So far my new Saddleback hen that I bought has been a little disappointing. She is the most important part of my newly acquired Saddlebacks, as without her the two split cocks aren’t much use. When I got her home, she seemed sort of dazed; she was holding her head down in a strange way & trembling. She is slowly improving though, each day she looked better, I’m hoping he maybe just took her out of a breeding cabinet, as he said he was going to keeping her himself, but when I told him if I bought two split cocks without anything to pair them with, it wouldn’t be much use to me, he let me have her, she was my most expensive purchase on the day $50. She may have knocked herself in the show cage she was bought home in, or like I say, maybe was in a cabinet for some time, as at first she couldn’t fly to get up off the floor & just sat there on the floor, she seemed keen to eat dry droppings it seemed, maybe she is deficient in something. But after four days she has improved each day & has tried flying a little & last night climbed up the wire onto a perch for the first time.

I hope she continues to improve and is happy and chirpy really soon :yellowhead:

Bit of a worry for you Norm, but as you say, if she seems on the improve she may come good. Just keep a close eye on her and treat her with anything she would like to eat. :bluebudgie:

Norm did you post a picture of your saddleback? I haven't seen one here from one of our members.

Norm the same thing happened to me, last week a bought a sky blue hen, she looked fine at the breeders but when I got her home and put her in the holding cage , she behaved weird wouldn't perch just sat on the floor, Greg thought she looked crook but after a few days she is now great, I THINK IT WAS JUST NERVES.

So hope that is what is wrong with yours just needs to settle in.

Norm did you post a picture of your saddleback? I haven't seen one here from one of our members.

Sorry not yet Elly, I have been too busy the last few days, we have been installing those new water tanks that I bought & now have to get to working my bees, as they have started swarming. Will take some pics as soon as possible. She is not that stunning, but I noticed some variation in looks of some at the breeders place.

Bit of a worry for you Norm, but as you say, if she seems on the improve she may come good. Just keep a close eye on her and treat her with anything she would like to eat.

The new birds are eating well, I thought that I didn't notice any softfood or anything around & thought that with some better feeding they might even increase in size, but they must have been getting things like that, as they have been into the softfood & greens something that some of my new purchases haven't been into when I first obtained them.

Norm the same thing happened to me, last week a bought a sky blue hen, she looked fine at the breeders but when I got her home and put her in the holding cage , she behaved weird wouldn't perch just sat on the floor, Greg thought she looked crook but after a few days she is now great, I THINK IT WAS JUST NERVES.So hope that is what is wrong with yours just needs to settle in.

Yes when we were visiting that stud the other day, one or two birds when caught up, went into a sort of fit...some seem to get over excited when handled. When I was young you had to watch catching Canaries as they often would fit & drop dead, they seem better these days.

gotcha, I do hope she is feeling better soon.

Isis was like that when I first got her, she just hid at the bottom of the cage under the paper lining. After a few days she became quite brave. I think it is a nervous thing as she has always been the most timid of my budgies.

She still looks a bit strange, but is improving all the time & now can fly up to the perches [about two metres] it’s not so bad when they keep improving, at least there’s hope. She eats lots, always on the floor eating.

I'm sure she come good soon Norm

Can you tell me which breeder you got your rare varieties from ? I assume that you got them on the bus trip you took to Newcastle to visit breeders there . Hope that you have much success with the rare varieties as the more friends they have the less likley we are to lose that mutation , I have much adoration for those who take on this area , as for myself I'm just happy to be able to tell green from blue and cocks from hens (harliquens are a buggar).

Good luck with your new arrivals hope all continues on the up.

Hey How did I miss this before I'm so glad you found some Saddle backs Norm. I hope you can give us some shots later that actually show the reason to their names as the ones I found on line where always showing their fronts :ausb:

Can you tell me which breeder you got your rare varieties from ? I assume that you got them on the bus trip you took to Newcastle to visit breeders there . Hope that you have much success with the rare varieties as the more friends they have the less likley we are to lose that mutation , I have much adoration for those who take on this area , as for myself I'm just happy to be able to tell green from blue and cocks from hens (harliquens are a buggar).Good luck with your new arrivals hope all continues on the up.

It was Ken Yorke he has a web site just put Ken Yorke in your browser.

Hey How did I miss this before I'm so glad you found some Saddle backs Norm. I hope you can give us some shots later that actually show the reason to their names as the ones I found on line where always showing their fronts :ausb:

Yes I will Nerwen, but they are not that spectacular, a bit like a dirty Opaline, but I noticed some variation in some of his birds, so maybe some improvement might be made in breeding.

Thanks Norm , I thought it may have been. I know Ken and have been in the same club as him for many years. You would go a long way to find a man more knowlegable on mutations and breeding . He makes and sell many budgie products as well as computer programs that can tell you what you will get if you put any pair together you just enter the cock and hen and the program tell what babies you may expect and in what percentages . Many of his birds may not be of show standards but he certainly has many of the rarer varieties there for you to see . Once again its good to see someone taking on some of the rarer varieties to keep them going , good on ya Norm.

 

At last Elly & others that wanted to see some pictures, I eventually got some time to take some, so here's a few of the hen I bought, who hopefully is going to breed me plenty of Saddle Backs.

 

 

 

Note the fade out of colour on saddle area, but some others on the net that I have seen have even less colour in this area, I noticed too, at the breeders where I bought her there was some variation.

 

 

 

 

The split Saddle Back cock one of the two I bought, the one I will mate first to her, when she gets over relocation. He is not a Sky Blue, once again the flash has bled his colour out, he's at least a Cobalt, maybe Violet.

Very attractive birds Norm. I remember seeing a whole cage full of them at a bird dealers here In Perth 2 years ago. They were all in the grey green variety. I believe the price at the time was $55 each.

I wish you all the best in your enterprising breeding program.

Norm I thought it had to be Ken Yorke,you were buying the rares from.You will be getting the right

information.I have Kens CD`s.

Hi Norm,

 

I see what you mean about them looking like dirty opalines. It looks a bit like a painting that has been smudged a bit

 

 

Feathers.

Very attractive birds Norm. I remember seeing a whole cage full of them at a bird dealers here In Perth 2 years ago. They were all in the grey green variety. I believe the price at the time was $55 each.

I wish you all the best in your enterprising breeding program.

 

Thanks for that Kaz, a whole cage of them…I got in contact with some of the big breeders in Sydney, that breed them & they told me they don’t sell many, just keep them to their group, maybe they would be better quality than mine, but then I couldn’t get them so you have to work with what you can get.

I havent seen any saddlebacks since, Norm. Maybe it was a breeder getting out of breeding birds and he shopped them off to the bird dealer. I dont know anyone over here breeding them. Its great to keep these lesser known birds going. Best of luck with yours.

thanks for the shots Norm, it might be that since i have seen one now I know what to look for but at least yours show the saddle area with the faded feathers there.