Kim

Hi Paul,these birds look like they are going to be good, head shape looks good to me,i keep looking at my first round chicks, they looked good as they were weening but during the moult i thought they were rubbish, now they are nearly throughthe moult and are regaining there good looks, i suppose the lesson is do not reacttoo quick and dispose of that ugly duckling.Cheers Kim

OK so i have decided to write this Blog, i hope new comers to the fancy will learn from my experiences some good and some bad, i have picked up many tips from this forum, so if experienced members would like to comment i could learn from my mistakes. Step1 i decided to retake up a new hobby instead of just sitting in front of the tele. I want to breed and exhibit Zebra Finch's, i only have limited space in the garden, so as the garage is already full of stuff i will need to build or buy a new Birdroom, did plenty of research on the net, and ended with a shortlist of 2 one local one in the midlands, the local supplier had a 8 week delivery as against a 10 day delivery so my impatience made me pick a company i had not visited at a cost of £850. for a 12ft x 6ft shed. On arrival the shed looked ok but next day was heavy rain and the shed leaked like a sieve, water running from joints and knot,s, despite it being Tanalised ,i spent days sealing all the leaks with silicon sealant. Step 2 i fitted 2 x roof windows, then insulated the shed,insulation on a roll looks like bubble wrap and cooking foil joined together its the equivalent of 25mm thick Polystyrene very quick to install and can be had on e-bay. next i lined the shed with 6mm MDF ,if i did it again i would use Plywood as the MDF sucks up moisture and warps. Step 3 fitted inside with a 6 cage breeding cage unit i made from Plywood and MDF 24" x 15" cages, again i would stick too Plywood. Step 4 Hired a qualified sparky to wire up lighting and heating plus power sockets, and for safety an MCB trip Step 5 Built a 4ft x 6ft internal flight at one end of the shed. Hoorah i am ready for new stock, after spending December and January building just happened to be the coldest December for years many cold weekends spent outside, but when i had finished it felt good i am sure this new hobby had improved my health as i am an old F--t of 56 i need all the help i can get. Next instalment will be stock selection and first breeding season. Cheers Kim

Hi Diane,welcome to the forum, sounds like you are living the good life down there in Dorset.Kim

Hi Brian,welcome to the forum , plenty of beginners and experienced Zebby keepers here.Kim

Thanks for the welcome guys.Best Wishes Kim

Hi i am just returning to keeping Zebra's, i kept them for a few years when my 2 daughters were younger,we got a lot of pleasure from them, now they have grown up i need something to get me off the sofa more often.Since last November i have erected a 12 x 6 bird room fitted with 1 x large internal flight and a block of breeding cages,along with insulation,electricity, light and heat,this was complete in mid-January after spending some **** cold weekends, now January is not the best timeof year to be picking up new stock, but i managed to purchase 3 pairs from Peter Hook and 4 x pairs from Charlie How, both sets were a mixture of CFW's and Normals, i wanted to start with basic colours.Now they have settled in i have chosen the best looking 4 pairs and placed them in the Breeding cages and hung Plastic nest box'son the outside 3 pairs seem to like these and have been seen to go in and out, 1 pair have refused the plastic box and triedbuilding a nest on the cage floor, so yesterday i quickly built a wooden box and hung that halalulya! they are franticly draggingin nesting material today, hopefully i will have my first egg in the coming week.My aim is to show the birds maybe next year as the cost of starting up was more than i expected, and i still have to complete an outside flight now that the weather is warmer.Finding this site was a bonus as i expect i will need some advice before long, and you never know in a while i may be able to advice others who follow.I will keep you posted during this first year back.Cheers Kim