BREEDER PROFILE ROB DUNSTAN

Q1 . AT WHICH POINT IN TIME DID YOU FIRST DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN BUDGERIGARS?

 

IT SEEMS I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED THEM BUT I HAD NOT SEEN THE EXHIBITION

STYLE BIRD UNTIL 2000.

 

Q2 . WHAT WAS YOU FIRST AVIARY / BREEDING ROOM LIKE?

 

MY FIRST AVIARY WAS 8 METRES LONG , 3 METRES WIDE AND 2 METRES HIGH.

ONE BIG OPEN CAGE WITH ONE 2 METRE SECTION ON THE END COVERED WITH

COLOUR BOND.

I FILLED IT WITH AS MANY DIFFERENT COLOURED BUDGIES AS I COULD FIND.

NEXT I ADDED 2 NEST BOXES PER HEN AS RECOMMENDED.

HENS STARTED LAYING.

NEXT EGGS GETTING TOSSED OUT AND BROKEN ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THEN HENS STARTED LOSING TOES AND IN SOME CASES WHOLE FEET.

THAT WAS ENOUGH , BLOODY LITTLE CANNIBALS!

 

Q3 . WHERE DID YOUR FIRST BIRDS COME FROM AND OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME

DID YOU CONTINUE WITH THESE LINES? .

 

MY FIRST EXHIBITION BIRDS CAME FROM AVARIETY OF BREEDERS ( ANOTHER MISTAKE MADE )

I BRED WITH THESE BIRDS FOR AROUND 3 YEARS.

THEN SOLD 90% OF THEM.

 

Q4 . ARE YOUR PRESENT BIRDS FROM THESE SAME BLOODLINES , IF NOT

WHAT BLOOD LINES HAVE IMPACTED MOST WITHIN YOUR STUD?

 

NO THEY ARE LONG GONE !

MOST IMPACT ? ARMSTRONG AND GEARING BIRDS.

 

Q5 . HOW DO YOU PREPARE YOUR BIRDS FOR THE BREEDING SEASON?

 

45 DAYS OF DOXY THEN PROBOTICS TO GIVE GUT FLORA A KICK START THEN

IVERMECTIN SPOT ON THE NECK.

THEN FEED THEM WELL FOR AT LEAST 6 WEEKS BEFORE PAIRING THEM UP.

 

Q6 . DO YOU SET YOUR BREEDING SEASON Y THE CALENDAR OR BY SIGNS THE BIRDS ARE READY?

 

BY SIGNS THE BIRDS ARE READY , IT IS OF NO USE TRYING TO BREED BIRDS OUT OF BREEDING

CONDITION.

 

Q7 . WHEN PAIRING UP DO YOU GO BY PEDIGREE OR VISUAL APPEARANCES OR BOTH?

 

VISUAL , THEN CHECK PEDIGREE , IF THEY ARE TOO CLOSELY RELATED THEY ARE NOT PAIRED UP.

 

Q8 . HOW CLOSELY DO YOU MATE YOUR BIRDS AND WHAT RELATED MATINGS HAVE BEEN THE

MOST SUCCESSFUL?

 

COUSIN TO COUSIN IS NORMALLY THE CLOSEST.

I HAVE USED MOTHER TO SON , FATHER TO DAUGHTER PREVIOUSLY TO GET SAME BLOODLINE

BREEDING STOCK.

BUT , IT IS A WASTE OF TIME AS THIS CAUSES THOSE BIRDS TO GO IN TO A TIME WARP AS THERE

IS NO IMPROVEMENT.

REALLY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO PAIR THE MOTHER , FATHER , SON AND DAUGHTER TO

BETTER BIRDS THAN THEMSELVES.

 

Q9 . WHAT VARIETY MIXES DO YOU USE FOR IMPROVEMENT IF ANY OR IS IT JUST BEST TO BEST?

 

I USE SPANGLE AND SPANGLE DOUBLE FACTOR THE SAME WAY OTHERS USE NORMALS.

THE CHCIKS FROM THESE JUST SEEM TO HAVE THAT LITTLE BIT EXTRA DOWN.

 

Q10 . HOW MANY CHICKS AND ROUNDS DO YOU ALLOW YOUR BIRDS TO HAVE?

 

4 CHICKS PER ROUND FOR ME IS THE IDEAL.

BUT , SOMETIMES THERE IS NO WHERE TO TRANSFER EXTRA CHICKS TO .

I LET THEM HAVE 2 ROUNDS BUT IF A 3RD CLUTCH IS LAID , I TRANSFER THE EGGS.

IF IT IS AT THE END OF BREEDING AND NO WHERE TO PUT THEM I DONATE THEM

TO A BREEDER THAT HAS A NEST AVAILABLE

 

Q11 . WHAT FEATURES ARE THE HARDEST TO PUT ON A BIRD AND HOW DOES ONE GO ABOUT

ESTABLISHING THAT FEATURE AND RETAINING IT , THE DIRECTIONAL FEATHER , STRAIGHT BACKLINE,

SHOULDER AND LENGTH?

 

ALL OF THE ABOVE , IF YOU GET ONE FEATURE RIGHT THEN INTRODUCE ANOTHER FEATURE USUALLY THE ORIGINAL FEATURE GOES BACKWARDS.

 

Q12 . WHAT IS YOUR FEEDING PROGRAMME DURING THE BREEDING SEASON AND DOES

IT DIFFER DURING THE NON BREEDING SEASON?

 

ALL MY BIRDS ARE FED THE SAME DIET ALL YEAR , EXCEPT WHEN ON THE DOXY , THEN

IT IS JUST SEED MIX.

 

Q13a . PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT AVIARY DESIGN , SIZE FLIGHTS BREDING CAGE

DESIGN AND NUMBER OF CAGES ETC?

 

AS I AM IN A RENTAL PROPERTY MY AVIARY IS JUST A BASIC AVIARY PLACE ON A PURPOSE

BUILT WOODEN FLOOR TO STOP MOISTURE.

BREEDING CAGES AND NEST BOXES ARE A CONTINUAL EXPERIMENT.

THE CURRENT ONES ARE LOOKING okay , I HAVE 14 CAGES.

 

Q13b . WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT YOUR SETUP IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO DO SO?

 

I WOULD IMPORT OESIG AVIARIES AND BREEDING CAGES.

 

Q14 . DO YOU USE PREVENTATIVE MEDICATION DURING AND PRE BREEDING SEASON

AND IF SO WHAT AND WHY ?

 

SEE Q5.

 

Q15 . WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE GREATEST ASSETT TO BEING IN THE HOBBY AND WHERE DO YOU

SEE THE HOBBY HEADING WITH SO MANY BREEDERS LEAVING TODAY?

 

ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS USUALLY FREELY GIVEN AND ACCESS TO GOOD BIRDS.

IT SEEMS TO ME THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE FEWER BREEDERS IN THE FUTURE BUT THEY WILL

HAVE MORE AND BETTER QUALITY BIRDS.

 

Q16 . WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER THE MOST IMPORTANT VALUE ABOUT FRIENDSHIPS

FORMED AND FELLOWSHIP WITHIN THE BUDGIE BREEDING FRATURNITY?

 

THESE FRIENDSHIPS ARE FOREVER.

SOME I PREFER TO MY OWN RELATIVES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Q17 . DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW TO PROMOTE THE HOBBY TO GET MORE PEOPLE

INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR CLUBS?

 

THEY HAVE TO HAVE A REAL INTEREST TO BEGIN WITH AND A WILLINGNESS TO DO WHAT IT

TAKES TO GET TO THE LEVEL THEY WANT TO BE AT IN THE HOBBY.

PUTTING UP POSTERS MAY GET ONE OR TWO NEW MEMBERS PER YEAR BUT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH.

THE MEDIA IS A GREAT WAY TO SHARE INFO , WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO UTILISE THE MEDIA.

THIS FORUM I HAVE NOTICED HAS CONVERTED A FEW PET TYPE BREEDERS OVER TO THE OFTEN

FRUSTRATING EXHIBITION BREEDING.

I CONGRATULATE YOU ON THAT .

 

Q18 . WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A NATIONAL SHOW?

 

YOU CAN SEE WHAT DIRECTION OTHERS ARE GOING IN REGARD TO THE FEATURES ON THEIR BIRDS.

ALSO IT IS A FANTASTIC CHANCE TO TALK TO SOME OF THE 250 TO 300 OTHER BREEDERS ALL IN ONE SPOT.

 

Q19 . HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT POINTING A NOVICE BREEDER IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

TO ENABLE THEM TO REACH THE TOP BENCH IN AROUND 8 YEARS?

 

IDEALLY EVERY NOVICE THAT JOINS A CLUB SHOULD BE ASSIGNED A MENTOR THAT CAN BE A POINT

OF CONTACT IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.

SERIOUS BIRD PROBLEMS DO NOT HAPPEN JUST PRIOR TO CLUB NIGHTS.

JUST A PHONE NUMBER SO THAT HELP IS AT HAND WHEN NEEDED WOULD BE GREAT.

I CAN`T EVEN IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF NOVICE BREEDERS THAT WOULD HAVE LEFT

BECAUSE THEY HAD NO REAL ASSISTANCE WHEN IT ALL GOT TOO MUCH FOR THEM OR

THEY WERE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP.

 

Q20 . WHAT DO YOU DO WITH BIRDS WITH FEATHER DISORDERS?

 

IT DEPENDS ON THE SEVERITY OF THE DISORDER.

 

Q21 . WHO HAS INSPIRED YOU MOST IN THE HOBBY?

 

GARY ARMSTRONG , CEC & BRENDA GEARING AND DANIEL LUTOLF.

 

Q22 . WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR LOWEST AND HIGHEST POINTS IN THE HOBBY?

 

LOWEST? WHEN I HAD TO SELL ALMOST ALL OF 10 YEARS OF BREEDING AND GENETICS

WHEN WE MOVED FROM WA TO VIC.

HIGHEST ? STILL TO COME , WE LIVE IN HOPE.

 

Q23 . WHAT IN YOUR MIND WAS THE BEST BIRD YOU EVER BOUGHT THAT MADE THE

DIFFERENCE IN YOUR STUD AND WHAT APPROXIMATELY WAS ITS COST?

 

A YELLOW DOUBLE FACTOR SPANGLE HEN FROM GARY ARMSTRONG.

SHE WAS A SMALL HEN BUT PRODUCED SOME RIPPER BIRDS , BETTER THAN HERSELF.

COST ? $100.

 

Q24 . IF YOU WERE JUST STARTING OUT ALL OVER AGAIN AS A NOVICE IN TODAYS

WORLD , WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU DISPENCE BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT?

 

VISIT BREEDERS AVIARIES.

FIND A STYLE OF BIRD THAT YOU LIKE THE LOOK OF THEN PURCHASE CHEAPER BIRDS FROM THAT

BREEDER.

ONLY PURCHASE MORE EXPENSIVE BIRDS WHICH ARE RELATED TO YOUR BIRDS AFTER YOU HAVE

HAD AROUND 2 YEARS BREEDING EXPERIENCE WITH THE CHEAPER BIRDS.

EXPENSIVE BIRDS DIE AS QUICK AND SOMETIMES QUICKER THAN CHEAP BIRDS.

 

Q25 . WOULD YOU HAVE A PHILOSOPHY TO SHARE THAT HAS HELPED YOU IN DAILY

LIFE WITH YOUR BUDGERIGARS?

 

ASK QUESTIONS , ASK QUESTIONS AND THEN ASK MORE QUESTIONS.

 

Q26 . WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE MUTATION OR VARIETY THAT REALLY INSPIRES YOU

AND WHAT VARIETIES ARE YOU SPECIALISING IN AT THE MOMENT?

 

MY ALL TIME FAVOURITES ARE SPANGLE AND D/F SPANGLE.

SPECIALISING IN LUTINO CURRENTLY.

 

Q27 . GIVEN ALL OF THE ABOVE DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER TIPS OR HINTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE

AND SUSTAINAN EXHIBITION BUDGERIGAR STUD?

 

DON`T BE IN A HURRY.

IT IS A LONG ROAD WE TRAVEL AND THERE IS NO END SO NO POINT IN RUSHING.

MOST OF ALL , KNOW AND ENJOY YOUR BIRDS AND YOUR HOBBY.

 

Q28 . IF THERE WAS ONE MAIN THING YOU HAVE WANTED TO SAY THAT ENCOMPASSES YOUR

FEELINGS ABOUT BEING INVOLVED IN BUDGERIGARS AND CLUBS , WHAT WOULD IT BE?

 

AS IN EVERY DAY LIFE YOU WILL MEET DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE.

I HAVE FOUND MOST PEOPLE I CALL FRIENDS ARE FROM THE BUDGERIGAR FRATERNITY.

EXCELLENT PEOPLE!

Edited February 8, 201114 yr by **KAZ**

Thankyou very much Rob

Good read!

BREEDER PROFILE ROB DUNSTAN

Q13b . WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT YOUR SETUP IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO DO SO?

 

I WOULD IMPORT OESIG AVIARIES AND BREEDING CAGES.

 

 

 

Love their products!

Oh wow I didn't know Rob went over East. I'm quite sure I met him at one of the Budgie meetings - he was a member of MBC wasn't he Kaz?

 

Love his interview - some very good advice and information there. Good to see the Spangles are a big hit with him as they are with so many others. They're my favorite too!

Excellent if slightly mentally disturbed people you mean?!

 

But seriously an interesting interview! Love ya work Rob & Kaz!