Hi All

 

Probably 6 months ago now, I recieved about half a dozen birds from a fellow fancier from my club. Among these birds were a YF Cinnamon Grey, Cinnamon Blue, Albino, YF Opaline Grey Spangle, Cobalt and a Recessive Pied hen. The cobalt and the YF Grey Op. Spangle were both split Albino. The Albino hen is a black ring,YF Grey Op. Spangle blue and cobalt a red ring.

 

I personally try not to breed red ring birds (this year) as some of them, because of the new ring issue date, can be less then a year old towards the end of the breeding season still. I also don't have the cages to waste on birds that can't mate properly (young cock birds sometimes) or won't lay eggs (young hens) I would only pair a red ring bird if it was to a black ring hen, so that the hen can teach him the ropes, and then in the following year the cock bird can teach a young hen. That is my own opinion though.

 

Anyway moving on. I had planned on putting the Cobalt to the Albino hen, to get some ino's. I breed TCB's, so inos are important (I am also planning to use the hen for TCB's). I have just let the blue ring birds mature in the aviary, and I have basically ignored them as far as breeding pairs.When the breeder was here yesterday, he saw the YF Grey.... having a fun time with the Albino in the aviary He reccomended pairing them together, as the Albino hen was one he had bred himself, and the YF Grey came from a good line of albino birds, from a nationals breeder for SA.

 

The YF Grey is about 11 months old I have learnt, as he was rung just as the blue rings came in. So i decided to shove the to in a breeding cage, as I had one free, and just see how things go. I only put them in today, so hopefully there will be eggs within a couple weeks. Here are a couple pictures of the birds:

 

Albino Hen (bit hard to see, white on white...she is a very nice hen)

 

YF Grey Opaline Spangle/ Albino.

Note: He has matured alot since then, (older photos) as you can see he doesn't even have his iris rings. He is a very lovley boy.

Nice birds Squeak Crumble. You should get some beautiful babies. A few albinos hopefully.

Nice birds Squeak Crumble. You should get some beautiful babies. A few albinos hopefully.

 

Cheers Hopefully I will get both albino cocks and hens. For a split albino normal cock bird, to ino female, you would get:

25% Ino Cocks

25% Normal/Ino Cocks

25% Ino Hens

25% Normal hens

 

But throwing in opaline,spangle and YF, I have no idea

Edited July 3, 201015 yr by Squeak_Crumble

You could have a number of out comes there, good luck

nice birds, i have fingers crossed for you with the chicks

Thanks all! I am going away for five days, but already after one day, the albino is in the box with the cock bird sitting on the perch outside. This is very encouraging, as I have never tried a bonded pair together, with it working so quickly!

Sorry, I have been away for a little bit guys. The Albino hen is well into nesting, and eggs should be arriving soon

First egg! It looks VERY small, so I am HOPING it isn't fertile. Fingers crossed for more!

First egg! It looks VERY small, so I am HOPING it isn't fertile. Fingers crossed for more!

How small is very small ?

Here is a picture compared to a sunflower:

 

And here is one compared to a "normal" egg:

 

And a couple shots of Daddy, proud of his lovley eggie.

often these finch sized eggs have no yolks and are "mistake" eggs. they can indicate an issue the hen has with shaping and forming her eggs. Time will tell with that. I have a hen who lays aussie rules football shaped eggs...long and pointed at each end. She kept doing it so I put her back in the aviary.

Edited July 11, 201015 yr by KAZ

So should I just let her continue, and see what tommorrow brings? Or in this case, Tuesday if she lays regularly. Should I take the egg out, just in case their is a small possibilty of a chick forming? they have been enthusiastically breeding.

So should I just let her continue, and see what tommorrow brings? Or in this case, Tuesday if she lays regularly. Should I take the egg out, just in case their is a small possibilty of a chick forming? they have been enthusiastically breeding.

The egg will be useless...throw it out and wait to see if she lays better eggs as time goes along.

I didn't throw the egg away, and she layed another egg yesterday. I wouldn't say it is normal sized, but it is bigger then the last one.... I will get some pcitures.

3 eggs so far. I forgot to add, two were layed in one day, JUL 14.

The smallest (first egg) is the middle one.

i would wait and check for forming veins on day five, on these two new ones. Is this her first clutch?

4 eggs now Yup, this is her first clutch. I will candle them soon, probably tonight or tommorow.

okay, Well an update is in need.

 

Hen progressivley laid eggs, and she sat on up to 7 at once. Then eggs started disseapearing. The hen was eating the eggs, started with her first, the second. She skipped eggs that were fertile, and in the end she had 3 fertile eggs out of 7. With the chicks looking to hatch soon (I forgot to record date, silly me.... wait, I posted here... ) I fostered the three eggs to another hen with a clutch of 6 (1 fertile) and removed the foster hens clear eggs, so she is sitting on 4 fertile.

 

The albino hen has been very active with male, they seem to be on each other all the time. He was a little suprised, she is a very pushy hen I trimmed their vents, so I hope it with increase fetility. Be back soon with more updates

Good that you moved those eggs

Thanks Kaz. I am hoping this round (I forgot to mention I left the albino in because she was looking to lay) that everything will go smoothly. If she starts to eat the eggs again, I will foster to another hen and give the albino some marbles to chomp on.

 

I just worked out that the first egg was due to hatch yesterday. Because it was infertile, she ate it. I think it was about the 4th, 6th and 7th egg that she left. So, by the end of next week, if they hatch, I should have pinkies

Eggs = 1

Ended up with 5 or 6 eggs ( I can't be bothered going and checking in the cold in my warm room ) And they should be hatching in about 4 days

Update: No eggs hatching yet, still looking fertile though.

I hope they hatch for you, the hen may not of sat straight away, give them a few more days I am sure there will be little jelly beans there soon

I spoke to soon One pinky in nest, I am fairly sure it is black eyed, mum was screeching. I normally use a glove to nudge her away, she was screeching heeps. Finally plucked her out, the baby isn't even 1 day old and is squeaking it's head off.

 

I think the cock may be /cinnamon, or hen masking, because another chick in another nest may be there. i put three of their eggs in the nest, as mentioned earlier. I think the chick is looking Cinnamon Spangle Opaline (white down) (MAYBE cinnamon, was showing plum eyes) Blue or grey (grey more). So my better guess is (WF) cinnamon opaline spangle grey. Could be theirs???