I'm putting together a VERY simple database to use as a basis for my record keeping. Can anyone suggest any important fields I may have missed from the following:

 

"BirdID" - unique id - eg ring number/code;

"In" - hatched date - actual or estimate. Used to calculate current age on the fly;

"Out" - died / sold / etc date feld;

"Sex" - M / F - self explanatory;

"Description" - text field - type description, notes etc;

"MotherID" - BirdID of mother;

"FatherID" - BirdID of father;

 

I can handle images fairly easily by linking them to the unique "BirdID" by name. Progeny will all have their own entries and be linked to the parent birds through the "MotherID" and "FatherID" fields so there is no need to include progeny or mates in an individual birds entry.

 

Have I missed anything basic but important that cannot be worked out or should not be included in the "catch-all" Description field?

 

Cheers,

KathyW.

you might want a separate "split" field, to list and ssplits of the bird. Easier to see at short notice to keep track of.

 

Are you using Access for this database?

you might want a separate "split" field, to list and ssplits of the bird. Easier to see at short notice to keep track of.

 

Could you explain in a bit more depth Nerwen? I've been reading the various posts discussing the genetics with some fascination but it is not a subject I'm that familiar with (yet). If you can give me a plain English overview, kinda an "executive summary" and pointers to GOOD further reading I'd appreciate it.

 

Are you using Access for this database?

 

No. It's being developed as an application of PHP using a flat file (csv) database for portability.

 

Cheers,

KathyW.

Split - a gene the bird is known to be carrying. Only Males can carry sex-linked genes. A Bird can not carry a dominate gene.

 

:/ hope that makes sense. There are some budgie programs out there available for downloading as well.

 

Bird tracker:

http://www.cabinsoftware.biz/

 

and the Budgie Program:

http://www.geocities.com/budgerigarprogram/

Split - a gene the bird is known to be carrying. Only Males can carry sex-linked genes. A Bird can not carry a dominate gene.

 

:/ hope that makes sense.

 

I've been reading through your own page Nerwen, on Genetics and following up some of the links from Good Reading On Genetics. It's heavy going at the moment ... but hopefully it will become clear eventually

 

There are some budgie programs out there available for downloading as well.

 

I've looked at the ones you mentioned and as many others as I could find and none are available for Mac OS X. One is available for Mac Classic but I don't like it much. I detest running VirtualPC on my Mac unless I absolutely have to and I'm not interested in getting a windows box to run the software. Windows is just too much trouble / hard work / trouble.

 

Besides most of the commercial ones are far too complicated for what I want or need.

 

Hence I'm writing my own as a web app (which is what I do for work).

 

Now ... back to reading - fascinating that birds are "XY" females and "XX" males - opposite to humans ... or rather "ZZ/ZW"!!. Still trying to get my head around that one ...

 

Cheers,

KathyW.

Edited June 27, 200718 yr by KathyW

maybe you like to add a field about their health issues.

The http://www.geocities.com/budgerigarprogram/ has a free verson that holds 200 birds.

This is an excellant program that has reports, breeding records etc

Many of the varieties and colours are already there in drop down boxes.

 

Charlie

The http://www.geocities.com/budgerigarprogram/ has a free verson that holds 200 birds.

 

 

"The Budgerigar Program requires Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, or Windows XP."

 

No Mac version.

 

KathyW.