someone once told me that if you have a big chick thats ring doesn't quite fit, put the leg in cold water, this contracts the skin and makes the leg a bit smaller, if it still doesn't work, apparently vodka works a treat. Something to ponder anyway ... I have never tried it but it might help you get those rings on!?

 

yes some one told me iced water and butter once you held leg in iced water for 10 mins it shrinks and butter slips ring on personally i didn't do it as i was told by someone else that i admire

a ring is only necessary if you want to show the bird it does not mean a thing at the end of the day bar this a ring does not change its background nor make the bird any better

its for show purposes mainly and name recognition

Thanks for the options everyone.

 

My thinking is much like GB's here. Whilst I would prefer he ring on, if it does not have it, it just means I do not show the bird. This is not the biggest concern for me as I am not into showing as much as I am in producing the best birds. Sounds kind of silly, but that is the way I think.

I dont know if its the same for you over there Dave, but here if you miss ringing a chick and its a good one, it can be shown but in adult class.

Had to make a tough decision, and I did it.

 

Kiwi's youngest had severly deformed legs. They were not just splayed, her hips were all out of whack and there is no way she could perch normally in the future. Even with her legs in a splint, they stuck out behind her. She was never going to recover so I ended her life. Very sad to have to do that, but it is for the best.

I am so bad at sexing chicks.

 

At first I thought Kiwi's remaining chick was a little boy as he was not opaline, but then I looked yesterday I think it is a little girl. Just because Dad is split opaline, it does not mean that all the chicks will be girls does it? I am so confused - LOL.

 

Looks like it is opaline city. I think that all the chicks from my green and greygreen pair are going to be opaline. They all have that white fluff down look.

 

It is only a matter of days until all of the DF widows chicks in all nestboxes have fledged. One little spangle to go. I am going to move some of them into the kindy cage today or tomorrow, and that means that the spangles and pieds will go into the aviary. They will enjoy the extra room to fly. Let me tell you - the others I moved in the other week are loving it. They are zooming everywhere. Baby budgies - show budgies anyway - are a lot like puppies - all this energy, that never seems to run out.

 

I have a greygreen hen who is only young but she seems determined to eat her eggs (in all fairness, she loves the nestbox, layed one egg off a perch, and has layed on egg in the nestbox, that i know of - and ate that one). I was thinking that I might give her some fake eggs to sit on, try to eat, realise that she cannot eat them, and then hopefully she will not try to eat the new ones. Thoughts?

 

My albino hen in with Bruticus got an egg stuck to her chect the other day. At first I was worried as it had feathers all over it, and as I was trying to catch her it came loose. I grabbed her and she was upside. She bites real hard. She bit into my wrist, into that soft skin on your inner arm. Man, that hurt. Anyway, she is all good now, sitting on her 5 eggs.

 

Earl looks to be doing okay in regards to feeding his two remaining chicks. He is going to get a rest soon, as are Twtich and Kiwi, before they all return to the aviary. Almost time for a new round of cocks and hens int he breeding room.

good job Dave, sounds like your getting on with things well. This round maybe try and pair some more normal cock birds with normal hens. This way you will hopefully fix your opaline city problem!! The difficult thing is that some of the visually normal cocks will be split opaline too so regardless of how hard you try, the darn things pop out anyway!

 

As far as your split opaline cock bird goes, if he is put to a normal hen. Opaline is sex linked so the hens that are produced are going to be opaline, or normals, any cocks that are produced are going to be normals/opaline, the same as their dad, or normals. I think that is correct anyway, correct me if I am wrong!

 

Be sure to post pics of the new pairs.

good job Dave, sounds like your getting on with things well. This round maybe try and pair some more normal cock birds with normal hens. This way you will hopefully fix your opaline city problem!! The difficult thing is that some of the visually normal cocks will be split opaline too so regardless of how hard you try, the darn things pop out anyway!

 

As far as your split opaline cock bird goes, if he is put to a normal hen. Opaline is sex linked so the hens that are produced are going to be opaline, or normals, any cocks that are produced are going to be normals/opaline, the same as their dad, or normals. I think that is correct anyway, correct me if I am wrong!

 

Be sure to post pics of the new pairs.

 

I had paired some normal cocks to normal hens. I did not know that the cocks were split opaline, and I have been a little unlucky. For my opaline cocks, most were spangles paired to spangles or DF spangles, and I seem to have somewhere between a 33% and a 40% success rate in achieving DF spangles, so that is good.

 

Opaline is good for size I am told, so that is okay in that sense.

 

When I put the new pairs down, you are guaranteed pics. As you can see by my posts in this thread, I quite like taking the occassional snapshot.

Yeah those split Opalines and Cinnamons can at first be a 'nice' surprise but trust me if your not careful they can dominate your stud, especially as the splits can stay 'hidden' for a season or two! :laughter: Remember to always keep the Normal hens and be very circumspect about the cocks. :sadsorry:

Yeah those split Opalines and Cinnamons can at first be a 'nice' surprise but trust me if your not careful they can dominate your stud, especially as the splits can stay 'hidden' for a season or two! :laughter: Remember to always keep the Normal hens and be very circumspect about the cocks. :sadsorry:

 

I do my best

Nice to have an incident free day. It is very windy here, and often a cold wind, so i have been reluctant to move any of the young ones out of the kindy cage. I am goign to have to eventually, but we will see what happens.

 

All young ones are going well. They greygreen hen that ate her last egg has not layed anymore, even though she spends a long period of time in the nestbox. She is doing the egg-bum poos though, so I will give her some more time. If she has layed eggs and eaten them before I see them, there is nothing I can do. I will seek to give her a week or so, and if no results, I will remove the nesting box, give her a chance for normality, then return her to the aviary.

 

No sign that Kiwi or Twitch want to mate again, and if they do, I will simply foster their egg and and seperate them.

 

Grey opaline has fledged and has begun to perch in Earl's nest, so only opaline cinnamon grey to come out.

 

Youngest spangle is yet to fledge in the DF widows nest, so that is okay.

 

Young ones are coming along well in the dark green cock and grey green hens nest. I am disappointed that such a fine bird is split opaline. I specifically wanted him and his partner (bought as a pair) as there was no sign of opaline, it was hidden. Damn!!!

 

Oh well, we will see what tomorrow brings. hopefully some new

This topic is getting very exciting Dave. So different from your first lot of breeding way back when

 

and over 6,000 views !!

I have a greygreen hen who is only young but she seems determined to eat her eggs (in all fairness, she loves the nestbox, layed one egg off a perch, and has layed on egg in the nestbox, that i know of - and ate that one). I was thinking that I might give her some fake eggs to sit on, try to eat, realise that she cannot eat them, and then hopefully she will not try to eat the new ones. Thoughts?

 

 

well i gave my albino hen a white marble after she ate her first egg

it worked i left it in their the whole clutch

I have a greygreen hen who is only young but she seems determined to eat her eggs (in all fairness, she loves the nestbox, layed one egg off a perch, and has layed on egg in the nestbox, that i know of - and ate that one). I was thinking that I might give her some fake eggs to sit on, try to eat, realise that she cannot eat them, and then hopefully she will not try to eat the new ones. Thoughts?

 

 

well i gave my albino hen a white marble after she ate her first egg

it worked i left it in their the whole clutch

 

Thanks GB.

 

I have some fake eggs, they look real, but are made of plastic I think. I will put them in this morning and see how she goes.

Update ime

 

My Dark Green Cock and GreyGreen hen have 3 young. The eldest - the only one left witha ring on, is a green opaline, the other two are not opaline, just greens. Not sure on the dark factors yet. All 3 are lovely looking little things.

 

I have removed nestboxes from 3 cages - the DF widow, Earl and Kiwi and Twitch. Kiwi and Twitch have an ocecream continr for their little non-opaline grey dommie pied hen. Earl has an ice cream container for his grey opaline cock and his cinnamon winged grey opaline hen offspring.

 

No hatching yet form the Albino and Bruticus, but 4 of the 5 eggs look fertile - any day now hopefully.

 

No sign of movement of egg laying from the Light green cock and the greygreen hen.

 

to come later

Can't wait to the see the photos

Can't wait to the see the photos

 

Ran out of time today. Sorry. maybe tomorrow

Let me know when you are going to start your cull Dave and I will come and have a look.

Ross

Let me know when you are going to start your cull Dave and I will come and have a look.

Ross

 

Sure thing, no problem.

Can't wait to the see the photos

 

Ran out of time today. Sorry. maybe tomorrow

:rofl:

I want to be number two in line after Ross! :rofl:

I will post any culls up here.

:nest:

Stop your cyring, here they are.

 

In Earl's cage are his two fostered young. The cobalt Opaline Spangle is a hen, the DF spangle is a cock, his grey opaline son and his cinnamon wing opaline daughter.

 

 

DF widow with the three offspring of hers in her cage. The DF spangle is a hen and the Cobalt Opaline Spangles are cocks

 

Twitch and Earl only had one little one this time, but she is a beauty

 

 

These are the eggs that belong to Bruticus and his Albino hen. I think three are fertile. We shall see.

 

These are the little ones from the first clutch of my GreyGreen hen and my Dark Green Cock

Twitch and Earl only had one little one this time, but she is a beauty

 

Come live at Kaz's place little one........lots of space and a female owner

A few more

 

These are the ones in the kindy cage who are soon to go in the aviary.

 

You are doing very well Dave. Yes, the little Pied has got 'the look' - no wonder Kaz is putting her hand up for her :rofl: