Andyn

A clean headed CFW hen is quite a rarety. The grey normally goes away with age. It is an acceptable point in the show standard which is worded Hens may have grey on head. Do you have ring numbers so you know who bred them etc.? Good luck with them Nick.

Thanks again Clare, Bit of confusion I think. The tail photo #2 is a 2017 chick #3 not parent sorry! My hens are kept separate right up to breeding so she shouldn't have been with another cock. The only thing I did was to run 2 hens with the OB parent cock. But the hens were sisters from Isabel cock x OB hen and I'd swear they are both OB. (my head hurts)

Thanks Clare. The tails are slightly different. #1 is tail from BB Normal cock. #2 is tail of #3 who I believed was BB Fawn but in photo it looks like Black is changing to Orange as you can see. I guess there could be Isabel in the mix as Granddad was Isabel. Anyway, see if these help.. #1 #2 #3 #3 wouldn't sit still long enough to get photos so had to hold him.

Hi Clare thanks for reply. Both Parents are fawn so I'm confused from where the Normals have come from. Think I need to look at Dad and see if he is normal but fawny in colour. Here are photos of the two hens faces and tails.(didn't want to hijack your Emou chick post) Sorry second tail shot is slightly out of focus but basically same as 1st tail shot. Hen chick #1 4 shots for hen #2 she has chest bar markings so added it in in case relevent.

That's an interesting combination Clare & it'll be interesting to see it when its moulted out too. Despite saying I'm a traditionalist with Zebs I have bred an aviary pair of OBs but only got BB cocks and don't know how to ID whether hens are OB or BB They are quite striking though.

Yes, I just take the dividers out. (putting them in whilst in use as a stock cage means you have to clean the runner out first or if the divider will slide push the cage bedding out the back)

I'm hoping you'll see this Peter, so Happy Birthday and a big thanks for being my Mentor and Friend. Have a brilliant day. Andy

Hi and welcome to the Forum. I changed from Budgies about 4 years ago and never looked back. BUT Exhibition Zebra Finches can be just as difficult to breed as Budgies. You might find Exhibition Zebras on Preloved, Gumtree, FreeAds & Pets4Homes. Courier cost is about £45 for a box which would carry 12 birds. Andyn

Private message sent.

Hi Owen and welcome to the Forum and back into the hobby. There are a few Champion breeders in your area so it might be better to contact these first rather than a pet shop. The breeder ones would be Exhibition type though. I know there are some on the Free ads like Gumtree, Preloved etc. and you can get them couriered at about £45 ish for a box which I think holds 12 birds. If you say where in South Wales you live I'll look in the ZFS book and find some names and addresses. (No phone numbers though) Andyn

Nick, When you say sex linked hen are you talking about the hen (assuming) in your #2 photo and mated to the White (Pied) cock? The answer to that is probably 'Lucky Dip' If the White cock is a 'Normal White Pied' you would probably have Normal Chicks split for White (Pied) and possibly cream (assuming again) but if he is carrying other genes it could be different outcome. I think the hen in #1 photo is possibly a Cream which is a dilute of fawn. I don't know a great deal about Dilutes I'm afraid. If your pair hen is carrying any Pied genes you would get Pied, White, and any other colours. (that's the thing with not knowing pedigree of 1st birds, you just don't know what to expect until it happens. I have had Normal chicks turn up with white flight feathers and bib from visual Normals so the Pied gene has been dormant for years and my pairings have brought it together.(you wouldn't be able to show them as either Normal or Pied) but would be a good stock bird to improve on Pied size next year etc.

For breeding purposes I would divide into two. I use Orni-ex cages which fit together in a row of four, the next row fit onto the tops of the row below. If you went onto Supapets website you would find them under plastic cages- http://www.supapets-online.co.uk/463-plastic-breeding-cages-and-accessories Chudleigh is about 5-6 miles from me so quite easy. If you PM me we can arrange a visit. Think you have to be an active member with posts before you can post photos. 4MB is max size you can post, so if you can download your phone photos to PC and reduce in size to approx 640 x 480 pixels that should work just fine. This is one I use- https://pixlr.com/editor/

Nick, When you get your welcome pack the ZFS 2016 year book should be in it. In the back 3-4 pages is a list of members. So read through and find ones who you would be able to visit. Drop them a line or search for telephone number and see if they can accommodate a visit and maybe sales etc. We do have a members map in the top line of buttons so maybe have a look on there too. If you come down this way for holiday you could Private Message me and visit if you want. Another way to buy birds is via courier which costs I think £45 but you have to rely on the integrity of the seller of course, and this is quite a common way for us to buy and sell. Also look at the Forum's Exchange and Sales. Hope that helps

Lee is correct about old show cages but I have an 8 cage fold up block which my Babies go into for training.

Hi Nick and welcome to the Forum. Good to hear you are looking at Exhibition side of hobby. Where do you live? there could well be an Exhibitor member in your area who could help you with birds of the right type. I'm into showing myself and have 16 cages but not necessarily all being used as breeder cages because fledged babies need somewhere to be housed. If you have the type of cages with a small door at top front for nest box attachment then you can use external nest boxes (I use cardboard ones) but have used DIY plywood ones. I find that by placing Babies in training cages about 3-4 times a week for an hour at a time once they have been in the Stock cages for 2 weeks or so they will eventually calm down, though I've never tried to tame any but a friend of mine does have his chicks finger tame. Move chicks away from parents at about 35 days plus and if you can check that they are all feeding themselves by this time. (I lost two this year after 3 days of separation so I'm thinking to go past 35 days just to be on safe side) If you put them in an aviary after the training period you will probably have to retrain them a month or so before any show and you will also have to catch them up too. (much easier from a cage) I hope other members will join in and give you their ideas and experiences and ask away with any questions, there is a wealth of knowledge on here so I'm sure they will get answered. Andyn

Anyone got a hen to go with this-as far as I can work out it is a Black Breast,Black Face. Rather smart I must admit and build like a racing runner bean. I was told it popped up in a clutch. The chap who it was given to doesn't know what to do with it and I said I'd try to find a suitable hen. Any one ?? swaps with BB/OB cocks or hens if helps

I use the instructions on packet, they call it cooking but it's just add boiling water really. For roughly 14 cages and 2 flights I use 54gms of Cuscus with 75ml of water. I don't stir it though but do cover the basin/container with clingfilm. When I do want to use it I fork it over and fluff it up. My lot accidentally get dry mealworms when they are given Canary No.2 as a treat which my other half mixes them in for her canaries. But I've never seen a Zebra Finch eat any. (that's not to say that some don't ) It seems that both of your parent birds are Pied or the non Pied one is split (carrying Pied gene) and if that is a CFW then the Cock is split for CFW and that chick will be a hen. You wait till any baby cocks start to try and sing it's so funny. Andyn

Hi Bitty Birds and a welcome from me too. I think everyone has their own way of doing things so I carry on feeding egg food all year round about twice a week. But! mine absolutely love plain Cuscus and can't get enough of it. So if you are of a mind, you could try that yourself. In fact I kind of alternate with those two and a finger draw of Budgie Tonic seed. With 'Just Thrive And Gloss' supplement all the time.

You are not alone with too many Cocks Penny. I had same problem with first round and had 8 CFW cocks and 2 hens with 4 Normal cocks and 1 hen, but things seemed to even out a bit with more hens in second round so keep going I would say. Sorry to hear about your other birds too. Andy

Happy birthday Andy, I hope you have/had a good day.

Thanks Daisymay and it was a good one too.

Hi Mark, and welcome to the Forum. There are several Champion and Novice Breeders in your area but I don't think they are very active on here. There are-3 in Llanelli, 2 in Pentre, 1 in Kidwelly & 1 in Bargoed. And about 4 in the Bristol area. (no phone numbers though) We also have a For Sale and Wanted section on here and Currier charges are about £45 for a box of up to 12 birds. (I sent some to your area last autumn). I suggest that you join the ZFS and you would receive a handbook which contains names and addresses of most of it's members and ring order forms etc There could be more but not in my SW&SCZFC mailing list so again suggest ZFS handbook. Oh! and there is a 'Welsh Zebra Finch Society' Hope that helps

Thank You Lee and Dave. It was a very good day too.

Thank you both. Have had a lovely day with lunch out with wife, one daughter and daughter in law. Lots of cards and nice pressies including a bottle of Scottish Fire Water. 'Hic' yumm!!

Thank You for that zeb-xz. I did avoid using visible Isabel hen in hope that I would get BB/OB. I think they are a very smart looking bird but having trouble keeping the rings (leg bands) on. Guess the rings are for Exhibition size birds and a little big. Thanks again. andyn