Has anyone noticed quite a variation of Down on their chicks, I hadn’t noticed it that much, but with seeing every ones pictures of their babies on here & then I put this new pair down, a DF Dominant Pied & a Sky Blue Normal hen, they were fantastic feeders on their first batch & the babies grew so big, but what I noticed was that their young looked like sheep, with such white & fluffy down. I thought I should take pictures & show everyone, but didn’t get around to it, I will if it happens again, as they are on their second round now. They reared 6 nice Dominant Pied, that’s why I’m saying he’s DF. Since then I have noticed that some other pairs that I have, have virtually no down at all. Some of them are good feeder too, so I think it’s genetic. I may have more variation, as I have bought birds from many sources, maybe if your birds are closer related or from one source it won’t vary so much. What are others experiences?

Has anyone noticed quite a variation of Down on their chicks, I hadn’t noticed it that much, but with seeing every ones pictures of their babies on here & then I put this new pair down, a DF Dominant Pied & a Sky Blue Normal hen, they were fantastic feeders on their first batch & the babies grew so big, but what I noticed was that their young looked like sheep, with such white & fluffy down. I thought I should take pictures & show everyone, but didn’t get around to it, I will if it happens again, as they are on their second round now. They reared 6 nice Dominant Pied, that’s why I’m saying he’s DF. Since then I have noticed that some other pairs that I have, have virtually no down at all. Some of them are good feeder too, so I think it’s genetic. I may have more variation, as I have bought birds from many sources, maybe if your birds are closer related or from one source it won’t vary so much. What are others experiences?

 

just a thought are your birds from an english type , are they big buff feathered, as this could have something to do with it.

Norm, I think you will find,the heavy down chicks are the show type chicks.The real good chicks,will be covered in fluff.You look at the pet budgie,they are a very tight feather,pin head & all beak & pretty colours.

I’m pretty sure you are both right. Also the fluffier are probably the more buff birds. I am going to take more notice from now on. I agree Macka that the more pet type birds, seem to have the better coloured feathers [more intense colours] I’m in the process of trying to blend some of the good points of both types, it will be interesting to see how I go.

 

I guess those British ones got their woolly coats, while they were in Britain…(Laughing out loud).

Edited June 25, 200717 yr by Norm

So far all of my chicks have been 'pet type' bred, so I am going to find it interesting to notice the difference in the 'exhibition type' chicks when they come along soon.

 

 

Feathers.

That pair that I spoke about that had so much down, wasn’t really what you would call show birds or British, but I think lots of birds have the British influence these days. The hen, the Sky Blue, just looks like a pet type, but she has very long looking body. The YF2 Dominant Cobalt Pied, looks a nice bird, but not really show type. Here’s a picture of them [not such a good one sorry].

 

 

I would think that 90% of the pet budgies,have the English blood in them.The Australian show budgie is only,half to three quarters the size of the show budgies today.If you are thinking of showing budgies.I would`nt think of useing any of the pet budgie types.You would be that far off the standard it would be a waste of time,If a budgie has`nt a good head,shoulders & length,you are behind the 8 ball.But if you just want to breed pretty birds go right a head. :dbb1: