Just a quick look back of how I started

 

 

one breeding cabinet

I had it on a table in the barbeque area.

 

 

Quarentine area was a separate cage

 

 

 

 

Aviary was a cage bolted to the side of the garden shed.

 

 

 

I added some dual cages for breeding to replace the single one.

 

 

 

The shed was converted and the flight expanded.

 

 

Then pulled down and replaced...

Edited March 2, 201015 yr by Daz

Now thats a big improvement Daz, reminds me that I started the same way, in a wooden packing crate that was 1962 so I've had lots of changes since then. I now have a garage converted to breeding room and flights. What a great hobby we have.

Clearwing, it's good to look back... The small sky spangle cock in the top photo was the first bird I breed back then. There is a big difference between him and what I breed now.

thanks daz this gives me a bit more glimpse of some hope yet

ive been very disheartened of late specially with the shields and all and some of the powerful birds that are being selected my babys still look like canarys i know it wont happen over night but its hard to emagine it ever turning around

may i ask where the turn around with your birds quality turned was it due to bringing rather extravagant birds if so how many or was it a slow humble progression

great Daz I remember seeing each step

The progression is fantastic!!

thanks daz this gives me a bit more glimpse of some hope yet

ive been very disheartened of late specially with the shields and all and some of the powerful birds that are being selected my babys still look like canarys i know it wont happen over night but its hard to emagine it ever turning around

may i ask where the turn around with your birds quality turned was it due to bringing rather extravagant birds if so how many or was it a slow humble progression

 

The best thing I did was to join a great club with people happy to assist the beginner.

 

I bought a Grey Green Opaline Cock at Auction that came from Kathy Krang it cost me $80. Then I paid $30 each for three hens from Dave Frampton. The next year I won Champion Young Bird of show. From this $170 outlay for 4 birds was the start.

 

People like David Ganzer, Greg Horrobin, Brian Hollingsworth, Gary Armstrong, gave more than good advice.

 

It wasn't until 2008 that I decided to lift the bar with the cost of birds.

I remember reading along as you removed the small shed and put in the big shed. I was just starting to come to the site and it amazed me just how AWESOME your shed was and that you were pulling it down for an even bigger/better shed.

 

I believe I still have that thread printed out somewhere should the pictures/thread ever be deleted. I can tell you for a brand new convert that was thinking about getting into budgies it pushed me over the edge! So glad it did!

Yes Daz it is good to look back, but I'm trying not to, too much as my wife says its a sign your getting old. I remember when we first got married we lived in a housing commision house, I converted the outside toilet and bred my budgies in fruit boxes, thats where I bred the Grand Champion at the Victorian Young Bird Shield. I remember he came from box 2 his parents were a dark green opaline hen and a sky split opaline cock.

My current set-up is the best I've had its 10 meters by 3.5 meters built from steel and lined with stramit insulation, but that doesn't help win shows. You either get lucky and someone gives/ sells cheap a good bird from which you line breed. You spend a lot of cash and buy from one of the best breeders, or you study hard, study everything you can genetics, feeding, the standard and you take the long road, slowly improving year by year. Either way its great fun.

Thats about right clearwing... the birds don't care if there are in grand Aviary or an old toilet... I believe that Daniel Lutoff first breeding box was an empty shoe box... and look at him now

 

Jimmy i'm glad i inspired you that gives me joy.

Yes Daz it is good to look back, but I'm trying not to, too much as my wife says its a sign your getting old. I remember when we first got married we lived in a housing commision house, I converted the outside toilet and bred my budgies in fruit boxes, thats where I bred the Grand Champion at the Victorian Young Bird Shield. I remember he came from box 2 his parents were a dark green opaline hen and a sky split opaline cock.

My current set-up is the best I've had its 10 meters by 3.5 meters built from steel and lined with stramit insulation, but that doesn't help win shows. You either get lucky and someone gives/ sells cheap a good bird from which you line breed. You spend a lot of cash and buy from one of the best breeders, or you study hard, study everything you can genetics, feeding, the standard and you take the long road, slowly improving year by year. Either way its great fun.

 

well i wont be paying hundreds for birds anytime soon

the most i payed for a bird was 100.00 and i actually gave that bird away the other day didnt even use her

compared to my other birds even my auction birds are cheaper and better from my experiance unless the bird has paperwork and bloodlines provided im not paying more than 30.00 their will come a time where i will need to buy a very supper bird or two but intill then im sticking to highest max 50.00 a bird with good fetchers and Peront knowledge at least but it has to be really good bird no average not supper or excellent just really good

spending $100 on a bird and you didn't use her?? wow GB why not??

spending $100 on a bird and you didn't use her?? wow GB why not??

 

well to be honest jimmy

i didnt use her as i brought her from a show cage she showed very nice on day but still a young bird

and as she got to breeding age she just wasnt up to the standards that i set myself

when i brought her only one person had even bothered to offer us any birds in the form of hens plenty of good cocks but no hens

i was looking for a pair for my opaline light green split lacewing i got from nubbly

and i got her she was a opaline light green I couldnt get a dk green

but the more i looked at her when i got her home she didnt look the same as when i got her

i didnt get her right up the breeder let me pay in two lots and kept her their for me

she was not the same looking when i first saw her the day i brought her but i just figgered that she may of just showed in the cage not in the flight

when i got her home and assessed her i decided that i really did waste my money as she really was nothing i needed

she grew very long but her head didnt fill out so she had a pin head

in the end i did think a few times of breeding her just because i payed so much but honestly i would of been wasting my time as her head would of just bred me small headed genes even if chicks came out with big enough heads they would of all the cocks carried a small headed genetic which more often than not passes on to all their hen off spring

well so i have found over the years

big headed cocks mostly with a big headed genetic through big headed hens from my experiance so i dont breed small headed hens even if good directional feather length ectra

would of been poping out in any line constantly and if i wouldnt use her for that reason i wouldnt sell her to anyone else to use

i believe dont sell a bird to someone if its not going to benefit them

so gave her away to a pet breeder for an upsizer