at night it is surprising that it is a good 5- 10 degrees warmer than outside. All I can say is that the birds are breeding and chicks are being born (hatched) so it is working. we have had frost and its been down to 1.7 outside but all is well. Well i suppose that is the main thing that they are still breeding. Will you at some stage insulate to make everything a little more comfortable? We plan to use polystyrene sheeting to insulate in the future. And what Liv neglects to say is that she has blankets out there to wrap the boxes with the new young susceptible chicks in, and lots of wood shavings and warm lights on at night to generate some heat. Actually, it is remarkably warm in there at night.

It gets cold, but with the door closed and the windows closed at night it is surprising that it is a good 5- 10 degrees warmer than outside. All I can say is that the birds are breeding and chicks are being born (hatched) so it is working. we have had frost and its been down to 1.7 outside but all is well.

My only comment would be regards the picture above. See how the top two nest boxes are on the right of the breeding cages, whereas all the others are on the left... that would annoy the **** out of me... Maisie, mmmmm, you are right - they do look odd. Now I don't think I will be able to walk in without feeling visually stressed!!!!!!!! and to think I was feeling so calm after all the great work that Liv did...

I have it on the best authority that LIV wasn't even a twinkle in her fathers eye in 1955 I think you are right. Me either - but that's another story.. but I did ask her about the rings, and she obviously forgot - she's 6 feet away... did you *forget*, Liv????? I think she needs some WA time - away from the troubles of SA (who beat WA the nationals by the way! Go SA!! Go SA!!!)

Thanks Kaz - yep, I DO have your email addy, but didn't think you would know (except for KM)... I *thought* I did ask Liv????? (if it's the same Liv that lives with me?? - she is normally in the bird room... last time I saw her was in 1955 though... I'll go and look for her amongst the pile of chewed seed and husks and ask her ), Thanks, oh wise WA ring master David

I agree with everything you've said Thanks, I knew about the cinnamon, but wasn't sure about the grey influence of a grey green bird.

If she is an exceptional hen and you are adding her to an existing line that you have bred from, then use her for line breeding (if exceptional) but if used for just breeding / or she is not exceptional - let her enjoy the fresh air and a chance to enjoy her middle life / old age away from the stress of breeding and a potential early death.

There is a difference? Go figure. yes I started the thread with the wrong sex, grrrrrrrr (goes off and has a martini - dry - without olive...)

Okay, good Western Australian breeeeeeeeeeeederds. Does anyone know because they have some, or know of who they could be... the breeders that use the ring numbers,17P and ID? 17P- I have 2 Cock Birds 050/079 of 07 WA...a Grey green Opaline, and a Grey green recessive pied. ID - I have 2 Cock Birds 159/164 of 08 WA... a light green recessive pied, and a sky blue cinnamon. Because I wanted to do some line / cross breeding of these EXCELLENT birds I was wondering if they were related (apart from owner - but more line related) and had hoped to ask the excellent breeder. Oh, have a KM bird too, know who that might be? Oh, yes, sorry - I know who that is Feel free to PM me if you have any inkling (or it is YOU) regards, David

okay, well here's the thing Dave. Lutino are Ino birds bred out of Greens. By pairing Grey or Cobalt you adding the Blue factor and are more likely to get suffusion. However, try the Cobalt and you may get Albino cock chicks or at the very least split Blue. Thanks Renee, lutino == green bird! Grey == bad Cobalt == roll-the-dice cool - see if I can try a substitution b4 they get too carried away...

Thanks Renee, what about Cobalt for a dark factor?

Hi All, I have a Lutino (yellow ) Cock bird and am about to put it to a grey hen bird. Looking at the genetics, it will give me hens that are Lutinos, hens that are Lutino, Grey. I was wondering if the grey comes through in a diffused form, or if it enhances the yellow. So the related question is - what is best to put with a Lutino (if you only have one?) to ensure best color? Is it A Dark factor green to enhance? A blue series, a normal? See a myriad of questions but really only two. 1 - Lutino + grey = ? 2 - whats best to enhance Lutino's yellow colour and prevent bleed through? Thanks, David

tsk tsk! karen - may all your budgies be grand champions!

I would add, that while I *did* all this Liv was there every second helping out cut wire and hang on to the metal while I pop-riveted it in place. She did cut all the wire and it was a chore squeezing in next to breeding chicks - not making a noise - to attach the wire. Truly a team effort two days in the making. I'm just glad it's all done, because it was a bit of a chore at time, long days... - although lots of fun too, to see the results. On the first morning we decided to start, I just ambled down to the hardware store with a rough idea of all the materials, but it has turned out not half bad, and the birds don't seem to mind it at all. It also freed up three cages, which has allowed us to put some rather *interesting* birds down which were gifted to us (who can afford $1000 birds after all?). I am especially glad that the photo of me stuck in the aviary (after she locked me in) was not included!! Can not be seen without two blondes at the same time and a martini (and Olive)!!

three eggs so far to this pair I like this pairing, Kaz, especially the grey normal. Hope you get some good chicks. Will the potential flecking show after the first mault in the chicks? Ah, just read the rest of the post. It's a shame to have only 1 chick this round. Hope you have more success next time - but you know what they say about the best pairs being the most difficult to give you chicks. Chick quantity is inversely proportional to the cost you paid - the more expensive - then the better the bird - the less chicks that you always seem to get (in my humble opinion anyway)

Thanks everyone, helps so that I can create some Olives from the Dark Green

Cranberry, I agree with your comment about ... Cocks will obviously be split - hens are not split for sex linked genes. Typically there is a 25% chance that the hen will show the sex linked gene (75% chance she wont at all), so I agree with what you said above. My post question is about the 25% of hens that should show the sex linked gene and the impacts on that 25% from a co-dominance gene (aka the Dark Factor). I am led to believe that it overrides the 25% sex linked gene. I suspect that the co-dominance does impact. Is it the case that the Dark Factor would dominant the recessive sex linked gene so that it did not appear in those 25% of hens? Obviously if this was the case then it would be a good way to remove cinnamon and opaline from breeding hens (substituting it for a dark factor which I think is the base for some nice olives and violets)

Okay, Dumb question #1: A Dark Factor Green Cock is paired with a green Opaline Cinnamon (hen). Typically in a non Dark factor pairing the recessive genes would be 25% visible in the hen, and the cock birds bred would be split for Cinnamon and for Opaline, but given the co-dominance of the Dark Factor, is it true that the cinnamon and the Opaline will dissipate / vanish in the hens, but still be split for in the cocks? I have a program that tells me that the co-dominace of the dark factor overrides the recessive cinnamon and opaline (because of the position of the genes) to leave a dark factor hen that has no opaine and cinnamon? Is that true or is the sotware unable to cope with true variations (I am assuming that we will always have natural variations / throwbacks fromn the norm given the presence of the recessibes?) I was thinking that it would be a good way to get rid of the sex linked recessive genes etc by breeding the dark factor in to the hens? Any comments appreciated. regards, Me

Good looking chicks - cant wait for you to breed more in early july!

Maisie, 9 out of 16 photos are succulents - not cacti! That said the faciata looks good and the Echiovera are not too bad either for succulents. I do like the fish hook cacti, and the ferocactus (awesome), and I think I spied a epitheliana in amonsgt the washbone cacti (succulent) too . Not a bad collection of succulents by the way. Keep at it. Yours in cacti... and budgies David