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Andyn

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Posts posted by Andyn

  2. Posted · Report reply

    I know what you mean, Had two Fawn chicks from fawn parents and the chicks are Orange Breast. Knowing where the parents came from I'm surprised but the gene could be sitting dormant for years. Always a surprise just around the corner with these little birds.

  5. Posted · Report reply

    When it gets a too hot in my bird room I set a desk fan going on number 3 with oscillation to cover as much of the building as possible. (placed usually in a corner). But I would suggest that if you use a fan don't have it facing the cage full time. If possible use the oscillation and have the fan on a timer switch set for every 30 mins on for 10 mins. (that way the birds don't get buffeted) Just my thoughts.

    Usually the birds will pant/gasp and the feathers will be pulled tight if they are too hot or stressed.

  6. Posted · Report reply

    The start of the season in middle December through to end February was horrendous. I must have binned more dead chicks than I had adult birds in the shed. Then it went a lot better. I have rung 65 but have lost some after ringing so have about 58 ish. Normals didn't breed at all well only 6 surviving, Pied and the White bred like rabbits with CFW and Fawn/Cream doing quite well. But because they are later bred they might not be up to scratch in time for the Bigger Shows.

    By the way, my club holds a Summer Show in August so if you want to come and see just give a shout. Our Website is www.swandsczfc.uk There is a copy of the Show Schedule with all the details you'll need.

    Andy N

  7. Posted · Report reply

    Thanks Rich,

    We decided not to go with the Razas. (didn't realise they were small) so going with Fifes and have contacted the breeder we got some from who will have some to go in about 2 weeks.

    Closing down the breeding now and started to strip out and clean one of the indoor flights prior to painting. (we had a leak from guttering which found it's way in and stained the OSB lining so it will have to be solvent based which will be a bit strong smelling for a day or two)

    Were the CFW from an exhibition breeder? If so, what is/are the ring number/s? It should read- say 15 N196 z17s. or similar. Please forgive if you know that already. Good luck with them.

    If you are down Exeter way give me a bit of notice and come for a visit of my lot.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    Hi Rich and welcome to the forum. There is a member on here called Penny White who I believe lives in your county. Perhaps you could PM her and see if she has any Zebies to go.

    I was looking at an advert in Cage & Aviary Magazine for Raza canaries for sale in Dorset. We have just assembled a new garden aviary (original started to collapse due to storms and wood rot) and wondered what Raza were like to help fill the new aviary. We have Fifes in there at moment, (It's a bachelor group) some non exhibition Zebs and mixed Bengalese. Would Razas mix OK please?

    Oh! and there is our club. South Western & Southern Counties ZFS. (www.sw&sczfc.uk)

    Andyn

  9. Posted · Report reply

    Megan,

    I don't think your parent hen is fat. I believe you have an Exhibition quality Bird which are generally larger than pet shop or aviary birds. The cock bird is just not the same quality, though looks bigger than pet shop type. Hen chick looks like it will mature to be more like Mum.

  10. Posted · Report reply

    This is possibly a Chestnut Flanked White (CFW). This mutation is sex linked to the parent cock. This means that the parent cock bird is split for CFW and carries the gene on one of his 'X' genes. So imagine the cock is XX and hen is XY. one of those XXs can be explained like this. * = CFW so we are now looking at XX*. If it is a CFW chick it will be a hen because the parent hen doesn't carry any sex linked genes so the match up would X*Y. If the X* met up with the hens X the result would be a cock chick split for CFW (same as dad). If the non X matched with hens X it would result in a 100% Normal cock chick.

    Hope that helps, it's how I got my head around sex linked in Budgies.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    I would be a little concerned that if a new bird was introduced, the older bird might get territorial with it so, if it's possible I'd suggest two cages side by side so they would be able to interact but no physical contact until you were sure that they would be friends and then perhaps let them out to fly so that the new bird could get away if it needed to. It really is a 'try it and see' scenario.

  13. Posted · Report reply

    I think I would be more concerned if the door to cage accidentally closed while the parents were out and about. The maternal/paternal instinct in these little birds is fer-nominal. I have to take the nest boxes down to ring the chicks or clean the box if it's getting too fouled, but as soon as I re-hang the box one or both are straight in. (I must admit to not tippy toeing around them when they are in the breeding cages so I guess they are used to me to a degree)

    I expect you secure the cage door open, but just a thought.

    Andy

  14. Posted · Report reply

    OK, this is one I can answer based on my own experience.

    Firstly, make sure that the area of nest where babies are is lower than the entrance/exit so they are less likely to fall out. But if a small one is found on the cage floor you can pick it up and put it back in. The only thing that you need to be aware of is that other (maybe older) chicks might panic and try to exit the nest. If that happens just cover the entrance with your hand until things settle down.

    If the chicks are old enough to leave the nest they will fly back to it when they want to. (good practice for them) If the Chick stays out the parents shouldn't ignore it (plus chick will shout quite loud)

    As a beginner we get too involved thinking we are helping so I say- keep an eye and ear out but let nature do it's thing first before intervention. (hope that makes sense) 

  15. Posted · Report reply

    Were the eggs laid on the floor disfigured/soft shell. I'm thinking that maybe the hen knew they wouldn't be viable. The other thought is that she had come off from incubating and they popped out when she defecated.

    Can't really give a definite answer I'm afraid.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Hi Megan, and welcome to the forum. That's a smart looking Pied chick you have there.

    I don't think you would have to worry about the parents abandoning their chick. Even if they go to nest again at least one of the parents will feed it. We use the 35 day rule which should be time when the chick can fend for it's self but I've had them eating on their own before that time and at the other end of the scale, still being fed after 6 weeks.

    Nest/ box size doesn't increase amount of chicks. There are more natural methods. If only one chick hatches there could be any number of reasons with the other eggs being infertile, going 'addled' or dead in shell (chick dies before or during hatching. We candle the eggs after 5-6 days of incubation and look for red lines (veins) The shell has probably gone an Opaque colour and any infertile egg shell goes shiny and obviously no red lines when Candled. If the pair are young (more so the hen) then she might not be reacting to the Cock bird when mating takes place.

    Hope that helps.

    Andy N

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  24. Posted · Report reply

    Kev, I don't have Penguin so can't really answer your main question I'm afraid, but any chicks/birds with white tail or white in their wing flight feathers are Pied. So perhaps Pied Penguin.

    I see one with an ordinary tail, so, if no white flights in wings it could be a normal Penguin. Smart looking birds though.

  25. Posted

    Hi Megane,

    I use Canary Dummy eggs and also Budgie ones. The finches don't seem to have a problem sitting on either.

    I exchange the real egg for 4 days and when 5th is laid return all to the nest. I also carefully mark each egg 1,2, 3, etc so that I can record if any in-fertile etc.

    Don't expect all the eggs to hatch at same time. Possibly 3 at once (ish) then any others, but they should all hatch within 24 hours.

    I note that sometimes egg 3 shows fertile before 1 and sometimes 1 can be advanced of the others. You would think they would all show at same time but not necessarily. My thoughts are that the stored eggs are incubating in the storage box. (hope that makes sense)

    Andy