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Lee Pycroft

Lee From Bury In Lancashire

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Lee that's just fantastic.  You have thought of everything, I like the idea using a cat flap  for opening and closing hatch and  I really like

 

how you have set up the inside of the flight. 

 

Are you using most of the space inside the shed for the inside flight or are you going to breed some using cages?

 

I made a mistake with my shed and my inside flight:

 

1. I should have measured my cages before the partitions were made so I could have used a third of the inside flight for breeding cages.

 

2.  I think everyone says this : I should have got a shed twice the size :lol:

 

You'll enjoy sitting watching the birds-- much better than watching all the repeats on the  TV

 

A great job of work!!   VERY interesting to see the development from start to finish.

 

Thanks for sharing that .

 

Emmy

 

ps My birds are still loving that bird bath I made after you showed us how to make it. lol

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lol Emmy, glad the bird bath is still proving popular with your birds..As for my shed, only a 5x7 foot one sadly, so basically just an aviary for them to sleep and eat!!! I did put provisions in the design to add some nestings boxes at a later date but I have decided to do away with the idea of ever "Aviary" breeding!!!

So, I have purchased two breeding cages and put them indoors(in my utility to be exact) and no it hasn't gone down well with the wife lol... Currently have two pairs, 4 eggs in one so fingers crossed!!!

Will rotate my pairs giving all my birds a chance of breeding and i can better control the type of birds i want!!! I'll keep the birds i like/want and sell the ones i don't want.... Going to learn how to breed properly before getting more serious about it all...

Might need to buy another shed for that, I bigger one lol..

Thanks for the comments everyone....

ps... there is always something you forget or wish you have done differently but that's the challenge I enjoy!! Working things out, sometimes as you go! Want to be able to sit and watch them as they are very relaxing to watch and funny at times! As for TV! what's that? don't really bother with it, as you say, usually repeats or soaps... nah, rather clean the avairy floor lol

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So

 

Had to laugh when I read the above.  It's me who has filled my utility room with cages and its when the family come to visit its them who complain. I've 3 cages and an indoor aviary in the utility room --At the moment they contain 5 cockatiels and a pair of hecks

 

I understand what you said about not aviary breeding. I found last year because I had let them breed in the outside aviary I had no hope of keeping track of any records. Some lovely young but had no idea who the parents of the  chicks were once the chicks fledged. So this   year  I have some breeding cages in the shed where I have the inside flight so I'm setting up the 'blind dates' this year :lol:  :lol:

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Brilliant!!! birds everywhere lol... re breeding and control of.. I think its best to cage breed if you want to be able to sell some birds on. Buyers like to know what they are buying, no nasty surprises when they hatch lol spilt for this split for that etc.. I'm learning (slowly)

Blind dates lol luv that!!! Don't know about you but most of my zebbies have naturally paired off so will keep them as they are when i decide to breed them!!! ;-) It's funny how when night falls they all have their certain part of the aviary to sleep!!!! I have two CFW's, both brothers and both huddle up in the grit dish at night, why they have chosen there is beyound me as there are loads of spare perches!!! lol

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So I've finished glazing the remaining two windows (which are only temporary for winter) and let the birds out.... They love it... Here's a few piccies of them playing out lol..

CFW_zpsxscki0pc.jpg

The%20hens_zps8yfi1lpz.jpg

Oscar_zpsj0wr3bcb.jpg

Scruff_zps3fgyh25b.jpg

Scruff%20kissing_zps8vetf0da.jpg

The%20Girls_zps9xhvhefg.jpg

Mickey_zpsh99gaglf.jpg

Freedom

ooops_zpsq5hpxivb.jpg

Jerry_zpsmjhqaubj.jpg

Mickey%20n%20Lexi_zpszc64auds.jpg

Lexi_zpse6kxre53.jpg

Jerry....._zpscmehgdtf.jpg

Max%20and%20his%20crew_zpsdlyrs2ox.jpg

Max_zpsrzlulzhu.jpg

DSC_1074_zps6ksgapbw.jpg

Hope you like?

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Lee those are re just wonderful photographs each and every one showing beautiful birds  the photo I really like apart from the 1st one, is where the birds are flying out from the 'cat flap' That would be a difficult shot to capture but worth the effort. (It was a cat flap you put in wasn't it?) if it is how do you manage to open and close it - I may have missed that bit in your post.

You need to give yourself a BIG pat on the back - those birds are very lucky :good:  :good:

Emmy

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Lee those are re just wonderful photographs each and every one showing beautiful birds  the photo I really like apart from the 1st one, is where the birds are flying out from the 'cat flap' That would be a difficult shot to capture but worth the effort. (It was a cat flap you put in wasn't it?) if it is how do you manage to open and close it - I may have missed that bit in your post.

You need to give yourself a BIG pat on the back - those birds are very lucky :good:  :good:

Emmy

Thanks for your kind words Emmy.. When I fitted the cat flap I attached a steel wire to it.. I fed the wire through several eyelets (bag of hook and eyes from BnQ) cost me 99p.. The wire goes across the top of the flight then outside where it's attached to a key-ring metal hoop! I pull the wire and hook the hoop over a hook and it raises the flap and stays in place via the hook.. As night falls the birds return to the inside aviary (helped by putting fresh millet in) and I just unhook the loop and the flap closes! :-)

Will post some pictures when I get chance.. xxx

PS, If Andy and Dave H are reading this, yes they all have names, all named by my 6 year old daughter, apart from two CFW hens which I called Pepsi and Shirley lol

PSS, My fav picture is the one of the pied!(4th pic) We have called him scruff,he's been like that for months, no change, think he's stuck in mid moult lol.....

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PS, If Andy and Dave H are reading this, yes they all have names, all named by my 6 year old daughter, apart from two CFW hens which I called Pepsi and Shirley lol           

 

 

I've named most of mine as well but now I've so many and the poor wee things are getting confused (me too) next thing we need to create:  name tags  to fix around their necks. :lol:  :lol:

 

Thanks for the explanation Lee I've got one silly pair who are building a nest on the tiny ledge where they go in/out from the outside flight. :o

 

Emmy

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I've named most of mine as well but now I've so many and the poor wee things are getting confused (me too) next thing we need to create:  name tags  to fix around their necks. :lol:  :lol:

 

Thanks for the explanation Lee I've got one silly pair who are building a nest on the tiny ledge where they go in/out from the outside flight. :o

 

Emmy

That's spooky Emmy... On Thursday last week I went to put some stuff in the bins before letting the birds out! Well stone me if they weren't already out???? rather confused as the wire was in the closed position.. So went into the avairy to find that "tag team zebra" had built a nest in the recess of the flap using basically anything they could find off the avairy floor such as millet sprays!!! In doing so they had propped the door open and got out into the flight lol

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That's what my pair has done--  in a wee while there will be world war three when the nest gets larger and the other birds start to have problems getting in/out. :o   I will be letting the cockatiels out into the main inside flight soon and they need more space to get in/out so tomorrow I'll need to find a way to check if there's any eggs in the nest but its pretty high up - may have to wait for my son coming up to visit lol

Emmy

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Hi Lee,

 

Lovely set up, and great zebs to.

 

Now time to sit back and enjoy :lol:

 

Clare

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Thought it was time for an update folks for those interested.  I have put a few pairs together and been very successful (or lucky) and I have breed exactly 20 birds the last few weeks. Had to send off for some more ZFS rings.  I say lucky as a few experienced breeders I know haven't had the best of starts, maybe down to the warm days but very cold nights?.

 

I have recently let the new babies out into the flight which was great to watch, watching them fly properly for the first time, have a bath for the first time and them exploring their new home!

 

The one downside to all these new additions is going to be the "DECISION"... The decision on what to keep and what to sell. I sold one pair the other week and it was difficult to let them go. Is this normal or am I just being a soft wuss? lol

 

I 'm waiting for the most recent babies to colour up and decide which of them to keep. The two I let go were nice looking birds but not the biggest! I will see what the remaining 18 look like before making a decision on them!

 

Just a question on size for those with the knowledge, how long does it take for them to reach full size. After 4 weeks they seem to have reached their adult size? will they get any bigger after that?

 

Here's a picture of 6 of my most recent babies. I great start to my first ever breeding season. It's so enjoyable, I'm hooked :-)  

 

20150429_164228_zpswf2gcz6a.jpg

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Hi lLee keep them for about six months to see what they are going to turn out like before you let any go . You might be letting good birds go . BAZ

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thanks speedwaybaz, will try that, may need a bigger shed then lol... Good excuse to extend my set up, well, that's how I'll put it across to the wife :-)

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Just an update for those interested! I'm back on Facebook and I have created a Zebra Finch page which is all about my keeping of these birds, loads of pictures etc. If your interested and want to have a look, search "My Zebra Finches" and it will come up with my page! I will be adding pictures and updates throughout my breeding season and hope to share my experiences with like minded people! And hopefully learn a bit more about these wonderful birds.

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Hi Lee

When I typed in "My zebra finches" only 2 options came up one was international the other was My Zebra Finches2 the second one had 2 likes is that your one?

Emmy

 

ps Lee,  please keep posting here too a lot of ZFF  members aren't on facebook :friends:

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Hi Lee

When I typed in "My zebra finches" only 2 options came up one was international the other was My Zebra Finches2 the second one had 2 likes is that your one?

Emmy

 

ps Lee,  please keep posting here too a lot of ZFF  members aren't on facebook :friends:

Yeah that's the one "with 2 likes" I only made the group public today lol. Only two people in my gang at the minute, my dad and I :crazy:

 

I will still be posting on here and annoying people with my questions! :p  Trying to get the best of world's, being on both gives me access to more breeders and gain more knowledge! 

 

 

 

 

 

ps, last night I went "live" with the page and I'm no longer Billy no mates lol. nearly 40 people requested to join the page in 24 hours!  Happy days.

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Hi lee. Inspirational stuff. I'm just in the process of moving house. Then I'll be getting a new shed in, a flight and setting up after a 20 year break from zebs. Looking back if you had to do it again would you change anything on your set up?

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Hummm? not sure! I used felt on the inside of the avairy as it looked nice, clean and tidy, plus i had a load left over, but... The birds when flying around have poohed all over it and i also put a perch too close to it, so again when they sit on the perch they fire pooh onto it lol.. Now, cause it's felt i can't clean it very well, so should have left it as wood and painted it so that it could be wiped clean.

As for the rest of it, nothing really other than the fact (like most people) never seem to have enough space! Time and money premitting i have drawn up plans to extend it. I want another shed to house as many breeding cages i can get in it, a flight also to house the new babies once they fledge! The plan would be keep all the babies until fully grown before making decisions on what to keep, then once breeding has finshed i would have two set ups, all the cocks birds in one and all the to hens in the other! Would just make everything alot easier!

So that's the future plan ;-)

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GUTTED THAT THIS FORUM IS GOING TO CLOSE Just going through this thread, the help and advice was very helpful and I would have been lost without it..

For those who do facebook I have a page connected to my personal facepage simply called "My Zebra Finches" If you want to carry on chatting everything Zebra, please feel free to look it up.

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thanks lee. it is a nice friendly site. I have been a member of it since you set it up. unfortunately I do not think everyone has facebook

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Hello everyone, thought i would update this page for those of you that are interested (plus I'm bored, into my second week of 2 weeks leave and have no jobs left to do lol) 

The 2015/2016 plans.......Well the plan for this year (2016) was to extend my set-up. I hoped to basically put another shed onto the other end of my flight and attach a small flight to that! The new shed would purely be a breeding shed where i plan to house as many breeding cages as i can, and when the babies have fledged, put them in the smaller flight until they colour up and then make decisions on them etc... 

At the moment those plans have been put on hold to due finances being restricted due to costs of re-training courses for both myself and my wife.Hopefully come summer time we'll both be back on track and i can get my bird/breeding room built and up and going! But meanwhile i have a plan.:D What do you think to the following? 

For those who know me and follow my Facebook page, I'm keen to breed black cheeked CFW's.. But getting a couple of good sized birds (exhibition sized) has been a constant problem. Very few about and people/breeders that do have them are not too keen to sell them which is fair enough. I did aquire one black cheeked cock bird a few months ago but sadly it died.But all is not lost, i do have 4 normal's that are all split for black cheek, and just happen to have two breeding cages (that's all i have currently). I have paired them together!:D

Now the plan, i'm not keen on aviary breeding for various reasons but i'm planning to put some nest boxes into the indoor aviary. Once the current birds in the aviary start pairing up and nesting, as soon as they start laying eggs i'm going to swap their eggs with any eggs from my split for black cheek birds and use the aviary birds to rear my black cheeked eggs (basically use them as feeders). Hopefully this way i can increase the amount of black cheeked chicks?, however all the 4 birds that are split for black cheek are Normal Greys! 

Fingers crossed i can breed 20 or so birds, then later in the year or possibly next year (in hopefully my new bird room:D) breed them with my better CFW's.. So guys, what do you think? Good idea? 

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